Business communication

14 Planning Reports and Proposals LEARNING OBJECTIVES

After studying this chapter, you will be able to

1 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p700101245100000000000000000514a#P700101245100000000000000000514E) Adapt the three-step writing process to reports and proposals.

2 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000052bb#P70010124510000000000000000052BF) List the options for organizing informational reports, and identify the key parts of a business plan.

3 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p700101245100000000000000000514a#P700101245100000000000000000514E) Discuss three major ways to organize analytical reports.

4 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000053dc#P70010124510000000000000000053E1) Explain how to choose an organizational strategy when writing a proposal.

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COMMUNICATION CLOSE-UP AT Warby Parker www.warbyparker.com (http://www.warbyparker.com)

When a company sets out to disrupt an entire industry, it’s not surprising that its communication efforts don’t follow all the old rules, either.

Much of the worldwide market for eyeglasses is controlled by the Italian company Luxottica Group, which owns such well-known brands as Ray-Ban and Oakley and manufactures glasses for a host of high-fashion labels, from Dolce & Gabbana to Versace. Luxottica also operates more than 7,000 retail stores, including LensCrafters and Sunglass Hut. If you’ve ever purchased a pair of prescription glasses or sunglasses, chances are you’ve done business with Luxottica in one form or another. And business has been very good for Luxottica, earning it some 80 percent of the global market for glasses.

Much of the remaining 20 percent of the market is in the hands of Costco and Walmart, two companies that compete on cost more than fashion. Between high fashion on one hand and low prices on the other, these three giants seem to have wrapped up the market.

Neil Blumenthal and David Gilboa’s unconventional ideas behind the eyewear startup Warby Parker are re�lected in the company’s cheeky communication style.

WENN Ltd/Alamy Stock Photo

Neil Blumenthal and David Gilboa looked at the data and drew a different conclusion, however. They believed an opportunity existed for a company to compete on fashion and price. Together with their University of Pennsylvania classmates Andrew Hunt and Jeffrey Raider, they crafted a business model that combines fashion-forward designs and a brand image that appeals to younger consumers with the operational ef�iciency of online commerce. Echoing their unconventional aspirations, they named the company Warby Parker after two characters from the works of the Beat Generation writer Jack Kerouac.

The quest to connect with buyers in a market dominated by a handful of major corporations gives Warby Parker’s communication efforts a different look and feel. You won’t �ind supermodels posing on yachts in the company’s promotional campaigns. You’re more likely to �ind a blog post about what company employees are reading or a wistful goodbye note to a summer intern heading back to high school.

The company’s “annual reports” are a great example of how unconventional thinking can lead to communications that connect with audiences in fresh ways. All U.S. companies that sell stock to the public are required to issue annual reports that disclose a variety of �inancial details. Most companies expand on these minimum requirements with glossy, persuasive messages about their operations, products, and prospects. As a privately held company, Warby Parker isn’t required to publish an annual report, but it does so anyway—sort of. Its annual reports are anything but normal. One year, the report was an online calendar of major, minor, and just plain goofy things that happened around the company, from product launches to a survey about how many pairs of pants employees wear in a typical month. The following year, it was an interactive message generator that created personalized reports for website visitors based on how good or bad their year had been.

This tradition-defying approach to communication �its the transparent, social, and conversational style of today’s younger consumers. And it helps position Warby Parker as a different kind of company—one more in touch with those customers and their needs and aspirations. The company won’t dethrone Luxottica anytime soon, but it has already carved out a nice chunk of the eyewear market and continues to grow as it heads toward a possible initial public offering in the stock market. At that point it will have to bend to convention just a little, at least enough to meet government reporting requirements, but it will surely maintain an of�beat approach in the rest of its communication efforts.1 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p7001012451000000000000000005475#P700101245100000000000000000558F)

14.1 Applying the Three-Step Writing Process to Reports and Proposals LEARNING OBJECTIVE

1 Adapt the three-step writing process to reports and proposals. Whether they are routine documents or the unconventional messages that Warby Parker (pro�iled in the chapter-opening Communication Close-Up) tends to create, reports (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p7001012451000000000000000005475#P7001012451000000000000000005499) are written accounts that objectively communicate information about some aspect of a business (see Figure 14.1 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p700101245100000000000000000514a#P7001012451000000000000000005156) ). Informational reports (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p7001012451000000000000000005475#P7001012451000000000000000005490) offer data, facts, feedback, and other types of information, without analysis or recommendations. Analytical reports (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p7001012451000000000000000005475#P7001012451000000000000000005487) offer both information and analysis and can also include recommendations. Proposals (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p7001012451000000000000000005475#P7001012451000000000000000005496) are a special category of reports that combine information delivery and persuasive communication.

The purpose and content of business reports varies widely; in some cases you’ll follow strict guidelines, but in others the organization and format will be up to you.

The nature of these reports can vary widely, depending on the circumstances. Some of the reports you write will be voluntary, launched on your own initiative and following whatever structure you �ind most effective. Other reports will be in response to a manager’s or customer’s request, and you may or may not receive guidance regarding the organization and content. You may also write certain reports that follow strict, speci�ic guidelines for content and layout.

Many of your reports will be written for internal audiences, but you may also write reports for a wide range of outside readers.

Your audience will sometimes be internal, which gives you more freedom to discuss sensitive information. Other times your audience might include customers, investors, community members, or news media, any of which can create additional demands as you present company information to such external groups.

No matter what the circumstances, preparing reports requires all the skills and knowledge that you’ve gained throughout this course and will continue to gain on the job. View every business report as an opportunity to demonstrate your understanding of business challenges and your ability to contribute to your organization’s success.

By adapting the three-step writing process, you can reduce the time required to write effective reports and still produce documents that make lasting and positive impressions on your audiences. The concepts are the same as those you explored in Chapters 4 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p7001012451000000000000000001f59#P7001012451000000000000000001F59) through 6 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p7001012451000000000000000002ade#P7001012451000000000000000002ADE) and applied to shorter messages in Chapters 10 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p7001012451000000000000000003e00#P7001012451000000000000000003E00) through 12 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p7001012451000000000000000004853#P7001012451000000000000000004853) . However, the emphasis on speci�ic tasks can vary considerably. For instance, planning can take days or weeks for a complex report or proposal.

Figure 14.1 Common Types of Business Reports and Proposals

You will have the opportunity to read and write many types of reports in your career; here are some of the most common.

ANALYZING THE SITUATION

Given the length and complexity of many reports, it’s crucial to clearly de�ine your purpose so you don’t waste time with avoidable rework.

The complexity of most reports and the magnitude of the work involved heighten the need to analyze the situation carefully. With an email or another short message, you can change direction halfway through the �irst draft and perhaps lose only a few minutes of work. In contrast, if you change direction halfway through a major report, you could lose days of work. To minimize that chance, pay special attention to your statement of purpose. In addition, for anything beyond the simplest reports, take the time to prepare a work plan before you start writing.

De�ining Your Purpose

Informational reports often address a predetermined need and must meet speci�ic audience expectations. For example, you may be asked to write reports that verify your company’s compliance with government regulations, that summarize sales, or that monitor a process—all of which have audiences who expect certain information in a certain format. With other informational reports, you will need to uncover audience needs before you can de�ine the optimum purpose.

In some cases you’ll be told the purpose of the report; in others, it’s up to you to identify the purpose.

Analytical reports and proposals are almost always written in response to a perceived problem or a perceived opportunity. A clear statement of this problem or opportunity helps frame the communication challenge by identifying what you’re going to write about, but it’s insuf�icient to guide your writing efforts. To plan effectively, address the problem or opportunity with a clear statement of purpose (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p7001012451000000000000000005475#P700101245100000000000000000549F) that de�ines why you are preparing the report (see Table 14.1 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p700101245100000000000000000514a#P7001012451000000000000000005191) ).

The most useful way to phrase your purpose statement is to begin with an in�initive (to plus a verb). Using an in�initive encourages you to take control and decide where you’re going before you begin. When you choose an in�initive (such as to inform, to con�irm, to analyze, to persuade, or to recommend), you pin down your general goal in preparing the report. Consider these examples for informational reports:

To update clients on the progress of the research project (progress report) To develop goals and objectives for the coming year (strategic plan) To identify customers and explain how the company will serve them (marketing plan) To submit monthly sales statistics to management (operating report) To summarize what occurred at the annual sales conference (personal activity report)

To explain building access procedures (policy implementation report) To submit required information to the Securities and Exchange Commission (compliance report)

The statement of purpose for an analytical report often needs to be more comprehensive than a statement for an informational report. For example, a report suggesting ways to reduce employee travel and entertainment (T&E) costs might have the following as a statement of purpose:

. . . to analyze the T&E budget, evaluate the impact of recent changes in airfares and hotel costs, and suggest ways to tighten management’s control over T&E expenses.

If the writer had been assigned an informational report instead, she might have stated her purpose differently:

To summarize the company’s spending on travel and entertainment

You can see from these two examples how much in�luence the purpose statement has on the scope of your report. Because she was assigned an analytical report rather than an informational report, the writer had to go beyond merely collecting data; she had to draw conclusions and make recommendations. (You can see the full report based on this statement of purpose in Chapter 15 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000055a2#P70010124510000000000000000055A2) .)

Proposals must also be guided by a clear and speci�ic statement of purpose to help you focus on crafting a persuasive message. Here are several examples:

To secure $400k of funding in next year’s capital budget for a new conveyor system in the warehouse (funding proposal) To get management approval to reorganize the North American salesforce (general project proposal) To secure $2 million in venture capital funding to complete design and production of the new line of titanium mountain bikes (investment proposal as part of a business plan) To convince Boeing to purchase a trial subscription to our latest database offering (sales proposal)

TABLE 14.1 Problem Statements Versus Purpose Statements

Problem Statement Statement of Purpose

Our company’s market share is steadily declining. To explore new ways of promoting and selling our products and to recommend the approaches most likely to stabilize our market share

Our computer network lacks suf�icient bandwidth and cannot be upgraded to meet our future needs.

To analyze various networking options and to recommend the system that will best meet our current and future needs

We need $2 million to launch our new product. To convince investors that our new business would be a sound investment so that we can obtain desired �inancing

Our current operations are too decentralized and expensive. To justify closing the Newark plant and transferring East Coast operations to a single Midwest location in order to save the company money

Preparing Your Work Plan

A detailed work plan saves time and often produces more effective reports.

You’re already accustomed to some schedule pressure with school reports. This is good practice for your business career, in which you’ll be expected to produce quality reports quickly and ef�iciently. Carefully thinking out a work plan is the best way to make sure you produce good work on schedule. By identifying all the tasks that must be performed, you ensure that nothing is overlooked (see Figure 14.2 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p700101245100000000000000000514a#P70010124510000000000000000051D0) ).

Figure 14.2 Work Plan for a Report

A formal work plan such as this is a vital tool for planning and managing complex writing projects. The preliminary outline here helps guide the research; the report writers may well modify the outline when they begin writing the report.

If you are preparing a work plan for yourself, it can be relatively informal: a simple list of the steps you plan to take and an estimate of their sequence and timing. For more complicated projects, however, particularly those that involve multiple team members, you’ll want to prepare a formal, detailed work plan that can guide the performance of many tasks over a span of time. For consultants and others whose work output is a formal report, the work plan can also become the basis for a contract if the proposal is accepted. A formal work plan might include the following elements (especially the �irst two):

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Statement of the problem or opportunity. This statement clari�ies the challenge or opportunity at hand, helps you (and anyone working with you) stay focused on the core issues, and helps everyone avoid the distractions that are likely to arise along the way. Statement of the purpose and scope of your investigation. The purpose statement describes what you plan to accomplish and therefore also de�ines the boundaries of your work. Delineating which subjects you will cover and which you won’t is especially important for complex investigations. Discussion of tasks to be accomplished. For simple reports, the list of tasks to be accomplished will be short and probably obvious. However, longer reports and complex investigations require an exhaustive list so that you can reserve time with customers, with executives, or for outside services, such as market researchers or print shops. Description of any additional products or activities that will result from your investigation. Often the only outcome of your efforts will be the report itself. In other cases you’ll need to produce something or perform some task in addition to completing the report. Make such expectations clear at the outset. Review of project assignments, schedules, and resource requirements. Indicate who will be responsible for what, when tasks will be completed, and how much the investigation will cost. If more than one person will be involved, you may also want to include a brief section on coordinating report writing and production, such as whether you’ll use a wiki to develop the report content. If constraints on time, money, personnel, or data are likely to affect the quality of the report, identify these limitations up front. Plans for following up after delivering the report. Follow-up can be as simple as making sure people received the information they need or as complex as conducting additional research to evaluate the results of proposals included in your report. Even informal follow-up can help you improve your future reports and communicate that you care about your work’s effectiveness and its impact on the organization. Working outline. Some work plans include a tentative outline of the report, as does the plan in Figure 14.2 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p700101245100000000000000000514a#P70010124510000000000000000051D0) .

GATHERING INFORMATION

Some reports require formal research projects in order to gather all the necessary information.

The amount of information needed in many reports and proposals requires careful planning—and perhaps even a separate research project just to get the data and information you need. As Chapter 13 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p7001012451000000000000000004d27#P7001012451000000000000000004D27) emphasizes, you should prioritize your information needs before you start and focus on the most important questions. Whenever possible, try to reuse or adapt existing information to save time.

SELECTING THE BEST MEDIA AND CHANNELS

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In some situations you may be required to use a speci�ic medium for your reports.

In addition to the general media selection criteria discussed in Chapter 4 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p7001012451000000000000000001f59#P7001012451000000000000000001F59) , consider several points for reports and proposals. First, audiences may have speci�ic media requirements, and you might not have a choice. For instance, executives in many corporations now expect to review many reports via their in-house intranets, sometimes in conjunction with an executive dashboard, a customized online presentation of highly summarized business information. Executive dashboards are particularly helpful for accessing report content on mobile devices (see Figure 14.3 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p700101245100000000000000000514a#P7001012451000000000000000005222) ).

Second, consider how your audience members want to provide feedback on your report or proposal. Do they prefer to write comments on a printed document or edit a wiki article? Third, will people need to search through your document or update it in the future? Fourth, bear in mind that your choice of medium sends a message. For instance, a routine sales report dressed up in expensive multimedia could look like a waste of valuable company resources.

Figure 14.3 Executive Dashboards

To help managers avoid information overload, many companies now use executive dashboards to present carefully �iltered highlights of key performance parameters. Dashboards are essentially super-summarized reports. The latest generation of software and mobile apps make it easy to customize screens to show each manager the speci�ic summaries he or she needs to see.

ORGANIZING YOUR INFORMATION

Most business reports use the direct approach.

The length and complexity of most reports and proposals require extra emphasis on clear, reader-oriented organization. Your readers might have the patience to struggle through a short, disorganized email message but not through a poorly organized 200-page report. As Chapter 4 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p7001012451000000000000000001f59#P7001012451000000000000000001F59) discusses, when an audience is likely to be receptive or at least open-minded, use the direct approach: Lead with a summary of your key �indings, conclusions, recommendations, or proposal—whichever is relevant. This “up-front” arrangement is by far the most popular and convenient for business reports. It saves time and makes the rest of the report easier to follow. For those who have questions or want more information, later parts of the report provide complete �indings and supporting details. The direct approach also produces a more forceful report. You sound sure of yourself when you state your conclusions con�idently at the outset.

Use the indirect approach when you need to build support for your main idea or you want to avoid coming across as arrogant.

At times, however, con�idence may be misconstrued as arrogance. If your position is relatively low in the organizational hierarchy, or if your audience is skeptical or hostile, consider the indirect approach: Introduce your �indings and provide supporting evidence and reasoning before presenting your conclusions and recommendations. The indirect approach gives you a chance to prove your points and gradually overcome your audience’s reservations.

Although the indirect approach has advantages, some readers will always be in a hurry to get to the answer and will immediately �lip to the recommendations anyway, thus defeating your purpose. Therefore, consider length before choosing the direct or indirect approach. In general, the longer the message, the less effective an indirect approach is likely to be.

Long reports sometimes combine direct and indirect approaches, building support for interim conclusions or recommendations along the way.

Because both direct and indirect approaches have merit, businesspeople often combine them. They reveal their conclusions and recommendations as they go along rather than put them either �irst or last. Figure 14.4 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p700101245100000000000000000514a#P7001012451000000000000000005239) on the next page presents the introductions from two reports that follow the same general outline. In the direct version, a series of statements summarizes the conclusion reached in relation to each main topic in the outline. In the indirect version, the same topics are introduced in the same order but without drawing any conclusions about them. Instead, the conclusions appear within the body of the report.

Figure 14.4 Direct Approach Versus Indirect Approach in an Introduction

In the direct version of this introduction, the writer quickly presents the report’s recommendation, followed by the conclusions that led to that recommendation. In the indirect version, the same topics are introduced in the same order, but no conclusions are drawn about them (the conclusions and the ultimate recommendation appear later, in the body of the report).

Audience expectations are one of the most important considerations when deciding on the organization of your report.

Regardless of the format, length, or order of your report, think carefully about how your ideas will be subdivided and developed. Take care to choose the most logical argument structure—one that suits your topic and goals and that makes sense to your audience.

As you outline your content, use informative (“talking”) headings rather than simple descriptive (“topical”) headings (see Table 14.2 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p700101245100000000000000000514a#P7001012451000000000000000005256) ). Informative headings in a question or summary form force you to think through the content rather than simply identifying the general topic area. Using informative headings also facilitates collaborative writing by reducing ambiguity about what each person needs to write.

TABLE 14.2 Types of Outline Headings

Descriptive (Topical) Outline

Informative (Talking) Outline

Question Form Summary Form

1. Industry Characteristics

a. Annual sales b. Pro�itability c. Growth rate

i. Sales ii. Pro�it

1. What is the nature of the industry? a. What are the annual sales? b. Is the industry pro�itable? c. What is the pattern of

growth? i. Sales growth?

ii. Pro�it growth?

1. Flour milling is a mature industry. a. Market is large. b. Pro�it margins are narrow. c. Growth is modest.

i. Sales growth averages less than 3 percent a year.

ii. Pro�its are �lat.

CHECKLIST Adapting the Three-Step Process to Reports and Proposals A. Analyze the situation.

Clearly de�ine your purpose before you start writing. If you need to accomplish several goals in the report, identify them all in advance. Prepare a work plan to guide your efforts.

B. Gather information. Determine whether you need to launch a separate research project to collect the necessary information. Reuse or adapt existing material whenever possible.

