ECONOMICS HOMEWORK

Business Memo

Technically, this refers to the following format (such as in email): TO: FROM: SUBJECT: (should be informative) (“Assignment 1” isn’t informative.) DATE:

In addition, business memos are short (generally a page or less, but sometimes two pages). In our course, we stretch this limit. This makes our reports a compromise between a business memo and a business report.

They are informal. Not written in jargon. And, right to the point. I recommend one more thing. Begin with an Executive Summary of a short to middle

length paragraph. The Executive Summary communicates the findings, conclusions or recommendations,

and whatever else is needful to a decision-maker. In practice, decision-makers only read the complete report as necessary. This is because they’re busy.

Internal organization. If the communicate is short, there is no need for subheadings. With middle-sized and longer

What a business memo is not: It’s not a mystery novel. Readers of business reports want to know the conclusion immediately. Like I said, readers might not even read the entire report.

While the conclusion is put first, the conclusion should be based on the information gathered for the assignment and its analysis. With this in mind, you might write the conclusion last, but then copy and place it at the beginning. You may want to then edit the rest of the report.

Time is a consideration. Business decisions are made in real time. A conclusion that “more research” is needed sounds like an academic paper, not a business report. The following is an illustration of how to draw a conclusion when the data isn’t clear: “No conclusion can be drawn.” Or, “While the data suggests conclusion X, no strong conclusion can be drawn.”

Some odds and ends: Business communications often involve quantitative information, often organized into tables and charts. If possible, these should be able to stand alone (meaning, could be read without reading the text).

With regard to lists: up to four or five items in a list: think of using bullet points. More than that, think of numbering the items.

With regard to numbers in the flow of the text, try to avoid long numbers. Say 2.3 million. Don’t say 2,289,411. With regard to numbers in tables: as much as possible, use a uniform format.

Page numbers: 1 page – don’t use page numbers. 2 or more pages – use page numbers.

C.F. Thies 6/21/19