Deck 12: Informal Business Reports

Question 1

What are the advantages of tables?

Answer 1

The advantages of tables are mentioned below:
• It helps to summarize and simplify complex and cluttered data.
• It helps to sort data into a comprehensible form that are electronically manipulated.
• It helps to find key data and trends through programs like SAP, Oracle, and excel.

Question 2

Paid survey sites such as Opinion Outpost and Ipsos -i-Say offer gift cards and cash rewards to users for taking surveys about retailers, services, and products. MySurvey.com, Toluna.com, and others are even social networks. Users register, create a profile, and submit opinion surveys to earn points. How would you rate the value and credibility of such survey results?

Answer 2

As a researcher, the person should ensure that the surveys are completed by a good sample of target market. However, paid survey sites tend to pay or reward people to answer opinion surveys. The respondents are likely to lie about the frequency of use, number of store visits, and may provide other such false data.
Hence, the quality and value of such survey results are likely to be affected by the unethical practices that are adopted on online surveys.

Question 3

Calculate the mean, median, and mode for these figures: 4, 12, 12, 12, 20.

Answer 3

Mean, median, and mode is defined as the average, middle figure and the most common figure that occurs in the number series respectively.
Now, calculate the mean, median and mode in the following way:
Hence, the mean is 12.
Calculate the median by finding out the middle number that lies in the number series. It comes out to be 12.
Calculate the mode by finding out the number that appears the most in the number series. It comes out to be 12.

Question 4

When tabulating and analyzing data, you may discover relationships among two or more variables that help explain the findings. Can you trust these correlations and assume that their relationship is one of cause and effect?

Question 5

What are correlations?

Question 6

How can you increase your chances that your report recommendations will be implemented?

Question 7

Why is a decision matrix a valuable managerial tool?

Question 8

What are the major differences between informational and analytical reports? (Objs. 4, 5)

Question 9

How can you make your report conclusions as objective and bias-free as possible?

Question 10

Ethical Issue: You have learned that drawing conclusions involves subjectivity, although your goal is to remain objective. Even the most even-handed researchers bring their goals, background, and frame of reference to bear on the inferences they make. Consider the contentious issue of climate change. Some mainstream scientists now believe climate change to be real and induced by human activity. However, other scientists cast doubt on the extent to which global warming is the result of human activity and constitutes an imminent threat. How can something seemingly objectively measurable be so contentious?

Question 11

What is the difference between conclusions and recommendations, and what do business readers expect from a report writer's recommendations?

Question 12

Name five methods for organizing report data. Be prepared to discuss each.

Question 13

What three devices can report writers use to prevent readers from getting lost in the text?

Question 14

Explain three types of report headings as well as their characteristics and uses.

Question 15

Name at least four guidelines for creating effective headings, and be prepared to explain them

Question 16

Name typical short informational reports and their overall purpose.

Question 17

What should progress reports include?

Question 18

When is the indirect strategy appropriate for justification/ recommendation reports?

Question 19

What is a feasibility report? Are such reports generally intended for internal or external audiences?

Question 20

What are digital slide decks, and why are they becoming popular?