Management homework help. Tips and hints to assist the writing of a FORMAL REPORT
As with any written piece, the basic sections of INTRODUCTION; BODY OF DISCUSSION and CONCLUSION remain the most important aspects of a written work.

  • REPORTS are an objective piece of writing that do just that – they report on something that has been investigated. YOU do not have an opinion … there is no “I” or “we” in a Report  until the  RECOMMENDATIONS section where suggestions can be made.
  • A report requires a level of analytical
  • Reports may use graphics / photos/ graphs/ tables – if used they must be clearly and accurately numbered, titled and referenced.
  • There are many different formats and some Reports require a number of different sections such as Title Page, Abstracts, a Contents list, Acknowledgements and so on.

Some good general rules for all writing to keep in mind:

  • “your reader knows nothing – so tell them”.  Explain clearly,
  • RULE: If you make a statement always provide supporting evidence,
  • Always avoid generalisations.
  • Keep yourself out of the discussion –avoid first person (ie “I”).
  • Avoid American spelling – we are an Australian University. Set your spell check to default to ‘English- Australian’.
  • For Reports, you may use Dot –Points, but use them sparingly. They are not to be used to avoid good, sound discussion.
  • You may use Sub- Headings.
  • Number your pages … the top right hand corner, or bottom right hand corner is best.
  • Footers are handy for quick reference. Very brief and keep to Right align.

Recommended format for the Assignment.
1:   TITLE PAGE – and Author. Include the date of ‘publication’ (when did you write it). A word count should be included here if necessary.
2:  Executive Summary. The purpose is to provide at a glance the purpose of and outcomes of the Report  … similar to an ABSTRACT for a journal article.  The Exec summary should be concise, highlighting key content and main outcomes.  Do this after your written work is completed, that way it will be accurate and concise. (approximately 200 words) Where word count is important, this is NOT included in the count.
3:   Content List (do this last).  Check page numbers are accurate.
4    Introduction (brief – and again, do it AFTER the body of your work has been written so that you are not promising something that is not delivered in your discussion):    Introduce the Report – don’t discuss the Report: Indicate
i   the nature / purpose of the Report – include names of the person interviewed and the business. (One good paragraph should be sufficient).
ii   description of the project (brief).  Explain what the project is about.  What is it’s purpose? What are you trying to achieve? (a good paragraph should be sufficient)
iii    analysis of the change (Brief):   A quick introductory line or two to lead your reader into the BODY of the discussion by responding to  5.1- 5.5 below.
5      Body of the Work   Each section should follow the same principle of ….  “Your reader knows nothing – explain”.  This will ensure attention to detail.  Make sure every claim or observation you make is backed with evidence – from your interview / research. Avoid generalisations (very damaging and suggest you don’t really know, or have failed to consider your statements properly – loses marks quickly).
In responding to the five sections here, you should be applying theory and perspectives that you have come to understand, as appropriate during the discussion.
5.1 Change Drivers & Change intervention
5.2 Change Perspectives
5.3 Interviewee’s underlying change assumptions

  • Planned or Emergent change
  • Effectiveness of the change intervention

 

  • Conclusion: Pulls together the main points discovered during your investigation.  What have you discovered?  The five main sections of the body (5.1- 5.5), suggests there should be at least 5 findings that are worthy of inclusion in this section. (there may be less or more)  Do not introduce any new thoughts or ideas here.  Do not suddenly think of an outcome that wasn’t at least suggested in your discussion.  The Conclusion isn’t for discovery – it winds up your findings presented in the body of your work.

 

  • Recommendations: Be careful here – you are not an industry expert.  You can only draw on your material that was discussed at interview and then developed in your discussion.  Keep them realistic – and where possible support with theory / perspective to really demonstrate your understanding.
  • References (and appendices: interview transcript, etc.).  You must follow the Referencing style Chicago 16th B.  Check your Library access, there is a clear pathway for this source. I do not tolerate careless errors here.  Take the time to get it right – it’s worth 10% of this Assignment.

***         Personal CommunicationUsually NOT referenced as it is not possible to validate …however it may be listed if an email or other correspondence was used. In this case you have recorded and transcribed so put this reference into brackets …similar to below, but do check your own referencing style for further advice.  I will accept this at either the TOP of your Reference list OR in the natural body of the reference list itself:
(Baggins, Frodo.  March 23rd, 2017.  Personal Communication)
Further tips …..   Avoid these:

  • the inclusion of careless, inaccurate, or conflicting data
  • the inclusion of outdated or irrelevant data
  • Your own opinions that lack evidence to support.
  • unsupported data, conclusions and recommendations
  • careless presentation and lack of proof-reading
  • too much emphasis on appearance and not enough on content
  • missing or lack of in-text citation or references to the source of ideas or material
  • incorrect format of in-text citation and referencing

Below – I have copied and pasted just two columns from the Rubrik …. Please use your Rubrik to assist you throughout the Assignment AND your Unit Outline instructions.
I have only pasted the HD section below – this is what you should be aiming for!!
I do hope this has assisted you – Good luck  –  Cathie Bowen

Criteria Exceeds Expectations
High Distinction (80 – 100)
Interview Quality – (20%) Conducts the interview elegantly, capturing the right information by using leading questions and changing questions when needed.
Change Situation & Drivers of Change – (20%) Can effectively identify the change situation and explain in detail the change drivers with actual evidence gathered from the interview.
Change Perspectives/Concepts –  (20%) Evidence of depth in the application of the change perspectives & concepts. Elegantly articulates the concepts with reference to the interviewed organisation.
Discipline Knowledge – (20%) Accurate application of the change management principles with reference to the interview, revealing an in-depth understanding of the concepts.
Recommendations – (10%) Excellent recommendations that articulate the actual change situation. Also discusses the impact on the organisation and its stakeholders.
Referencing (No. & Quality of References) –  (10%) Excellent references, both in quality and quantity with good relevance to the topic.
   

 

Management homework help