FEEDBACK Good Food?

FEEDBACKGood Food? • spelling/grammar check! • introductory sentence: source + topic (2 elements) e.g. The article published in the Economist of .... discusses if ethical shopping can replacde politics. • Everything ok in this sentence? Yet, the largest part of this subsidy actually goes to retailers. YES!

Grammar points a)indirect questions Kad je došao? (direct). Ne znam kad je došao. (indirect) When did he come? I don’t know when he came. Da li dolazi? (direct) Ne znam da li dolazi. (indirect) Is he coming? I don’t know ifhe is coming. b) Inversion in restrictiveexpressions(at thebeginningof a clause): Only by going to the ballot box, will you be able to change politics. e.g. Nikada nisam vidio tako profesionalan tim. Never... Never have I seen such a professional team. Tek što sam ušao u kuću, ugledao sam … (Hardly …)

REPORT WRITING

A business report should be ... ACCURATE CONCISE CLEAR OBJECTIVE

A report should be ... ACCURATE • true facts,precise wording, supporting data, reference to sources CONCISE • all the important ideas in as few words as possible • avoid repetitions (KISS) CLEAR • easy to read (3 levels: words, sentences, text) • precise wording & not too long sentences • clear layout and text organisation: sections, subsections, headings, subheadings, paragraphing, numbering…. OBJECTIVE • content: include all the relevant information (do not be biased) • impersonal style (e.g. absence of emotional words, use of passive - Croatian speakers,...)

PROPOSED STRUCTUREOF A SHORT REPORT • TITLE • INTRODUCTION (TERMS OF REFERENCE) • PROCEDURE (or METHOD) • FINDINGS • CONCLUSIONS • RECOMMENDATIONS (if required)

PROPOSED STRUCTUREOF A SHORT REPORT • TITLE • INTRODUCTION (TERMS OF REFERENCE) What? Purpose? Upon whose request? Deadline? • PROCEDURE (or METHOD) How were the data collected and processed? • FINDINGS Data? • CONCLUSIONS What do the data show (interpretation)? • RECOMMENDATIONS (if required) What can be recommended based on the data?

PROPOSED STRUCTUREOF A LONG REPORT • TITLE • CONTENTS PAGE • SUMMARY (EXECUTIVE SUMMARY, ABSTRACT) • INTRODUCTION/TERMS OF REFERENCE • PROCEDURE/METHOD • FINDINGS • CONCLUSIONS • RECOMMENDATIONS (if required) • SOURCES/LITERATURE/BIBLIOGRAPHY • APPENDIX/APPENDICES

Which sections of the report do the following belong to? • The purpose of this report is to ... • The report was requested by Mr Jasons, Sales Manager. • It was concluded that ... • The recommendations are that ... should be ... • This report has been written because .... • The objectives of this report are to .... • The main findings were that ... • It was to be submitted to the Sales Manager by 02 November 2006. • This report examines (presents) .... . • A total of 200 respondents, chosen by the random sample method, were surveyed. Of these, 167 were invited for interview. • The findings indicated that... • Report on the Croatian National Bank’s Monetary Policy • The major finding of the investigation was that ... • I recommend that ... should be ...

Rewrite the following sentences to improve objectivity and to incorporate an impersonal style. • Theenormousincreaseof 32 percentprovesthesales department has done a superb job. • Theproposed procedure is badbecause it wouldrequire 15% more employees. • Theenormousincreaseof 33 percentwas a resultoftheamazinggrowth in city populationof 10,000 duringthe past year. • Thehorribleeffect on employeesfromthe change in parking regulationswillbe one ofcreatingmassivetrafficproblems. • Youcanhardlyimaginetheeffectofincentivepay on employee morale. • I feelcertainthatthe new plan is betterthanthe old method. • Most of us agreethat a monthly status meetingwillbehelpful.

Blue words out, red sentences in • The enormous increase of 32 percent proves the sales department has done a superb job. The sales department has increased sales by 32 percent during the past quarter. • The proposed procedure is bad because it would require 15% more employees. The proposed procedure would require 15 percent more employee time. • The enormousincrease of 33 percent was a result of the amazing growth in city population of 10,000 during the past year. The city population increase of 10,000 during the past year represents a 33 percent growth rate • The horrible effect on employees from the change in parking regulations will be one of creating massive traffic problems. The change in parking regulations will create additional traffic congestion. • You can hardly imagine the effect of incentive pay on employee morale. Incentive pay improved employee morale in the following ways:... • I feel certain that the new plan is better than the old method. The new plan is more effective than the old method for the following reasons:... • Most of us agree that a monthly status meeting will be helpful. In the quarterly staff meeting 15 out of 18 members of staff supported having a monthly meeting.

Phrases to use: • We strongly … that we should … • The key … are outlined below. • The … of this report is to … the possibilities … • Information for this report was … from the following sources: • This report … to identify potential problems in .. • The report was … by Kim Jam last week. It was to be … by 15 March, 2011.

Phrases to use: • No conclusions were … regarding … • It is … that the following should be done: • It would be … if … • This … a number of issues. Firstly, … • Contrary to our expectations, it was … that … • The data for this report were … from the following sources. • Mark Smith, HR Manager, … this report on incentive policies.

Assignment • Write a short report (1-2 pages) on one of the two topics: a)Doing Business in Croatia: 2012 vs.2011 b)Doing Business: Croatia vs. X • Assessment criteria: a) layout, b) general features (acc/cl/conc/obj), c) phrases to use, d)language (sp/gr), e)content

Doing Business World Bank

Ease of Doing Business • Starting a Business • EmployingWorkers* • Dealing with Construction Permits • Registering Property • Paying Taxes • Enforcing Contracts • Trading Across Borders • Resolving Insolvency • Protecting Investors • Getting Credit • Getting Electricity

Assumptions about the business The business: • Is a limited liability company. • Operates in the economy’s largest business city. • Is 100% domestically owned. • Operates in the manufacturing sector. • Has 60 employees. • Is subject to collective bargaining agreements in economies where such agreements cover more than half the manufacturing sector and apply even to firms not party to them. • Abides by every law and regulation but does not grant workers more benefits than mandated by law, regulation or (if applicable) collective bargaining agreement.

Assumptions about the worker The worker: • Is a full-time, male, nonexecutive employee. • Earns a salary plus benefits equal to the economy’s average wage during the entire period of his employment. • Has a pay period that is the most common for workers in the economy. • Is a lawful citizen who belongs to the same race and religion as the majority of the economy’s population. • Resides in the economy’s largest business city. • Is not a member of a labor union, unless membership is mandatory.

Doing Business rankings http://www.doingbusiness.org/rankings

FEEDBACK Good Food?