Organizational Documents: Types, Purposes, and Best Practices

1. LECTURE 1 THE DOCUMENTS IN ORGANIZATIONS

2. memorandum a written statement, record, or communication such as within an office (memo); its objective is to deliver information or instructions; transmittal a memo accompanying document, telling why it’s being forwarded to the receiver;the purpose ‒ to inform, persuade reader to read document; monthly or quarterly report a report summarizing profitability, productivity, and problems during period. It is used to plan activity for next month or quarter; DOCUMENTS IN ORGANIZATIONSInternal Documents

3. DOCUMENTS IN ORGANIZATIONSInternal Documents policy and procedure bulletin a statement of company policies and instructions (how to enter orders, how to run fire drills, etc.); its aim is to inform reader; request to deviate from policy and procedure bulletin a persuasive memo arguing that another approach is better for a specific situation than the standard approach; its objective ‒ to persuade reader to make changes;

4. DOCUMENTS IN ORGANIZATIONSInternal Documents 6. performance appraisal an evaluation of an employee’s performance, with recommended areas for improvement or recommendation for promotion; the aim is to inform and persuade employee to improve; 7. memo of congratulations congratulations to employees who have won awards, been promoted, or earned community recognition; its purpose is to build goodwill.

5. DOCUMENTS IN ORGANIZATIONSExternal Documents 1. quotation a letter giving price for a specific product, fabrication, or service; the aim ‒ to inform reader; claims adjustment  a letter granting or denying customer request to be given credit for defective goods. Its objective is to inform reader; job description a description of qualifications and duties of each job, used for performance appraisals, setting salaries, and for hiring; the purpose is to persuade good candidates to apply; build goodwill (job duties match level, pay). 4. 10-K report report filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission detailing financial information; its purpose ‒ to inform reader;

6. DOCUMENTS IN ORGANIZATIONSExternal Documents 5. annual report  a report to stockholders summarizing financial information for year; the objective is to inform, persuade stockholders to retain stock, others to buy; build goodwill (company is a good corporate citizen); 6. thank-you letter  a letter to suppliers, customers, or other people who have helped individuals or the company; its aim ‒ to build goodwill.

7. DOCUMENTS IN ORGANIZATIONSInternational Documents documentary letter of credit  a letter conveying the ownership of goods under the contract provisions – price, shipment, requirements of country of entry (all spelled out in the letter); standby letter of credit  a letter specifying the amount and terms of payment, which will be made when a service is completed; letter of introduction  a letter from someone who knows the person we hope to visit, asking him or her to make time to see us;

8. DOCUMENTS IN ORGANIZATIONSInternational Documents 4. letter proposal a letter about our company and our products, which we submit to the foreign trade group or ministry in the country where we hope to do business; 5. memorandum of understanding adocument specifying what an advertising agency in another country will do to advertise our product, how and how much we’ll pay, what rights we have to approve or control the advertising plan, and what kinds of reports we’ll get.

9. DOCUMENTS IN ORGANIZATIONSPurposes of Writing All of the documents have one or more of the three basic purposes of organizational writing:to inform, to request or persuade, and to build goodwill. To inform is toexplain something or tell readers something. To request or persuade is to urge the reader to act. The word request suggests that the action will be easy or routine; persuade suggests that we’ll have to motivate and convince reader to act. To build goodwillis to create a good image of ourselves and our organization ‒the kind of image that makes people want to do business with us.

10. DOCUMENTS IN ORGANIZATIONSThe Failed Form Letter

11. DOCUMENTS IN ORGANIZATIONSThe Form Letter Mistake • The language is stiff and legalistic. • The tone is selfish. • The main point is buriedin the middle of the long first paragraph. • The request is vague. • Words are misused.

12. DOCUMENTS IN ORGANIZATIONSCriteria for Effective Messages • It is clear. • It is complete. • It is correct. • It saves the reader’s time. • It builds goodwill.

13. DOCUMENTS IN ORGANIZATIONSProcess to Create Good Messages • To answer the six questions for analysis (given below). • To organize the information to fit our audiences, purposes, and the situation. • To make our document visually inviting. • To revise our draft to create a friendly, businesslike, and positive style. • To edit our draft for standard English and to double-check names and numbers.

14. DOCUMENTS IN ORGANIZATIONSThe Six Questions for Analysis 1. Who is (are) our audience(s)? What characteristics of our audience(s) are relevant to this particular message? If we are writing or speaking to more than one person, how do the people in our audience differ? 2. What are our purposes in writing? 3. What information must our message include? 4. How can we build support for your position? What reasons or reader benefits will our reader find convincing?

15. DOCUMENTS IN ORGANIZATIONSThe Six Questions for Analysis 5. What objection(s) can we expect our reader(s) to have? What negative elements of our message must you deemphasize or overcome? 6. What aspects of the total situation may affect reader response? The economy? The time of year? Morale in the organization? The relationship between the reader and writer? Any special circumstances?

16. DOCUMENTS IN ORGANIZATIONS Three Basic Principlesto Organize Information To put good news first. In general, to put the main point first. To make it clear that we are writing about something that is important to the reader. To disregard point 2 and approach the subject indirectly when a. we have bad news to give the reader. b. we must persuade a reluctant reader.

17. DOCUMENTS IN ORGANIZATIONSMaking Document Visually Inviting To use subject lines to orient the reader quickly; To use headings to group related ideas; To use lists and indented sections to emphasize subpoints and examples; To number points that must be followed in sequence; To use short paragraphs – usually six typed lines or fewer.