BUSINESS RESEARCH METHODS

MODULE – 5: REPORT WRITING AND ETHICS IN BUSINESS

RESEARCH

Business Report
A business report is an informative document that contains important data such as facts,
analyses, research findings, and statistics about a business with the goal to make this
information accessible to people within a company. Report Writing is the act of providing
information about something through oral or written communication with other people.

The Types are as Follows:

1. Formal and informal reports
2. Reports: Short or Long
3. Information or Analytical report
4. Proposal Report
5. Vertical or laterally report
6. Internal or External report
7. Periodic Reports
8. Functional Reports

1. Formal Report or informal report: A formal report is a document that contains thorough
information, research, and data that is needed to make business choices. The primary goal of
formal report writing is to address a specific issue. An informal report, also known as an
informal memo, differs from a formal report in that it lacks elements such as the abstract and
executive summary.
2. Long and Short Reports: These types of reports are straightforward, as the name implies. A
two-page document, sometimes known as a memorandum, is short, whereas a thirty-page
report is fairly long. As a student, you’re used to writing longer, more formal documents.
3. Informational or Analytical Reports: Annual reports, monthly financial reports, and reports
on employee absenteeism are examples of informational reports that transfer objective data
from one part of a business to another. Scientific research, feasibility reports, and real-estate
evaluations are examples of analytical reports that aim to answer problems.
4. Proposal Report: The proposal is a variation of problem-solving reports. A proposal is a
document prepared to describe how one organization can meet the needs of another. Most
governmental agencies advertise their needs by issuing “requests for proposals” or RFPs.
5. Vertical or Lateral Reports: The direction in which a report travels is referred to as this
categorization. Vertical reports are reports that are higher uphill or downward in the hierarchy,
and they help with management control. Lateral reports, on the other hand, help with
organization coordination.
6. Internal or External Reports: Internal reports are circulated within the company. External
reports, such as company annual reports, are written for distribution outside of the organization.
7. Reports regularly: Periodic reports are sent out regularly. They’re mostly going up.
Management control is directed and served. Computer-generated forms and preprinted forms.
Data aid in the consistency of periodic reports.
8. Functional Reports: This category comprises accounting reports, marketing reports,
financial reports, and a variety of other reports that are named after their intended application.

Steps to Write a Report

1. Choose a topic based on the assignment
Before you start writing, you need to pick the topic of your report. Often, the topic is
assigned for you, as with most business reports, or predetermined by the nature of your
 BUSINESS RESEARCH METHODS
MODULE – 5: REPORT WRITING AND ETHICS IN BUSINESS
RESEARCH
work, as with scientific reports. If that’s the case, you can ignore this step and move
on.
2. Conduct research
With business and scientific reports, the research is usually your own or provided by
the company—although there’s still plenty of digging for external sources in both. For
academic papers, you’re largely on your own for research, unless you’re required to use
class materials. That’s one of the reasons why choosing the right topic is so crucial; you
won’t go far if the topic you picked doesn’t have enough available research.
3. Write a thesis statement
Before you go any further, write a thesis statement to help you conceptualize the main
theme of your report. Just like the topic sentence of a paragraph, the thesis statement
summarizes the main point of your writing, in this case, the report. Once you’ve
collected enough research, you should notice some trends and patterns in the
information. If these patterns all infer or lead up to a bigger, overarching point, that’s
your thesis statement.
4. Prepare an outline
Writing an outline is recommended for all kinds of writing, but it’s especially useful for
reports given their emphasis on organization. Because reports are often separated by
headings and subheadings, a solid outline makes sure you stay on track while writing
without missing anything.
5. Write a rough draft
Actually, writing the rough draft, or first draft, is usually the most time-consuming step.
Here’s where you take all the information from your research and put it into words. To
avoid getting overwhelmed, simply follow your outline step by step to make sure you
don’t accidentally leave out anything.
6. Revise and edit your report
Once your rough draft is finished, it’s time to go back and start fixing the mistakes you
ignored the first time around. (Before you dive right back in, though, it helps to sleep
on it to start editing fresh, or at least take a small break to unwind from writing the
rough draft.)
7. Proofread and check for mistakes
Last, it pays to go over your report one final time, just to optimize your wording and
check for grammatical or spelling mistakes. In the previous step you checked for “big
picture” mistakes, but here you’re looking for specific, even nitpicky problems.

Structure of a Report
The report format depends on the type of report and the requirements of the assignment. While
reports can use their own unique structure, most follow this basic template:
1. Executive summary: Just like an abstract in an academic paper, an executive summary
is a standalone section that summarizes the findings in your report so readers know
what to expect. These are mostly for official reports and less so for school reports.
2. Introduction: Setting up the body of the report, your introduction explains the overall
topic that you’re about to discuss, with your thesis statement and any need-to-know
background information before you get into your own findings.
3. Body: The body of the report explains all your major discoveries, broken up into
headings and subheadings. The body makes up the majority of the entire report; whereas
the introduction and conclusion are just a few paragraphs each, the body can go on for
pages.
 BUSINESS RESEARCH METHODS
MODULE – 5: REPORT WRITING AND ETHICS IN BUSINESS
RESEARCH
4. Conclusion: The conclusion is where you bring together all the information in your
report and come to a definitive interpretation or judgment. This is usually where the
author inputs their own personal opinions or inferences.