C. Select the best medium. Base your decision on audience expectations or requirements. Consider the need for commenting, revising, distributing, and storing. Remember that the medium you choose also sends a message.

D. Organize your information. Use the direct approach if your audience is receptive. Use the indirect approach if your audience is skeptical. Use the indirect approach when you don’t want to risk coming across as arrogant. Combine approaches if doing so will help build support for your primary message.

For a quick review of adapting the three-step process to longer documents, refer to “Checklist: Adapting the Three-Step Process to Reports and Proposals (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p700101245100000000000000000514a#P7001012451000000000000000005293) .” The following sections provide speci�ic advice on how to plan informational reports, analytical reports, and proposals.

14.2 Planning Informational Reports LEARNING OBJECTIVE

2 List the options for organizing informational reports, and identify the key parts of a business plan. Informational reports provide the information that employees, managers, and others need in order to make decisions and take action. Although dozens of particular formats exist, they can be grouped into four general categories:

Informational reports are used to monitor and control operations, to implement policies and procedures, to demonstrate compliance, and to document progress.

Reports to monitor and control operations. Just as doctors rely on medical reports to see how well the various systems in a patient’s body are functioning, business managers rely on a wide range of reports to see how well the various systems in their companies are functioning. Plans establish expectations and guidelines to direct future action (see “Creating Successful Business Plans (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000052bb#P70010124510000000000000000052E8) ” on page 396 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000052bb#page_396) ). Operating reports provide feedback on a wide variety of an organization’s functions, including sales, inventories, expenses, shipments, and other aspects of company operations. Personal activity reports provide information regarding an individual’s experiences during sales calls, industry conferences, market research trips, and other activities. Reports to implement policies and procedures. Policy reports range from brief descriptions of business procedures to manuals that run dozens or hundreds of pages. Position papers, sometimes called white papers or backgrounders, outline an organization’s of�icial position on issues that affect the company’s success. Reports to demonstrate compliance. Even the smallest businesses are required to show that they are in compliance with government regulations of one sort or another. Some compliance reports, such as quarterly and annual tax reports, affect all businesses. Others concern particular industries, companies using hazardous materials, speci�ic professional functions, or other special factors. Compliance reports are usually created in speci�ic formats that must be followed exactly.

Progress reports range from simple, informal updates to comprehensive status reports.

Reports to document progress. Progress reports range from simple updates to comprehensive reports that include such elements as measured progress toward goals, comparisons of budgeted versus actual expenses, and lists of ongoing concerns and risks.

ORGANIZATIONAL STRATEGIES FOR INFORMATIONAL REPORTS Most informational reports use a topical organization (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p7001012451000000000000000005475#P70010124510000000000000000054A2) , arranging the material by topic in one of the following ways:

A topical organization is built around the content itself, using such arrangements as comparison, importance, sequence, spatial orientation, chronology, geography, or category.

Comparison. Showing similarities and differences (or advantages and disadvantages) between two or more entities Importance. Building up from the least important item to the most important (or from most important to the least, if you don’t think your audience will read the entire report) Sequence. Organizing the steps or stages in a process or procedure Spatial orientation. Organizing parts of a physical space by their relative locations Chronology. Organizing a chain of events in order from oldest to newest or vice versa Geography. Organizing by region, city, state, country, or other geographic unit Category. Grouping by topical category, such as sales, pro�it, cost, or investment

Whichever pattern you choose, use it consistently so that readers can easily follow your discussion from start to �inish. Of course, certain reports (such as compliance or monitor-and-control reports) must follow a prescribed �low.

CREATING SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS PLANS A business plan (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p7001012451000000000000000005475#P700101245100000000000000000548A) is a comprehensive document that describes a company’s mission, structure, objectives, and operations. In general, business plans can be written during three separate phases of a company’s life: (1) before the company is launched, when the founders are de�ining their vision of what the company will be; (2) when the company is seeking funding, in which case the business plan takes on a persuasive tone to convince outsiders that investing in the �irm would be a pro�itable decision; and (3) after the company is up and running and the business plan serves as a monitor-and-control mechanism to make sure operations are staying on track.

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Step-by-step advice for developing a successful business plan

Take advantage of the Small Business Administration’s comprehensive guide to preparing a business plan. Go to real-timeupdates.com/bct14 (http://real- timeupdates.com/bct14) and select Learn More in the Students section.

At any stage, a comprehensive business plan forces you to think about personnel, marketing, facilities, suppliers, distribution, and a host of other issues vital to a company’s success. The speci�ic elements to include in a business plan can vary based on the situation; here are the sections typically included in a plan written to attract outside investors:2 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p7001012451000000000000000005475#P7001012451000000000000000005591)

Formal business plans, particularly those used to solicit outside investment, must meet a speci�ic set of reader expectations.

Summary. In one or two paragraphs, summarize your business concept, particularly the business model, which de�ines how the company will generate revenue and produce a pro�it. The summary must be compelling, catching the investor’s attention and giving him or her reasons to keep reading. Describe your product or service and its market potential. Highlight some things about your company and its leaders that will distinguish your �irm from the competition. Summarize your �inancial projections and indicate how much money you will need from investors or lenders and where it will be spent. Mission and objectives. Explain the purpose of your business and what you hope to accomplish. Company and industry. Give full background information on the origins and structure of your venture and the characteristics of the industry in which you plan to compete. Products or services. Concisely describe your products or services, focusing on their unique attributes and their appeal to customers. Market and competition. Provide data that will persuade investors that you understand your target market and can achieve your sales goals. Be sure to identify the strengths and weaknesses of your competitors. Management. Summarize the background and quali�ications of the key management personnel in your company. Include résumés in an appendix. Marketing strategy. Provide projections of sales volume and market share; outline a strategy for identifying and reaching potential customers, setting prices, providing customer support, and physically delivering your products or services. Whenever possible, include evidence of customer acceptance, such as advance product orders. Design and development plans. If your product requires design or development, describe the nature and extent of what needs to be done, including costs and possible problems. For new or unusual products, you may want to explain how the product will be manufactured. Operations plan. Provide information on facilities, equipment, and personnel requirements. Overall schedule. Forecast important milestones in the company’s growth and development, including when you need to be fully staffed and when your products will be ready for the market. Critical risks and problems. Identify signi�icant negative factors and discuss them honestly. Financial projections and requirements. Include a detailed budget of start-up and operating costs, as well as projections for income, expenses, and cash �low for the �irst few years of business. Identify the company’s �inancing needs and potential sources, if appropriate. Exit strategy. Explain how investors will be able to pro�it from their investment, such as through a public stock offering, sale of the company, or a buyback of the investors’ interest.

As Chapter 13 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p7001012451000000000000000004d27#P7001012451000000000000000004D27) ’s Communication Close-Up on page 363 (M18_C13.xhtml#page_363) notes, not everyone believes a conventional business plan is the right approach for every start- up company. If a company still needs to prove the viability of its business model or key product, the time it would take to write a full business plan might be better spent on getting the product or service operational and in front of customers in order to prove its viability. A regular business plan would make more sense after that, when the company needs to transition from start-up to ongoing operations.

REAL-TIME UPDATES

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Crafting your “wow” statement

Bill Reichert of Garage Technology Ventures offers advice on capturing an investor’s attention in just a matter of seconds. Go to real- timeupdates.com/bct14 (http://real-timeupdates.com/bct14) and select Learn More in the Students section.

14.3 Planning Analytical Reports LEARNING OBJECTIVE

3 Discuss three major ways to organize analytical reports. The purpose of analytical reports is to analyze, to understand, or to explain a problem or an opportunity and �igure out how it affects the company and how the company should respond. In many cases you’ll also be expected to make a recommendation based on your analysis. As you saw in Figure 14.1 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p700101245100000000000000000514a#P7001012451000000000000000005156) , analytical reports fall into three basic categories:

Analytical reports are used to assess opportunities, to solve problems, and to support decisions.

Reports to assess opportunities. Every business opportunity carries some degree of risk and requires a variety of decisions and actions in order to capitalize on the opportunity. For instance, market analysis reports are used to judge the likelihood of success for new products or sales initiatives by identifying potential opportunities as well as competitive threats and other risks. Due diligence reports examine the �inancial aspects of a proposed decision, such as acquiring another company. Reports to solve problems. Managers often assign troubleshooting reports when they need to understand why something isn’t working properly and what can be done to �ix the situation. A variation, the failure analysis report, studies events that happened in the past, with the hope of learning how to avoid similar failures in the future. Reports to support decisions. Feasibility reports are called for when managers need to explore the rami�ications of a decision they’re about to make (such as replacing an advertising agency or switching materials used in a manufacturing process). Justi�ication reports justify a decision that has already been made.

Writing analytical reports presents a greater challenge than writing informational reports, for three reasons. First, you’re doing more than simply delivering information; you’re also analyzing a problem or an opportunity and presenting your conclusions. The best writing in the world can’t compensate for �lawed analysis. Second, when your analysis is complete, you need to present your thinking in a credible manner. Third, analytical reports often convince other people to make signi�icant �inancial and personnel decisions, so your reports carry the added responsibility of the consequences of these decisions.

In some situations the problem or opportunity you address may be de�ined by the person who authorizes the report. In other cases you will have to de�ine it yourself. Be careful not to confuse a simple topic (quarterly pro�its) with a problem (the decline in pro�its over the past six quarters). Moreover, if you’re the only person who thinks a particular issue is a problem, your readers won’t be interested in your solution unless your report �irst convinces them that a problem exists. As with marketing and sales messages, sometimes you need to “sell the problem” before you can sell the solution.

To help de�ine the problem that your analytical report will address, answer these questions:

Clarify the problem in an analytical report by determining what you need to analyze, why the issue is important, who is involved, where the trouble is located, and how and when it started.

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?

Not all these questions apply in every situation, but asking them helps you de�ine the problem being addressed and limit the scope of your discussion.

Use problem factoring to divide a complex problem into more manageable pieces.

Another effective way to tackle a complex problem is to divide it into a series of logical, connected questions, a process sometimes called problem factoring (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p7001012451000000000000000005475#P7001012451000000000000000005493) . You probably subconsciously approach most problems this way. When your car won’t start, what do you do? You use the available evidence to organize your investigation and to start a search for cause-and-effect relationships. For example, if the engine doesn’t turn over, you might suspect a dead battery. If the engine does turn over but won’t �ire, you can conclude that the battery is okay, but perhaps you’re out of gas. When you speculate on the cause of a problem, you’re forming a hypothesis (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p7001012451000000000000000005475#P700101245100000000000000000548D) , a potential explanation that needs to be tested. By subdividing a problem and forming hypotheses based on available evidence, you can tackle even the most complex situations. With a clear picture of the problem or opportunity in mind, you’re ready to consider the best structure for your report.

Whenever you are preparing an analytical report, make sure you are clear in your own mind about whether you are advocating one particular line of thought or objectively exploring all the available options.3 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p7001012451000000000000000005475#P7001012451000000000000000005593) Even if advocating one position is appropriate in the circumstances, your readers will expect you to have considered the other options so that you can help them understand why your answer is preferred.

ORGANIZATIONAL STRATEGIES FOR ANALYTICAL REPORTS

Before you choose an approach, determine whether your audience is receptive or skeptical.

When you expect your audience to agree with you, use the direct approach to focus attention on conclusions and recommendations. When you expect your audience to disagree with you or to be hostile, use the indirect approach to focus attention on the rationale behind your conclusions and recommendations.

The three most common structural approaches for analytical reports are focusing on conclusions (a direct format), focusing on recommendations (another direct format), and focusing on logical arguments (an indirect format) (see Table 14.3 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p7001012451000000000000000005316#P7001012451000000000000000005348) ).

Focusing on Conclusions

Focusing on conclusions is often the best approach when you’re addressing a receptive audience.

When writing for audiences that are likely to accept your conclusions—either because they’ve asked you to perform an analysis or they trust your judgment— consider using a direct approach that focuses immediately on your conclusions. This structure communicates the main idea quickly, but it presents some risks. Even if audiences trust your judgment, they may have questions about your data or the methods you used. Moreover, starting with a conclusion may create the impression that you have oversimpli�ied the situation. You’re generally better off taking this direct approach in a report only when your credibility is high—when your readers trust you and are willing to accept your conclusions (see Figure 14.5 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p7001012451000000000000000005316#P7001012451000000000000000005383) on the next page).

Focusing on Recommendations

When readers want to know what you think they should do, organize your report to focus on recommendations.

A slightly different approach is useful when your readers want to know what they ought to do in a given situation (as opposed to what they ought to conclude). You’ll often be asked to solve a problem or assess an opportunity rather than just study it. The actions you want your readers to take become the main subdivisions of your report.

When structuring a report around recommendations, use the direct approach as you would for a report that focuses on conclusions. Then unfold your recommendations using a series of �ive steps:

1. Establish or verify the need for action in the introduction by brie�ly describing the problem or opportunity

2. Introduce the bene�it that can be achieved, without providing any details

3. List the steps (recommendations) required to achieve the bene�it, using action verbs for emphasis

4. Explain each step more fully, giving details on procedures, costs, and bene�its

5. Summarize your recommendations

Whenever a recommendation carries some element of risk, you owe it to your audience to make this clear.

TABLE 14.3 Common Ways to Structure Analytical Reports

Element

Focus on Conclusions or

Recommendations

Focus on Logical Argument

Use 2 + 2 = 4 Model Use Yardstick Model

Reader mindset

Are likely to accept Hostile or skeptical Hostile or skeptical

Approach Direct Indirect Indirect

Writer credibility

High Low Low

Advantages Readers quickly grasp conclusions or recommendations

Works well when you need to show readers how you built toward an answer by following clear, logical steps

Works well when you have a list of criteria (standards) that must be considered in a decision; alternatives are all measured against the same criteria

Drawbacks Structure can make topic seem too simple

Can make report longer Readers must agree on criteria; can be lengthy because of the need to address all criteria for every alternative

If your recommendation carries any risks, be sure to clearly address them. Doing so not only makes your report more ethical but also offers you some protection in the event that your recommendation is implemented but doesn’t work out as you had hoped. In short, make sure your readers know the potential

disadvantages as well as the potential bene�its.

Figure 14.5 Preliminary Outline of a Research Report Focusing on Conclusions

A year after a bank decided to have an outside �irm handle its employee training, an analyst was asked to prepare a report evaluating the results. The analysis shows that the outsourcing experiment was a success, so the report opens with that conclusion but supports it with clear evidence. Readers who accept the conclusion can stop reading, and those who desire more information can continue.

Focusing on Logical Arguments

Two common logical patterns arguments are the 2 + 2 = 4 approach (adding everything up) and the yardstick approach (comparing solutions against criteria).

When readers are likely to be skeptical or hostile to the conclusion or recommendation you plan to make, use an indirect approach. If you guide people along a logical path toward the answer, they are more likely to accept it when they encounter it. The two most common logical approaches are known as the 2 + 2 = 4 approach and the yardstick approach.

The 2 + 2 = 4 Approach

The 2 + 2 = 4 approach (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p7001012451000000000000000005475#P70010124510000000000000000054A8) is so named because it convinces readers of your point of view by demonstrating that everything adds up. The main points in your outline are the main reasons behind your conclusions and recommendations. You support each reason with the evidence you collected during your analysis.

Start by considering using the 2 + 2 = 4 approach; it’s familiar and easy to develop.

Because of its natural feel and versatility, the 2 + 2 = 4 approach is generally the most persuasive and ef�icient way to develop an analytical report for skeptical readers. When organizing your own reports, try this structure �irst. You’ll �ind that many business situations lend themselves nicely to this pattern of logical argumentation.

The Yardstick Approach

The yardstick approach compares a solution or several solutions to a set of predetermined standards.

The yardstick approach (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p7001012451000000000000000005475#P70010124510000000000000000054A5) is useful when you need to use a number of criteria to evaluate one or more possible solutions. These criteria become the “yardstick” by which you measure the various alternatives. With this approach, you begin by discussing the problem or opportunity and then list the criteria that will guide the decision. The body of the report then evaluates the alternatives against those criteria. The main points of the outline are either the criteria themselves or the alternatives (see Figure 14.6 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p7001012451000000000000000005316#P70010124510000000000000000053B3) ).

The yardstick approach is particularly useful for proposals when the audience has provided a list of criteria the solution must meet. Imagine that your company has been asked to bid on a contract to design and install a factory-�loor distribution system for a large corporation. The client has listed the requirements (criteria) for the system, and you’ve developed a preliminary design to meet them. In the body of your proposal, you could use the client’s list of requirements as the main headings and under each one explain how your preliminary design meets the requirement.

The yardstick approach has two potential drawbacks. First, your audience members need to agree with the criteria you’re using in your analysis. If they don’t, they won’t agree with the results of the evaluation. If you have any doubt about their agreement, build consensus before you start your report, if possible, or take extra care to explain why the criteria you’re using are the best ones in this particular case.

Second, the yardstick approach can get tedious when you have many options to consider or many criteria to compare them against. One way to minimize repetition is to compare the options in tables and then highlight the most unusual or important aspects of each alternative in the text so that you get the best of both worlds. This approach allows you to compare all the alternatives against the same yardstick while calling attention to the most signi�icant differences among them.

Figure 14.6 Outline of an Analytical Report Using the Yardstick Approach

This report was drafted by a market analyst for a company that makes irrigation equipment for farms and ranches. The company has been so successful in the agricultural market that it is starting to run out of potential customers. To keep growing, it needs to �ind another market. Two obvious choices to consider were commercial buildings and residences, but management needed to evaluate both carefully before making a decision.

EFFECTIVE ANALYTICAL REPORTS: AN EXAMPLE As national sales manager of a New Hampshire sporting goods company, Binh Phan was concerned about his company’s ability to sell to its major accounts, the giant national chains that now dominate retailing. Even though these customers are getting bigger, the company’s sales to them are dropping, and it’s critical to �igure out why and propose a solution. Phan’s boss, the vice president of marketing, asked Phan to analyze the situation and make a recommendation.

Phan’s troubleshooting report appears in Figure 14.7 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p7001012451000000000000000005316#P70010124510000000000000000053CE) . The main idea is that the company should establish a separate sales team for each these major national accounts rather than continuing to service them through the company’s four regional divisions. However, Phan knew his plan would be controversial because it requires a big change in the company’s organization and in the way sales reps are paid. His thinking had to be clear and easy to follow, so he used the 2 + 2 = 4 approach to focus on his reasons.

Figure 14.7 Analytical Report Using the 2 + 2 = 4 Approach

The 2 + 2 = 4 approach lets this writer present a logical argument that is both clear and compelling.

