Communication for Management
Periodical Report Assignment

ABSTRACT AND ANALYSIS WITH APPLICATIONS


The purposes of this assignment are to learn and apply:

1. Principles of correct bibliographic documentation including: the use of bibliographic entries, quotations, paraphrasing, and the avoidance of plagiarism.
2. Principles of writing concise, objective, unbiased, short reports.
3. Update knowledge of communication topics as they apply to managers' on-the-job situations.

EXAMPLE 1

DATE: April 5, 199x

TO: Dr. Warren C. Weber

FROM: John Q. Student (SIGNATURE OR INITIALS)

SUBJECT: Writing Effective Short Reports

Title/Author: Jones, John J. "Effective Short Reports," Business Writing Journal, May, 1993. 52(2), 79-90.

Abstract: This section summarizes the article, providing the reader with information about key ideas, relevant quotations, and primary conclusions and recommendations of the author. This takes about 1/2 page, not a short paragraph such as this.

Analysis and
Applications: This is about a 1/2 page objective, unbiased evaluation of the content, findings, conclusions, and recommendations contained in the article. You are to critique the applicability and efficacy of the ideas in "real-life" situations.

While you may provide some subjective opinions of the material, avoid the tendency to evaluate the author's writing ability or style (it's probably pretty good or it would not be published) or to make highly subjective value judgments about the ideas ("I really liked this article. . .") since these do nothing to further the reader's knowledge of the topic and its applications to solving problems.

Be prepared to discuss this article in class.
EXAMPLE 2
DATE: April 5, 199x

TO: Dr. Warren C. Weber, Professor
Management and Human Resources Department

FROM: J. Student (SIGN OR INITIAL)

SUBJECT: Clear Writing

Title/Author: Fielden, John. "Clear Writing Is Not Enough," Management Review, April 1989, 78(4), 49-52.

Abstract: This article stressed the importance of using a correct approach toward constructive criticism. The author provided an example of a manager finishing his report over the weekend and having his three employees provide feedback on it. These employees provided personal feedback that attacked the manager as a person. Fielden gave examples of what they wrote and how the manager reacted to each feedback. Fielden provided some solutions for organizing the message, style, and format of the feedback.

The author illustrates to the reader an impression of communication in the business world as a sensitive area. Fielden mentioned, "A case like this illustrates why we've said that writing clearly and well may be the least of a person's on-the-job writing problems. At work, we must write in a power hierarchy, and, for the most part, write to people who are higher up the pyramid than we are. What they think of us, what conclusions they reach about our integrity, our sensitivity, and our intelligence, clearly affects the progress we make in rising within that hierarchy."

He indicated at the end of his article that being blunt is not the best approach, but the use of the truth in a passive voice and impersonal way in writing can accomplish the type of feedback that respects he manager.

Analysis and Applications: Fielden's article has practical applications for anyone in the business world, provides many excellent writing samples and gives realistic responses for each approach a manager would respond. His use of alternative word choices and a different approach allows the writer to give the same message without insulting a person's feelings.

Where I work many people write letters and memos which would be considerably improved by following Fielden's ideas. The main concern is that people seem to not be concerned about the feelings of others, and following this advice would help their letters very much.

For instance, Fielden provided two examples in his article and compared them. The first statement he provided was, "I think there are three things wrong with your proposed marketing plan." The alternative was, "It is possible that others, unsympathetic to our goals might feel that there are three faults that could be found with the plan." His approach in changing our writing technique toward fulfilling the demands of communication in at my place of work (or any business) without destroying our relationship with upper management is good common sense that would help most people who have to write on the job.