Expert answer:Effective Attention Getters
Solved by verified expert:Discussion 5: Hey, You!Imagine you are delivering a presentation at a community meeting. What would you use as an attention getter (as it is discussed in the reading) and why? Respond with at least 250 words using at least 2 academic sources to support your points. Respond to at least two of your classmates with at least 75 words.
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Chapter Thirteen
car03199_ch13_378-417.indd 378
Completing
Business Reports
Learning Objectives
After studying this chapter, you should be able to do the following:
LO13.1 Explain how completed reports affect your credibility.
LO13.2 Demonstrate excellent thinking by applying a precision-oriented style to reports.
LO13.3 Design your reports to aid in decision making.
G
LO13.4 Project objectivity in reports.
O
LO13.5 Review reports for effectiveness
and fairness.
I
N
S
,
Y
V
O
N
N
E
1
2
2
7
5
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S THIS M
WHY DOE
?
ATTER?
Your primary goal as you draft business reports is to improve decision making. More
so than routine business correspondence, reports should be built on thorough, precise, and reliable information and analysis, and should offer advice to help decision
makers—typically middle-level and upper-level managers—make informed choices.
As a report writer, your personal credibility is tied to how well you provide facts,
conclusions, and positions that help decision making (competence), involve decision
makers and address their needs (caring), and report information honestly and transparently (character).
Chapter 12 discussed collecting primary and secondary research for business
reports and displaying the data in meaningful charts and tables. In this chapter, we
focus on putting it all together. As you do with other written documents, when writing
reports, you’ll focus on achieving the right style, design, and tone. We focus first on
style, emphasizing the importance of absolute precision. Next, we discuss design,
G
which you can use to ensure that decision makers rapidly pull out the most important
Oobjective tone.
pieces of information. Finally, we focus on achieving an
This chapter contains two sample reports: one based
I on primary research and
one based on secondary research. There are far too many types of reports to display
N
in this chapter. You can see examples of a business proposal and a business plan
S of reports (such as a status
in Appendix C. Also, you can see additional examples
report) in the online resources at www.mhhe.com/cardon.
,
The examples throughout this chapter are based on the continued case of the
Prestigio Hotel. Read the chapter case to get reacquainted with the situation.
Hear Pete Cardon
explain why this
matters.
bit.ly.com/CardonWhy13
LO13.1 Explain how
completed
reports affect
your credibility.
Y
V
O
N
N
Chapter Case: Reporting about Customer
Satisfaction at Prestigio Hotels
E
Who’s
Involved
1
2
2
Jeff Anderton, marketing assistant
7
• Has worked at the Prestigio for
three months
5
• Roles include marketing the meeting fa•
The
Situation
car03199_ch13_378-417.indd 379
cilities to business/professional groups
and tracking customer satisfaction
Graduated a year ago with a marketing
major and statistics minor
Andrea Garcia, general manager
• Has worked as general manager for
one year
• Started at the Prestigio nearly nine
years ago in a position similar to Jeff’s
marketing assistant position
• Expects well-analyzed, organized,
polished reports
Andrea has asked Jeff to write two reports from information he has collected and analyzed. Andrea
has placed a high priority on these reports. The first report she wants completed is about the future of
green meetings. She views this as an area of strategic concern. Jeff has collected secondary research
and interviewed several hotel managers who have successfully marketed green meetings. Now, he
needs to think about how to put all the information together.
The second report is based on survey data of conference attendees. Jeff will distribute this report
to all marketing team members. The Prestigio marketing team has been conducting a similar survey
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Part Five
Reports and Presentations
for the past five years and uses this annual guest satisfaction report to benchmark performance over
time. The team will begin working on a new strategic plan in the upcoming months and needs as
much reliable information as possible.
Task 1
Task 2
Jeff will compose a report
about the current market
for green meetings and
recommend courses of action
for the Prestigio.
Jeff will work with one of his
colleagues to write a report
about the results of a survey
he administered to conference
attendees at the Prestigio.
Demonstrate Excellent Thinking by Applying
G a Precision-Oriented Style
O
The most basic and critical component
of any report is precision in thinking as reLO13.2 Demonstrate
flected in style—meaning thatI it offers accurate, well-documented facts; good reasonexcellent
ing for conclusions; and a solid basis for recommendations (see Figure 13.1). The
thinking by
N
foundation for these facts, conclusions,
and recommendations must be a well-stated
applying a
business problem or challenge.SIn short, a report that facilitates effective decision makprecisioning must demonstrate excellence in thinking.
