Write a 1-2 page double-spaced business research paper answering the following questions in your own words. 1. Define in your own words what is a startup venture 2. Define in your own words wh

Prof. Arturo E. Osorio

Business Writing Style Tips

By Prof. Arturo E. Osorio

Version 2.0

INTRODUCTION

The “business writing” is a particular writing style designed to convey reliable socioeconomic information in a simple, clear, and direct manner. This is the tool for managers, investors, and analyst to communicate in writing information to each other and the public in general. This particular writing style aims to be universally understood in the business environment thus seeks to avoid miscommunications and/or misrepresentations.

Business writing core premise is that a reader of a business document will trust the document at its face-value as the reader will not have a chance to ask for clarifications to the original author of the document. Further, because of this face-value premise, business writing is facts driven and uses current data from reliable sources to inform and support the analysis. The business writing style acknowledges that time is a valuable and scarce resource thus avoids all unnecessary verbatim and long ranting editorials and/or personal opinions.

TIPS FOR BUSINESS WRITING

As professional communications tool, business writing follows some basic guidelines. These guidelines are broadly divided in two core categories: content and format. The following sections will present the basic elements in each of the two core categories. These presented elements are the most commonly used ones in business writing. Bear in mind this is not an exhaustive list. This list presumes you are writing a general business document for an audience that has some basic business knowledge. There are other additional business writing elements within each one of these two core categories that are not included here. These other not-included elements are used when writing more specialized business documents (e.g., financial analysis, audit reports).

Content

It is important to ensure the quality and value of any business writing. The reputation of the writer of the business report is only as good as the last report that was presented. It takes years to develop a strong positive reputation. It takes one-single report to ruin it. These are the basic elements that ensure good quality reports.

Data driven. All information presented is supported by current and reliable data. Business writing uses professional resources. Business writing often use more than one independent source to ensure the reliability of the content. Opinions are fact informed analysis, not personal gut feelings or beliefs.

Critical analysis. Facts without analysis is just data. Business writing seeks to present information, not just data. Thus, in business writing all data goes through a critical analysis to clarify its meaning and implications. Business information is foundational to business decisions and core to business strategies. Please recognize that there are always alternative interpretations of the data. Consequently, the path that you choose for the analysis should be argued as the best path given the alternatives (you may go as far as to name the alternatives and briefly explain why your analysis is better interpretation of the data). A good argument should be able to withstand detractors. Reporting a 10% change is sales is useless. Reporting a decrease of 10% in sales in the company is information. Recognizing a 10% decrease in sales in the company while the industry loss sales in an average of 30% is crucial. Yet, using an “average” as benchmark may suggest that there were companies that had sales decreases lower than your 10%. Thus, you are not doing as good as you may want to think.

If the information you found through your research is not enough then you may need to make one or more assumptions. Assumptions should always be clearly labeled as such; they must be necessary and they must be realistic. Yet, in general, you should try to avoid assumptions. A common phrase used to label assumptions is” “This analysis assumes/presumes that…” You also need to state the information you used to make the assumptions: “based on the data from the 2019 report we assume that …”

Structure. All business documents share a common content architecture. A business report should not be a laundry a randomly organized list of all the possible issues and solutions (brainstorming data dumping). Instead, ask yourself if you are presenting the symptoms or the consequences. Once you recognize this, some strong themes should stand out and aid in the flow of your paper whether it be from micro to macro perspective, or from internal to external issue, or whatever flow is appropriate for the topic. This search for themes helps to identify the information that goes in each section. All documents, whether they are one page long or 1000 pages reports have five basic sections, presented in the same order. See table # 1 below.

