BUS251

1. Business Communication
MGT 3201
Writing Reports and Proposals

2. Reports and Proposals
•Informational Reports – offer data, facts, feedback
and other types of information without analysis or
recommendations
•Analytical Reports – offer both information and
analysis and may also include recommendations
•Proposals – offer structured persuasion for internal or
external audiences

3. Reports and Proposals
Analytical Reports
Reports to monitor &
control operations Provide
feedback and other
information for decision
making
Reports to Implement
policies & Procedures
communicate organizational
rules and positions
Reports to Demonstrate
Compliance provide
information to show
regulators & other authorities
that company meets formal
requirements
Reports to Document
Progress Provide managers
or customers with information
on project status
Proposals
Informational Reports
Reports to Assess
Opportunities Explain the
risks and rewards of a course
of action such as market
analysis report
Reports to Solve Problems
Analyze problems and
(usually) suggest solutions
Reports to Support
Decisions Judge the merits of
past or future decisions (such
as feasibility reports)
Internal Proposals
Request decisions from
managers within the
organization (funding
proposals; project
proposals etc)
External Proposals
Request decisions from
parties outside the
organization (grant
proposals; sales
proposals etc)

4. 3 Step Process for Reports and Proposals –
Step 1: Planning
• Analyze the Situation
Clarify the opportunity or problem at hand, define your purpose, develop an
audience profile and develop a plan
• Gather Information
Determine audience needs and obtain the information necessary to satisfy
those needs; conduct a research activity if necessary
• Select the Right Medium
Choose the best medium for delivering your message
• Organize the Information
Define your main idea; limit your scope; select direct or indirect approach;
outline your content using the appropriate structure

5. 3 Step Process for Reports and Proposals –
Step 2: Writing
• Adapt to Your Audience
Be sensitive to audience needs by using a “you” attitude, politeness, positive
emphasis and bias-free language. Build a strong relationship with your
audience by establishing credibility and projecting your company’s image.
Control your style with a tone and voice appropriate to the situation.
• Compose the Message
Choose strong words that will help you create effective sentences and
coherent paragraphs throughout the introduction, body and conclusion of
your report / proposal

6. 3 Step Process for Reports and Proposals –
Step 3: Completing
• Revise the Message
Evaluate content and review readability, then edit and rewrite for final
polished version
• Produce the Message
Use effective design elements and suitable layout for a professional
appearance. Integrate text with graphics / diagrams
• Proofread the Message
Review for any errors such as spelling and punctuation
• Distribute the Message
Deliver your report using the chosen medium and check that your report has
been received by the audience in its entirety

7. Step 1: Planning
Analyze the Situation
Statement of Purpose
• Many reports are long and complex so it is critical to define your
purpose clearly. This tells your audience why you are writing
• The best way to begin is with a purpose statement for an
informational report is to describe your goal. For example:
- To provide clarification on how new tax laws will apply
- To update the directors on the policy review project
- To explain the latest customer feedback data

8. Step 1: Planning
Analyze the Situation
Statement of Purpose cont.
• Your statement of purpose for an analytical report needs to be
more comprehensive. This is because analytical reports draw
conclusions and make recommendations. Example:
- To analyze the travel and entertainment budget, evaluate the
impact of recent changes in airfares and hotel costs, and suggest
ways to tighten management’s control over travel and
entertainment expenses.

9. Step 1: Planning
Analyze the Situation
Statement of Purpose cont.
• Your statement of purpose for a proposal must be focused on
persuading your audience. Examples:
- To secure funding in next year’s budget for three new
photocopiers.
- To get management approval to hire a change consultant
- To compete for the government tender to provide training for
500 new trainee public officials

10. Step 1: Planning
Analyze the Situation
Construct an Audience Profile
• We have looked at this in detail already this semester; you
should refresh your memory from earlier slides and activities
Write out a work plan
• A work plan (rough outline for your report / proposal) can save
time and produce a better end result. See page 369 in our text
book for an example

11. Step 1: Planning
Gathering Information
Determine and meet Audience Needs
• We need to identify what the needs of the audience are. What
do they need to know? And then we need to gather the right
information to put into our report so we can satisfy those
needs…to be informed? To be advised? To be given a choice of
solutions for a problem?
• This may be simple and obvious in many cases. In some cases we
may need to conduct some research to identify needs and
collect data to satisfy those needs