,
oriented style
In Jeff’s case, he spends several months working from start to finish on his two
to reports.
research projects. After clearly articulating the business problem, he collects all the
necessary information, carefully
Y checks the reliability of each of his sources, examines
the facts from many angles as he develops conclusions and recommendations, and asks
various colleagues about theirVperspectives. His critical thinking skills allow him to
apply a precision-oriented style
Oto his reports.
N of the Business Problem or Challenge
Start with a Clear Statement
Ncentral business problem or challenge at the beginning
Placing a clear statement of the
helps establish the purpose and
E value of the report. Without such a statement, reports
lack direction and may be perceived as unimportant.
Problem statements are most effective when they provide the unique context of the
problem for the organization 1
and reflect an appropriate sense of urgency. Typically,
such statements should be one to three paragraphs long. Notice how Jeff establishes
2 report in Table 13.1.
the direction of his green meetings
FIGURE 13.1
Excellence in Thinking for
Reports
2
7
5
Recommendations
Conclusions
Facts
Business Problem
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Completing Business Reports
Chapter Thirteen
381
TABLE 13.1
Problem Statement or Business Challenge
Less Effective
More Effective
Since 2008, our revenues from
conventions and meetings have declined
by roughly 23 percent. One reason that
we may have not rebounded is that we
still do not provide options for clients who
want green meetings.
Since 2008, our revenues from conventions and meetings have declined by roughly
23 percent. Since meetings constitute nearly 60 percent of our total revenues and
form the basis for our reputation as a high-class provider of events, we may need to
seek new ways of rebuilding our conventions and meetings business.
Like many hotels and organizations dependent on business travel, the
Prestigio Hotel has lost revenue due to the Great Recession that began in late
2007. However, unlike some others in the meetings and conventions industry,
we have not rebounded. Meeting Professionals International (2011) reports
that by 2010, hotels and other organizations that hosted meetings had already
recovered from the recession. From 2010 to 2011 in the meetings industry,
there was an 8 percent increase in the number of meetings held, and revenues
per meeting increased by 5 percent from $188,000 to $197,000.
One reason we
G may not have rebounded is that we still do not provide
options for clients who want green meetings. Our director of conventions and
OBrookshire, has noticed that many meeting planners inquire
meetings, Barbara
about such options. She is certain that we have lost business because we do not
I
provide green meetings, and she expects that meeting planners will increasingly
request these options.
N
This brief statement does suggest one
reason revenues may have dropped.
However, it lacks contextual details
that provide the urgency to solve this
problem.
S provides sufficient context to communicate the severity
This problem statement
of the situation. Not only has the Prestigio lost revenue in meetings, but also
,
meetings constitute the most important element of its business, and the recession
cannot be used as an explanation for the continued fall in revenue. Furthermore,
anecdotal evidence suggests a reason for the lost revenue.
Since 2008, we have evaluated guest
satisfaction and future intentions among
conference attendees with an annual
survey. This report provides the results of
this year’s survey as well as year-to-year
comparisons for the past five years.
Guest satisfaction has always been the foundation for repeat business. With
V
so many online reviews of hotels readily available to meeting planners, the
importance of achieving
high guest satisfaction ratings is more important now
O
than ever. Since 2008, we have used an annual survey to evaluate guest
N future intentions of conference attendees, and determine how
satisfaction, assess
we can improve N
guest satisfaction. This report provides the results of this year’s
survey as well as year-to-year comparisons for the past five years.
This statement fails to explain the basic
purpose and value behind conducting the
surveys.
By adding a few additional thoughts in just two sentences, this problem
statement establishes the importance of using the surveys to improve guest
satisfaction and, 1
consequently, repeat business. Furthermore, it explains the
increased urgency of this effort.
Use Fact-Based Language
Y
E
2
2
7
5
Precision in reports relies on facts. You can raise the credibility of your report by (a) supplying the facts with precision; (b) providing supporting details for your conclusions;
(c) carefully dealing with predictions and cause-effect statements (see Table 13.2); and
(d) responsibly citing your research sources (see the next section about documenting
secondary research).
