Communicating through reports

Objectives:

1. Identify the characteristics of a report and the various classifications of business reports.
2. Identify the 4 steps in the problem-solving process.
3. Select an appropriate secondary and/or primary method for solving a problem.
4. Explain the purpose of sampling and 3 sampling techniques.
5. Apply techniques for developing effective questionnaires.
6. Discuss the common problems encountered ion collecting and interpreting data.

1. Reports typically travel upward in an organization because they usually are requested by a higher authority.
2. Reports are logically organized.
3. Reports stress objectivity.
4. Reports are generally prepared for a limited audience.

• Formal reports are structured; informal reports are short and use causal language.
• How are the formal informal and the short long classifications related?
• Reports can be classified as short or long. A one-page memorandum is obviously short and a report of 20 pages is obviously long.
• As report becomes longer, a report takes on more characteristics of formal reports.
• A proposal is a special report that attempts to convince a potential customer/client that the company responding to the RFP can meet the specifications established.
• Basically, reports are classified based on flow, time, and use. Review the classifications to see this trend for yourself.
• What is the basis for a report?
• The upward flow of reports provides management with data that someone may use to make a decision. The purpose is to use the data to solve a problem. Some problems are recurring and call for a steady flow of information; other problems may be unique and call for information on a one-time basis.
• Reports communicate how problems were solved using the 4 steps in problem solving. What are these steps?

1. Recognize and define the problem.
2. Select a method of solution.
3. Collect and organize the data.
4. Arrive at an answer.

• Is a report written before or after the problem has been solved?
• Only after all 4 steps have been completed is a report written for presentation. Report represents an attempt to communicate how a problem was solved. These problem-solving steps are completed before the report is written in final form.
• The important first step in problem solving is to pinpoint the problem and the purpose.
• A hypothesis is a statement to be proved or disapproved through research.
• What is the value of stating the hypothesis in the null form?
• Because the hypothesis tens to be stated in a way that favors one possibility or a prejudice toward a particular answer, many researcher prefer to state hypothesis in the null form.
• The null hypothesis states no relationship or difference will be found in the factors being studied, which tends to remove the element of prejudice toward an answer.
• What is secondary research?
• Secondary research provides information that has already been created by others.
• How does secondary research save time and effort?
• Researchers save time and effort by not duplicating research that has already been undertaken.
• In what ways can secondary research facilitate research?
• Establishes a point of departure for further research.
• Avoid needless duplication of costly research efforts.
• Reveals areas of needed research.
• Make a real contribution to a body of knowledge.
• Protect yourself against too much information.
• What is the primary purpose of normative survey research?
• Normative survey research determines the status of something at specific time.
• What steps can you take to ensure that your data are valid and reliable?
• Validity results from careful planning of the questionnaires or interview questions.
• Reliability results from asking a large enough sample of people so that the researcher is reasonably assured the results would be the same even if more people were asked to respond.
• What is sampling and what purpose does it serve?
• Sampling is a survey technique that eliminates the need for questioning 100% of the population.
• Sampling is based on the principle that a sufficiently large number drawn at random from a population will be representative of the total population; the sample will possess the same characteristics in the same proportions as the total population.
• What is observational research? Give an example base on your personal experience.
• Observational research involves observing and analyzing statistically certain phenomena to assist in establishing new principles.
• Experimental research involves identifying the differences between 2 samples observed when a different treatment is administered in each group.
• Obtaining a low response rate is a primary disadvantage of mailed surveys.
• What are the major advantages of mail or telephone surveys? Does a personal interview offer additional advantages or disadvantages?
• Questionnaire survey by mail is inexpensive and not limited geographically.
• Telephone interviews are inexpensive as a rule.
• Personal interviews allow the interviewer to obtain answers in depth and to explore otherwise sensitive topics. But interviews are expensive in terms of time and money if interviewers are paid, and many people simply don’t want to be interview.
• Which components of a study are affected by the design of the instrument?
• No matter which survey technique or combination of techniques is used, the way in which the survey instrument is designed and written has much to do with response validity and reliability, percentage of response, and quality of information received.
• Ease your own workload by making tabulating easy.
• Does convergence toward the middle say something about human nature?
• Converging towards he middle create a bias in the response.
• What steps can you take to test the clarity of your instrument?
• By asking others to compete and or critique the questionnaire.
• Consider conducting a pilot study involving a small group of the population.
• How do you determine the appropriate format for collection information?
• Criteria for selecting one alternative over the others might include:
• Which format leaves the least chance for misinterpretation?
• Which format provides information in the way it can best be used?
• Can it be easily tabulated?
• Can it be cross-referenced?

• Does tabulating serve the same purpose as cue cards in secondary research?

• Tabulation techniques should be used to reduce quantitative data such as numerous answers to questionnaire items.

• Poor sampling and ineffective design of the survey instrument are major data-collection problems.