14.4 Planning Proposals LEARNING OBJECTIVE

4 Explain how to choose an organizational strategy when writing a proposal. Proposals are written for both internal and external audiences. Internal proposals request decisions from managers within the organization, such as proposals to buy new equipment or launch new research projects. Examples of external proposals include grant proposals, which request funds from government agencies and other sponsoring organizations, and sales proposals, which suggest individualized solutions for potential customers and request purchase decisions.

The most signi�icant factor in planning any proposal is whether the intended recipient has asked you to submit a proposal. Solicited proposals are generally prepared at the request of external parties that require a product or a service, but they may also be requested by such internal sources as management or the board of directors. When organizations require complex products, services, or systems, they often prepare a formal invitation to bid on the contract, called a request for proposals (RFP) (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p7001012451000000000000000005475#P700101245100000000000000000549C) , which includes instructions that specify exactly the type of work to be performed or products to be delivered, along with budgets, deadlines, and other requirements. To attract a large pool of quali�ied bidders, organizations send RFPs to �irms with good records of performance in the �ield, print them in trade publications, and post them on the web.

Buyers often solicit proposals by publishing a request for proposals (RFP).

REAL-TIME UPDATES

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Seven steps to successful proposals

A sales expert describes the process for crafting winning business proposals. Go to real-timeupdates.com/bct14 (http://real-timeupdates.com/bct14) and select Learn More in the Students section.

To write a proposal in response to an RFP, begin by reviewing the requirements. Next, de�ine the scope of the deliverables, determine the methods and procedures to be used, and estimate time requirements, personnel requirements, and costs. Then put it all in writing—exactly as speci�ied in the RFP, following the precise format it requires and responding meticulously to every point it raises.4 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p7001012451000000000000000005475#P7001012451000000000000000005595) RFPs can seem surprisingly picky, even to the point of specifying the paper size for the proposal and the number of copies to send, but you must follow every detail.

Unsolicited proposals are created by organizations attempting to obtain business or funding without a speci�ic invitation from a potential client. Such proposals may also be initiated by employees or managers who want to convince company insiders to adopt a program, a policy, or an idea. In other words, with an unsolicited proposal, the writer makes the �irst move. Even so, an unsolicited proposal should not come as a surprise to the recipient, but rather should be the summation of an ongoing conversation between the sender and the recipient.5 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p7001012451000000000000000005475#P7001012451000000000000000005597) This approach helps ensure acceptance, and it gives you an opportunity to explore the recipient’s needs and craft your proposal around them.

Unsolicited proposals require additional persuasive elements because the audience isn’t expecting the proposal and might not even be conscious of the problem you propose to solve.

Unsolicited proposals differ from solicited proposals in another important respect: Your audience may not be aware of the problem you are addressing, so your proposal must �irst convince readers that a problem or an opportunity exists before convincing them that you can address it. Thus unsolicited proposals generally spend considerable time explaining why readers should take action and convincing them of the bene�its of doing so.

Every proposal competes for something: money, time, attention, and so on.

With virtually any proposal, keep in mind that you are always competing for something—money, time, management attention, and so on. Even if yours is the only proposal on the table, you are still competing with all the other choices your audience members could make with their time, money, and attention.

Proposals can be signi�icant writing projects, particularly when you are responding to a complex RFP. Fortunately, a variety of software products are available to considerably lighten the load. Basic features include the ability to automatically personalize the proposal, ensure proper structure, and organize storage of all your boilerplate material (identical sections of text used in every proposal, such as a description of your company). At a more advanced level, semiautomated proposal-writing systems can scan RFPs to identify questions and requirements and �ill in potential answers from a centralized knowledge base that contains input from all the relevant experts in your company.6 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p7001012451000000000000000005475#P7001012451000000000000000005599)

ORGANIZATIONAL STRATEGIES FOR PROPOSALS Your choice of structure for proposals depends on whether the proposal is solicited and, if so, whether you expect readers to be receptive to your speci�ic recommendation. In general, your audience is likely to be more receptive to solicited proposals because the problem and the solution have already been identi�ied. Submit your proposal for the solution speci�ied in the RFP, and structure the proposal using the direct approach to focus on your recommendation. As soon as possible within the constraints of the RFP requirements, identify why your solution is unique and deserves close consideration.7 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p7001012451000000000000000005475#P700101245100000000000000000559B)

The indirect approach following AIDA or a similar model is often the best way to build your case in an unsolicited proposal.

Depending on the circumstances and your relationship with the recipient, the indirect approach is often better for unsolicited proposals. When writing unsolicited proposals, you must �irst convince the audience that a problem exists and establish your credibility if you are unknown to the reader. At the same time, you need to give the reader a compelling reason to keep reading a document that he or she didn’t request. Follow the AIDA model or a similar approach to grab the reader’s attention quickly. For an external proposal, for instance, you might start off with an attention-getter such as “In working with other companies in your industry, our productivity specialists were able to reduce their operating costs by as much as 15 percent.” Then, to convince the reader that you can back up that claim, present your solution in a logical fashion, with solid evidence, leading up to a request for a decision (see “Ethics Detective: Solving the Case of the Overblown Proposal (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000053dc#P70010124510000000000000000053FF) ”).

EFFECTIVE PROPOSALS: AN EXAMPLE A good proposal explains why a project or course of action is needed, what it will involve, and how the recipient will bene�it. In Figure 14.8 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000053dc#P700101245100000000000000000540E) on pages 406 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000053dc#page_406) –409 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000053dc#page_409) , a human resources manager responded to a request from his boss to explore ways to address three troublesome workforce issues. During his investigation, he discovered a better approach than the company had been considering, and that became the subject of his proposal.

ETHICS DETECTIVE SOLVING THE CASE OF THE OVERBLOWN PROPOSAL

As the manager in charge of your company’s New Ventures Group, you’ve read your share of proposals—hundreds, maybe thousands, of them. You’ve developed a sixth sense about these documents, an ability to separate cautious optimism from self-doubt and distinguish justi�ied enthusiasm from insupportable hype.

Your company invests in promising smaller �irms that could grow into bene�icial business partners or even future acquisitions. In a typical scenario, a small company invents a new product but needs additional funding to manufacture and market it, so the owners approach you with funding proposals. Because you make the �irst major decision in this investment process, your choices and recommendations to the board of directors are crucial.

Moreover, the risks are considerable: If one of your recommendations doesn’t pan out, the company could lose all the money it invested (often millions), and that’s only the start. Failures consume your team’s precious time and energy and can even put the company at risk for shareholder lawsuits and other serious headaches. In other words, mistakes in your line of work are costly.

The proposal in front of you today is intriguing. A small company in Oklahoma has designed a product called the Wireless Shopping List, and you think the idea might appeal to upscale homeowners. Small touchscreens are placed around the house, wherever occupants are likely to think of things they need to buy on the next shopping trip: on the refrigerator door, in the media room, in the nursery, in the garage, in the gardening shed. The system collects all these inputs and, on command, prints out a shopping list or downloads it to a smartphone. It’s a clever idea, but one paragraph in the proposal bothers you:

Everybody in our test market audience was absolutely stunned when we demonstrated the simulated system. They couldn’t believe something like this was even possible. It was so handy and so convenient—everyone said it would change their lives forever. We haven’t even speci�ied the price yet, but every single person in the room wanted to place an order, on the spot.

ANALYSIS

This proposal potentially oversells the idea in at least three ways. Identify them and explain how they could lead you to decline the investment opportunity.

Figure 14.8 Internal Proposal

The manager in charge of his company’s employee development efforts has a solution to three worrisome workforce issues that he has previously discussed with his boss, the director of human resources. He uses this memo-format proposal to outline a new employee mentoring program and suggest how the

company can get started on it.9 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p7001012451000000000000000005475#P700101245100000000000000000559F)

COMMUNICATION CHALLENGES AT Warby Parker You work as a communication specialist at Warby Parker, reporting to co-CEO David Gilboa. Using the skills you’ve been practicing in this course, respond to these challenges.

INDIVIDUAL CHALLENGE: You’re helping Gilboa prepare a report about the company. Gilboa characterizes the report as a “public business plan,” in that it will discuss the company and its objectives, strategies, and operations without disclosing the sort of con�idential information that a typical business plan includes. The target audience includes potential investors, employees, and business partners.

To help overcome shoppers’ reluctance to buy eyewear online, Warby Parker offers Home Try-On, in which people can order �ive pairs of frames, keep them for �ive days at no cost, then decide which pair they would like to order. This gives shoppers lots of time to try on the frames they are considering and get the opinions of family and friends. Which of the following headings would you choose for a section in the report that explains this program? Explain your reasoning in a brief email message to your instructor.

a. Home Try-On: Making online shopping even better than in-store shopping b. Home Try-On: Our tried-and-true way to eliminate the risk of buying eyewear online c. Home Try-On: Now you can try on �ive frames in the comfort of your own home d. Home Try-On: How we reduce a major perceived risk in the Warby Parker business model

TEAM CHALLENGE: Many companies offer a brief “fact sheet” (often a downloadable, one-page PDF) that summarizes the concept of the business, its product lines, unique technologies, target markets, biographies of key executives, and other information of potential interest to various stakeholders. In a team with two or three other students, review the fact sheets (sometimes called a “company overview” or something similar) offered on the websites of three companies in any industry, then collaborate on a one-page fact sheet for Warby Parker. (For the purposes of this activity, you can adapt and reuse content from the Warby Parker website.)

Quick Learning Guide

KEY TERMS

analytical reports Reports that offer both information and analysis; they can also include recommendations

business plan A comprehensive document that describes a company’s mission, structure, objectives, and operations

hypothesis A potential explanation that needs to be tested

informational reports Reports that offer data, facts, feedback, and other types of information, without analysis or recommendations

problem factoring Dividing a problem into a series of logical, connected questions

proposals Reports that combine information delivery and persuasive communication

reports Written accounts that objectively communicate information about some aspect of a business

request for proposals (RFP) A formal invitation to bid on a contract

statement of purpose Planning statement that de�ines why you are preparing a report

topical organization Arrangement of material according to comparisons, importance, sequence, chronology, spatial orientation, geography, or category

yardstick approach Logical argumentation approach that uses a number of criteria to evaluate one or more possible solutions

2 + 2 = 4 approach Logical argumentation approach that convinces readers of your point of view by demonstrating how everything “adds up”

SUMMARY OF LEARNING OBJECTIVES

1 Adapt the three-step writing process to reports and proposals. The comprehensive nature of the three-step process is ideal for the work involved in most reports and proposals. Use all the advice you learned in Chapters 4 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p7001012451000000000000000001f59#P7001012451000000000000000001F59) through 6 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p7001012451000000000000000002ade#P7001012451000000000000000002ADE) , with added emphasis on a few speci�ic points for longer documents: (1) Identify your purpose clearly to avoid rework, (2) prepare a work plan to guide the research and writing tasks, (3) determine whether a separate research project might be needed to gather the necessary information, (4) choose the appropriate medium (or media, in some cases) for your audience, and (5) organize your information by selecting the best approach for an informational or analytical report.

2 List the options for organizing informational reports and identify the parts of a business plan. Informational reports focus on the delivery of facts, �igures, and other types of information. Most informational reports use a topical organization, arranging material by comparison, importance, sequence, chronology, geography, or category.

Formal business plans—those that are shown to outside audiences such as investors and bankers—typically contain the following elements: a summary of the business concept, the company’s mission and objectives, background on the company and the industry in which it competes, descriptions of its products and services, an analysis of target markets and key competitors, a discussion of the management team, a summary of the marketing strategy, design and development plans, an operations plan, a schedule with major milestones, an analysis of critical risks and problems, �inancial projections and requirements, and a description of the proposed exit strategy.

3 Discuss three major ways to organize analytical reports. The three most common ways to organize analytical reports are by focusing on conclusions, focusing on recommendations, and focusing on logical arguments. The �irst two are direct approaches; the third is an indirect approach.

4 Explain how to choose an organizational strategy when writing a proposal. The most signi�icant factor in planning a proposal is whether the proposal is solicited or unsolicited. Solicited proposals are obviously expected and welcomed by the recipient, but they often must follow a speci�ic organization, particularly when they are submitted in response to a request for proposals (RFP). For unsolicited proposals, the writer has �lexibility in choosing the most effective organization, format, and content. However, because unsolicited proposals are unexpected, the writer often needs to explain why the solution offered in the proposal is even necessary for the reader to consider. Because of this, the indirect approach is usually preferred for unsolicited proposals.

MyBCommLab

Go to mybcommlab.com (http://mybcommlab.com) to complete the problems marked with this icon .

Test Your Knowledge To review chapter content related to each question, refer to the indicated Learning Objective.

14-1. What is the major difference between informational and analytical reports? [LO-1] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p700101245100000000000000000514a#P700101245100000000000000000514C)

14-2. What does a statement of purpose convey? [LO-1] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p700101245100000000000000000514a#P700101245100000000000000000514C)

14-3. What should you include in the work plan for a complex report or proposal? [LO-1] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p700101245100000000000000000514a#P700101245100000000000000000514C)

14-4. How are reports for monitoring and controlling operations used? [LO-2] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000052bb#P70010124510000000000000000052BD)

14-5. What are the three major ways to organize an analytical report? [LO-3] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p7001012451000000000000000005316#P7001012451000000000000000005318)

14-6. How does a feasibility report differ from a justi�ication report? [LO-3] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p7001012451000000000000000005316#P7001012451000000000000000005318)

14-7. What is problem factoring? [LO-3] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p7001012451000000000000000005316#P7001012451000000000000000005318)

14-8. What is an RFP and how does it relate to proposal writing? [LO-4] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000053dc#P70010124510000000000000000053DF)

Apply Your Knowledge To review chapter content related to each question, refer to the indicated Learning Objective.

14-9. Would “Look into employee morale problems” be an effective problem statement for a report? Why or why not? [LO-1] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p700101245100000000000000000514a#P700101245100000000000000000514C)

14-10. Which of the topical organization plans listed on page 396 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000052bb#page_396) would you use to organize an analytical report on a recent power outage in your manufacturing facility? Why? [LO-2] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000052bb#P70010124510000000000000000052BD)

14-11. If you want to make a particular recommendation in your report, should you include information that might support a different recommendation? Explain your answer. [LO-3] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p7001012451000000000000000005316#P7001012451000000000000000005318)

14-12. Assume you are assigned the task of evaluating two �irms to provide security for your company’s of�ice and factory facilities, but your analysis tells you that neither �irm is capable of providing quality service at an acceptable cost. How should you structure your report? [LO-3] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p7001012451000000000000000005316#P7001012451000000000000000005318)

14-13. In what ways are unsolicited proposals more challenging to write than solicited proposals? [LO-4] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000053dc#P70010124510000000000000000053DF)

Practice Your Skills 14-14. Message for Analysis: Comparing Two Report Formats [LO-1] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p700101245100000000000000000514a#P700101245100000000000000000514C) The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) requires all public companies to digitally �ile a comprehensive annual report (form 10-K). Many companies post links to these reports on their websites, along with links to other company reports. Visit the website of any public corporation and �ind the company’s most recent 10-K and Fiscal Year in Review reports. Compare the style and format of the two reports. For which audience(s) is the Year in Review targeted? Who besides the SEC might be interested in the 10-K? Which report do you �ind easier to read? More interesting? More detailed?

Exercises

Each activity is labeled according to the primary skill or skills you will need to use. To review relevant chapter content, you can refer to the indicated Learning Objective. In some instances, supporting information will be found in another chapter, as indicated.

14-15. Planning: Analyzing the Situation [LO-1] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p700101245100000000000000000514a#P700101245100000000000000000514C) Sales at The Style Shop, a clothing store for men, have declined for the third month in a row. Your boss is not sure whether this decline is due to the weak economy or some other unknown reason. She has asked you to investigate the situation and to submit a report to her, highlighting some possible reasons for the decline. Develop a statement of purpose for your report. 14-16. Planning: Preparing the Work Plan [LO-1] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p700101245100000000000000000514a#P700101245100000000000000000514C) South by Southwest (SXSW) is a family of conferences and festivals in Austin, Texas, that showcase some of the world’s most creative talents in music, interactive media, and �ilm. In addition to being a major entertainment venue for a week every March, SXSW is also an increasingly important trade show, an opportunity for companies to present products and services to potential customers and business partners. You work for a company that makes music training equipment such as an electronic keyboard with an integrated computer screen that guides learners through every step of learning to play a keyboard. Your manager has asked you to look into whether the company should rent an exhibition booth at SXSW next year. Prepare a work plan for an analytical report that will assess the promotional opportunities at SXSW and make a recommendation on exhibiting. Include the statement of purpose, a problem statement for any research you will conduct, a description of what will result from your investigation, the sources and methods of data collection, and a preliminary outline. Visit the SXSW website at www.sxsw.com (http://www.sxsw.com) for more information.8 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p7001012451000000000000000005475#P700101245100000000000000000559D)

Planning: Organizing Reports [LO-1] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p700101245100000000000000000514a#P700101245100000000000000000514C) For each of the following scenarios, determine whether the direct or indirect approach would be advisable, and explain why.

14-17. A monthly �inancial report prepared by the accounting department for upper management 14-18. An accountant fresh out of college who wants to propose a new way to present those monthly �inancial results to upper management 14-19. An unsolicited proposal to provide payroll processing services 14-20. An analytical report, requested by the CEO, explaining why the company has been losing money in the eastern sales region for the past two years 14-21. An unsolicited proposal to the board of directors, outlining why it makes strategic sense for your company to expand into international markets; the board rejected a similar—but poorly presented—idea last year 14-22. Planning: Organizing Reports [LO-1] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p700101245100000000000000000514a#P700101245100000000000000000514C) Look through recent issues (print or online) of Bloomberg Businessweek, Fortune, or other business publications for an article that describes how an executive’s conclusions about his or her company’s current situation or future opportunities led to changes in policy, plans, or products. Construct an outline of the material, �irst using a direct approach and then using an indirect approach. Which approach do you think the executive would use when reporting these conclusions to stockholders? When reporting to other senior managers? Explain your answers. 14-23. Planning: Organizing Reports (Informational Reports) [LO-2] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p700101245100000000000000000514a#P700101245100000000000000000514C) Assume that your college president has received many student complaints about campus parking problems. You are appointed the chair of a student committee organized to investigate the problems and recommend solutions. The president gives you a �ile labeled “Parking: Complaints from Students,” and you jot down the essence of the complaints as you inspect the contents. Your notes look like this:

Inadequate student spaces at critical hours Poor night lighting near the computer center Inadequate attempts to keep resident neighbors from occupying spaces Dim marking lines Motorcycles taking up full spaces Discourteous security of�icers Spaces (often empty) reserved for college of�icials Relatively high parking fees Full fees charged to night students even though they use the lots only during low-demand periods Vandalism to cars and a sense of personal danger Inadequate total space Resident harassment of students parking on the street in front of neighboring houses

Prepare an outline for an informational report to be submitted to committee members. Use a topical organization that categorizes this information.

