Communications

Note/ Write a short (half page) essay per question and structured (use the file document MSW to submit your answers), and be sure that the writing text for this assignment meets the APA format requirements and if a source of reference is used to answer the assignment it should be referenced APA as well with the in-text..

You will be graded on the following:

RUBRICS
Writing Volume (Half a page per answer) = 2 pts
APA Formatting (Running head, page numbering, line spacing, font style and size, paragraphs indents, referencing, in-text referencing) = 3 pts
TOTAL = 5

ANSWER

Chapter Review Questions

Q1. Why are formal and informal proposals written?

Formal and informal proposals are written to generate business, for the provision of services, increase sales, among other many reasons. Informal proposals are written within the organization to project goals and provide a guideline to a project, maybe within a team in the organization. An informal proposal does not involve much detail as it is done internally, thus, informal. It is more like a very detailed email guiding the people within the organization. On the other hand, a formal proposal is written for large scale projects. It is written to avail grants from the government or from the head of the organization. A formal proposal is detailed with many pages and with other supporting documentation.

Q2. Why do government agencies make requests for proposals (RFPs)?

Government agencies ask for RFPs to help them get the best vendor for the project they need. The RFP provides background information on the project and helps establish the scope of the project, which specifies the government’s needs and gives them a way to evaluate bids. The government is also enabled to compare the features of the different bidders and the price across the bidders (Al-Fedaghi & Al-Otaibi, 2018). It helps them acquire the best person for the job by analyzing the proposal and deciding which bidder is best suited for the project. It also streamlines the procurement process for the buyer, and thus the government asks for RFPs to ensure that the procurement process is not tedious.

Q3. Why might you use a “hook” in a proposal, and what is an example?

A hook is the first impression one gets when they read a proposal. It is the marketing point of the proposal and one that gets the reader to continue reading the proposal n dote that is likely going to get one the project. When writing a book, one needs the editor to be interested in the book to want to publish it. Therefore, it is important to ensure that the book has a hook that will make the editor keep reading. “A country that demands moral perfection in its foreign policy will achieve neither perfection nor security (H Kissinger).”

Q4. What should be highlighted in the staffing section of a proposal?

The staffing section of the proposal should have the credentials and the expertise of the leaders of the project and the support staff. Promoting the credentials of the leaders of the project gives confidence to whoever is reading the proposal that the people handling it are competent enough to handle the project. It also gives them an overview of who to expect to partner with and work with, once they give the company the project. It also shows confidence in the people bidding on the project and that they believe in their credentials and are ready to be part of the project.

Q5. In what two ways do formal and informal proposals differ?

Formal proposals are divided into many parts. They are more detailed and contain more information (Smith, 2021). Informal proposals do not contain as many parts as formal proposals. They are also not detailed. Formal proposals are written to present the specification of an offer like a project, solution or goods and services. The formal proposal gives the project details, like how it should be done. An informal proposal is written to make requests to maybe purchase something within the organization, or before starting a project, the informal proposal is written to get permission to start the project.

Q6. Name eight components of typical business plans. 

In life, it is important to have a plan. Without a plan, the chances of failure are high. The key elements of writing a business plan include;

1. the executive summary. This is an outline of the business plan. It is one or two pages, and it should be written once a person has finalized on the major details.
2. Description of the business- this defines the aspects of the business that is the type of business is starting (McKeever, 2018). This involves the services being offered as well as the field. It also contains personal goals and current events in the field.
3. Services and products- this is the section that presents what the business will be selling tie the prospective clients and what makes the services unique.
4. Marketing and Sales- this involves trying to sell the products. It introduces one to the industry in which they will be working.
5. Operations- this outlines the administrative side of the business.
6. The management team- this involves people that will be helping to run the business.
7. Development- this part involves looking at the future prospects and trying to figure out where the business will be in the next few years.
8. Financial Summary- this is the record of all the financial dealings and investments. One can also project how their company will operate and assess the overall financial status.

Q7. What should a business plan mission statement include, and how long should it be? 

The mission statement of the business plan should include an action-oriented statement that explains the purpose of the business and summarizes the services that the business will offer. It describes the business and the goals of the business. A mission statement should not exceed one hundred words. It should be concise and a summary of what the business offers to the clients and the goals of the business.

Q8. Why are formal reports written in business? Give an original example of a business-related formal report. 

