RECOMMENDATION REPORT ASSIGNMENT
shaqi112
336_ppt_6_11.pptxToday’s Agenda
Graphic aids: purposes and proper presentation
Two types of graphics aids:
Tables
Charts
BEIT 336: Week 2 – Class 2
1
Graphics for Reports
Business reports often contain a great deal of numbers.
You can use graphic aids (i.e., charts and tables) to organize and present the numbers in various ways to help your readers understand the numbers and the meaning and significance of the numbers.
Graphics serve other purposes also.
BEIT 336: Week 2 – Class 2
Graphics for Reports (Chapter. 14)
Graphics can:
simplify complex data
give emphasis to key point of coverage
add interest
Graphics Guidelines:
Use graphics only when relevant to purpose
Use graphics in conjunction with text; not as a substitute
BEIT 336: Week 2 – Class 2
Graphics for Reports – Tables (p. 48 Study Notes)
Tables present text and/or numbers in rows and columns to summarize data.
Appropriate sequence of text and table in a report is as follows:
Introduction: you must introduce the table in the paragraph before you show the table
Show the table
Provide specific discussion in the paragraph after the table to help readers understand the key points/ideas contained in the table
The discussion should not be a restatement of the information in the table, but a summary or highlight of key points
BEIT 336: Week 2 – Class 2
Graphic Aids for Reports– Table (example 1)
BEIT 336: Week 2 – Class 2
Graphics for Reports– Tables (example)
The top five communication skills needed by information systems (IS) graduates as perceived by IS professionals are shown in the following table.
Effective listening skill is ranked as the most important communication skills. This is consistent with the “seek first to understand, then be understood” principle. Preparing written and oral instructions and presentations are ranked as the next highest skills in the survey. … From the findings, one can conclude that effective oral, written, and interpersonal skills are essential for IS professionals.
BEIT 336: Week 2 – Class 2
Graphic Aids for Reports– Table (example 2)
BEIT 336: Week 2 – Class 2
The following is an example of a recommendation report that includes two tables.
Pay attention to the setup (introduction before the table and discussion after the table) and the value the tables add to the report’s effectiveness.
BEIT 336: Week 2 – Class 2
Recommendation Report – Outline
Introduction (no heading)
About the study (talking heading)
Service Level, Reputation and Cost Among Selection Criteria
Findings (talking heading)
Right Access Service Level Sub Par
Career Plus Most Costly among Three
Conclusion & Recommendation (talking heading)
Gary & Associates Best Choice Among Three Options
Closing (no heading)
BEIT 336: Week 2 – Class 2
Recommendation Report - Introduction
Here is the report you requested on December 18 investigating the possibility of CompuTech’s use of outplacement services. It discusses the issue of selecting an appropriate counseling service for discharged staff and provides a recommendation. The recommendation is based on careful evaluation of three prospective outplacement agencies: Gary & Associates, Right Access, and Career Plus.
BEIT 336: Week 2 – Class 2
Recommendation Report– Background
In an effort to reduce costs and increase competitiveness, CompuTech will begin a program of staff reduction that will involve releasing up to 10 percent of our workforce. Many of these employees have been with us for ten or more years, and they are not being released for performance faults. These employees deserve a severance package that includes counseling and assistance in finding new careers.
BEIT 336: Week 2 – Class 2
Recommendation Report– Facts
Service Level, Reputation and Cost Among Selection Criteria
In order to choose among the three agencies, I established criteria based on professional articles, discussions with staff at other companies using outplacement agencies, and interviews with agencies. Here are the four groups of criteria I used in evaluating the three agencies:
1. Counseling services
2. Secretarial and research assistance
3. Reputation
4. Costs
BEIT 336: Week 2 – Class 2
Recommendation Report – Facts
Right Access Service Level Sub Par
Although Right Access has the lowest fee, it lacks crisis management, …, and personal computers. Moreover, it is not listed by the National Association … . A comparison of services offered by each of the three agencies is shown in the following table.