Planning: Organizing Reports (Analytical Reports) [LO-2] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000052bb#P70010124510000000000000000052BD) Three years ago, your company (a carpet manufacturer) modernized its Georgia plant in anticipation of increasing demand for carpets. Because of the depressed housing market, the increase in demand for new carpets has been slow to materialize. As a result, the company has excess capacity at both its Georgia and California plants. On the basis of your research, you have recommended that the company close the California plant. J. P. Lawrence, the company president, has asked you to prepare a justi�ication report to support your recommendation. Here are the facts you gathered by interviewing the respective plant managers:

Operational Statistics Georgia plant: This plant has newer equipment, has higher productivity, employs 100 nonunion production workers, and ships $12 million in carpets a year; hourly base wage is $16 California plant: California plant employs 80 union production workers and ships $8 million in carpets a year; hourly base wage is $20

Financial Implications Savings by closing California plant: (1) increase productivity by 17 percent; (2) reduce labor costs by 20 percent (total labor savings would be $1 million per year; see assumptions); (3) annual local tax savings of $120,000 (Georgia has a more favorable tax climate) Sale of Pomona, California, land: Purchased in 1952 for $200,000. Current market value $2.5 million. Net pro�it (after capital gains tax) over $1 million Sale of plant and equipment: Fully depreciated; any proceeds a windfall Costs of closing California plant: One-time deductible charge of $250,000 (relocation costs of $100,000 and severance payments totaling $150,000)

Assumptions Transfer �ive workers from California to Georgia Hire 45 new workers in Georgia Lay off 75 workers in California Georgia plant would require a total of 150 workers to produce the combined volume of both plants

14-24. Which approach (focus on conclusions, recommendations, or logical arguments) will you use to structure your report to the president? Why? 14-25. Suppose this report were to be circulated to plant managers and supervisors instead. What changes, if any, might you make in your approach? 14-26. List some conclusions you might draw from the preceding information to use in your report. 14-27. Using the structure you selected for your report to the president, draft a �inal report outline with �irst- and second-level informative headings.

Planning Reports and Proposals [LO-2] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000052bb#P70010124510000000000000000052BD) , [LO-3] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p7001012451000000000000000005316#P7001012451000000000000000005318) , [LO-4] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000053dc#P70010124510000000000000000053DF) Using the information presented in this chapter, identify the report type represented by each of the following examples. In addition, write a brief paragraph about each, explaining who the audience is likely to be, what type of data would be used, and whether conclusions and recommendations would be appropriate.

14-28. A statistical study of the pattern of violent crime in a large city during the past �ive years

14-29. A report prepared by a seed company, demonstrating the bene�its of its seed corn for farmers 14-30. A report prepared by an independent testing agency, evaluating various types of nonprescription cold remedies 14-31. A trip report submitted at the end of a week by a traveling salesperson 14-32. A report indicating how 45 acres of undeveloped land could be converted into an industrial park 14-33. An annual report to be sent to the shareholders of a large corporation 14-34. A report from a U.S. National Park wildlife of�icer to Washington, D.C., headquarters showing the status of an endangered animal species 14-35. A report outlining the risks of closing a chain of retail stores and moving the entire business online 14-36. Planning Informational Reports [LO-2] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000052bb#P70010124510000000000000000052BD) You’re the vice president of operations for a Florida fast-food chain. In the aftermath of a major hurricane, you’re drafting a report on the emergency procedures to be followed by personnel in each restaurant when storm warnings are in effect. Answer who, what, when, where, why, and how, then prepare a one-page outline of your report. Make up any details you need. 14-37. Planning Proposals [LO-4] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000053dc#P70010124510000000000000000053DF) You’re getting ready to launch a new lawn-care business that offers mowing, fertilizing, weeding, and other services. The lawn surrounding a nearby shopping center looks as if it could use better care, so you target that business for your �irst unsolicited proposal. To help prepare this proposal, write your answers to these questions:

What questions will you need to answer before you can write a proposal to solve the reader’s problem? Be as speci�ic as possible. What customer bene�its will you include in your proposal? Will you use a letter or memo format for your proposal? Explain your answer.

14-38. Planning Proposals; Collaboration: Team Projects [LO-4] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000053dc#P70010124510000000000000000053DF) , Chapter 2 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000015f4#P70010124510000000000000000015F4) Break into small groups and identify an operational problem occurring at your campus and involving one of the following: registration, university housing, food services, parking, or library services. Develop a workable solution to that problem. Finally, develop a list of pertinent facts that your team will need to gather to convince the reader that the problem exists and that your solution will work.

Expand Your Skills Critique the Professionals

Download any of the free reports offered on the American Coatings Association website at www.paint.org (http://www.paint.org) . Identify the target audience(s) and purpose of the report you’ve chosen. Using whatever medium your instructor requests, write a brief analysis of the report, describing what works well and what doesn’t work well.

Sharpening Your Career Skills Online

Bovée and Thill’s Business Communication Web Search, at websearch.businesscommunicationnetwork.com (http://websearch.businesscommunicationnetwork.com) , is a unique research tool designed speci�ically for business communication research. Use the Web Search function to �ind a website, video, article, podcast, or presentation that offers advice on writing effective business proposals. Write a brief email message to your instructor, describing the item you found and summarizing the career skills information you learned from it.

MyBCommLab Go to mybcommlab.com (http://mybcommlab.com) for Auto-graded writing questions as well as the following Assisted-graded writing questions:

14-39. What elements should be included in a formal business plan? [LO-2] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000052bb#P70010124510000000000000000052BD)

14-40. When responding to an RFP, should you try to stand out from the crowd by organizing and formatting your proposal in a fresh, unexpected way? Explain your answer. [LO-4] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000053dc#P70010124510000000000000000053DF)

Endnotes 1 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p7001012451000000000000000005122#rP700101245100000000000000000558F) . Warby Parker website, accessed 26 April 2016, www.warbyparker.com (http://www.warbyparker.com) ; Max Cha�kin, “Warby Parker See the Future of Retail,” Fast Company, 17 February 2015, www.fastcompany.com (http://www.fastcompany.com) ; Jessica Pressler, “20/30 Vision,” New York Magazine, 11 August 2013, nymag.com (http://nymag.com) ; Andrew Mascio, “Luxottica: An Unstoppable Machine,” Seeking Alpha, 29 December 2014, seekingalpha.com (http://seekingalpha.com) ; Luxottica website, accessed 2 March 2015, www.luxottica.com (http://www.luxottica.com) ; Manuela Mesco, “Italian Eyewear Marker Luxottica Pro�it, Sales Up,” MarketWatch, 2 March 2015, www.marketwatch.com (http://www.marketwatch.com) ; Ross Crooks, “12 Lessons from Warby Parker’s Annual Report,” Forbes, 30 January 2014, www.forbes.com (http://www.forbes.com) ; Warby Parker pro�ile, B Corporation website, accessed 3 March 2015, www.bcorporation.net (http://www.bcorporation.net) .

2 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000052bb#rP7001012451000000000000000005591) . Heidi Brown, “How to Write a Winning Business Plan,” Forbes, 18 June 2010, www.forbes.com (http://www.forbes.com) ; Michael Gerber, “The Business Plan That Always Works,” Her Business, May/June 2004, 23–25; J. Tol Broome Jr., “How to Write a Business Plan,” Nation’s Business, February 1993, 29–30; Albert Richards, “The Ernst & Young Business Plan Guide,” R & D Management, April 1995, 253; David Lanchner, “How Chitchat Became a Valuable Business Plan,” Global Finance,

February 1995, 54–56; Marguerita Ashby-Berger, “My Business Plan—And What Really Happened,” Small Business Forum, Winter 1994–1995, 24–35; Stanley R. Rich and David E. Gumpert, Business Plans That Win (New York: Harper & Row, 1985).

3 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p7001012451000000000000000005316#rP7001012451000000000000000005593) . David A. Garvin and Michael A. Roberto, “What You Don’t Know About Making Decisions,” Harvard Business School website, 15 October 2001, hbswk.hbs.edu.

4 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000053dc#rP7001012451000000000000000005595) . Iris Varner, Contemporary Business Report Writing, 2nd ed. (Chicago: Dryden Press, 1991), 170.

5 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000053dc#rP7001012451000000000000000005597) . Curt Kampmeier, “How to Write a Proposal That’s Accepted Every Time,” Consulting to Management, September 2000, 62.

6 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000053dc#rP7001012451000000000000000005599) . Qvidian website, accessed 28 February 2011, www.qvidian.com (http://www.qvidian.com) ; Dan MacDougall, “Orchestrating Your Proposal,” Canadian Consulting Engineer, March– April 2003, 51–56.

7 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000053dc#rP700101245100000000000000000559B) . “Why What You Learned in School About Writing Was Wrong,” CapturePlanning.com (http://CapturePlanning.com) , accessed 9 December 2008, www.captureplanning.com (http://www.captureplanning.com) .

8 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p7001012451000000000000000005475#rP700101245100000000000000000559D) . SXSW website, accessed 26 April 2016, sxsw.com (http://sxsw.com) ; Catherine Holahan and Spencer E. Ante, “SXSW: Where Tech Mingles with Music,” BusinessWeek, 7 March 2008, www.businessweek.com (http://www.businessweek.com) .

9 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000053dc#rP700101245100000000000000000559F) . Report content based in part on Lorri Freifeld, “How-To: Start a Corporate Mentoring Program,” Training, accessed 27 April 2016, trainingmag.com (http://trainingmag.com) ; Beth N. Carvin, “How to Start a Corporate Mentoring Program,” Mentor Scout, accessed 27 April 2016, www.mentorscout.com (http://www.mentorscout.com) ; “Bene�its of Mentoring Programs,” Insala, accessed 27 April 2016, mentoringtalent.com (http://mentoringtalent.com) ; Heather R. Huhman, “Create a Corporate Mentoring Program and You May Reap the Bene�its,” Entrepreneur, 10 February 2015, www.entrepreneur.com (http://www.entrepreneur.com) .

15 Writing and Completing Reports and Proposals LEARNING OBJECTIVES

After studying this chapter, you will be able to

1 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000055cd#P70010124510000000000000000055D1) Explain how to adapt to your audiences when writing reports and proposals.

2 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p700101245100000000000000000562e#P7001012451000000000000000005632) Name �ive characteristics of effective report content, and list the topics commonly covered in the introduction, body, and close of formal reports.

3 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p700101245100000000000000000566f#P7001012451000000000000000005673) List six strategies to strengthen a proposal argument, and identify the topics commonly covered in the introduction, body, and close of proposals.

4 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000056f6#P70010124510000000000000000056FB) Summarize the four tasks involved in completing business reports and proposals.

5 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000057bd#P70010124510000000000000000057C2) Identify the elements to include in a request for proposals (RFP).

MyBCommLab® Improve Your Grade!

More than 10 million students improved their results using Pearson MyLabs. Visit mybcommlab.com (http://mybcommlab.com) for simulations, tutorials, and end-of-chapter problems.

COMMUNICATION CLOSE-UP AT WPP wpp.com (http://wpp.com)

Corporate annual reports are among the most important reports a company produces—and among the most dif�icult, too. These reports must adhere to detailed �inancial reporting regulations while functioning as broader, multitopic informational reports for a diverse audience of investors, potential employees, business partners, activists, journalists, and others. Most have a strong promotional emphasis as well: They try to convince investors to buy the company’s stock and encourage job seekers to consider the company.

Sir Martin Sorrell is CEO of the global advertising conglomerate WPP, whose annual reports take full advantage of the online environment to help readers �ind content of greatest interest.

ZUMA Press, Inc./Alamy Stock Photo

Addressing the information needs of so many reader segments is a daunting task for any �irm, but it’s particularly challenging for WPP. The London-based holding company is the world’s largest marketing communication services �irm, with more than 150 component companies involved in every conceivable aspect of advertising and related business activities. Together, WPP companies have nearly 200,000 employees in more than 100 countries.

A lengthy formal report on an organization with so many moving parts could turn into an unreadable morass. However, by taking advantage of the �lexibility of the web and making intelligent, reader-friendly choices, WPP crafts annual reports that are remarkably easy to navigate and consume.

One of WPP’s recent reports offers multiple examples of creating reports with audience needs in mind. The homepage of the report is a single, scrollable screen (making it easy to navigate on the growing number of mobile and touch-screen devices) that offers clear and simple choices for every potential reader.

The top of the page offers links to read the full report, to read four major sections that are highlighted as standalone reports, or to watch a video message, for those who don’t want to read at all. (This brief video of CEO Sir Martin Sorrell even has “subheadings” embedded in the timeline, making it much easier to skim than the typical online video.) The top section also offers links to two other annually issued reports that many site visitors will be curious about, one on the company’s efforts toward sustainability and another that highlights its pro bono work (services offered for free, typically to nonpro�it organizations).

Swiping or scrolling down to the middle of the page reveals a menu of “Fast Read” topics, each offering a highly compressed summary of major subject areas from the full report. A traditional annual report can take hours to read cover to cover, but these summaries can be read in just a few minutes. In each Fast Read section, readers can click through to additional layers of detail on that speci�ic topic if they’re interested.

Continuing down to the bottom of the page, readers are presented with a variety of links—to the full report, just the �inancial statements, or speci�ic report sections. No matter where readers venture up and down this landing page, navigation choices are always clearly in view, making it just about impossible to get lost.

Within three short screens of information, WPP offers easy-to-read summaries and well-marked pathways to subtopics and deeper detail. The full annual report (available as a PDF) is 252 pages long, but the thoughtful, reader-friendly organization of the online report makes this mammoth document feel simple, clear, and unintimidating. Norman Pearlstine, an editor at Time Inc. with more than �ifty years of experience reading company annual reports, said the WPP report “may be the best annual report I have ever read.”

Of course, WPP is in the business of communication and has some of the best information architects, writers, and web designers in the industry, so one would expect top-notch online reports. However, every business communicator, even those with humble resources, can learn from the company’s emphasis on starting with readers and structuring reports to meet their needs.1 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p7001012451000000000000000005895#P7001012451000000000000000005BAE)

15.1 Writing Reports and Proposals: Adapting to Your Audience LEARNING OBJECTIVE

1 Explain how to adapt to your audiences when writing reports and proposals. The communicators at WPP (pro�iled in the chapter-opening Communication Close-Up) know that reports and proposals are most effective when they are adapted to the needs and interests of their intended audiences. To ensure your own success with reports, be sensitive to audience needs, build strong relationships with your audience, and control your style and tone.

BEING SENSITIVE TO YOUR AUDIENCE’S NEEDS

The “you” attitude is especially important with long or complex reports because they demand a lot from readers.

Chapter 5 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p7001012451000000000000000002445#P7001012451000000000000000002445) discusses four aspects of audience sensitivity, and all four apply to reports and proposals: adopting the “you” attitude, maintaining a strong sense of etiquette, emphasizing the positive, and using bias-free language. Reports and proposals that are highly technical, complex, or lengthy can put heavy demands on readers, so the “you” attitude takes on special importance with these messages.

In addition, various audience members can have widely different information needs. For instance, if you’re reporting on the results of a customer satisfaction survey, the service manager might want every detail, whereas the president might want only a top-level summary. With previews, summaries, appendixes, and other elements, you can meet the needs of a diverse audience—provided that you plan for these elements in advance.

REAL-TIME UPDATES

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Explore one of the best annual reports ever published

Have a look at the WPP annual report discussed in the chapter-opening Communication Close-Up. Go to real-timeupdates.com/bct14 (http://real- timeupdates.com/bct14) and select Learn More in the Students section.

Today’s readers often lack the time or the inclination to plow through long reports page by page or screen by screen. They typically want to browse quickly, �ind a section of interest, dive in for details, browse for another section, and so on. If you want readers to understand and accept your message, help them navigate your document by using headings and links, smooth transitions, and previews and reviews.

Help your audiences navigate through your reports by providing clear directions to key pieces of content.

Headings

Headings improve a document’s readability and are especially useful for identifying the framework of a report. They also visually indicate shifts from one idea to the next and, when used in a combination of levels, help readers see the relationship between subordinate and main ideas. In addition, busy readers can quickly understand the gist of a document simply by scanning the headings. In online reports, headings serve all these functions, plus they can be used to provide links to other sections and other websites.

Many companies specify a format for headings, either through style guides or document templates. If yours does, use that recommended format. If you are creating your own scheme, make sure the hierarchy of headings and subheadings is clear. If you have three levels of headings in a report, for example, you might use 20-point bold type for the �irst-level headings, 16 points for the second level, and 12 points for the third level:

First level SECOND LEVEL Third level

Another option is to put the �irst-level headings in all capital letters or to emphasize them using color. The sample report on pages 431 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000057bd#page_431) –445 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000057bd#page_445) does both of these, for instance.

Transitions

Transitions connect ideas by helping readers move from one thought to the next.

Transitions help readers move from one section of a report to the next and from key point to key point within sections. Transitions can be words, sentences, or complete paragraphs. Here’s an example:

. . . As you can see, our pro�its have decreased by 12 percent over the past eight months.

To counteract this decline in pro�its, we can explore alternatives. First, we can raise our selling prices. Second, we can work to reduce our manufacturing costs. Third, we can introduce new products that will support higher pro�it margins. However, each of these alternatives has both advantages and disadvantages.

The phrase As you can see alerts readers to the fact that they are reading a summary of the information just presented. The phrase this decline in pro�its refers to the previous paragraph, letting readers know that the text will be saying something else about that topic. The words �irst, second, and third help readers stay on track as the three alternatives are introduced, and the word however alerts readers to the fact that evaluating the three alternatives requires some additional discussion. Effective transitions such as these can help readers summarize and remember what they’ve learned so far while giving them a mental framework to process new information.

Previews and Reviews

Previews help readers prepare for upcoming information, whereas reviews help them verify and clarify what they’ve just read.

Preview sections introduce important topics by helping readers get ready for new information; they are particularly helpful when the information is complex, unexpected, or unfamiliar. Think of a preview as an opportunity for readers to arrange their mental �ile folders before you start giving them information to put in those folders.

Review sections come after a body of material and summarize the information just covered. They help readers absorb details while keeping track of the big picture. Long reports and those dealing with complex subjects can often bene�it from multiple review sections, one at the end of every major subject block, as well as a more comprehensive review at the very end of a document.

