Lincolns College London

How to Write a Report

T. Moss

Business Department
(Please use this report outline as guidance for writing your reports) 05/11

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Elements include...
Cover page (your name, class, lecture, date, subject, word count, report title...) Table of Contents (TOC) page number... Executive Summary (page 2)
Plan to create a summary each time you write abusiness report exceeding four pages. Write the summary after you write the main report, and make sure it is no more than one-tenth the length of the main report. List the main points the summary will cover in the same order they appear in the main report. Write a simple declarative sentence for each of the main points. Add supporting or explanatory sentences as needed, avoiding unnecessary technical material and jargon. Read the summary slowly and critically, making sure it conveys your purpose, message and key recommendations. You want readers to be able to skim the summary without missing the point of the main report. Check for errors of style, spelling, grammar and punctuation. Ask a fellow writer to proofread and edit the document. Ask a nontechnical person -- for example, your parents or your spouse -- to read the document. If it confuses or bores them, the summary probably will have the same effect on other nontechnical readers.

Read more: How to Write an Executive Summary | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_16566_write-executivesummary.html#ixzz1MzwE6Y2L

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(Page 3)
I.

Organsation Culture

Organisational culture has been given a lot of attention in recent years. Culture consists of the shared values of an organisation - the beliefs and norms that affect every aspect of work life, from how people greet each other to how major policy decisions are made. The strength of a culture determines how difficult or easy it is to know how to behave in the organisation. This note is a summary of Charles Handy's model describing the 4 main types of corporate culture, taken from his book "Gods of Management".

A. Handys Four Cultures

A.1 Power

Handy describes the power culture as a web. He suggests that this reflects the concentration of power of a family-owned business, which can either be extremely large or small. The family operation with strict responsibilities going to family members responsibility given to personalities rather than expertise creates the power structure of the web. Examples to which Handy refers include the massive institutions in the USA, run as a small family business at the top and known as robber barons. Power is concentrated in a small area, the centre of which is the wheel or the centre of the web. Power radiates out from the centre, usually a key personality, to others in the family who send information down to either departments, functions or units. The important point to note is that, because power and decisionmaking is concentrated in so few hands, the strategists and key family members create situations which others have to implement. It is difficult for others outside the family network to influence events. (Dallas, the long running TV soap displays this culture with the Ewing family.) The ability of the power culture to adapt to changes in the environment is very much determined by the perception and ability of those who occupy the positions of power within it. The power culture has more faith in individuals than committees and can either change very rapidly and adapt or fail to see the need for change and die.

A.2

Role

his has been typified as a Greek temple and has often been stereotyped as portraying bureaucracy in its purest form. The apex of the temple is where the decision making takes place, the pillars of the temple reflect the functional units of the organisation which have to implement the decisions from the apex. The strength of the culture lies in specialisation within its pillars. Interaction takes place between the functional specialism by job descriptions, procedures, rules and

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systems. This is very much an organisation culture run by a paper system. An authority is not based on personal initiative but is dictated by job descriptions. Co-ordination is by a narrow band of senior staff. This is the only coordination required as the system provides the necessary integration. Handy states that the job description is more important than the skills and abilities of those who people the culture. Performance beyond the role prescription is not required or encouraged. The authority of position power is legitimate. Personal power is not. This reflects Webers pure theory of bureaucracy. System effectiveness depends upon adherence to principles rather than personalities. Handy suggests that this culture is appropriate in organisations which are not subject to constant change. The culture functions well in a steady-state environment, but is insecure in times of change. The role culture is typified in government departments, local authorities, public utilities and the public sector in general. This sort of culture finds it extremely difficult to change rapidly. The role culture is typified by rationality and size. You will have experienced this culture if you have ever worked with a large, state enterprise.

A.3

Person

This is characteristic of the consensus model of management, where the individuals within the structure determine collectively the path which the organisation pursues. If there is a formalised structure, it tends to service the needs of the individuals within the structure. Organisations which portray this culture reject formal hierarchies for getting things done and exist solely to meet the needs of their members. The rejection of formal management control and reporting relationships suggests that this may be a suitable culture for a selfhelp group or a commune, etc., but it is not appropriate for business organisations

A.4

Task

This is characteristic of organisations which are involved in extensive research and development activities they are much more dynamic. They are constantly subject to change and have to create temporary task teams to meet their future needs. Information and expertise are the skills that are of value here. The culture is represented best by a net or lattice work. There is close liaison between departments, functions and specialities, liaison, communication and integration are the means whereby the organisation can anticipate and adapt to change quickly. Influence in this team culture is based upon expertise and up-to-date information where the culture is most in tune with results. The dangers for this culture exist when there is a restriction in resources causing it to become more power or role orientated.

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B. Deal &Kennedy Culture

Deal and Kennedy's model of culture is based on characterizing different four types of organization, based on how quickly they receive feedback and reward after they have done something and the level of risks that they take.

Feedback and reward

A major driver of people in companies and hence their culture is the general feedback and specific rewards that tell them they are doing a good or bad job. If this feedback is immediate or shorter-term, it will quickly correct any ineffective behavior and hence lead to a consistent culture (those who cannot survive will quickly find out and either leave or be sacked). If the feedback takes longer to arrive, then can leave mistakes uncorrected, but it also lets people look further out into the future. Either way, there is likely to be some substitute activity (such as process management) to help keep things on track until actual results are known. Risk Uncertainty and risk are something that some people hate and some people thrive on. In either case, it is another motivating force that leads people to focus on managing it. Where the risk is low, people may be willing to take risks up to their acceptable limit. Where they are high, the risks need to be managed or accepted. High risk companies are more likely to include people who enjoy the frisson of taking a gamble.

B.1

Work-hard, play-hard culture

This has rapid feedback/reward and low risk, leading to:

Stress coming from quantity of work rather than uncertainty. High-speed action leading to high-speed recreation. Eg. Restaurants, software companies.

B.2

Tough-guy macho culture

This has rapid feedback/reward and high risk, leading to:

Stress coming from high risk and potential loss/gain of reward. Focus on the present rather than the longer-term future. Eg. police, surgeons, sports.

B.3

Process culture

This has slow feedback/reward and low risk, leading to:

Low stress, plodding work, comfort and security. Stress may come from internal politics and stupidity of the system.

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Development of bureaucracies and other ways of maintaining the status quo. Focus on security of the past and of the future. Eg. banks, insurance companies.

B.4

Bet-the-company culture

This has slow feedback/reward and high risk, leading to:

Stress coming from high risk and delay before knowing if actions have paid off. The long view is taken, but then much work is put into making sure things happen as planned. Eg. aircraft manufacturers, oil companies.

So what?
So if you are influencing into an organization, find out what style it has and adjust your approach accordingly. If you are a member of the organization, you may understand why you are either right at home or way out of place.

II. III. IV.

Leadership and Management

Conclusions/Recommendations/Suggestions Reference (Harvard)

This serves as template for writing a report for LCL Business Department!
If there are questions please see Twain Moss

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