Document Secondary Research and Avoid Plagiarism
By nature, decision makers adopt a methodical and skeptical approach to making investments, changing strategies, and making other substantial changes. They expect
quality information to make these decisions. By documenting your sources, you allow
decision makers to judge the quality of your data. Decision makers are also looking for
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TABLE 13.2
Using Fact-Based Language
Less Effective
More Effective
Nearly all of our respondents reported
satisfaction with their conference experiences.
Overall, the vast majority (84%) of our respondents reported satisfaction with
their conference experiences.
This fact is imprecise and open to
interpretation.
By providing the exact percentage in parentheses, this fact is precise.
One of the strongest indicators that meeting
planners expect green meetings options is
that they increasingly inquire about such
meetings in RFPs.
One of the strongest indicators that meeting planners expect green meetings
options is that they increasingly inquire about such meetings in RFPs. A recent
survey showed that 71 percent of meeting planners already do or plan to
inquire about green initiatives on RFPs for meeting venues (Shapiro, 2009).
Without a supporting fact, this conclusion
may be viewed as unsubstantiated or merely
the writer’s opinion.
This conclusion is immediately substantiated with a supporting statistic
(fact). Because the author provides a citation, decision makers can view the
original researchGif they want to.
The return on investment for providing green
meeting options is guaranteed to be at least
300 percent and potentially as high as
500 percent. Investing in green meetings
would certainly be a wise choice moving
forward.
This statement guarantees that the investment
will bring a return. Many decision makers
would view the statement as naïve.
O
Based on our conversations
with three individuals who have introduced
green meeting options
at
hotels
comparable to ours, we concluded that the
I
return on investment for developing a basic infrastructure for green meetings
N as 500 percent. Each hotel has invested $150,000 to
is strong—as high
$250,000 annually to build green meeting infrastructures. Although precisely
S
determining how much return is due to new green meeting options is difficult,
each of these individuals
attributes between $500,000 and $1.3 million in
,
additional revenue due to providing green meeting options ( J. Hardaway,
personal communication, October 14, 2012; K. Cafferty, personal
communication,Y
October 15, 2012; M. Dipprey, personal communication,
October 14, 2012).
V
This set of statements demonstrates a cautious but confident analysis that the
investment may O
reap substantial returns. It treats statements about prediction
and cause and N
effect carefully, and it includes source information.
N
E
signals that you have been methodical
in collecting, analyzing, and reporting findings.
By documenting your sources, you display your thorough, detail-oriented approach.
Typically, you should provide a reference list at the end of the report that contains
1 your document, you should provide citations to indiall your sources. Also, throughout
cate the information you have 2
drawn from other sources. You can use a variety of documentation systems, including APA and MLA styles. You can see examples of these two
2 however, use an official style guide to document with
styles in Table 13.3. You should,
precision. Style guides contain
7 hundreds of rules for various types of sources. Additionally, many websites contain the most current documentation guidelines, including
5
the APA style website (www.apastyle.org)
and the Purdue Online Writing Lab (http://
owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/). Also, if you will spend a lot of time writing reports that
need documentation, you might explore some of the available software to help in this
process (see the Technology Tips section on page 392).
Although you will generally base your reports on secondary research, you must still
demonstrate your originality in thought. That is, your goal is to combine information
from your various sources in novel and insightful ways and thereby generate your own
conclusions and recommendations.
To develop original reports, make sure that you avoid all forms of plagiarism.
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, to plagiarize is to “steal and pass off
(the ideas of another) as one’s own” and “to commit literary theft.”1 Thus, plagiarism
is serious; it is literally stealing the ideas of others.
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Completing Business Reports
Chapter Thirteen
383
TABLE 13.3
References in APA and MLA Documentation Styles
APA
MLA
Book
Zavada, N., & Spatrisano, A. J. (2007).
Simple steps to green meetings and events:
The professional’s guide to saving money and
the earth. (Portland, OR: Meeting Strategies
Worldwide).
Zavada, Nancy, and Amy Spatrisano.
Simple Steps to Green Meetings and
Events: The Professional’s Guide to Saving
Money and the Earth. Portland: Meeting
Strategies Worldwide, 2007.
Report from an Organization
(white paper)
MeetGreen. (2010). Oracle Open World
sustainable event report. (Portland, OR: Author).
MeetGreen. Oracle Open World Sustainable
Event Report. Portland: Author, 2010.
