5. Correct any errors in the following sentences.

1. Companies often have they own individual style and format for reports.

2. The style and structure of the report may vary in level of formality according to its purpose and who will reading it.

3. When writing reports it is use to consider the reader and the purpose of the report.

4. How many knowledge do they have of the subject discussed in the report?

5. Cultural attitudes may have an impact from the formality of language and expression used.

6. Write your own conference abstract of 200-250 words based on your research. Unit 6

Informational and Analytical Reports

Owners or managers of small businesses are able to keep in touch personally with everything that goes on in the firm. Whenever executives of a small company need information, they can go directly to the appropriate person and ask, “Michael, will we be able to fill the Levering order by December 12?” Michael could probably base his answer on readily available data.

In larger business, however, the owner, manager, or president cannot personally keep in touch with all operations of the company. Even department heads in very large operations are not able to directly supervise all the activities under their direction. Many businesses are so large and complex that a firm may be scattered throughout a particular section of the country or throughout the United States. In fact, many businesses now operate worldwide. Therefore, when business executives need information, they often ask for a written report.

The Need for Business Reports

Business reports are written to communicate facts and ideas to others. Without facts and ideas, without data on costs and expenses, and without statistics that indicate trends, businesses could not operate. The flow of information and ideas is necessary for business executives to make their decisions. The quality and accuracy of their decisions determine the future of the company. To make successful decisions, executives, managers, and supervisors rely heavily on the information that is reported to them.

Information is reported on all levels of business. The board of directors studies the reports from presidents and vice presidents, who in turn rely on reports from their department heads and assistants. Managers and supervisors rely on reports from their sales staff, their accounting department, and so on. The information reported may be complex and detailed, or it may be simple and straightforward.

A complex and detailed report may be written to explain the results of a lengthy study on topics such as (1) whether the company should close its three outdated plants and open one modern plant, (2) whether the company should expand its product line, or (3) whether the company should merge with another firm. Reports that require a long period of research and investigation to analyze a major topic in depth are called analytical reports. The format and the language used for such a report are usually formal.

Most of the reports written in business are simpler and more straightforward than analytical reports. They are called informational reports because their purpose is to communicate facts, ideas, statistics, or trends in a direct manner. Informational reports are less formal than analytical reports – in fact, informational reports are generally typed on standard memo paper or on printed forms.