Previews and reviews can be written in sentence format, in bulleted lists, or using a combination of the two. Both are effective, but bullets can increase your document’s readability by adding white space to the document design. Consider the following preview, shown using both formats:

Sentence Format Bulleted List The next section discusses the advantages of online advertising. Among them are currency, global reach, affordability, and interactivity.

As the next section shows, online advertising has four advantages:

Currency Global reach Affordability Interactivity

For more on writing effective lists, see “Using Lists to Clarify and Emphasize (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p7001012451000000000000000002b84#P7001012451000000000000000002BA8) ” on page 159 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p7001012451000000000000000002b84#page_159) in Chapter 6 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p7001012451000000000000000002ade#P7001012451000000000000000002ADE) .

BUILDING STRONG RELATIONSHIPS WITH YOUR AUDIENCE

Your reports may continue to be read for months or years after you write them—and reach audiences you never envisioned.

Building relationships with your readers starts with planning how to adapt your style and language to meet their needs and expectations. Bear in mind that some reports—particularly those that can be transmitted online—can take on lives of their own, reaching a wider audience than you ever imagined and being read years after you write them. Consequently, choose your content and language with care. Also, because many companies have speci�ic guidelines for communicating with public audiences, make sure you’re aware of these preferences before you start writing.

As discussed in Chapter 5 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p7001012451000000000000000002445#P7001012451000000000000000002445) , establishing your credibility is vital to successful communication. To gain your audience’s trust, research all sides of your topic and document your �indings with credible sources. Also, be aware that setting audience expectations too high can lead to problems with your credibility if you can’t deliver everything people expect you to, so take particular care with the introductory sections of important reports.

CONTROLLING YOUR STYLE AND TONE

Adjust the level of formality to match the situation and your audience’s expectations.

If you know your readers reasonably well and your report is likely to meet with their approval, you can adopt a fairly informal tone—provided that doing so is acceptable in the situation and in your company’s culture. To make your tone less formal, refer to readers as you and refer to yourself as I (or we, if there are multiple report authors).

A more formal tone is usually appropriate for longer reports, especially those that deal with controversial or complex information. You’ll also want to use a more formal tone when your report will be sent to other parts of the organization or to outsiders, such as customers, suppliers, or members of the community (see Figure 15.1 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p700101245100000000000000000562e#P700101245100000000000000000561F) ).

If the situation calls for a more formal tone, use the impersonal journalism style, eliminating all references to you and I (including we, us, and our). When you use an impersonal style, you impose a controlled distance between you and your readers. Your tone is not only objective but also businesslike and unemotional. Be careful to avoid jokes, and minimize the use of similes, metaphors, and overly colorful language.

However, when crafting a more formal tone, take care not to go overboard, or you’ll end up sounding stiff or dull. In addition, don’t inadvertently slip into the passive voice. You can avoid this potential weakness by making the report content itself the actor in a sentence. For example, to convert “I think we should buy TramCo” to a more formal tone, you could write “The �inancial analysis clearly shows that buying TramCo is the best alternative.”

15.2 Drafting Report Content LEARNING OBJECTIVE

2 Name �ive characteristics of effective report content, and list the topics commonly covered in the introduction, body, and close of formal reports. With a clear picture of how you need to adapt to your audience, you’re ready to begin composing your �irst draft. Before you put those �irst words down on paper, though, review your outline one last time. Verify that the organization you’ve chosen makes sense, given everything you’ve learned about your topic so far. Also, review the wording of the headings and subheadings to make sure they establish the right tone. For a hard-hitting, direct tone, use informative phrasing (“Quality Problems Result in Nearly 500 Customer Defections Every Year”). For an objective, indirect tone, use descriptive phrasing (“Effects of Product Quality on Customer Retention”).

Before you start writing, review your outline one more time and verify the wording of your headings and subheadings.

MOBILE APP

Redbooth’s �ile and content management features help teams manage collaborative report writing.

Writing lengthy reports and proposals can be a huge task, so be sure to take advantage of technological tools to help throughout the process. In addition to features such as automatic table of contents and index generators, look for opportunities to use linked and embedded documents to incorporate graphics, spreadsheets, databases, and other elements produced in other software programs. For instance, in Microsoft Of�ice you can choose to either link to another �ile (which ensures that changes in that �ile are re�lected in your �ile) or embed another �ile (which doesn’t include the automatic updating feature).

Figure 15.1 Achieving the Appropriate Tone for a Report

This report excerpt (part of the executive summary of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services) uses a number of techniques to create a formal tone. This is a formal policy document whose intended readers are educators, government regulators, and others charged with using the information to help inform consumers. If the document had been written with consumers in mind, you can imagine how the tone might have been lighter and less formal.

Like other written business communications, reports and proposals have three main sections: an introduction (or opening), a body, and a close. The content and length of each section vary with the type and purpose of the document, the document’s organizational structure, the length and depth of the material, the document’s degree of formality, and your relationship with your audience.

The introduction needs to put the report in context for the reader, introduce the subject, preview main ideas, and establish the tone of the document.

At a minimum, an effective introduction accomplishes these four tasks:

It helps the reader understand the context of the report by tying it to a problem or an assignment It introduces the subject matter and indicates why it is important It previews the main idea (if you’re using the direct approach) It establishes the tone and the writer’s relationship with the audience

The body presents, analyzes, and interprets the information gathered during your investigation and supports your recommendations or conclusions. The length and content of the body can vary widely based on the subject matter.

The body of your report presents, analyzes, and interprets the information you gathered during your investigation and supports your recommendations or conclusions.

The close has three important functions:

Your close is often the last opportunity to get your message across, so make it clear and compelling.

It summarizes your key points

It emphasizes the bene�its to the reader if the document suggests a change or some other course of action It brings all the action items together in one place

The close might be the only part of your report some readers have time for, so it should convey the full weight of your message.

The �inal section of a report or proposal can leave a lasting impression, so use the close to make sure your report says what you intended.2 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p7001012451000000000000000005895#P7001012451000000000000000005BB0) In fact, readers who are in a hurry might skip the body of the report and read only the summary, so make sure it carries a strong, clear message.

Your credibility and prospects for the future are on the line with every business report you write, so make sure your content is

Effective report content is accurate, complete, balanced, clear, logical, and properly documented.

Accurate. Information presented in a report must be factually correct. When writing reports, be sure to double-check your facts and references in addition to checking for typos. If an audience ever gets the inkling that your information is shaky, they’ll start to view all your work with a skeptical eye. Complete. To help audiences make informed decisions, include all the information necessary for readers to understand the situation, problem, or proposal. Support all key assertions using an appropriate combination of illustrations, explanations, and facts.3 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p7001012451000000000000000005895#P7001012451000000000000000005BB2) Tell your readers what they need to know—no more, no less—and present the information in a way that is geared toward their needs. Mobile reporting apps can help you integrate text with “live” data that let readers explore if they need additional insights. Balanced. It’s important to present all sides of the issue fairly and equitably and to include all the essential information, even if some of it doesn’t support your line of reasoning. Omitting relevant information or facts can bias your report. Clear and logical. Save your readers time by making sure your sentences are uncluttered, contain well-chosen words, and proceed logically. To help your readers move from one point to the next, make your transitions clear and logical. For a successful report, identify the ideas that belong together and organize them in a way that’s easy to understand.4 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p7001012451000000000000000005895#P7001012451000000000000000005BB4) Documented properly. If you use primary and secondary sources for your report or proposal, be sure to properly document and give credit to your sources, as Chapter 13 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p7001012451000000000000000004d27#P7001012451000000000000000004D27) explains.

REAL-TIME UPDATES

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Get practical advice on developing research reports

Purdue’s Online Writing Lab offers advice on developing all the sections of a typical research report. Go to real-timeupdates.com/bct14 (http://real- timeupdates.com/bct14) and select Learn More in the Students section.

15.3 Drafting Proposal Content LEARNING OBJECTIVE

3 List six strategies to strengthen a proposal argument, and identify the topics commonly covered in the introduction, body, and close of proposals. If you’re writing an unsolicited proposal, you have some latitude in the scope and organization of content. However, the scope and organization of a solicited proposal are usually governed by the request for proposals. Most RFPs spell out precisely what you should cover and in what order. This uniformity lets the recipient evaluate competing proposals in a systematic way.

The AIDA model works well for proposals, although you may need to adapt it if you’re responding to an RFP.

The general purpose of any proposal is to persuade readers to do something, such as purchase goods or services, fund a project, or implement a program. Thus your writing approach for a proposal is similar to that used for persuasive sales messages (see Chapter 12 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p7001012451000000000000000004853#P7001012451000000000000000004853) ). Your proposal must sell your audience on your ideas, product, service, methods, and company. As with any other persuasive message, you can use the AIDA model to gain attention, build interest, create desire, and motivate action (of course, you may need to adapt it if you’re responding to an RFP or working within some other constraints). Here are some additional strategies to strengthen your persuasive argument:5 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p7001012451000000000000000005895#P7001012451000000000000000005BB6)

Business proposals need to provide more than just attractive ideas—readers look for evidence of practical, achievable solutions.

Demonstrate your knowledge. Everything you write should show the reader that you have the knowledge and experience to solve the problem or address the opportunity outlined in your proposal. Provide concrete information and examples. Avoid vague, unsupported generalizations such as “We are losing money on this program.” Instead, provide quanti�iable details such as the amount of money being lost, how, why, and so on. Explain how much money your proposed solution will save. Spell out your plan and give details on how the job will be done. Research the competition. Find out what alternatives your audience might choose over your proposal so that you can emphasize why your solution is the optimum choice. Potential customers sometimes face a “buy or build” decision, in which they must choose between buying a solution from an external party and building it themselves. In these cases you are effectively competing against your target customers. Prove that your proposal is workable. Your proposal must be appropriate and feasible for your audience. It should be consistent with your audience’s capabilities. For instance, your proposal would be pointless if it recommended a plan of action that requires three times the number of available employees or twice the available budget. Adopt the “you” attitude. Relate your product, service, or personnel to the reader’s exact needs, either as stated in the RFP for a solicited proposal or as discovered through your own investigation for an unsolicited proposal. Package your proposal attractively. Make sure your proposal is letter perfect, inviting, and readable. Readers will prejudge the quality of your products or services by the proposal you submit. Errors, omissions, and inconsistencies will work against you—and may even cost you important career and business opportunities.

REAL-TIME UPDATES

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Build your company with effective responses to RFPs

In many industries, responding to RFPs is a vital business skill for expanding a company. Follow these insider tips. Go to real-timeupdates.com/bct14 (http://real-timeupdates.com/bct14) and select Learn More in the Students section.

Proposals in various industries often have their own special challenges as well. For instance, management consultants have to convince every potential client that they have the skills and knowledge to solve the client’s problem—without giving away the answer for free in the proposal. In other industries, such as transportation services, bidders may be asked to compute hundreds or thousands of individual pricing scenarios. Hands-on experience goes a long way when you’re deciding what to include or exclude; whenever possible, get advice from a senior colleague who’s been through it before.

Consider using proposal-writing software if you and your company need to submit proposals as a routine part of doing business. These programs can automatically personalize proposals, ensure proper structure (making sure you don’t forget any sections, for instance), organize storage of all your boilerplate text, integrate contact information from sales databases, scan RFPs to identify questions (and even assign them to content experts), and �ill in preliminary answers to common questions from a centralized knowledge base.6 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p7001012451000000000000000005895#P7001012451000000000000000005BB8)

As with reports, approach proposals by identifying the pieces to include in the introduction, body, and close. For solicited proposals, always follow the instructions in the RFP, but here are some guidelines for unsolicited proposals. The introduction presents and summarizes the problem you want to solve or the opportunity you want to pursue, along with your proposed solution. It orients readers to the remainder of the report. If your proposal is solicited, its introduction should refer to the RFP so that readers know which RFP you’re responding to. If your proposal is unsolicited, the introduction should mention any factors that led you to submit your proposal, such as prior conversations with members of the recipient organization’s staff.

Readers understand that a proposal is a persuasive message, so they’re willing to accommodate a promotional style—as long as it is professional and focused on their needs.

The proposal’s body gives complete details on the proposed solution and speci�ies the anticipated results. Because a proposal is by de�inition a persuasive message, your audience expects you to promote your offering in a con�ident, professional manner. Even when you’re expressing an idea you believe in passionately, be sure to maintain an objective tone so that you don’t risk overselling your message.

The close of a proposal generally summarizes the key points, emphasizes the bene�its readers will realize from your solution, summarizes the merits of your approach, restates why you and your �irm are the ones to perform the service or provide the products in question, and asks for a decision from readers. The close is your last opportunity to persuade readers to accept your proposal. In both formal and informal proposals, make this section relatively brief, assertive (but not brash or abrupt), and con�ident.

See Table 15.1 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p700101245100000000000000000566f#P7001012451000000000000000005698) for a summary of the content to include in reports and proposals. You can use this table as a handy reference whenever you need to write a report in school or on the job.

TABLE 15.1 Content Elements to Consider for Reports and Proposals

Reports Proposals

Introduction: Establish the context, identify the subject, preview main ideas (if using the direct approach), and establish tone and reader relationship.

Authorization. Reiterate who authorized the report, if applicable. Problem/purpose. Explain the reason for the report’s existence and what the report will achieve. Scope. Describe what will and won’t be covered in the report. Background. Review historical conditions or factors that led up to the report. Sources and methods. Discuss the primary and secondary sources consulted and methods used. De�initions. List terms and their de�initions, including any terms that might be misinterpreted. Terms may also be de�ined in the body, explanatory notes, or glossary. Limitations. Discuss factors beyond your control that affect report quality (but do not use this as an excuse for poor research or a poorly written report). Report organization. Identify the topics to be covered and in what order.

Introduction: Identify the problem you intend to solve or the opportunity you want to pursue. Background or statement of the problem. Brie�ly review the situation at hand, establish a need for action, and explain how things could be better. In unsolicited proposals, convince readers that a problem or an opportunity exists. Solution. Brie�ly describe the change you propose, highlighting your key selling points and their bene�its to show how your proposal will solve the reader’s problem. Scope. State the boundaries of the proposal—what you will and will not do. Report organization. Orient the reader to the remainder of the proposal and call attention to the major divisions of thought.

Body: Present relevant information and support your recommendations or conclusions.

Explanations. Give complete details of the problem, project, or idea. Facts, statistical evidence, and trends. Lay out the results of studies or investigations. Analysis of action. Discuss potential courses of action. Pros and cons. Explain the advantages, disadvantages, costs, and bene�its of a particular course of action. Procedures. Outline steps for a process. Methods and approaches. Discuss how you’ve studied a problem (or gathered evidence) and arrived at your solution (or collected your data). Criteria. Describe the benchmarks for evaluating options and alternatives. Conclusions and recommendations. Discuss what you believe the evidence reveals and what you propose should be done about it. Support. Give the reasons behind your conclusions or recommendations.

Body: Give complete details on the proposed solution and describe anticipated results. Facts and evidence to support your conclusions. Give complete details of the proposed solution and anticipated results. Proposed approach. Describe your concept, product, or service. Stress reader bene�its and emphasize any advantages you have over your competitors. Work plan. Describe how you’ll accomplish what must be done (unless you’re providing a standard, off-the-shelf item). Explain the steps you’ll take, their timing, the methods or resources you’ll use, and the person(s) responsible. State when work will begin, how it will be divided into stages, when you’ll �inish, and whether follow-up will be needed. Statement of quali�ications. Describe your organization’s experience, personnel, and facilities—relating it all to readers’ needs. Include a list of client references. Costs. Prove that your costs are realistic—break them down so that readers can see the costs of labor, materials, transportation, travel, training, and other categories.

Reports Proposals

Close: Summarize key points, emphasize the bene�its of any recommendations, list action items; label as “Summary” or “Conclusions and Recommendations.”

For direct approach. Summarize key points (except in short reports), listing them in the order in which they appear in the body. Brie�ly restate your conclusions or recommendations, if appropriate. For indirect approach. If you haven’t done so at the end of the body, present your conclusions or recommendations. For motivating action. Spell out exactly what should happen next and provide a schedule with speci�ic task assignments.

Close: Summarize key points, emphasize the bene�its and advantages of your proposed solution, ask for a decision from the reader.

Review of argument. Brie�ly summarize the key points. Review of reader bene�its. Brie�ly summarize how your proposal will help the reader. Review of the merits of your approach. Brie�ly summarize why your approach will be more effective than alternatives. Restatement of quali�ications. For external proposals, brie�ly reemphasize why you and your �irm should do the work. Request. Ask for a decision from the reader.

15.4 Completing Reports and Proposals LEARNING OBJECTIVE

4 Summarize the four tasks involved in completing business reports and proposals.

The revision process for long reports can take considerable time, so be sure to plan ahead.

As with shorter messages, when you have �inished your �irst draft, you need to perform four tasks to complete your document: revise, produce, proofread, and distribute. The revision process is essentially the same for reports as for other business messages, although it may take considerably longer, depending on the length and complexity of your documents. Evaluate your organization, style, and tone, making sure your content is clear, logical, and reader oriented. Then work to improve the report’s readability by varying sentence length, keeping paragraphs short, using lists and bullets, and adding headings and subheadings. Remember that even minor mistakes can affect your credibility.

Tight, ef�icient writing is especially important with online content.

Tight, ef�icient writing that is easy to skim is always a plus, but it’s especially important for impatient online audiences.7 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p7001012451000000000000000005895#P7001012451000000000000000005BBA) Review online content carefully; strip out all information that doesn’t meet audience needs and condense everything else as much as possible. Audiences will gladly return to sites that deliver quality information quickly—and they’ll avoid sites that don’t.

After assembling your report or proposal in its �inal form, review it thoroughly one last time, looking for inconsistencies, errors, and missing components. Don’t forget to proof your visuals thoroughly and make sure they are positioned correctly. For online reports, make sure all links work as expected and all necessary �iles are active and available. If you need speci�ic tips on proofreading documents, look back at Chapter 6 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p7001012451000000000000000002ade#P7001012451000000000000000002ADE) .

PRODUCING FORMAL REPORTS AND PROPOSALS

The number and variety of parts you include in a report depend on the type of report, audience requirements, organizational expectations, and report length.

Formal reports and proposals can include a variety of features beyond the text and visuals (see Table 15.2 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000056f6#P700101245100000000000000000570A) ). Most of these elements provide additional information; a few are more decorative and add a degree of formality.