Section	Example
Summary. This can be 1-5 sentences in a 1-page document or 1-2 pages in a larger report. This section presents, in a snapshot, the core points of the full document including the conclusion.	This report presents a business operations analysis for the Jan to Dec 2020 period. In concrete the analysis seeks to understand the impact of the pandemic on our operations and the effectiveness of the strategic response of the top management team. The analysis indicates the effectiveness of this decisions compare to the industry average, yet also suggest that there is space for improvement.
Introduction. This can be 1-5 sentences in a 1-page document or 1-2 pages in a larger report. This section sets the ground for the full document. This section gives the antecedents of the report. In a business proposal includes a summary of the current business operations. In a market analysis involves a preemptive setting of the analysis including the reasons of why the analysis was made.	Inform for the ongoing pandemic crisis, this report seeks to assess the value of the strategic decisions taken by the company. It is the intend of this report to explore the viability of our operations beyond 2020 given current conditions.
Analysis. This section is the core of the document. This is where data is presented as information. In a 1-page document this is 1-2 paragraphs. It shows the evidence and explain its meaning in the context of the analysis.	A close evaluation of our business operations including supply chain logistics, production adjustments, and sales strategies indicates a 10% decrease in annual sales. This number suggests the need for further emergency steps to ensure our survival. Yet, the number also highlights the adequacy of the changes undertaken during the crises as the industry average decrease in sales was 30%, 20% more than the decrease in sales of the company. In a closer inspection, we have identified 2-competitors that manage to have better outcomes. The first one only had a 5% reduction while the second mange to have a 3% increase in sales.
Conclusions/Recommendations. This is the reason why anyone will read the document in the first place. This is where the document explains the implications of the analysis. In a 1-page document this is 1-2 paragraphs.	While our standing is better than most of our competitors, we acknowledge the need of further adjustments. The fact that other companies manage to have lesser losses and even growth during the same period suggests the need to reevaluate our strategy. We strongly recommend we study the actions of these two companies as soon as possible so we can implement equivalent measures in our enterprise.
Support data. This includes the original data informing the report and/or a list of references where to find the data and/or additional information about the report. This can be presented as a footnote and/or a section at the end of the document. This is the place where the reader goes to corroborate your sources and to learn more about the topic at hand.	2020 Financial Statements 2020 Mintel Industry report 2020 Monthly sales reports

Format

Format is the tool use to ensure that information is clearly presented and easily accessible. To a business reader, the attention to detail in the format of a document conveys professionalism. The fast paced of the business world leaves very little room for second chances. A good format helps to ensure a document is read in the first place. If a document seems clumsy, unclear, and/or untidy it is very unlikely it will be read, and if started, finished. These are the basic elements of a properly formatted business document.

Be Direct. Business writing uses simple sentences. This writing style avoids grandiloquent proclamation (e.g., everyone likes, amazing results, we are the best). This style also shuns from colorful statements (e.g., a beautiful, old, young). Business writing is succinct and clear.

Be Clear. Business readers keeps asking “Why/How come?” as they go through the document. They do not have time to “guess” what you meant at every sentence. The clarity should come out of the analysis you performed and reflected on your writing style.

1. Bad example – Microsoft is a market leader.
2. Good example – With 80% share of the market, Microsoft leads in software sales.

Avoid Dismissive Verbatim. Phrases such as “As anyone can see…” or “It is intuitively obvious…” or “As we all know…” should be avoided at all times. It is not obvious, or clear, and we all do not know, which is why you are writing the analysis or report.

Detach Yourself, Focus on Information. Do not use phrases like “I feel.” Readers of business documents are unlikely to be moved by your personal feelings or gut guesses. They are looking for information. Also, use the royal “we” in as much as possible. By starting your sentences with I/we, you come across as an editorial rather than an analysis. Also, consider which of statements below makes a more definitive impact on the reader.

1. Bad example – “I think/feel the company should…” or “We can…”
2. Good example – “The company should…” or “This analysis leads to the following recommendations…"

Composition Style. Business documents follow some basic composition rules to ensure clarity. These rules aim to facilitate the flow of the read and helps the reader to avoid distractions. These include:

Ensure the use of proper grammar
Verify the use of proper spelling
Avoid false cognates (e.g., English/Spanish: exit/exito, embarrass/embarazado, English/Portuguess: actually/atualmente, assist/assistir, English/French: achieve/acheve, English/Arabic: earth/arḍ, whom/hum)
Avoid confused words (e.g., their/they’re, its/tit’s, butt/butt)
Verify use of homonyms (e.g., then/than, affect/effect
Avoid tautologies (e.g., ATM machine, hot water heater, frozen ice)
Avoid abbreviations, slang, and acronyms related to texting and/or internet (e.g., lol, brb, $.) %.) :-X )
Use simple direct language (and words)
Avoid use of contractions (e.g., we’re, doesn’t)
Follow basic format (use headings and footings, number pages, use consistent margins)
Follow writing etiquette (submit on time, proper use of names and personal credentials, proper use of pronouns

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