Effective Business Report Writing Methods

The report is the most important fact for decision-making in a business. So, Report writing methods are also important to write an effective report. Detail discussion of report writing methods is given below:

Report writing methods

There are two (2) methods that are widely used in the modern world to draft reports, which are

  1. Inductive method
  2. Deductive Method
Effective Business Report Writing Methods
Effective Business Report Writing Methods

Inductive method

Here we determine first the subject matter and then we try to find out the cause of the subject matter. We follow the following sequence in the inductive method:

  • Introduction
  • Facts
  • Conclusion
  • Recommendation

E.g. An action taken against a subordinate in an organization can be drafted as a report by following the inductive method, such as:

Introduction: Various incidents during the past two months cause an investigation of the work record of Mr. Micle Clark, sales executive, sales department

Facts: The investigation of his work provides the following points:

  1. He has been late to work seven times
  2. He has been absent without notice to authority three times
  3. He has made sales to unauthorized dealers.

Conclusion: Due to his negligence and unauthorized activities, our performance is subject to bad will. Immediate steps should be taken for recovery.

Recommendation: Based on the conclusion, it is recommended that Mr. Micle Clark should be fired.

Deductive Method

Here we first determine the cause and then we present the subject matter. We follow the following sequence in the deductive method:

  • Recommendation
  • Conclusion
  • Introduction

For E.g. an action taken against a subordinate in an organization can be drafted as a report by following the deductive method, such as:

Recommendation: Mr. Micle Clark, Sales executive, sales department should be fired. Conclusion negligence and unauthorized activities have caused us a bad will and therefore immediate steps are required for recovery.

Facts: The Conclusion reached is based on the following points

  1. He has been late to work seven times
  2. He has been absent without notice to authority there times
  3. He has made sales to unauthorized dealers

Introduction: Various incidents during the last two months made us investigate the work record of Mr. Micle Clark, sales executive, sales division.

Which report writing methods are better and why?

If the report is short or small or a daily report then it is easy to follow the deductive method Moreover when more emphasis is given to the recommendation of a report rather than facts or information in such a case deductive method is suitable.

On the other hand, when a long report is prepared then it is better to follow the inductive method because in such a report more emphasis is given. The facts or information and its analysis and explanation.

In general, a deductive method is more scientific and is more reader-oriented. Busy executives can easily understand the recommendation and the summary of the report prepared according to the deductive method. Such executives can save them valuable time also.

Which method is better, depends on nature or circumstances. The method which is acceptable in one situation may become unacceptable in another situation. So which method is better is dependent on circumstances.

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