TABLE 15.2 Production Elements to Consider for Formal Reports and Proposals

Reports Proposa

Prefatory elements (before the introduction) Cover. Include a concise title that gives readers the information they need to grasp the purpose and scope of the report. For a formal printed report, choose heavy, high-quality cover stock. Title �ly (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p7001012451000000000000000005895#P70010124510000000000000000058B3) . Some formal reports open with a plain sheet of paper that has only the title of the report on it, although this is certainly not necessary. Title page (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p7001012451000000000000000005895#P70010124510000000000000000058B6) . Typically includes the report title, name(s) and title(s) of the writer(s), and date of submission; this information can be put on the cover instead. Letter of authorization (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p7001012451000000000000000005895#P70010124510000000000000000058AA) . If you received written authorization to prepare the report, you may want to include that letter or memo in your report. Letter of transmittal (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p7001012451000000000000000005895#P70010124510000000000000000058AD) . “Cover letter” that introduces the report and can include scope, methods, limitations, and highlights of the report; offers to provide follow- on information or assistance; and acknowledges help received while preparing the report. Table of contents. List all section headings and major subheadings to show the location and hierarchy of the information in the report. List of illustrations. Consider including if the illustrations are particularly important and you want to call attention to them. Synopsis or executive summary. See discussion on page 425 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000056f6#page_425) .

Prefator C C S S l c L p p ( )

Reports Proposa

Supplementary elements (after the close) Appendixes (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p7001012451000000000000000005895#P700101245100000000000000000589E) . Additional information related to the report but not included in the main text because it is too lengthy or lacks direct relevance. List appendixes in your table of contents and refer to them as appropriate in the text. Bibliography (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p7001012451000000000000000005895#P70010124510000000000000000058A1) . List the secondary sources you consulted; see Appendix B (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p700101245100000000000000000747b#P700101245100000000000000000747B) . Index (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p7001012451000000000000000005895#P70010124510000000000000000058A7) . List names, places, and subjects mentioned in the report, along with the pages on which they occur.

Supplem A R o

One of the most important elements to consider is an introductory feature that helps time-pressed readers get a sense of what’s in the document or even get all the key points without reading the document. A synopsis (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p7001012451000000000000000005895#P70010124510000000000000000058B0) —sometimes called an abstract (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p7001012451000000000000000005895#P700101245100000000000000000589B) —is a brief overview (one page or less) of a report’s most important points. The phrasing of a synopsis can be informative (presenting the main points in the order in which they appear in the text) if you’re using the direct approach or descriptive (simply describing what the report is about, without “giving away the ending”) if you’re using the indirect approach. As an alternative to a synopsis or an abstract, a longer report may include an executive summary (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p7001012451000000000000000005895#P70010124510000000000000000058A4) —a fully developed “mini” version of the report, for readers who lack the time or motivation to read the entire document (see Figure 15.2 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000056f6#P700101245100000000000000000574C) ).

A synopsis is a brief overview of a report’s key points; an executive summary is a fully developed “mini” version of the report.

Following the body of the report, possible supplemental parts (those coming after the main text of the report or proposal) include one or more appendixes, a bibliography, and an index. In general, place here supporting materials that could be of interest to some or all of your readers but that aren’t crucial to the main thrust of your message.

MOBILE APP

For report writing on the go, LogMeIn lets you access your computer’s programs and �iles from your mobile device.

For an illustration of how the various parts �it together in a report, see “Report Writer’s Notebook: Analyzing a Formal Report (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000057bd#P70010124510000000000000000057D8) ,” starting on page 431 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000057bd#page_431) .

Figure 15.2 Executive Summary

This executive summary from a Boeing report on worldwide air cargo markets highlights key facts, �igures, and trends using both text and visuals.

Courtesy of Boeing.

In contrast to formal reports, synopses and executive summaries are less common in proposals. In an unsolicited proposal, the letter of transmittal should catch the reader’s interest. In a solicited proposal, the introduction provides an adequate preview of the contents. Moreover, proposals often take the indirect approach, which means they build up to the call to action at the end of the report, and summarizing this information at the beginning could undermine the carefully structured persuasive build-up (see Figure 15.3 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000056f6#P700101245100000000000000000575D) ).

Figure 15.3 External Solicited Proposal

This proposal was submitted by a geotechnical engineering �irm that conducts a variety of environmental testing services. The company is bidding on the mass grading and utility work speci�ied by the prospective client, AGI Builders.

DISTRIBUTING REPORTS AND PROPOSALS

MOBILE APP

Dropbox lets you store �iles in the cloud and access or share them from PCs and mobile devices.

For physical distribution of important printed reports or proposals, consider spending the extra money for a professional courier or package delivery service. Doing so can help you stand out in a crowd, and it lets you verify receipt. Alternatively, if you’ve prepared the document for a single person or small group in your of�ice or the local area, delivering it in person will give you the chance to personally “introduce” the report and remind readers why they’re receiving it.

For digital distribution, unless your audience speci�ically requests a word processor �ile, provide documents as portable document format (PDF) �iles. Using Adobe Acrobat or similar products, you can quickly convert reports and proposals to PDF �iles that are easy to share digitally. PDFs are generally considered safer than word processor �iles, but keep in mind that they can also be used to transmit computer viruses.8 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p7001012451000000000000000005895#P7001012451000000000000000005BBC)

Many businesses use the Adobe portable document format (PDF) to distribute reports electronically.

If your company or client expects you to distribute your reports via a web-based content management system, a shared workspace, or some other online location, double-check that you’ve uploaded the correct �ile(s) to the correct location. Verify the on-screen display of your reports after you’ve posted them, making sure graphics, charts, links, and other elements are in place and operational.

For a reminder of the tasks involved in producing formal reports and proposals, see “Checklist: Producing Formal Reports and Proposals (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000056f6#P700101245100000000000000000578D) .”

CHECKLIST Producing Formal Reports and Proposals A. Prefatory parts

Use your company’s standard report covers, if available. Include a concise, descriptive title on the cover. Include a title �ly only if you want an extra-formal touch. On the title page, list (1) the report title; (2) the name, title, and address of the group or person who authorized the report; (3) the name, title, and address of the group or person who prepared the report; and (4) the date of submission. Include a copy of the letter of authorization, if appropriate. If responding to an RFP, follow its instructions for including a copy or referring to the RFP by name or tracking number. Include a letter of transmittal that introduces the report. Provide a table of contents in outline form, with headings worded exactly as they appear in the body of the report. Include a list of illustrations if the report contains a large number of them. Include a synopsis (brief summary of the report) or an executive summary (a condensed, “mini” version of the report) for longer reports.

B. Body of the report Draft an introduction that prepares the reader for the content that follows. Provide information that supports your conclusions, recommendations, or proposals in the body of the report. Don’t overload the body with unnecessary detail. Close with a summary of your main idea.

C. Supplementary parts Use appendixes to provide supplementary information or supporting evidence. List in a bibliography any secondary sources you used. Provide an index if your report contains a large number of terms or ideas and is likely to be consulted over time.

15.5 Writing Requests for Proposals LEARNING OBJECTIVE

5 Identify the elements to include in a request for proposals (RFP). At some point in your career, you might be in a position to solicit proposals, and learning how to request effective proposals will simplify the process considerably. When writing an RFP, remember that it is more than just a request; it’s an informational report that provides potential bidders with the information they need in order to craft effective proposals. Writing an RFP demands careful consideration because it starts a process that leads to a proposal, a contract, and eventually the delivery of a product or the performance of a service. In other words, mistakes at the RFP stage can ripple throughout the process and create costly headaches for everyone involved.

An RFP’s speci�ic content will vary widely from industry to industry, but all RFPs should include some combination of the following elements:9 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p7001012451000000000000000005895#P7001012451000000000000000005BBE)

Company background. Give potential bidders some background information on your organization, your business priorities, and other information they might need in order to respond in an informed manner. Project description. Put your requirements in context; are you seeking bids for routine supplies or services, or do you need a major computer system? Requirements. The requirements section should spell out everything you expect from potential vendors; don’t leave anything to unstated assumptions. Will potential vendors provide key equipment or will you? Will you expect vendors to work under con�identiality restrictions, such as a nondisclosure agreement? Who will pay if costs run higher than expected? Will you require ongoing service or support? Providing this information can be a lot of work, but again, overlooking anything at this point is likely to create considerable problems once the project gets rolling. Decision criteria. Let bidders know how you’ll be making the decision. Is quality more important than cost? Will you consider only certain types of vendors or only those that use certain processes or technologies? Will you entertain bids from companies that have never worked in your particular industry? The answers to such questions not only help bidders determine whether they’re right for your project but also help them craft proposals that meet your needs. Proposal requirements. Explain exactly what you expect to see in the proposal itself—which sections, what media, how many copies, and so on. Submission and contact information. A well-written RFP answers most potential questions, and it also tells people when, where, and how to respond. In addition, effective RFPs always give bidders the name of a contact within the organization who can answer detailed questions.

A smart approach to managing RFPs can minimize the work involved for everyone and maximize the effectiveness of the RFP. First, identify your decision criteria and then brainstorm the information you need to measure against those criteria. Don’t ask bidders to submit information about every aspect of their operations if such details aren’t relevant to your decision. Making such unreasonable demands is unfair to bidders, will unnecessarily complicate your review process, and will discourage some potentially attractive bidders from responding.

Second, to get quality responses that match your unique business needs, give bidders plenty of time to respond. Successful companies are usually busy responding to other RFPs and working on other projects; you can’t expect them to drop everything to focus solely on your RFP.

Third, if your company generates numerous RFPs, tracking proposals can become a full-time job. Consider establishing an online system for tracking responses automatically.10 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p7001012451000000000000000005895#P7001012451000000000000000005BC0)

REPORT WRITER’S NOTEBOOK

Analyzing a Formal Report

The report presented in the following pages was prepared by Linda Moreno, the cost accounting manager at Electrovision. Electrovision’s main product is optical character recognition equipment, which is used by the U.S. Postal Service for sorting mail. Moreno’s job is to help analyze the company’s costs, and she has this to say about the background of the report:

For the past three or four years, Electrovision has been on a roll. Our A-12 optical character reader was a real breakthrough, and the post of�ice grabbed up as many as we could make. Our sales and pro�its kept climbing, and morale was fantastic. Everybody seemed to think that the good times would last forever. Unfortunately, everybody was wrong. When the Postal Service announced that it was postponing all new equipment purchases because of cuts in its budget, we woke up to the fact that we are essentially a one-product company with one customer. At that point, management started scrambling around looking for ways to cut costs until we could diversify our business a bit. The vice president of operations, Dennis McWilliams, asked me to help identify cost-cutting opportunities in travel and entertainment. On the basis of his personal observations, he felt that Electrovision was overly generous in its travel policies and that we might be able to save a signi�icant amount by controlling these costs more carefully. My investigation con�irmed his suspicion. I was reasonably con�ident that my report would be well received. I’ve worked with Dennis for several years and know what he likes: plenty of facts, clearly stated conclusions, and speci�ic recommendations for what should be done next. I also knew that my report would be passed on to other Electrovision executives, so I wanted to create a good impression. I wanted the report to be accurate and thorough, visually appealing, readable, and appropriate in tone.

When writing the analytical report that follows, Moreno based the organization on conclusions and recommendations presented in direct order. The �irst two sections of the report correspond to Moreno’s two main conclusions: that Electrovision’s travel and entertainment costs are too high and that cuts are essential. The third section presents recommendations for achieving better control over travel and entertainment expenses. As you review the report, analyze both the mechanical aspects and the way Moreno presents her ideas. Be prepared to discuss the way the various components convey and reinforce the main message.

Stockbyte/Getty Images

COMMUNICATION CHALLENGES AT WPP You’ve joined the corporate communications department at WPP’s headquarters in London, where you get to work on a variety of major projects. Address these challenges.

INDIVIDUAL CHALLENGE: Visit the Reading Room on WPP’s website at wpp.com (http://wpp.com) (look for the tab along the top of the screen). Browse the topic categories down the left side (Advertising, Branding, Consumer Insights, and so on). Find any article that interests you and prepare a brief summary (no more than 250 words) that would be easy to read on a small mobile device.

TEAM CHALLENGE: Find WPP’s latest Sustainability Report on the company’s website (you should see a “Sustainability” link at the top of the page). Select the report and �ind the “Client case studies,” a series of short multimedia reports on communication campaigns the company has done for various nonpro�its and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). Find three cases that you feel highlight creative approaches to solving community challenges. Prepare a one-page summary report that could be offered on the WPP website as a downloadable PDF (create a PDF if your instructor directs you to). Be sure to brainstorm a compelling title for your report, and as you summarize the three cases, point out how communication techniques were used to solve pressing, signi�icant problems.

Quick Learning Guide

KEY TERMS

abstract Name usually given to a synopsis that accompanies long technical, professional, or academic reports

appendix Supplementary section that contains materials related to the report but not included in the text because they are too long or perhaps not relevant to everyone in the audience

bibliography List of the secondary sources consulted in the preparation of a report

executive summary A brief but complete version of the report; may contain headings, well-developed transitions, and even visual elements

index An alphabetical list of names and subjects mentioned in a report, along with the pages on which they occur

letter of authorization Written authorization to prepare a report

letter of transmittal A specialized form of cover letter that introduces a report to the audience

synopsis A brief overview (one page or less) of a report’s most important points, designed to give readers a quick preview of the contents

title �ly A single sheet of paper with only the title of the report on it

title page Page that includes the report title; the name, title, and address of the person or organization that authorized the report (if anyone); the name, title, and address of the person or organization that prepared the report; and the date on which the report was submitted

SUMMARY OF LEARNING OBJECTIVES

1 Explain how to adapt to your audiences when writing reports and proposals. Adapt to your audience by demonstrating sensitivity to their needs (adopting the “you” attitude, maintaining a strong sense of etiquette, emphasizing the positive, and using bias-free language), building a strong relationship with your audience (making sure your writing re�lects the desired image of your organization and building your credibility), and controlling your style and tone to achieve the appropriate degree of formality for the situation.

Effective reports help readers navigate the document by using three elements: (1) headings (and links for online reports), which set off important ideas and provide the reader with clues as to the report’s framework and shifts in discussion; (2) transitions, which tie together ideas and keep readers moving along; and (3) previews and reviews, which prepare readers for new information and summarize previously discussed information.

2 Name �ive characteristics of effective report content, and list the topics commonly covered in the introduction, body, and close of formal reports. Effective report content is accurate if it is factually correct and error free. It is complete if it includes all necessary information and supports all key assertions. It is balanced if it presents all sides of an argument. It is clear and logical if it is well written and organized logically. It is properly documented if credit is given to all primary and secondary sources of information used.

The introduction highlights the person(s) who authorized the report, the purpose and scope of the report, necessary background material, the sources or methods used to gather information, important de�initions, any limitations, and the order in which the various topics are covered. The body can discuss such details as problems, opportunities, facts, evidence, trends, results of studies or investigations, analysis of potential courses of action and their advantages and disadvantages, process procedures and steps, methods and approaches, evaluation criteria for options, conclusions, recommendations, and supporting reasons. The close summarizes key points, restates conclusions and recommendations, if appropriate, and lists action items.

3 List six strategies to strengthen a proposal argument, and list the topics commonly covered in the introduction, body, and close of formal reports. To strengthen your argument, you should demonstrate your knowledge, provide concrete examples, research the competition, prove that your proposal is workable, adopt a “you” attitude, and make your proposal attractive and error free.

The most common elements in the introduction of a proposal are background information or a statement of the problem or opportunity, an overview of the proposed solution, a delineation of the scope of the proposal, and a description of how the proposal is organized. The body can contain a full description of the proposed solution, a work plan with schedules and other key implementation information, a statement of the �irm’s quali�ications, and a breakdown of project costs. The close usually contains a summary of key points, a brief reminder of the bene�its readers will realize from the solution and the merits of the proposed approach, a quick summary of quali�ications, and a call to action in terms of a request for a decision.

4 Summarize the four tasks involved in completing business reports and proposals. The four completion tasks of revising, producing, proofreading, and distributing all need to be accomplished with care, given the size and complexity of many reports. The production stage for a formal report or proposal can involve creating a number of elements not found in most other business documents. Possible prefatory parts (those coming before the main text of the report or proposal) include a cover, a title �ly, a title page, a letter of authorization, a letter of transmittal, a table of contents, a list of illustrations, and a synopsis (a brief overview of the report) or an executive summary (a miniature version of the report). Possible supplemental parts (those coming after the main text of the report or proposal) include one or more appendixes, a bibliography, and an index.

5 Identify the elements to include in a request for proposals (RFP). The content of RFPs varies widely from industry to industry and project to project, but most include background on the company, a description of the project, solution requirements, the criteria that will be used to make selection decisions, expectations for submitted proposals, and any relevant submission and contact information.

MyBCommLab

Go to mybcommlab.com (http://mybcommlab.com) to complete the problems marked with this icon .

Test Your Knowledge To review chapter content related to each question, refer to the indicated Learning Objective.

15-1. What writing choices can you make to adjust the formality of your reports? [LO-1] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000055cd#P70010124510000000000000000055CF)

15-2. What navigational elements can you use to help readers follow the structure and �low of information in a long report? [LO-1] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000055cd#P70010124510000000000000000055CF)

15-3. What are three supplementary parts often included in formal reports? [LO-2] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p700101245100000000000000000562e#P7001012451000000000000000005630)

15-4. Why must the introduction of an unsolicited proposal include a statement of the problem or opportunity that the proposal addresses? [LO-3] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p700101245100000000000000000566f#P7001012451000000000000000005671) 15-5. Why is the work plan a key component of a proposal? [LO-3] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p700101245100000000000000000566f#P7001012451000000000000000005671)

15-6. How should you refer to the RFP in a solicited proposal? [LO-3] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p700101245100000000000000000566f#P7001012451000000000000000005671)

15-7. What is the equivalent of a letter of authorization for a proposal? [LO-4] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000056f6#P70010124510000000000000000056F9)

15-8. How does a synopsis differ from an executive summary? [LO-4] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000056f6#P70010124510000000000000000056F9)

15-9. Why does writing an RFP require such careful thought? [LO-5] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000057bd#P70010124510000000000000000057C0)

Apply Your Knowledge To review chapter content related to each question, refer to the indicated Learning Objective.

