Business reports are formal, objective, and heavily researched documents that present factual information about a specific business matter. The following are the key characteristics of a good business report:
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Objectivity: Business reports aim to be objective and unbiased. They should present facts, data, and analysis based on credible sources and reliable research.
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Accuracy: Information included in the report should be accurate, relevant, and informative to its intended audience.
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Simplicity: A good report should be simple and easy to understand. It should avoid using complex terminology and provide detailed information only if the audience has a great deal of experience in the industry.
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Clarity: Every fact given in the report should have a bearing on the central purpose of the report.
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Brevity: A good report should be concise and to the point. It should avoid unnecessary details and information.
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Reader-orientation: A good report should be written with the reader in mind. It should be structured in a way that best conveys the information and should be easily understandable to hold the attention of the audience.
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Grammatical accuracy: A good report should be free of grammatical errors and should follow proper formatting and citation guidelines.
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Executive summary: Almost all reports share an executive summary section, which is typically a single page that outlines the key points contained within the full report.
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Specific issue: Every report, including a business report, is written on a specific subject and is written to fulfill a certain need.
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Pre-specified audience: A report is written for a specific audience and should be tailored to their level of experience and knowledge in the industry.