12. Step 1: Planning
Select the Right Medium
Choosing the best medium
• The medium you select must be appropriate for your audience in
terms of how they expect to receive a report, how sensitive the
information is, what impression you hope to make and what
they plan to do with the report.
• It could be: a PowerPoint presentation; a printed and bound
booklet; emailed word document; a page posted on the
company’s intranet etc

13. Step 1: Planning
Organizing the Information
Direct or Indirect Approach?
• Use a direct approach if your audience is receptive
• Use an indirect approach if your audience is skeptical
• Use a direct approach if your audience is familiar to you
• Use an indirect approach for an audience less well known or to
build interest / credibility

14. EXAMPLES
Handout 1: Ineffective and Effective Report
• See the handout (memo dated March 14 2008)
• On one side (p 392) is an ineffective informational report
• On the other side (p 393) is an effective informational report
What makes the reports effective and ineffective?
• All of the handouts are saved in the “class activities” folder on the L Drive

15. EXAMPLES
Handout 2: Effective Analytical Report
• See the handout (memo dated September 12 2008)
• It is an example of a good analytical report
• It is pages 398 – 399 in our text book
• All of the handouts are saved in the “class activities” folder on
the L Drive

16. EXAMPLES
Handout 3: Effective Internal Proposal
• See the handout (memo dated July 8 2008)
• It is an example of a good internal proposal
• It is pages 402 – 403 in our text book
What differences do you see between the effective report
(p398-399) and the effective proposal (p402-403)?
• All of the handouts are saved in the “class activities” folder on
the L Drive

17. Step 2: Writing
Adapt to your Audience
Sensitivity Toward Audience Needs
• Long and complex reports demand a lot of readers, making the
“you” attitude more important
• Follow any company guidelines / templates for reports
(especially to external audiences)
• Write for the audience: consider carefully tone, vocabulary
(complexity of words; register); acronyms; jargon; prior
knowledge of the topic of the report etc
• Build credibility for yourself and your message

18. Step 2: Writing
Compose the Message
Structure
• Your introduction needs to put the report in context for the
reader. Introduce the subject, preview the main ideas and set
the right tone for the document
• The body of your report provides the discussion and analysis and
interprets the information you discovered
• The conclusion might be the only thing some people read. Make
sure it is strong, clear and unambiguous

19. Step 2: Writing
Compose the Message
Structure for Reports: Introduction
• Authorization: when, how and by whom the report was
authorized; who wrote it and when it was submitted
• Problem/opportunity/purpose: The reason the report was
written and what is to be accomplished as a result
• Scope: What is and what is not covered in the report. This helps
manage the reader’s expectations
• Background: Any relevant historical conditions or factors that
help put the topic in context
• Sources and methods: The primary and secondary sources of
information used. This section can also explain how the
information was collected

20. Step 2: Writing
Compose the Message
Structure for Reports: Introduction cont.
• Definitions: Definitions of important terms used in the report.
Define any terms that might be unfamiliar to the audience or
used in an unfamiliar way
• Limitations: Factors beyond your control that limit the quality,
reliability, usage of the report’s message such as budget
constraints or quality of data. But never make personal excuses
• Report Organization: How the rest of the report will be
organized. It’s a bit like a table of contents

21. Step 2: Writing
Compose the Message
Structure for Reports: Body
Topics commonly covered in the body of a report include:
• Explanations of a problem or opportunity
• Facts, statistical evidence, trends
• Results of studies or investigations
• Discussion and analysis of potential courses of action
• Procedures or steps in a process
• Methods and approaches
• Criteria for evaluating alternatives and options
• Conclusions and recommendations
• Supporting reasons for conclusions and recommendations

22. Step 2: Writing
Compose the Message
Structure for Reports: Close
• Direct approach – then conclude with a list of key points
• Indirect approach – reiterate and stress your conclusions and/or
recommendations
• If the report requires action, use the ending to explicitly state
what should happen next and who is responsible for each task. If
it is you, make sure your readers know this