Qualities of a Good Business Report

A good business report should have the following qualities:
1. Completeness
2. Correctness
3. Consideration and Courtesy
4. Clarity
5. Logical Arrangement of Ideas and Objectivity
6. Comprehensiveness

1. Completeness
In view of the fact that a report is written with a specific objective, it must be complete
in all respects, and not omit anything which is pertinent and relevant to its subject. It
must include all facts needed to answer the questions asked by Five ‘’Ws’ and ‘Il’. At
the same time, it should be ensured that ‘the report fully serves the purpose for which
it has been written.
2. Correctness
Care should be taken that the report gives a correct and concrete picture of the problem
and its solutions. The information sources and the bases of findings must be mentioned
correctly and specifically to make the report a reliable document.
3. Consideration and Courtesy
It is always a desirable quality of a good business report that it shows a consideration
for what will be most meaningful for the reader. This means that a total integrity is to
be applied in making the research, in analysing the problem, in discussing the subject
and in organizing the facts, figures, and findings.
4. Clarity
Clarity is particularly an essential quality of a good business report. It is very important
that everything which is discussed and analysed, argued and presented, is fully clear
and understandable.
5. Logical Arrangement of Ideas and Objectivity
Logical arrangement of ideas, suggestions, and recommendations, etc. is a great quality
of a good business report. Whichever the method one uses to write a report the inductive
or the deductive the report must be logically arranged and objectively analysed and
discussed
6. Comprehensiveness
A good business report has essentially to be comprehensive so that it covers up all
relevant aspects of the problem. The writer of the report must not forget even for a while
that the document he is preparing shall form the basis for the decisions to be taken.

Ethics
Research ethics involves the application of fundamental ethical principles to research activities
which include the design and implementation of research, respect towards society and others,
the use of resources and research outputs, has to be in an ethical conduct for the regulation of
research.
 BUSINESS RESEARCH METHODS
MODULE – 5: REPORT WRITING AND ETHICS IN BUSINESS
RESEARCH

Define Ethical Issues in Research

Ethical issues in research are principles that help you design your research. It can also be
defined as challenges researchers encounter while planning, conducting, and reporting their
studies. Scientists, who play the role of researchers, must stick to a code of conduct when
conducting research projects.

Ethical Issues in Research

1. Study design and ethics approval
Study design and ethics approval is one of the ethical issues in research. Researchers
who conduct research to a lower standard are termed ‘misconduct.’ Study design means
deciding what method/strategy to follow for data collection and analysis. Collaborators
and contributors must agree upon a study proposed and researched by the researcher.
2. Data Handling/Management
When we question, ‘What are the six ethical issues in research?’, including this point
is a must. Researchers should stick to two principles – honesty and transparency. They
will help collect data accurately and record and report findings appropriately.
Inappropriate analysis of data or falsifying data undermines the scientific process. This
becomes the reason for violating ethical standards.
3. Informed Consent
Whenever research deals with human subjects, informed consent becomes very
important. Potential participants should decide whether they wish to participate or
continue participating in particular research. Moreover, every single participant should
be fully informed about the nature of the study, potential risks, and benefits.
4. Authorship
Here’s one of the other critical ethical issues in research, i.e., Authorship. There is no
proper definition of authorship. Why? Because defining authorship is tricky. However,
in a research paper, it’s expected that the author plays a significant role. An author
should be involved in every single step of research.
5. Conflicting Interests
To answer the question, what are the six ethical issues in research pdf? You should
understand ‘Conflicts of Interests.’ Conflicting interests is an ethical issue in research.
When a researcher’s interest isn’t apparent/clear, the team may face conflicts of interest.
The conflicts include personal, political, commercial, professional, or financial interests
6. Reusing and Recopying
So, we have come to the last point of 6 main ethical issues in research. It’s Redundant
publication and Plagiarism. Redundant publication means ‘reusing’ the same research
in multiple places. Plagiarism means ‘copying’ someone else’s work without crediting
the person’s research. If two research papers share the same data, discussion, and
findings, it can be considered a redundant publication.
 BUSINESS RESEARCH METHODS
MODULE – 5: REPORT WRITING AND ETHICS IN BUSINESS
RESEARCH

The General Principles of Research Ethics Are:

Being honest with the beneficiaries and respondents. Being honest
Honesty about the findings and methodology of the research. Being honest with
other direct and indirect stakeholders.
Ensuring honesty and sincerity. Fulfilling agreements and promises.
Integrity Do not create false expectations or make false promises.
Objectivity Avoiding bias in experimental design, data analysis, data
interpretation, peer review, and other aspects of research.
Informed consent means that a person knowingly, voluntarily and
intelligently gives consent to participate in research.
Informed consent is related to the autonomous right of the individual
to participate in the research.
Informing the participant about the research objective, their role,
Informed consent benefits/harms (if any) etc.
It includes:
autonomy, which requires that those who are capable of deliberation
about their personal goals should be treated with respect for their
capacity for self-determination; and
protection of persons with impaired or diminished autonomy, which
Respect for requires that those who are dependent or vulnerable be afforded
person/respondent security against harm or abuse.
Maximize the benefits of the participants. Ethical obligation to
maximize possible benefits and to minimize possible harms to the
Benefits. respondents.