BEIT 336: Week 2 – Class 2
Recommendation Report– Table
BEIT 336: Week 2 – Class 2
Recommendation Report – Facts
Career Plus Most Costly among Three
Since Right Access fulfills only one out of the four criteria, the choice is between Gary & Associates and Career Plus. Since they have similar services, the deciding factor is costs.
Career Plus would charge nearly $3,000 more for counseling an manager than would Gary & Associates. In the following table is a side-by-side comparison of the costs of services offered by each of the three agencies.
BEIT 336: Week 2 – Class 2
Recommendation Report– Table
-- End of Report Sample --
BEIT 336: Week 2 – Class 2
Recommendation Report – Recommendation
Gary & Associates Best Choice Among Three Options
Of the three counseling and outplacement agencies, Gary & Associates fulfills all four of our evaluation criteria. It has excellent counseling services, readily available secretarial and research assistance, a national reputation, and reasonable cost. Therefore, I recommend CompuTech hire Gary & Associates as an outplacement agency to counsel discharged employees. Comparisons of the strengths and weaknesses of the three agencies are provided in the following section.
. . .
[end of recommendation report]
BEIT 336: Week 2 – Class 2
Figures & Charts
BEIT 336: Week 2 – Class 2
Graphics for Reports – Figures or Charts
Figures and charts are used to show approximations, trends, or relationships. Appropriate sequence of text and charts is as follows:
Introduction (in the text before the figure)
[Graphics] Figure
Specific discussion (highlight the key points in the text after the figure)
BEIT 336: Week 2 – Class 2
Graphics for Reports– Bar Charts
There are four types of bar charts (pp. 284-288 of textbook)
Simple: to illustrate a single variable
Multiple: to compare multiple variables
Bilateral: to show plus/minus data
Subdivided: to compare proportion changes (versus exact values)
BEIT 336: Week 2 – Class 2
Bar Charts (example)
In 1990, 28% reported doing database for literature searching; by 1994, 54% used computers. The following chart illustrates the rates of use of computer-based tools.
The use of e-mail had shown the most dramatic growth from 1990 to 1994. Another computer-based tool that had become very popular was … .
BEIT 336: Week 2 – Class 2
Graphics– Pie Charts
Pie charts can show proportions effectively
You should limit the maximum number of slices to 4 – 7 (too many slices makes it hard to differentiate the proportions)
Label all the slices and show slice percent
Arrange the slices in descending order so the largest slice begins at 12 o’clock and clockwise from largest to smallest
BEIT 336: Week 2 – Class 2
Pie Charts (example)
In a survey conducted in 1995, over 75% of the county residents above the age of 18 had at least a high school diploma or GED. The education attainment data of Brown county residents in 1995 is shown in the following chart.
BEIT 336: Week 2 – Class 2
1995High School Graduate High School Dropout Associate Degree Bachelor's Degree Advanced Degree 35 22 20 18 5 High School Graduate High School Dropout Associate Degree Bachelor's Degree Advanced Degree
Graphics – Line Charts
Lines charts show changes over time
They are best for showing fluctuations of prices, sales totals, percent, etc. over several years
You can compare more than one variable (series) by using multiple lines to represent several series
Refer to pp. 290-292 (textbook) for examples
BEIT 336: Week 2 – Class 2
Writing Guidelines – Graphics
Place graphic aids in the text right after the introduction (Textbook p. 273).
Graphics should be small and not a full page in size.
In short reports, use the informal presentation (Study Notes p. 48).