Scholarly or Scientific Journal
Kim, Y., & Han, H. (2010). Intention to
pay conventional-hotel prices at a green
hotel – a modification of the theory of
planned behavior. Journal of Sustainable
Tourism, 18(8), 997–1014. G
Kim, Yunhi, and Heesup Han. “Intention to
Pay Conventional-Hotel Prices at a Green
Hotel – A Modification of the Theory of
Planned Behavior.” Journal of Sustainable
Tourism 18.8 (2007): 997–1014. Print.
Magazine/Periodical
Lowe, M. C. (2010, October). The greening
of hotels: A look at what major
I chains are
doing to support eco-friendly meetings.
N 45–56.
Meetings & Conventions, 45(10),
Newspaper
White, M. C. (2010, August 16). For hotels,
eco-friendly ideas await a friendlier
, economy.
The New York Times, p. B5.
White, Martha C. “For Hotels, Eco-Friendly
Ideas Await a Friendlier Economy,” The
New York Times 16 Aug. 2010: B5. Print.
Web Page
Environmental Protection Agency. (2010,
Y
May 12). Greening your meetings and
conferences: A guide for federal
V purchasers.
Retrieved from www.epa.gov/epp/pubs/
O
meet/greenmeetings.htm
Environmental Protection Agency. “Greening
Your Meetings and Conferences: A Guide
for Federal Purchasers.” epa.gov., 12 May
2010, Author. Web. 24 Oct. 2012.
Article from Online
Periodical
O
S
Campbell, S. (2008, January).NShades of
green. Elite Meetings. Retrieved
Nfrom www
.elitemeetings.com/docs/shades-of-green.php
E
Personal Interviews
(J. Hardaway, personal communication,
October 14, 2012)*
*not included in reference list;1used as in-text
citation only.
Lowe, Michael C. “The Greening of Hotels:
A Look at What Major Chains Are Doing to
Support Eco-Friendly Meetings.” Meetings &
Conventions Oct. 2010: 45–56. Print.
Campbell, Susan. “Shades of Green.” Elite
Meetings, Elite Meetings International, Jan.
2008. Web. Oct. 2012.
Hardaway, Jack. Personal Interview.
14 Oct. 2012.
2
(Kim and Han)
2
7
5 document all references
To avoid plagiarism on a sentence and paragraph level,
In-Text Citations
(Kim & Han, 2010)
to the ideas of others, including (1) direct quotations, (2) paraphrases, and (3) other
instances in which you borrow or reference the ideas of others. Direct quotations
are verbatim restatements from another source. Use direct quotations only when the
quotation contains a particularly compelling combination of words, flows effectively
with your paper, and emphasizes the credibility of the original speaker or writer. In
most situations, you should paraphrase rather than use direct quotations. Paraphrasing involves using your own words to express the meaning of the original speaker or
writer. When you paraphrase, you significantly alter the original words and sentence
structure, but you still need to give credit to the original speaker or writer for the idea.
Notice Table 13.4 for examples of using direct quotations and paraphrasing in ways
that avoid plagiarism.2
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TABLE 13.4
Citing Secondary Sources of Information and Avoiding Plagiarism
Original Statement
from Source
In July 2008, as the process became more involved, the committee began working with ASTM
International, a voluntary standards-development organization. Through each stage, members of the
ASTM community have read and voted on the evolving document, including people unfamiliar with
the meetings industry. Spatrisano was hoping to submit the standards for the final balloting process at
the end of September. “There have been some philosophical disagreements,” notes Spatrisano, “such
as how you determine what ‘recycled’ means, as in whether a recycled item contains preconsumed
products or just postconsumed. That’s one of the issues we are tied up in.”
Source: Braley, S. J. F. (2010, October). Guidelines for green meetings: M&C previews the forthcoming APEX Initiative. Meetings & Conventions,
45(10), 57.
Situation
Direct quotations
Plagiarized Statement
Non-Plagiarized Statement
Spatrisano explained that there have been some
philosophical disagreements such as how you
determine what “recycled” means (Braley, 2010).
As Spatrisano explained, “There have been some
philosophical disagreements . . . such as how
you determine what ‘recycled’ means” (Braley,
2010, p. 57).
G
Although this statement contains an in-text O
citation, it is plagiarized because it does Inot use
quotation marks to indicate verbatim statements
N
from Spatrisano.
S
In July 2008, as the process became more
involved, the committee began working with
,
ASTM In …
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