Advantages of report writing : Report is one of the major important tools of organizational communication which provides immense supports for management functions. Important decisions in business, industry or government are taken on the basis of information presented or recommendations made in reports. It helps managers in planning, organizing, directing, supervising and controlling.
The advantages of report, benefit of reports, merits of report are discussed below from different angles:
Advantages of Report Writing
- In-depth Information: A report is made after an intensive investigation of the situation and an insight and outsight analysis of the event. It critically analyses the information collected and provides suggestions for management actions. So other communication method provides this type of in-depth information about situation except report.
- Accurate and Precise: Report contains accurate and precise information and it is open to verification. There is no scope of including irrelevant and exaggerated information in an investigation report. Business report is formulated with due care and that’s why the reporter is to give serious thought to the findings and to organize them in a precise form.
- Permanent Record: Report acts as a permanent record of the organization and can prove very useful for future reference. The content of a report is accepted as evidence in case of any litigation.
- Legal Document: A report is accepted as a legal document and in some cases preparation of reports are legal obligations of the organization. Annual report, audit report, directors report etc. are legal requirements for companies. Report can be also produced before court as legal evidence in support of any business dealing.
- Neutral Presentation of Facts: A good report is always neutral because report is prepared to disclose the fact. The reporter reveals the truth irrespective of its consequences and presents it as it is found. The neutrality in presentation of facts helps the management assess their status and take proper actions against the situations.
- Future Reference: Report acts as a written document and it can be shown or produced as reference in the future if necessary.
- No Possibility of Distortion: In case of report the message or information remains intake and there is no possibility of distortion or change of the report. Both the writer and the receiver preserve the report as an official record.
- Recommendations: Report provides necessary recommendations for the management so that they can take appropriate actions to overcome the situations. The suggestions given in report are more accurate as they are made after an intensive investigation of the event and the inter-relationship among various factors.
- Analysis: Report provides not only information but also an analytical view of the problem. The data collected from primary and secondary sources are analyzed critically for interpretation of facts and recommendations made thereof.
- Accumulation of Different Views: Report produces different opinions and views on the event or issue on which it is prepared. It helps the management to formulate different alternative strategies for overcoming the problem situation.
- Fact Finding Tool: Report is considered as a fact finding tool as it discloses the fact. The team or committee responsible for preparing the report try their best to find out the elements responsible for creating the particular situation that is of the interest of the management. It helps management to realize the situation or problem with it’s of the management. It helps management to realize the situation or problem with its different components and formulate future policy to deal with such problem or situation.
- External Use: Report is used for internal as well as external communication. Internal report is internally used and is not sent outside but there are some external reports also which are prepared for different external parties. Annual report, audit report, directors report etc. are made to inform the external interested parties so that they can take decisions regarding the company or firm.
- Keeping Secrecy: Internal report is prepared and sent to specific person. The system of exchanging report to its receiver maintains cent percent secrecy of the information it contains. So, secrecy of information is effectively maintained here as it reaches only to the actual receiver of the report.
- Open to All: Naturally report is open to all except the internal ones. Many people are involved with the investigating, drafting and distribution process of external report. Thus external report is open to all.
- Unique Communication Method: Report is considered as an effective method of communication. Report provides the reader a clear and complete understanding of the message as the receiver gets the chance to read it repeatedly. Moreover, it is the only written communication method which provides suggestions for the management that is not available with other communication methods and thus it is more effective communication method compared to others.
From the above Advantages of report writing discussion , we find that report provides some important advantages to the management that are not available with other communication media. Actually report plays vitally important role in formulating policies, taking pragmatic decision and overcoming problematic situations.