23. EXAMPLES
Handout 4: Problem Solving Report
• See the handout (memo dated July 7 2008)
• It is an example of a good problem solving report that focuses on
recommendations
• It is pages 415 – 416 in our text book
• All of the handouts are saved in the “class activities” folder on the L Drive

24. Step 2: Writing
Compose the Message
Structure for Proposals: Introduction
• The introduction for a proposal… “presents and summarizes the
problem or opportunity you will address along with your proposed
solution.”
• If your proposal is solicited, be sure to follow the guidelines they
provide for writing your proposal
• If your proposal is unsolicited, you should explain why you are
writing. For example; following up on a conversation

25. Step 2: Writing
Compose the Message
Structure for Proposals: Introduction cont.
• Background or statement of the problem / opportunity: briefly
reviews the reader’s situation and establishes reason for action. If
unsolicited, you will need to convince them
• Solution: Briefly describes the change you propose and highlights
your key selling points and their benefits, showing how your
proposal will help readers achieve their business objectives
• Scope: States what is and is not covered in the proposal
• Organization: Like a table of contents for what is to follow

26. Step 2: Writing
Compose the Message
Structure for Proposals: Body
• The proposal’s body… “gives complete details on the proposed
solution and specifies what the anticipated results will be.”
• Remember – a proposal is a persuasive document so all of this
needs to be written in a way to influence the reader to see things
as you do.

27. Step 2: Writing
Compose the Message
Structure for Proposals: Body cont.
The body of a proposal is most likely to be:
• Proposed solution – Describes what you have to offer (service;
product; opportunity) why it will make a difference and its unique
benefits
• Work Plan – Describes what you plan to do in detail: timings;
resources; methods; venues etc
• Statement of Qualifications – You/your organization’s experience,
knowledge, expertise and other credentials
• Costs – Detailed breakdown of all costs

28. Step 2: Writing
Compose the Message
Structure for Proposals: Conclusion
• Summarize key points; emphasize the benefits; summarize why
your proposal is the best option; emphasize the proposal as an
opportunity to be taken now and ask the reader for a decision.
• Be brief – a paragraph or two, be assertive and confident but not
arrogant or demanding

29. EXAMPLES
Handout 5: Effective Solicited Proposal
• See the handout (letter dated October 29 2008)
• It is an example of an effective solicited proposal in letter format
• It is pages 422 – 423 in our text book
• All of the handouts are saved in the “class activities” folder on the L Drive

30. Step 3: Completing
Revise the Message
Evaluate and Review
• Your document should be carefully reviewed and revised for
clarity, conciseness, structure, flow. Have a colleague review your
document for suggestions
• Edit and re-write your document

31. Step 3: Completing
Revise the Message
Produce the Message
• Your document should include three main parts:
• Prefatory Parts: Things that come before the introduction
• Text Parts: The introduction; body and conclusion
• Supplementary Parts: Things that come after the conclusion

32. Step 3: Completing
Revise the Message
Produce the Message cont.
Prefatory Parts Text Parts Supplementary Parts
• Covering letter
• Title page
• Acknowledgements
• Definition of key terms
• Table of contents
• List of illustrations / tables
• Synopsis
• Introduction
• Body
• Conclusion
• Recommendations
(can be separate to
conclusion)
• Index
• Bibliography
• Appendices

33. EXAMPLES
Handout 6: Effective Full Report
• See the handout (“Reducing Electrovision’s Travel and
Entertainment Costs”)
• It is an example of an effective full report including prefatory,
text and supplementary parts as well as graphics
• It is pages 462 – 475 in our text book
• All of the handouts are saved in the “class activities” folder on the L Drive

34. EXAMPLES
Handout 7: Effective Full Proposal
• See the handout (“O’Donnell” dated July 28 2008)
• It is an example of an effective full proposal including costing
• It is pages 483 – 486 in our text book
• All of the handouts are saved in the “class activities” folder on the L Drive

35. Step 3: Completing
Revise the Message
Proofread the Message
• Review the message for errors in spelling, punctuation, grammar,
spacing, font size and styles and other technical aspects of writing

36. Step 3: Completing
Revise the Message
Distribute the Message
• Deliver the report to your audience in the chosen method based
on what is expected and what will get the best results for you.
Make sure the covering letter goes with the report.
• Check that the report has been successfully received by your
audience