Bài giảng Business Research Methods - Chapter 19: Presenting Insights and Findings: Written Reports

Presenting Insights and Findings: Written ReportsChapter 19Learning ObjectivesUnderstand . . . That a quality presentation of research findings can have an inordinate effect on a reader’s or a listener’s perceptions of a study’s quality.The contents, types, lengths, and technical specifications of research reports.That the writer of a research report should be guided by questions of purpose, readership, circumstances/ limitations, and use.Learning ObjectivesUnderstand . . . That while some statistical data may be incorporated into the text, most statistics should be placed in tables, charts, or graphs.Pull QuotePeople are amazing at collecting data, but they’re often less skilled at creating insights out of it and spreading them throughout the whole organization. Data is great, but it rarely means anything unless you’ve figured out exactly what that data is saying—and what you’re going to do about it.Nancy Porte, vice president of customer experience,Verint-VoviciWritten Presentation and the Research ProcessRelevance. Not Quantity.“Focus on relevance. It’s never about the volume of analyzed data or the complexity of an algorithm but about the actionability of derived insight.”Michael Fassnacht, founderLoyalty MatrixThe Written Research ReportGuidelines for Short ReportsTell reader why you are writingRemind reader of requestWrite in an expository styleWrite report and hold for reviewAttach detailed materials in appendixComponents: Short Report Memo or Letter-StyleIntroductionProblem statementResearch objectivesBackgroundConclusionsSummary and conclusionsRecommendationsComponents: Short Report TechnicalPrefatory Information (all)Introduction (all, plus brief methodology and limitations)FindingsConclusionsAppendicesThe Long Research ReportReport ModulesPrefatory InformationIntroductionMethodologyFindingsConclusions & RecommendationsAppendicesBibliographyComponents of Long Report: Management Prefatory InformationIntroduction (brief methodology & limitationsFindingsConclusions & RecommendationsAppendicesComponents Long Report: Technical Prefatory InformationIntroductionMethodology (detailed)FindingsConclusions & RecommendationsAppendicesBibliographyPrewriting ConcernsWhat is the report’s purpose?Who will read the report?What are the circumstances?How will the report be used?The OutlineMajor Topic HeadingMajor subtopic headingSubtopicMinor subtopicFurther detailTypes of OutlinesTopicDemandHow measuredVoluntary errorShipping errorMonthly varianceSentenceDemand for refrigeratorsMeasured in terms f factory shipments as reported by the U.S. Department of CommerceError is introduced into year to year comparisonsGrammar and Style Proofreader ResultsAdjusting PaceUse ample white spaceUse headingsUse visual aidsUse italics and underliningChoose words carefullyRepeat and summarizeUse service words strategicallyConsiderations for WritingReadabilityComprehensibilityToneAvoiding Overcrowded TextUse shorter paragraphsIndent or space parts of textUse headings Use bulletsAppropriate Data DisplaysSample Findings Page: TabularCharts for Written ReportsComponents of a Whole or FrequencyRelationships or ComparisonsSample Findings Page: GraphicalFindings Page TemplatesAppropriate Data DisplaysText PresentationWalmart regained its number-1 rank in the Forbes 500 due to its strong sales performance (11% increase; $351.1 billion). Although Walmart surpassed number-2-ranked Exxon Mobil in sales, Walmart’s profitability ($11.2 billion) was far below the oil giant ($39.5 billion). Some credit several challenging public relations problems with the lower-than-expected level. Number-6-ranked General Electric also outperformed Walmart in profits with $20.8 billion. GE’s robust sales growth (27.4%) is an indication that it will likely challenge both Walmart and ExxonMobil in the future.Alternative Text PresentationWalmart slipped to No. 2 in the 2011 Fortune 500 after holding onto the top spot for two years in a row. The retail giant was forced to aggressively cut prices to reverse its declining same-store sales in the United States.Walmart is the second largest business in the Fortune 500 with revenues up by 6 percent but profits down by 4.2 percent.Parts of a TableTabular PresentationCompanyRankRevenue($, millions)Sales GrowthProfitsProfit GrowthExxon Mobil1$452926.027.7%$41,060.034.8%Walmart2$446,950.06.0%$15,699.0-4.2%%Chevron3$245,624.025.1%$26,895.041.4%Walmart slipped to No. 2 in the 2011 Fortune 500 after holding onto the top spot for two years in a row. The retail giant was forced to aggressively cut prices to reverse its declining same-store sales in the United States.Sample Graphics within ReportSample Line Graph201220112009Sample Area ChartSample Pie ChartsSample Bar ChartPictographGeographs3-D GraphsPreparing & Delivering the Written ReportPreparing & Delivering the Written ReportPrefatory InformationIntroductionMethodologyPreparing & Delivering the Written ReportPreparing & Delivering the Written ReportPreparing & Delivering the Written ReportKey TermsArea chartBar chartExecutive summaryGeographic chartLetter of transmittalLine graphManagement reportPacePictographPie chartReadability indexSentence outlineTechnical report3-D graphicTopic outlineAdditional Discussion opportunitiesChapter 19Snapshot: E-Speed Portal“While some marketer’s realize that e-speed may sacrifice quality in research, knowing the speed available with online surveys encouraged us to make our CATI survey results accessible in real time, directly via each client’s computer.”Snapshot: E-Speed PortalReal-time frequencies.Real-time cross-tabulation.Real-time verbatim responses.Real-time quota status.Daily project statusDaily call disposition reportsSnapshot: Forrester ResearchModular approach to report writing.AnalysisWhat it Means Section: deduction & conjecture based on knowledge & experienceMarket Overview: data collection & findings.Stories Share Research“Accurate information, sound logic, and the facts are necessary, of course, but truly effective leaders in any field—including technical ones—know how to tell “the story” of their particular research endeavor.Robert McKee authorStory: Substance, Structure, Style and the Principles of ScreenwritingPulsePoint: Research Revelation2.3The number of gallons of fuel, in billions, that people burn while sitting in traffic.Presenting Insights and Findings: Written ReportsChapter 19Photo AttributionsSlideSource8Purestock/SuperStock12Purestock/SuperStock13PhotoLink/Getty Images14Purestock/SuperStock27© Cooper Research28© Cooper Research34© Cooper Research38© Cooper Research39© Pamela S. Schindler49Jon Feingersh/Getty Images50Jon Feingersh/Getty Images51Purestock/SuperStock