Formal reports in business are written to provide information to the stakeholders and decision-makers. Reports in business are either analytical or information. Informational reports give information, and analytical reports, as insinuated in the name, provide opinions and recommendations to the people making the decisions (Smith, 2021). Some examples of the business-related formal report include audits, annual reports, compliance reports and safety reports. Audits are an example of an analytical report, while incident reports are an example of an informational report. The front section of a formal report contains the title page, transmittal letter and the table of contents. The title page has the company name, the name and title of the person receiving the report, the name of the person preparing the report and the date. The main section contains the executive summary, and then there is the introduction, analysis of findings and conclusions and recommendations. The back part of the formal report often has references and an appendix.

Q9. What is a letter or memorandum of transmittal, and what should it include?

A transmittal letter is a letter included in the formal report. This is a letter to the recipient which informs them that the report is included in the package. The transmittal letter also contains other information, such as the purpose of the report (Williams, 2020). The transmittal letter can also be used to identify documents that have been included in the report. Generally, a transmittal letter involves a summary of what is in the package and what the recipient of the report should expect.

Q10. How long should a typical executive summary be? 

An executive summary is the summary of the formal report. Typically, it is a condensed version of the whole report. A good executive summary should be 5-20 percent of the length of the whole report. If a report is 20 pages or less, the executive summary should be one-page long.

Q11. Describe how to write an executive summary for a formal business report.

Leaders in businesses or organizations mostly write executive summaries. An executive summary should summarize the key points in the report. The first step is that sit should restate the purpose of the report and highlight the main points of the report. It should also describe the results, conclusions and recommendations from the report. In academic writing, an executive summary is equivalent to an abstract. To write an executive summary, one should first review the report and identify the major point, the purpose and the key recommendation. Preparing the introduction should state the purpose and major points of the report. The next step is discussing the main points. The main points should appear in the order they appear in the report. Each point should have a brief paragraph. The last step is to proofread and ensure that the summary is error-free.

Q12. What should be included in the introduction to a formal report?

The introduction of a formal report must address the background information. An introduction should not be too wordy. It should state the purpose of writing the report and identify the problem and its scope (Williams, 2020). The introduction should also include the method of problem-solving that will be used in solving the problem highlighted in the report. The introduction part of the report clarifies the motivations of the report and sets the stage for it.

Q13. What should the writer strive to do in the body of a formal report? 

The body of the final report contains a detailed discussion of the work for readers who want an in-depth understanding of the report. The body should have a discussion. The body of the report should have in-depth discussions of the main points. This ensures that readers who want to understand the report have all the facts (Smith, 2021). The next step is to interpret the data in the report. The discussion should be interpreted, and any data in the body should be simplified for the reader to understand. The body should also evaluate the research findings. The findings of one’s research should be discussed within the body, and the evidence should justify any conclusions that one drives within the discussion.

Q14. Why must writers list their sources and identify them in the text?

Writers must identify their sources and list them at the end of the text and within the text to avoid plagiarism. Plagiarism involves using other people’s work and not giving them credit for their work. It is, therefore, important to ensure that the sources are listed and cited within the report to avoid plagiarism. Plagiarism is a serious offence that can destroy one’s reputation and career.

Q15. In your view, what are six of the most important tips for the writer of a formal report? Explain each of your choices. 

1. Focusing on the objective- when writing a formal report, it is important to focus on the objective as it helps one decide what is relevant and important to the reader. One way to help one focus on the objective is by writing it.
2. Plan before writing- planning involves gathering all the research needed. Some reports might require interviews, and gathering the material before the writing process will help in the flow of thoughts.
3. Write the easier sections first. Writing the easier sections helps in saving time, and one gets the time to concentrate on the harder sections.
4. The first draft should rest a day before revising it. This gives one sufficient time to think about what they have written.
5. Proofread the final copy- proofreading is important as it ensures the work is not filled with errors. Errors are a turn off to any reader and thus the importance of proofreading.
6. The writing environment should be conducive to ensure one is concentrating on writing the report without distractions.

References

Al-Fedaghi, S., & Al-Otaibi, M. (2018). Conceptual modeling of a procurement process: Case study of RFP for public key infrastructure. arXiv preprint arXiv:1812.01792.

McKeever, M. P. (2018). How to write a business plan. Nolo.

Smith, J. (2021). 5.5 Report Parts–Informal and Formal. NSCC Communication@ Work.

Williams, V. (2020). Business Reports. Fundamentals of Business Communication.