15-10. How would you report on a con�idential survey in which employees rated their managers’ capabilities? Both employees and managers expect to see the results. Would you give the same report to employees and managers? What components would you include or exclude for each audience? Explain your choices. [LO-1] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000055cd#P70010124510000000000000000055CF)

15-11. What are the risks of not explaining the purpose of a proposal within the introduction? [LO-3] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p700101245100000000000000000566f#P7001012451000000000000000005671)

15-12. If a company receives a solicited formal proposal outlining the solution to a particular problem, is it ethical for the company to adopt the proposal’s recommendations without hiring the �irm that submitted the proposal? Why or why not? [LO-3] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p700101245100000000000000000566f#P7001012451000000000000000005671)

15-13. Is an executive summary a persuasive message? Explain your answer. [LO-4] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000056f6#P70010124510000000000000000056F9)

Practice Your Skills 15-14. Message 15.A: Executive Summaries [LO-2] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p700101245100000000000000000562e#P7001012451000000000000000005630)

To access the document for this exercise, go to real-timeupdates.com/bct14 (http://real-timeupdates.com/bct14) , select Student Assignments, and select Chapter 15 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000055a2#P70010124510000000000000000055A2) , Message 15.A. Download the PDF �ile, which is the executive summary of Dietary Guidelines for Americans, a publication from the U.S. Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion. Using the information in this chapter, analyze the executive summary and offer speci�ic suggestions for revising it.

Exercises

Each activity is labeled according to the primary skill or skills you will need to use. To review relevant chapter content, you can refer to the indicated Learning Objective. In some instances, supporting information will be found in another chapter, as indicated.

15-15. Message Strategies: Informational Reports [LO-1] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000055cd#P70010124510000000000000000055CF) Imagine that you and a classmate are helping Linda Moreno prepare her report on Electrovision’s travel and entertainment costs (see the Report Writer’s Notebook (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000057bd#P70010124510000000000000000057D8) on pages 431 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000057bd#page_431) –445 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000057bd#page_445) ). This time, however, the report is to be informational rather than analytical, so it will not include recommendations. Review the existing report and determine what changes would be needed to make it an informational report. Be as speci�ic as possible. For example, if your team decides the report needs a new title, what title would you use? Draft a transmittal memo for Moreno to use in conveying this informational report to Dennis McWilliams. 15-16. Message Strategies: Informational Reports [LO-1] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000055cd#P70010124510000000000000000055CF) Review a long article in a business magazine (print or online). Highlight examples of how the article uses headings, links (if online), transitions, previews, and reviews to help readers navigate through the content.

15-17. Message Strategies: Analytical Reports; Communication Ethics: Resolving Ethical Dilemmas [LO-1] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000055cd#P70010124510000000000000000055CF) , Chapter 1 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p700101245100000000000000000105b#P700101245100000000000000000105B) Your boss has asked you to prepare a feasibility report to determine whether the company should advertise its custom-crafted cabinetry in the weekly neighborhood newspaper. Based on your primary research, you think it should. As you draft the introduction to your report, however, you discover that the survey administered to the neighborhood newspaper subscribers was �lawed. Several of the questions were poorly written and misleading. You used the survey results, among other �indings, to justify your recommendation. The report is due in three days. What actions might you want to take, if any, before you complete your report? 15-18. Completing: Producing Formal Reports [LO-4] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000056f6#P70010124510000000000000000056F9) You are president of the Friends of the Library, a not-for-pro�it group that raises funds and provides volunteers to support your local library. Every February you send a report of the previous year’s activities and accomplishments to the County Arts Council, which provides an annual grant of $1,000 toward your group’s summer reading festival. Now it’s February 6, and you’ve completed your formal report. Here are the highlights:

Back-to-school book sale raised $2,000 Holiday craft fair raised $1,100 Promotion and prizes for summer reading festival cost $1,450 Materials for children’s program featuring a local author cost $125 New reference databases for library’s career center cost $850 Bookmarks promoting library’s website cost $200

Write a letter of transmittal to Erica Maki, the council’s director. Because she is expecting this report, you can use the direct approach. Be sure to express gratitude for the council’s ongoing �inancial support.

15-19. Distributing Reports; Communication Ethics: Resolving Ethical Dilemmas [LO-4] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000056f6#P70010124510000000000000000056F9) , Chapter 1 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p700101245100000000000000000105b#P700101245100000000000000000105B) You submitted what you thought was a masterful report to your boss more than three weeks ago. The report analyzes current department productivity and recommends several steps you think will improve employee output without increasing individual workloads. Brilliant, you thought. But you haven’t heard a word from your boss. Did you overstep your boundaries by making recommendations that might imply that she has not been doing a good job? Did you overwhelm her with your ideas? You’d like some feedback. In your last email to her, you asked whether she had read your report. So far you’ve received no reply.

Then yesterday, you overheard the company vice president talk about some productivity changes in your department—the same changes you recommended in your report. Now you’re worried that your boss submitted your report to senior management and will take full credit for your terri�ic ideas. What, if anything, should you do? Should you confront your boss about this? Should you ask to meet with the company vice president? Discuss this situation with your teammates and develop a solution to this sticky situation. Present your solution to the class, explaining the rationale behind your decision.

15-20. Revising for Clarity and Conciseness [LO-4] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000056f6#P70010124510000000000000000056F9) The following sentence appears in your �irst draft of a report that analyzes perceived shortcomings in your company’s employee health bene�its:

Among the many criticisms and concerns expressed by the workforce, at least among the 376 who responded to our online survey (out of 655 active employees), the issues of elder care, health insurance during retirement, and the increased amount that employees are being forced to pay every month as the company’s contribution to health insurance coverage has declined over the past two years were identi�ied as the most important.

Revise this 69-word sentence to make it shorter, more direct, and more powerful. 15-21. Producing Formal Reports [LO-4] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000056f6#P70010124510000000000000000056F9) Government reports vary in purpose and structure. Read through the Department of Education’s report “Helping Your Child Become a Reader,” available at www.ed.gov (http://www.ed.gov) . What is the purpose of this document? Does the title communicate this purpose? What type of report is this, and what is the report’s structure? Which prefatory and supplementary parts are included? Now analyze the visuals. What types of visuals are included in this report? Are they all necessary? Are the titles and legends suf�iciently informative? How does this report take advantage of the online medium to enhance readability?

Expand Your Skills Critique the Professionals

Download the latest issue of the International Trade Update from trade.gov (http://trade.gov) . What techniques does the report use to help readers �ind their way through the document or direct readers to other sources of information? What techniques are used to highlight key points in the document? Are these techniques effective? Using whatever medium your instructor requests, write a brief summary of your analysis.

Sharpen Your Career Skills Online

Bovée and Thill’s Business Communication Web Search, at websearch.businesscommunicationnetwork.com (http://websearch.businesscommunicationnetwork.com) , is a unique research tool designed speci�ically for business communication research. Use the Web Search function to �ind a website, video, article, podcast, or presentation that offers advice on creating effective business reports. Write a brief email message to your instructor or a post for your class blog, describing the item that you found and summarizing the career skills information you learned from it.

Cases For all cases, feel free to use your creativity to make up any details you need in order to craft effective messages.

Short Reports 15-22. Message Strategies: Informational Reports [LO-1] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000055cd#P70010124510000000000000000055CF) Concern is growing in many youth sports about the negative consequences of existing approaches to player development and competition. The long-term athlete development (LTAD) approach aims to instill methods and mindsets that will make athlete development more successful in the long run while making sports more enjoyable for kids. The American Development Model (ADM) used by USA Hockey is one example of the LTAD approach in a speci�ic sport.

Your task: Visit USA Hockey’s ADM website at www.admkids.com (http://www.admkids.com) . Read the material on the Athlete Development page, then write a brief informational report (one to two pages) on the ADM concept, including the rationale behind it and the bene�its it offers youth athletes.

PORTFOLIO BUILDER

15-23. Message Strategies: Analytical Reports [LO-1] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000055cd#P70010124510000000000000000055CF) Redecorating and remodeling to meet your speci�ic needs and tastes are among the great joys of owning a home. Many people are content with super�icial changes, such as new paint or new accessories, but some are more ambitious. These homeowners want to move walls, add rooms, redesign kitchens, convert garages to home theaters—the big stuff.

With many consumer trends, publishers try to create magazines that appeal to carefully identi�ied groups of potential readers and the advertisers who’d like to reach them. The do-it-yourself (DIY) market is already served by numerous magazines, but you see an opportunity in those homeowners who tackle the heavy-duty projects. Case Tables 15.1 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p7001012451000000000000000005895#P700101245100000000000000000595B) through 15.3 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p7001012451000000000000000005895#P70010124510000000000000000059A3) summarize the results of some preliminary research you asked your company’s research staff to conduct.

CASE TABLE 15.1 Rooms Most Frequently Remodeled by DIYers

Room Homeowners Surveyed Who Have Tackled or Plan to Tackle at Least a Partial Remodel (%)

Kitchen 60

Bathroom 48

Home of�ice/study 44

Bedroom 38

Media room/home theater 31

Den/recreation room 28

Living room 27

Dining room 12

Sun room/solarium  8

CASE TABLE 15.2 Average Amount Spent on Remodeling Projects

Estimated Amount Surveyed Homeowners (%)

Under $5K  5

$5–10K 21

$10–20K 39

$20–50K 22

More than $50K 13

CASE TABLE 15.3 Tasks Performed by Homeowner on a Typical Remodeling Project

Task Surveyed Homeowners Who Perform or Plan to Perform Most or All of This Task Themselves (%)

Conceptual design  90

Technical design/architecture  34

Demolition  98

Foundation work  62

Framing  88

Task Surveyed Homeowners Who Perform or Plan to Perform Most or All of This Task Themselves (%)

Plumbing  91

Electrical  55

Heating/cooling  22

Finish carpentry  85

Tile work  90

Painting 100

Interior design  52

Your task: You think the data show a real opportunity for a “big projects” DIY magazine, although you’ll need more extensive research to con�irm the size of the market and re�ine the editorial direction of the magazine. Prepare a brief analytical report that presents the data you have, identi�ies the opportunity or opportunities you’ve found (suggest your own ideas based on the tables), and requests funding from the editorial board to pursue further research.

15-24. Message Strategies: Informational Reports [LO-1] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000055cd#P70010124510000000000000000055CF) Anyone contemplating stock market investing is likely to shudder at least a little bit at the market’s penchant for taking a tumble now and again.

Your task: Write a brief informational report that contains a chart of one of the major stock market indexes (such as the Dow Jones Industrial Average or the S&P 500) over the past 20 years. Choose four signi�icant drops in the index during this time period and investigate economic or political events that occurred immediately before or during these declines. Brie�ly describe the events and their likely effect on the stock market.

15-25. Message Strategies: Informational Reports [LO-1] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000055cd#P70010124510000000000000000055CF) , [LO-2] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p700101245100000000000000000562e#P7001012451000000000000000005630) As you may know, the procedural requirements involved in getting a degree or certi�icate can be nearly as challenging as any course you could take.

Your task: Prepare an interim progress report that details the steps you’ve taken toward completing your graduation or certi�ication requirements. After examining the requirements listed in your college catalog, indicate a realistic schedule for completing those that remain. In addition to course requirements, include steps such as completing the residency requirement, �iling necessary papers, and paying necessary fees. Use a memo format for your report and address it to anyone who is helping or encouraging you through school.

15-26. Message Strategies: Informational Reports [LO-1] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000055cd#P70010124510000000000000000055CF) , [LO-2] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p700101245100000000000000000562e#P7001012451000000000000000005630) Success in any endeavor doesn’t happen all at once. For example, success in college is built one quarter or semester at a time, and the way to succeed in the long term is to make sure you succeed in the short term. After all, even a single quarter or semester of college involves a signi�icant investment of time, money, and energy.

Your task: Imagine you work for a company that has agreed to send you to college full-time, paying all your educational expenses. You are given complete freedom in choosing your courses, as long as you graduate by an agreed-upon date. All your employer asks in return is that you develop your business skills and insights as much as possible so that you can make a signi�icant contribution to the company when you return to full-time work after graduation. To make sure that you are using your time—and your company’s money—wisely, the company requires a brief personal activity report at the end of every quarter or semester (whichever your school uses). Write a brief informational report summarizing how you spent your quarter or semester. Itemize the classes you took, how much time you spent studying and working on class projects, whether you got involved in campus activities and organizations that help you develop leadership or communication skills, and what you learned that you can apply in a business career. (For the purposes of this assignment, your time estimates don’t have to be precise.) Email the �inal report to your instructor.

CASE TABLE 15.4 Selected Employment Data for Engineers and Marketing Staff

Employment Statistic Engineering Department Marketing Department

Average number of years of work experience 18.2 16.3

Average number of years of experience in current profession

17.8  8.6

Average number of years with company 12.4  7.9

Average number of years of college education  6.9  4.8

Average number of years between promotions  6.7  4.3

Salary range $58–165k $45–85k

Median salary $77k $62k

15-27. Message Strategies: Informational Reports [LO-1] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000055cd#P70010124510000000000000000055CF) , [LO-4] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000056f6#P70010124510000000000000000056F9) You’ve been in your new job as human resources director for only a week, and already you have a major personnel crisis on your hands. Some employees in the marketing department got their hands on a con�idential salary report and learned that, on average, marketing employees earn less than engineering employees. In addition, several top performers in the engineering group make signi�icantly more than anybody in marketing. The report was instantly passed around the company by email, and now everyone is discussing the situation. You’ll deal with the data security issue later; for now, you need to address the dissatisfaction in the marketing group.

Case Table 15.4 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p7001012451000000000000000005895#P70010124510000000000000000059ED) lists the salary and employment data you were able to pull from the employee database. You also had the opportunity to interview the engineering and marketing directors to get their opinions on the pay situation; their answers are listed in Case Table 15.5 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p7001012451000000000000000005895#P7001012451000000000000000005A21) .

CASE TABLE 15.5 Summary Statements from Department Director Interviews

Question Engineering Director Marketing Director

1. Should engineering and marketing professionals receive roughly similar pay?

In general, yes, but we need to make allowances for the special nature of the engineering profession. In some cases, it’s entirely appropriate for an engineer to earn more than a marketing person.

Yes.

2. Why or why not? Several reasons: (1) Top engineers are extremely hard to �ind, and we need to offer competitive salaries; (2) the structure of the engineering department doesn’t provide as many promotional opportunities, so we can’t use promotions as a motivator the way marketing can; (3) many of our engineers have advanced degrees, and nearly all pursue continuing education to stay on top of the technology.

Without marketing, the products the engineers create wouldn’t reach customers, and the company wouldn’t have any revenue. The two teams make equal contributions to the company’s success.

3. If we decide to balance pay between the two departments, how should we do it?

If we do anything to cap or reduce engineering salaries, we’ll lose key people to the competition.

If we can’t immediately increase payroll to raise marketing salaries, the only fair thing to do is freeze raises in engineering and gradually raise marketing salaries over the next few years.

Your task: The CEO has asked for a short report summarizing whatever data and information you have on engineering and marketing salaries. Feel free to offer your own interpretation of the situation as well (make up any information you need), but keep in mind that because you are a new manager with almost no experience in the company, your opinion might not have a lot of in�luence.

15-28. Message Strategies: Analytical Reports [LO-1] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000055cd#P70010124510000000000000000055CF) , [LO-2] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p700101245100000000000000000562e#P7001012451000000000000000005630) Your company develops a mobile phone app that helps people get detailed technical information about products while they are shopping. The original plan was to incorporate Quick Response (QR) codes into the app so that people could scan QR stickers placed on product displays in retail stores. After decoding the QR code, the app would then pull up information about the product on display. However, you’ve recently learned about near-�ield communication (NFC), a short-range radio technology that might able to accomplish the same thing in a way that is simpler for consumers to use.

Your task: Research the prospects for QR codes and NFC technology, and write a short comparative report. Draw a conclusion about which technology you think will dominate in the coming years.

15-29. Message Strategies: Analytical Reports [LO-2] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p700101245100000000000000000562e#P7001012451000000000000000005630) Assume you will have time for only one course next term.

Your task: List the pros and cons of four or �ive courses that interest you and use the yardstick method to settle on the course that is best for you to take at this time. Write your report in memo format, addressing it to your academic adviser.

PORTFOLIO BUILDER/TEAM SKILLS

15-30. Message Strategies: Analytical Reports [LO-1] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000055cd#P70010124510000000000000000055CF) , [LO-5] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000057bd#P70010124510000000000000000057C0) Anyone looking at the fragmented 21st-century landscape of media and entertainment options might be surprised to learn that poetry was once a dominant medium for not only creative literary expression but also philosophical, political, and even scienti�ic discourse. Alas, such is no longer the case.

Your task: With a team of fellow students, your challenge is to identify opportunities to increase sales of poetry—any kind of poetry, in any medium. The following suggestions may help you get started:

Research recent bestsellers in the poetry �ield and try to identify why they have been popular. Interview literature professors, professional poets, librarians, publishers, and bookstore personnel. Consider art forms and venues in which verse plays an essential role, including popular music and poetry slams. Conduct surveys and interviews to �ind out why consumers don’t buy more poetry. Review professional journals that cover the �ield of poetry, including Publishers Weekly and Poets & Writers, from both business and creative standpoints.

Summarize your �indings in a brief formal report; assume that your target readers are executives in the publishing industry.

PORTFOLIO BUILDER

15-31. Message Strategies: Informational Reports [LO-1] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000055cd#P70010124510000000000000000055CF) Health-care costs are a pressing concern at every level in the economy, from individual households to companies of all sizes to state and federal governments. Many companies are responding with wellness programs and other efforts to encourage employees to live healthier lifestyles and thereby reduce their need for expensive health care.

Your task: Research the wellness efforts at any U.S. company and draft a brief report (one to two pages) that describes the company’s strategy, the details of the wellness program, and any measured outcomes that re�lect its success or failure.

Long Reports PORTFOLIO BUILDER

15-32. Message Strategies: Analytical Reports [LO-1] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000055cd#P70010124510000000000000000055CF) Like any other endeavor that combines factual analysis and creative free thinking, the task of writing business plans generates a range of opinions.

Your task: Find at least six sources of advice on writing successful business plans (focus on start-up businesses that are likely to seek outside investors). Use at least two books, two magazine or journal articles, and two websites or blogs. Analyze the advice you �ind and identify points where most or all the experts agree and points where they don’t agree. Wherever you �ind points of signi�icant disagreement, identify which opinion you �ind most convincing and explain why. Summarize your �indings in a formal report.

