Report Writing - The essentials

8/7/2019 Report Writing - The essentials

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REPORT WRITING THE ESSENTIALS

THERE IS NO ONE WAY OF WRITING A REPORT .

EACH REPORT FORMAT IS A FUNCTION OF THE

FOLLOWING:

THE DISCIPLINE (BUSINESS REPORTS VS.

SCIENTIFIC REPORTS)

THE TERMS OF REFERENCE TO BE ADDRESSED

THE INDIVIDUAL STYLE OF THE WRITER.


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A SUGGESTED FORMAT

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:Outline the management brief. What did you seek to resolve?

State the methodology you used. How did you conduct the

assignment?

Summarise your key findings under each major area of the

brief. If one of your key areas of the brief was to investigate the

cost of capital of the firm

say what your finding was underthis area.

Indicate recommendations (if any).


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A SUGGESTED FORMAT

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

Indicate any major limitations you encountered

(methodology, access to data, major

assumptions, etc).

Length = 1- 2 pages.


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A SUGGESTED FORMAT

BACK GROUND:

Introduce the subject mater here. If you are

dealing with competitive analysis, for instance,

say something about the players

Only pick out information that will be relevant tothe problem you seek to resolve.


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QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS:

Functional Analysis This is an analysis of the key

issues around functions products/markets,

Innovation, leadership, IT, etc. You are essentially

dealing with the SW in your SWOT analysis. Use

relevant models in aid of your analysis. There is no

need to apply the whole model if the information in the

case does not support it holistic application.


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A SUGGESTED FORMAT

QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS:

Strategic Analysis This is an analysis of the current

strategy (state and critique) and your envisaged

strategy (s) going forward (state and critique). You are

essentially dealing with the OT in your SWOT

analysis. Use relevant models in aid of your analysis.

Some cases do not need a strategic analysis.


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QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS:This is the numbers section. Here you could be talking about the

following:

Financial performance (say ratios) In support of your SWOT.Financial values (valuations) -In support of your SWOT.

Cost of capital etc

Do not make calculations or include appendices within the body

of your report but refer to key figure from the appendix

section.


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QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS:

The quantitative analysis must support the

key issues you set out to address . It would be

inappropriate in a question seeking the

intrinsic value of a company as a whole for

you to calculate say its NPV


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A SUGGESTED FORMAT

APPENDICES:

Appendices will deal with:

Valuations

Cost of capital

DCF calculations (if any)

Ratios


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APPENDICES:

Number you appendices. An example:

Appendix 1- Estimating the cost of capital of Zwelakhe Limited.

You use the information in the appendices in your

quantitative analysis (a little may feature in your

qualitative analysis and your executive summary)


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A SUGGESTED FORMAT

RECOMMENDATIONS:

State very briefly your key recommendations. State

very briefly the intervention area and soon after itstate your recommendation . These should flow to the

executive summary.

In the examination do not cite any references at the

end of your report.

Documents

Report Writing - The essentials