BEIT 336: Week 2 – Class 2
RankSkillPoints
1Listen Effectively367 points
2Write Clear Directions or Instructions169 points
3Give Clear Directions or Instructions122 points
4Give Briefings to Colleagues/Superiors as Individuals112 points
Sheet1
| Rank | Skill | Points |
| 1 | Listen Effectively | 367 points |
| 2 | Write Clear Directions or Instructions | 169 points |
| 3 | Give Clear Directions or Instructions | 122 points |
| 4 | Give Briefings to Colleagues/Superiors as Individuals | 112 points |
| 5 | Write Software Documentation | 100 points |
Sheet2
Sheet3
Gary &
AssociatesRight AccessCareers Plus
Counseling Service
Resume adviceYesYesYes
Crisis managmenetYesNoYes
Corporate counselingYesNoNo
Secretarial support
Secretarial staffYesYesYes
Personal computersYesNoYes
Listed by National
Association of Career
ConsultantsYesNoYes
ReputationExcellentGood Excellent
A COMPARISON OF SERVICS AND REPUTATIONS FOR THREE
LOCAL OUTPLACEMENT AGENCEIS
T1
| A COMPARISON OF SERVICS AND REPUTATIONS FOR THREE LOCAL OUTPLACEMENT AGENCEIS | |||
| Gary & Associates | Right Access | Careers Plus | |
| Counseling Service | |||
| Resume advice | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Crisis managmenet | Yes | No | Yes |
| Corporate counseling | Yes | No | No |
| Secretarial support | |||
| Secretarial staff | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Personal computers | Yes | No | Yes |
| Listed by National | |||
| Association of Career | |||
| Consultants | Yes | No | Yes |
| Reputation | Excellent | Good | Excellent |
T2
| Table 2 | |||
| A COMPARISON OF COSTS FOR THREE AGENCIES | |||
| Gary & Associates | Right Access | Careers Plus | |
| Group programs | $1,500 / session, $45/participant | $1,000 / session, $40/participant | $1,400 / session, $50/participant |
| Managers at $60,000/year | $9,000 | $6,000 | $11,800 |
| Executive services | 15% of previous year's salary | 10% of previous year's salary | 18% of previous year's salary |
Sheet3
Gary & AssociatesRight AccessCareers Plus
Group programs
$1,500 / session,
$45/participant
$1,000 / session,
$40/participant
$1,400 / session,
$50/participant
Managers at
$60,000/year$9,000 $6,000 $11,800
Executive services
15% of previous year's
salary
10% of previous year's
salary
18% of previous year's
salary
A COMPARISON OF COSTS FOR THREE AGENCIES
T1
| A COMPARISON OF SERVICS AND REPUTATIONS FOR THREE LOCAL OUTPLACEMENT AGENCEIS | |||
| Gary & Associates | Right Access | Careers Plus | |
| Counseling Service | |||
| Resume advice | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Crisis managmenet | Yes | No | Yes |
| Corporate counseling | Yes | No | No |
| Secretarial support | |||
| Secretarial staff | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Personal computers | Yes | No | Yes |
| Listed by National | |||
| Association of Career | |||
| Consultants | Yes | No | Yes |
| Reputation | Excellent | Good | Excellent |
T2
| Table 2 | |||
| A COMPARISON OF COSTS FOR THREE AGENCIES | |||
| Gary & Associates | Right Access | Careers Plus | |
| Group programs | $1,500 / session, $45/participant | $1,000 / session, $40/participant | $1,400 / session, $50/participant |
| Managers at $60,000/year | $9,000 | $6,000 | $11,800 |
| Executive services | 15% of previous year's salary | 10% of previous year's salary | 18% of previous year's salary |
Sheet3
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
Word
processing
Home microNet accessDatabase
search
1990
1994
Chart1
| Word processing | Word processing |
| Home micro | Home micro |
| Net access | Net access |
| Database search | Database search |
Sheet1
| Rank | Skill | Points |
| 1 | Listen Effectively | 367 points |
| 2 | Write Clear Directions or Instructions | 169 points |
| 3 | Give Clear Directions or Instructions | 122 points |
| 4 | Give Briefings to Colleagues/Superiors as Individuals | 112 points |
| 5 | Write Software Documentation | 100 points |
Sheet2
| Word processing | Home micro | Net access | Database search | ||
| 1990 | 94 | 78 | 49 | 29 | 18 |
| 1994 | 98 | 89 | 80 | 55 | 60 |
