CLASSIFICATION OF BUSINESS REPORTS:
The following are bases of classification of business reports.
1. PURPOSE / FUNCTION:
(a) Informational report, giving information on any issue without any analysis, interpretation, conclusions and recommendations of the writer.
(b) Analytical report presenting facts along with their analysis and interpretation as well as conclusions and recommendations of the writer. Analytical report may be:
(i) Feasibility report, analyzing a proposal and recommending whether it is to be implemented or not.
(ii) Ways and means report, analyzing the causes behind a problem and recommending as to how it may be solved.
2. FORMALITY / APPEARANCE / LENGTH:
(a) Formal report, characterized by a cover and binding and other features like covering letter, title page, table of contents and index may be supplemented with charts and statistical tables.
(b) Informal report, without cover, table of contents and other editorial trappings, submitted in the form of letter or memorandum.
3. ORIGIN:
(a) Authorized report written on someone’s request.
(b) Voluntary report written on writer’s own initiative.
4. CHANNEL:
(a) Written report, presented in the form of memorandum, letter or formal report.
(b) Oral report, presented in face to face discussion or on telephone.
5. FREQUENCY OF ISSUE:
(a) Special report, presented on a particular occasion.
(b) Periodic report, presented periodically, e.g. daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly or annually.
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