Planning Reports

and Proposals

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Today 8e Chapter 12 - 1

 Workplace Writing

• Informational reports
• Analytical reports
• Proposals

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Today 8e Chapter 12 - 2

Three-Step Writing Process

• Planning
• Writing
• Completing

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Today 8e Chapter 12 - 3

 Analyzing the Situation

• Define the purpose

• Prepare the work plan

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Today 8e Chapter 12 - 4

 Defining the Purpose

• Inform
• Persuade
• Recommend
• Confirm
• Analyze
• Summarize

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Today 8e Chapter 12 - 5

 Preparing the Work Plan
• Statement of the problem
• Statement of the purpose and scope
• Discussion of tasks to be accomplished
• Description of final products or outcomes
• Review of schedules and requirements
• Plans for following up
• Working outline

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Today 8e Chapter 12 - 6

 Gathering Information

• Purpose
• Audience
• Priorities

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Today 8e Chapter 12 - 7

 Selecting the Medium

• Hardcopy
• Digital format
• Multimedia

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Today 8e Chapter 12 - 8

Organizing the Information

• Direct approach
• State conclusions and recommendations
• Introduce findings
• Include support
• Indirect approach
• Introduce findings
• Discuss support
• State conclusions and recommendations

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Today 8e Chapter 12 - 9

 Using Outline Headings
Descriptive Informative
(Topical) Outline (Talking) Outline

I. Industry Characteristics I. Flour milling is a mature industry.

A. Annual sales A. Market is large
B. Profitability B. Profit margins are narrow
C. Growth rate C. Growth is modest.
1. Sales 1. Sales growth less than 3%
2. Profit 2. Profit growth is flat.

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Today 8e Chapter 12 - 10

 Informational Reports

• Monitor and control operations

• Implement policies and procedures
• Document compliance
• Record overall progress

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Today 8e Chapter 12 - 11

 Organizing
Informational Reports
• Comparison
• Performance
• Sequence or time
• Category
• Geography
• Spatial orientation
© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Today 8e Chapter 12 - 12
Planning Analytical Reports

• Assess opportunities
• Solve problems
• Support decisions

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Today 8e Chapter 12 - 13

 Challenges of Writing
Analytical Reports
• Quality of reasoning
• Clarity of writing
• Persuasive elements

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Today 8e Chapter 12 - 14

 Defining the Problem

• What needs to be determined?

• Why is this issue important?
• Who is involved in the situation?
• Where is the trouble located?
• How did the situation originate?
• When did it start?

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Today 8e Chapter 12 - 15

 Organizing
Analytical Reports
• Logical arguments
• Feasible recommendations
• Bottom-line conclusions

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Today 8e Chapter 12 - 16

 Focus on Conclusions

• Advantages
– Ease of use
– Bottom-line driven
• Disadvantages
– Possible resistance
– Oversimplification

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Today 8e Chapter 12 - 17

Focus on Recommendations

• Establish the need for action

• Introduce benefits
• List the steps
• Explain each step
• Summarize

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Today 8e Chapter 12 - 18

Focus on Logical Arguments

• 2 + 2 = 4 approach
• Scientific method
• Yardstick approach

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Today 8e Chapter 12 - 19

 Planning Proposals
• Internal
– Funding
– Management support
– General projects
• External
– Investments
– Grants
– Sales

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Today 8e Chapter 12 - 20

 Structuring Proposals

• Solicited
– Direct approach
– Interested audience
• Unsolicited
– Indirect approach
– Uninterested audience

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Today 8e Chapter 12 - 21