15-33. Message Strategies: Informational Reports [LO-1] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000055cd#P70010124510000000000000000055CF) , [LO-4] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000056f6#P70010124510000000000000000056F9) Your company is the largest private employer in your metropolitan area, and the 43,500 employees in your workforce have a tremendous impact on local traf�ic. A group of city and county transportation of�icials recently approached your CEO with a request to explore ways to reduce this impact. The CEO has assigned you the task of analyzing the workforce’s transportation habits and attitudes as a �irst step toward identifying potential solutions. He’s willing to consider anything from subsidized bus passes to company-owned shuttle buses to telecommuting, but the decision requires a thorough understanding of employee transportation needs. Case Tables 15.6 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p7001012451000000000000000005895#P7001012451000000000000000005A6E) through 15.10 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p7001012451000000000000000005895#P7001012451000000000000000005AE1) summarize data you collected in an employee survey.

Your task: Present the results of your survey in an informational report, using the data provided in the tables.

CASE TABLE 15.6 Employee Carpool Habits

Frequency of Use: Carpooling Portion of Workforce

Every day, every week 10,138 (23%)

Certain days, every week  4,361 (10%)

Randomly   983 (2%)

Never 28,018 (64%)

CASE TABLE 15.7 Use of Public Transportation

Frequency of Use: Public Transportation Portion of Workforce

Every day, every week 23,556 (54%)

Certain days, every week  2,029 (5%)

Randomly  5,862 (13%)

Never 12,053 (28%)

CASE TABLE 15.8 Effect of Potential Improvements to Public Transportation

Which of the Following Would Encourage You to Use Public Transportation More Frequently? (check all that apply) Portion of Respondents Which of the Following Would Encourage You to Use Public Transportation More Frequently? (check all that apply) Portion of Respondents

Increased perception of safety 4,932 (28%)

Improved cleanliness  852 (5%)

Reduced commute times 7,285 (41%)

Greater convenience: fewer transfers 3,278 (18%)

Greater convenience: more stops 1,155 (6%)

Lower (or subsidized) fares 5,634 (31%)

Nothing could encourage me to take public transportation 8,294 (46%)

Note: This question was asked of respondents who use public transportation randomly or never, a subgroup that represents 17,915 employees, or 41 percent of the workforce.

CASE TABLE 15.9 Distance Traveled to/from Work

Distance You Travel to Work (One Way) Portion of Workforce

Less than 1 mile 531 (1%)

1–3 miles  6,874 (16%)

4–10 miles 22,951 (53%)

11–20 miles 10,605 (24%)

More than 20 miles 2,539 (6%)

CASE TABLE 15.10 Is Telecommuting an Option?

Does the Nature of Your Work Make Telecommuting a Realistic Option? Portion of Workforce

Yes, every day 3,460 (8%)

Yes, several days a week 8,521 (20%)

Yes, random days 12,918 (30%)

No 18,601 (43%)

PORTFOLIO BUILDER

15-34. Message Strategies: Analytical Reports [LO-1] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000055cd#P70010124510000000000000000055CF) , [LO-5] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000057bd#P70010124510000000000000000057C0) As a college student and an active consumer, you may have considered one or more of the following questions at some point in the past few years:

What criteria distinguish the top-rated MBA programs in the country? How well do these criteria correspond to the needs and expectations of business? Are the criteria fair for students, employers, and business schools? Which of three companies you might like to work for has the strongest corporate ethics policies? What will the music industry look like in the future? What’s next after online stores such as Apple’s iTunes and digital players such as the iPod? Which industries and job categories are forecast to experience the greatest growth—and therefore the greatest demand for workers—in the next 10 years? What has been the impact of Starbucks’s aggressive growth on small, independent coffee shops? On midsized chains or franchises? In the United States or in another country? How large is the “industry” of major college sports? How much do the major football or basketball programs contribute—directly or indirectly —to other parts of a typical university? How much have minor-league sports—baseball, hockey, arena football—grown in small- and medium-market cities? What is the local economic impact when these municipalities build stadiums and arenas?

Your task: Answer one of the preceding questions using information from secondary research sources. Be sure to document your sources using the format your instructor indicates. Give conclusions and offer recommendations where appropriate.

PORTFOLIO BUILDER

15-35. Message Strategies: Analytical Reports [LO-1] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000055cd#P70010124510000000000000000055CF) An observer surveying the current consumer electronics landscape and seeing Apple products everywhere might be surprised to learn that during part of the company’s history, it was regarded by some as a fairly minor player in the computer industry—and at times a few pundits even wondered whether the company would survive.

Your task: In a two- to three-page report, identify the reasons Apple has been successful and explain how other companies can apply Apple’s strategies and tactics to improve their business results.

PORTFOLIO BUILDER/TEAM SKILLS

15-36. Message Strategies: Informational Reports [LO-1] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000055cd#P70010124510000000000000000055CF) The partners in your accounting �irm have agreed to invest some of the company’s pro�its in the stock market. They plan to diversify the portfolio by spreading the investment across several industries. In the web services/social networking arena, they’ve narrowed their choices down to Facebook and LinkedIn. Now they’ve assigned you and another �irst-year colleague the task of comparing these two companies in the following areas:

Internal strengths and weaknesses External threats (can be anything from emerging competitors and shift in the economy to potential changes in consumer habits or new government regulations) Growth opportunities Management styles and strategies Examples of how the company has succeeded in the face of challenges Brief company background information Brief comparative statistics, such as annual sales, market share, number of employees, number of customers, sources of revenue, and any other numbers you think might help the partners choose between the two

Your task: Write a formal informational report comparing the two companies according to these parameters.

15-37. Message Strategies: Analytical Reports [LO-1] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000055cd#P70010124510000000000000000055CF) After 15 years in the corporate world, you’re ready to strike out on your own. Rather than building a business from the ground up, however, you think that buying a franchise is a better idea. Unfortunately, some of the most lucrative franchise opportunities, such as the major fast-food chains, require signi�icant start-up costs—some more than a half-million dollars. Fortunately, you’ve met several potential investors who seem willing to help you get started in exchange for a share of ownership. Between your own savings and money from these investors, you estimate that you can raise from $350,000 to $600,000, depending on how much ownership share you want to cede to the investors.

You’ve already worked in several functional areas, including sales and manufacturing, so you have a fairly well-rounded business résumé. You’re open to just about any type of business, too, as long as it provides the opportunity to grow; you don’t want to be so tied down to the �irst operation that you can’t turn it over to a hired manager and expand into another market.

Your task: To convene a formal meeting with the investor group, you �irst need to draft a report that outlines the types of franchise opportunities you’d like to pursue. Write a brief report identifying �ive franchises that you would like to explore further. (Choose �ive based on your own personal interests and the criteria already identi�ied.) For each possibility, identify the nature of the business, the �inancial requirements, the level of support the company provides, and a brief statement of why you could run such a business successfully (make up any details you need). Be sure to carefully review the information you �ind about each franchise company to make sure you can qualify for it. For instance, McDonald’s doesn’t allow investment partnerships to buy franchises, so you won’t be able to start up a McDonald’s outlet until you have enough money to do it on your own. For a quick introduction to franchising, see How Stuff Works (www.howstuffworks.com (http://www.howstuffworks.com) ) and search for “Franchising.” You can learn more about the business of franchising at Franchising.com (http://Franchising.com) (www.franchising.com (http://www.franchising.com) ) and search for speci�ic franchise opportunities at Francorp Connect. In addition, many companies that sell franchises, such as Subway, offer additional information on their websites.

Proposals 15-38. Message Strategies: Proposals [LO-1] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000055cd#P70010124510000000000000000055CF) Select a product you are familiar with and imagine that you are the manufacturer trying to get a local retail outlet to carry it.

Your task: Research the product online and in person if possible to learn as much as you can about it, then write an unsolicited sales proposal in letter format to the owner (or manager) of the store, proposing that the item be stocked. Use the information you gathered on the product’s features and bene�its to make a compelling case for why the product would be a strong seller for the store. Then make up some reasonable �igures, highlighting what the item costs, what it can be sold for, and what services your company provides (return of unsold items, free replacement of unsatisfactory items, necessary repairs, and so on).

PORTFOLIO BUILDER

15-39. Message Strategies: Proposals [LO-3] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p700101245100000000000000000566f#P7001012451000000000000000005671) Your boss, the national sales manager, insists that all company sales reps continue to carry full-size laptop computers for making presentations to clients and to manage �iles and communications tasks. In addition to your laptops, you and you colleagues have to carry a bulky printed catalog and a variety product samples—up and down stairs, on and off airplanes, and in and out of your cars. You are desperate to lighten the load, and you think switching from laptops to tablets would help.

Your task: Write an informal proposal suggesting that the company equip its traveling salespeople with tablets instead of laptops. Making up any information you need, address three questions you know your boss will have. First, can sales reps type at an adequate speed on tablets, without a conventional keyboard? Second, can sales reps make informal “table top” presentations on tablets, the way they can on their laptops? (Currently, sales reps can sit at a conference room table and give a PowerPoint or Prezi presentation to two or three people, without the need for a projector screen.) Third, do tablets have a suf�icient selection of business software, from word processing to database management software?

15-40. Message Strategies: Proposals [LO-3] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p700101245100000000000000000566f#P7001012451000000000000000005671) One of the banes of apartment living is those residents who don’t care about the condition of their shared surroundings. They might leave trash all over the place, dent walls when they move furniture, spill food and beverages in common areas, destroy window screens, and otherwise degrade living conditions for everyone. Landlords obviously aren’t thrilled about this behavior, either, because it raises the costs of cleaning and maintaining the facility.

Your task: Assume that you live in a fairly large apartment building some distance from campus. Write an email proposal that you could send to your landlord, suggesting that fostering a sense of stronger community among residents in your building might help reduce incidents of vandalism and neglect. Propose that the little-used storage area in the basement of the building be converted to a community room, complete with a simple kitchen and a large-screen television. By attending Super Bowl parties and other events there, residents could get to know one another and perhaps forge bonds that would raise the level of shared concern for their living environment. You can’t offer any proof of this in advance, of course, but share your belief that a modest investment in this room could pay off long term in lower repair and maintenance costs. Moreover, it would be an attractive feature to entice new residents.

15-41. Message Strategies: Proposals [LO-1] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000055cd#P70010124510000000000000000055CF) , [LO-3] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p700101245100000000000000000566f#P7001012451000000000000000005671) Presentations can make—or break—both careers and businesses. A good presentation can bring in millions of dollars in new sales or fresh investment capital. A bad presentation might cause any number of troubles, from turning away potential customers to upsetting fellow employees to derailing key projects. To help business professionals plan, create, and deliver more effective presentations, you offer a three-day workshop that covers the essentials of good presentations:

Understanding your audience’s needs and expectations Formulating your presentation objectives Choosing an organizational approach Writing openings that catch your audience’s attention Creating effective graphics and slides Practicing and delivering your presentation Leaving a positive impression on your audience Avoiding common mistakes with presentation slides Making presentations online using webcasting tools Handling questions and arguments from the audience Overcoming the top 10 worries of public speaking (including How can I overcome stage fright? and I’m not the performing type; can I still give an effective presentation?)

Workshop bene�its: Students will learn how to prepare better presentations in less time and deliver them more effectively. Who should attend: Top executives, project managers, employment recruiters, sales professionals, and anyone else who gives important presentations to internal or external audiences. Your quali�ications: Eighteen years of business experience, including 14 years in sales and 12 years of public speaking. Experience speaking to audiences as large as 5,000 people. More than a dozen speech-related articles published in professional journals. Have conducted successful workshops for nearly 100 companies. Workshop details: Three-day workshop (9 A.M. to 3:30 P.M.) that combines lectures, practice presentations, and both individual and group feedback. Minimum number of students per workshop: 6. Maximum number of students: 12. Pricing: The cost is $3,500, plus $100 per student; 10 percent discount for additional workshops. Other information: Each attendee will have the opportunity to give three practice presentations that will last from three to �ive minutes. Everyone is encouraged to bring Power- Point �iles containing slides from actual business presentations. Each attendee will also receive a workbook and a digital video recording of his or her �inal class presentation on DVD. You’ll also be available for phone or email coaching for six months after the workshop.

Your task: Identify a company in your local area that might be a good candidate for your services. Learn more about the company by visiting its website so you can personalize your proposal. Using the information listed above, prepare a sales proposal that explains the bene�its of your training and what students can expect during the workshop.

PORTFOLIO BUILDER

15-42. Message Strategies: Proposals [LO-1] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000055cd#P70010124510000000000000000055CF) , [LO-3] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p700101245100000000000000000566f#P7001012451000000000000000005671) For years, a controversy has been brewing over the amount of junk food and soft drinks being sold through vending machines in local schools. Schools bene�it from revenue-sharing arrangements, but many parents and health experts are concerned about the negative effects of these snacks and beverages. You and your brother have almost a decade of experience running espresso and juice stands in malls and on street corners, and you’d love to �ind some way to expand your business into schools. After a quick brainstorming session, the two of you craft a plan that makes good business sense while meeting the �inancial concerns of school administrators and the nutritional concerns of parents and dietitians. Here are the notes from your brainstorming session:

Set up portable juice bars on school campuses, offering healthy fruit and vegetable drinks along with simple, healthy snacks Offer schools 30 percent of pro�its in exchange for free space and long-term contracts Provide job-training opportunities for students (during athletic events, for example) Provide a detailed dietary analysis of all products sold Establish a nutritional advisory board comprising parents, students, and at least one certi�ied health professional Assure schools and parents that all products are safe (for example, no stimulant drinks, no dietary supplements) Support local farmers and specialty food preparers by buying locally and giving these vendors the opportunity to test-market new products at your stands

Your task: Based on the ideas listed, draft a formal proposal to the local school board outlining your plan to offer healthier alternatives to soft drinks and prepackaged snack foods. Invent any details you need to complete your proposal.

PORTFOLIO BUILDER/TEAM SKILLS

15-43. Message Strategies: Proposals [LO-1] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000055cd#P70010124510000000000000000055CF) , [LO-3] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p700101245100000000000000000566f#P7001012451000000000000000005671) It seems like everybody in your �irm is frustrated. On the one hand, top executives complain about the number of lower-level employees who want promotions but just don’t seem to “get it” when it comes to dealing with customers and the public, recognizing when to speak out and when to be quiet, knowing how to push new ideas through the appropriate channels, and performing other essential but dif�icult-to-teach tasks. On the other hand, ambitious employees who’d like to learn more feel that they have nowhere to turn for career advice from people who’ve been there. In between, a variety of managers and midlevel executives are overwhelmed by the growing number of mentoring requests they’re getting, sometimes from employees they don’t even know.

You’ve been assigned the challenge of proposing a formal mentoring program—and a considerable challenge it is:

The number of employees who want mentoring relationships far exceeds the number of managers and executives willing and able to be mentors. How will you select people for the program? The people most in demand for mentoring also tend to be some of the busiest people in the organization. After several years of belt tightening and staff reductions, the entire company feels overworked; few people can imagine adding another recurring task to their seemingly endless to-do lists. What’s in it for the mentors? Why would they be motivated to help lower-level employees? How will you measure the success or failure of the mentoring effort?

Your task: With a team assigned by your instructor, identify potential solutions to the issues (make up any information you need) and draft a proposal to the executive committee for a formal, companywide mentoring program that would match selected employees with successful managers and executives.

PORTFOLIO BUILDER/TEAM SKILLS

15-44. Message Strategies: Proposals [LO-1] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000055cd#P70010124510000000000000000055CF) Either to create opportunities in a slow job market or to avoid traditional employment altogether, some college graduates create their own jobs as independent freelancers or as entrepreneurs launching new companies.

Your task: Assemble a team of classmates as your instructor directs, then brainstorm all the services you could perform for local businesses. Identify as many services as you can that are related to you and your teammates’ college majors and career interests, but also include anything you are willing to do to generate revenue. Next, identify a speci�ic company that might have some opportunities for you. Outline and draft a short proposal that describes what your team can do for this company, how the company would bene�it from your services, why you’re the right people for the job, and how much you propose to charge for your services. Remember that this is an unsolicited proposal, so be sure introduce it accordingly.

MyBCommLab Go to mybcommlab.com (http://mybcommlab.com) for Auto-graded writing questions as well as the following Assisted-graded writing questions:

15-45. How do previews and reviews work in tandem to help readers? [LO-1] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000055cd#P70010124510000000000000000055CF)

15-46. Why is the close of a report or proposal so important? [LO-2] (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p700101245100000000000000000562e#P7001012451000000000000000005630)

Endnotes 1 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000055a2#rP7001012451000000000000000005BAE) . WPP 2014 Annual Report, wpp.com (http://wpp.com) ; Norman Pearlstine, Fortune CEO Daily (email newsletter), 3 August 2015.

2 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p700101245100000000000000000562e#rP7001012451000000000000000005BB0) . A. S. C. Ehrenberg, “Report Writing—Six Simple Rules for Better Business Documents,” Admap, June 1992, 39–42.

3 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p700101245100000000000000000562e#rP7001012451000000000000000005BB2) . Michael Netzley and Craig Snow, Guide to Report Writing (Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall, 2001), 15.

4 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p700101245100000000000000000562e#rP7001012451000000000000000005BB4) . David A. Hayes, “Helping Students Grasp the Knack of Writing Summaries,” Journal of Reading (November 1989): 96–101.

5 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p700101245100000000000000000566f#rP7001012451000000000000000005BB6) . Philip C. Kolin, Successful Writing at Work, 6th ed. (Boston: Houghton Mif�lin, 2001), 552–555.

6 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p700101245100000000000000000566f#rP7001012451000000000000000005BB8) . Qvidian website, accessed 26 June 2012, www.qvidian.com (http://www.qvidian.com) .

7 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000056f6#rP7001012451000000000000000005BBA) . John Morkes and Jakob Nielsen, “Concise, Scannable, and Objective: How to Write for the Web,” UseIt.com (http://UseIt.com) , accessed 13 November 2006, www.useit.com (http://www.useit.com) .

8 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000056f6#rP7001012451000000000000000005BBC) . Martin James, “PDF Virus Spreads Without Exploiting Any Flaw,” IT Pro, 8 April 2010, www.itpro.co.uk (http://www.itpro.co.uk) .

9 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000057bd#rP7001012451000000000000000005BBE) . Andrea Obana, “How to Write a Request for Proposal (RFP),” Fine Brand Media website, accessed 22 January 2004, www.�inebrand.com (http://www.�inebrand.com) ; Toby B. Gooley, “Ocean Shipping: RFPs That Get Results,” Logistics Management, July 2003, 47–52.

10 (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/Bovee.7626.18.1/sections/p70010124510000000000000000057bd#rP7001012451000000000000000005BC0) . Obana, “How to Write a Request for Proposal (RFP)”; Gooley, “Ocean Shipping,” 47–52; “Writing a Good RFP,” Infrastructure Issues, Mead & Hunt website, accessed 23 January 2004, www.meadhunt.com (http://www.meadhunt.com) .