Frameworks for Selected Business Management Reports

Frameworks for Selected Business Management Reports Ebook. By Dr. Johan Gouws and Mrs. Leonie Gouws

Get a report structure example for each selected report, which can be used as a business report writing template.

Description:
Businesses and projects rely on well-structured reports to ensure accurate communication about goals and objectives, requirements, designs, measuring and recording progress, etc. Unfortunately, many engineering reports and management reports are not as clear as they should be. In order to alleviate this problem - particularly for engineers and managers in the early stages of their careers – this ebook contains suggested frameworks for a selection of commonly used business management reports. (Two other ebooks by the same authors contain frameworks for project management reports and system engineering reports.)

This ebook is intended as a report writing reference guide, from which ideas can be sourced about the typical structure and contents of commonly used business management reports. The ebook does not provide blueprints for all reports that a manager might ever have to write, but it provides guidelines that should be tailored and adapted by common sense and experience, in order to suit specific circumstances.

The philosophy underlying this book is: that contents follow structure - i.e. first carefully think about, and decide upon a report structure, and then systematically fill in the contents. When a report structure is defined first, the gathering of information becomes focused, and unnecessary material is either not collected at all, or it can be filtered out systematically.

Besides briefly addressing the main generic elements of a report and report quality assurance, frameworks for the following types of reports are provided in this ebook:

Mission Statement

Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) Analysis Report

Market Research Report

Business Plan

Business Re-Engineering Report

Negotiation Preparation Notes

Trade-Off Study Report

Cash Flow Budget

Accounting Ratios Analysis Report

Each of these reports is briefly discussed in terms of its typical purpose and scope, followed by a suggested framework for the report.


About the Authors ... Dr. Johan Gouws holds the following qualifications: B.Eng. and M.Eng. (Electrical and Electronic), MBA, and Ph.D.

Some areas of expertise include Feasibility and re-engineering studies, system engineering, project management, modeling, and simulation, and has been an expert witness in legal matters involving technology and management issues.

Mrs. Leonie Gouws holds the following qualifications: B.Eng. (Mechanical) and M.Eng. (Engineering Management).

Some areas of expertise include Maintenance management for operational systems, computerized management information systems (SAP PM), technical writing and project documentation, and logistics engineering for new and existing systems.

Price: US$ 12.95 (52 pages)

Table of Contents
1. INTRODUCTION.. 6

1.1 PURPOSE OF THIS BOOK.. 6

1.2 SCOPE OF THIS BOOK.. 6

1.3 GENERIC ELEMENTS OF A REPORT.. 7

1.3.1 Title Page.. 7

1.3.2 Executive Summary / Abstract. 7

1.3.3 Table of Contents. 7

1.3.4 Abbreviations and Terminology.. 7

1.3.5 Introduction.. 8

1.3.6 Main Contents. 8

1.3.7 Conclusions / Recommendations. 8

1.3.8 Appendices. 9

1.3.9 Literature References. 9

1.3.10 Index. 10

1.4 REPORT QUALITY ASSURANCE.. 10

1.4.1 Ensuring Good Quality Reports. 10

1.4.2 Editing.. 10

1.4.3 Report Reviews. 10

1.4.4 Configuration Management. 11

2. MISSION STATEMENT. 12

2.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF A MISSION STATEMENT.. 12

2.2 FRAMEWORK FOR A MISSION STATEMENT.. 12

3. STRENGTHS, WEAKNESSES, OPPORTUNITIES, AND THREATS (SWOT)

ANALYSIS REPORT 14

3.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF A SWOT ANALYSIS REPORT.. 14

3.2 FRAMEWORK FOR A SWOT ANALYSIS REPORT.. 14

4. MARKET RESEARCH REPORT. 17

4.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF A MARKET RESEARCH REPORT.. 17

4.2 FRAMEWORK FOR A MARKET RESEARCH REPORT.. 18

5. BUSINESS PLAN.. 25

5.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF A BUSINESS PLAN.. 25

5.2 FRAMEWORK FOR A BUSINESS PLAN.. 25

6. BUSINESS RE-ENGINEERING REPORT. 31

6.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF A BUSINESS RE-ENGINEERING REPORT.. 31

6.2 FRAMEWORK FOR A BUSINESS RE-ENGINEERING REPORT.. 31

7. NEGOTIATION PREPARATION NOTES. 34

7.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF NEGOTIATION PREPARATION NOTES.. 34

7.2 FRAMEWORK FOR NEGOTIATION PREPARATION NOTES.. 35

8. TRADE-OFF STUDY REPORT. 37

8.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF A TRADE-OFF STUDY REPORT.. 37

8.2 FRAMEWORK FOR A TRADE-OFF STUDY REPORT.. 37

9. CASH FLOW BUDGET. 42

9.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF A CASH FLOW BUDGET.. 42

9.2 FRAMEWORK FOR A CASH FLOW BUDGET.. 43

10. ACCOUNTING RATIOS ANALYSIS REPORT. 49

10.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF AN ACCOUNTING RATIOS ANALYSIS REPORT.. 49

10.2 FRAMEWORK FOR AN ACCOUNTING RATIOS ANALYSIS REPORT.. 49

11. LITERATURE REFERENCES. 52