Report writing Meaning, Importance, Functions

A report is a document that presents information in an organized format for a specific audience and purpose. Although summaries of reports may be delivered orally, complete reports are almost always in the form of written documents.

Usage

In modern business scenario, reports play a major role in the progress of business. Reports are the backbone to the thinking process of the establishment and they are responsible, to a great extent, in evolving an efficient or inefficient work environment.

The significance of the reports includes:

• Reports present adequate information on various aspects of the business.
• All the skills and the knowledge of the professionals are communicated through reports.
• Reports help the top line in decision making.
• A rule and balanced report also help in problem solving.
• Reports communicate the planning, policies and other matters regarding an organization to the masses. News reports play the role of ombudsman and levy checks and balances on the establishment.

Importance of Reports:

Importance of reports in organisational life and for general administration is very great. Decisions are very often taken on many controversial and problematic issues based upon some reports. Members of an organisation or a committee or a depart­ment, etc., can know many relevant and material facts about the organisation or committee or group itself or of other organisations, committees or groups through reports thereon. General administra­tion is guided very much by different kinds of internal and external reports.

Evaluation

Large scale organizations are engaged in multidimensional activities. It is not possible for a single top executive to keep a personal watch on what others are doing. So, the executive depends on reports to evaluate the performance of various departments or units.

Decision-Making Tool

Today’s complex business organizations require thousands of information. Reports provide the required information a large number of important decisions in business or any other area are taken on the basis of the information presented in the reports. This is one of the great importance of the report.

Investigation

Whenever there is any problem, a committee or commission or study group investigates the problem to find out the reason behind the problem and present the findings with or without the recommendation in the form of a report. It is another importance of the report.

Development of skill

Report writing skill develops the power of designing, organization coordination, judgment, and communication.

Quick Location

There is no denying the fact that business executives need information for quick decision-making. As top executives are found to be busy for various purposes), they need vital sources of information. Such sources can be business reports.

Professional Advancement

The report also plays a major role in professional achievement. For promotion to the rank-and-file position, satisfactory job performance is enough to help a person. But for promotion to a high-level position, intellectual ability is highly required. Such ability can be expressed through the report submitted to a higher authority.

Neutral presentation of facts

Facts are required to be presented in a neutral way; such presentation is ensured through a report as it investigates, explains, and evaluates any facts independently.

Proper Control

Whether activities are happening according to plan or not is expressed through a report. So, controlling activities are implemented based on the information of a report.

Encountering Advance and Complex Situation

In a large business organization, there is always some sort of labor problems that may bring complex situations. To tackle that situation, managers take the help of a report.

A managerial Tool

Various reports make activities easy for managers. For planning, organizing, coordinating, motivating, and controlling, the manager needs help from a report which acts as a source of information.

Functions

• A report has to be prepared in a proper form and style. The form and style depend on the purpose of the report.
• A report is based upon facts and also very often supported with some statistics data, references etc.
• A report is meant for circulation either exclusively to an individual, or group of individuals, or members of an organisation or public at large.
• A report has definitely a purpose. One common purpose is spreading of infor­mation. Other purposes are compiling of record, providing guidance to action or judgement, making of evidence, etc.
• A report shall satisfy all the characteristics for its effectiveness.
• Reports are of various types.
• Reports are closely related to meetings.
• The basic function of a report is that it is a means of communication of some facts.
• A report is addressed to some definite reader or readers.
• A report has invariably a bearing on time.
• A report may be just received or adopted, or tabled (i.e., deferred for taking any action), or referred back to committee for reconsideration. So, a report may be treated differently.