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Business Research: Methods, Types & Examples

Content Index

Business research: Definition

Quantitative research methods, qualitative research methods, advantages of business research, disadvantages of business research, importance of business research.

Business research is a process of acquiring detailed information on all the areas of business and using such information to maximize the sales and profit of the business. Such a study helps companies determine which product/service is most profitable or in demand. In simple words, it can be stated as the acquisition of information or knowledge for professional or commercial purposes to determine opportunities and goals for a business.

Business research can be done for anything and everything. In general, when people speak about business research design , it means asking research questions to know where the money can be spent to increase sales, profits, or market share. Such research is critical to make wise and informed decisions.

LEARN ABOUT: Research Process Steps

For example: A mobile company wants to launch a new model in the market. But they are not aware of what are the dimensions of a mobile that are in most demand. Hence, the company conducts business research using various methods to gather information, and the same is then evaluated, and conclusions are drawn as to what dimensions are most in demand.

This will enable the researcher to make wise decisions to position his phone at the right price in the market and hence acquire a larger market share.

LEARN ABOUT:  Test Market Demand

Business research: Types and methodologies

Business research is a part of the business intelligence process. It is usually conducted to determine whether a company can succeed in a new region, to understand its competitors, or simply select a marketing approach for a product. This research can be carried out using steps in qualitative research methods or quantitative research methods.

Quantitative research methods are research methods that deal with numbers. It is a systematic empirical investigation using statistical, mathematical, or computational techniques . Such methods usually start with data collection and then proceed to statistical analysis using various methods. The following are some of the research methods used to carry out business research.

LEARN ABOUT: Data Management Framework

Survey research

Survey research is one of the most widely used methods to gather data, especially for conducting business research. Surveys involve asking various survey questions to a set of audiences through various types like online polls, online surveys, questionnaires, etc. Nowadays, most of the major corporations use this method to gather data and use it to understand the market and make appropriate business decisions.

Various types of surveys, like cross-sectional studies , which need to collect data from a set of audiences at a given point of time, or longitudinal surveys which are needed to collect data from a set of audiences across various time durations in order to understand changes in the respondents’ behavior are used to conduct survey research. With the advancement in technology, surveys can now be sent online through email or social media .

For example: A company wants to know the NPS score for their website i.e. how satisfied are people who are visiting their website. An increase in traffic to their website or the audience spending more time on a website can result in higher rankings on search engines which will enable the company to get more leads as well as increase its visibility.

Hence, the company can ask people who visit their website a few questions through an online survey to understand their opinions or gain feedback and hence make appropriate changes to the website to increase satisfaction.

Learn More:  Business Survey Template

Correlational research

Correlational research is conducted to understand the relationship between two entities and what impact each one of them has on the other. Using mathematical analysis methods, correlational research enables the researcher to correlate two or more variables .

Such research can help understand patterns, relationships, trends, etc. Manipulation of one variable is possible to get the desired results as well. Generally, a conclusion cannot be drawn only on the basis of correlational research.

For example: Research can be conducted to understand the relationship between colors and gender-based audiences. Using such research and identifying the target audience, a company can choose the production of particular color products to be released in the market. This can enable the company to understand the supply and demand requirements of its products.

Causal-Comparative research

Causal-comparative research is a method based on the comparison. It is used to deduce the cause-effect relationship between variables. Sometimes also known as quasi-experimental research, it involves establishing an independent variable and analyzing the effects on the dependent variable.

In such research, data manipulation is not done; however, changes are observed in the variables or groups under the influence of the same changes. Drawing conclusions through such research is a little tricky as independent and dependent variables will always exist in a group. Hence all other parameters have to be taken into consideration before drawing any inferences from the research.

LEARN ABOUT: Causal Research

For example: Research can be conducted to analyze the effect of good educational facilities in rural areas. Such a study can be done to analyze the changes in the group of people from rural areas when they are provided with good educational facilities and before that.

Another example can be to analyze the effect of having dams and how it will affect the farmers or the production of crops in that area.

LEARN ABOUT: Market research trends

Experimental research

Experimental research is based on trying to prove a theory. Such research may be useful in business research as it can let the product company know some behavioral traits of its consumers, which can lead to more revenue. In this method, an experiment is carried out on a set of audiences to observe and later analyze their behavior when impacted by certain parameters.

LEARN ABOUT: Behavioral Targeting

For example: Experimental research was conducted recently to understand if particular colors have an effect on consumers’ hunger. A set of the audience was then exposed to those particular colors while they were eating, and the subjects were observed. It was seen that certain colors like red or yellow increase hunger.

Hence, such research was a boon to the hospitality industry. You can see many food chains like Mcdonalds, KFC, etc., using such colors in their interiors, brands, as well as packaging.

Another example of inferences drawn from experimental research, which is used widely by most bars/pubs across the world, is that loud music in the workplace or anywhere makes a person drink more in less time. This was proven through experimental research and was a key finding for many business owners across the globe.

Online research / Literature research

Literature research is one of the oldest methods available. It is very economical, and a lot of information can be gathered using such research. Online research or literature research involves gathering information from existing documents and studies, which can be available at Libraries, annual reports, etc.

Nowadays, with the advancement in technology, such research has become even more simple and accessible to everyone. An individual can directly research online for any information that is needed, which will give him in-depth information about the topic or the organization.

Such research is used mostly by marketing and salespeople in the business sector to understand the market or their customers. Such research is carried out using existing information that is available from various sources. However, care has to be taken to validate the sources from where the information is going to be collected.

For example , a salesperson has heard a particular firm is looking for some solution that their company provides. Hence, the salesperson will first search for a decision maker from the company, investigate what department he is from, and understand what the target company is looking for and what they are into.

Using this research, he can cater his solution to be spot on when he pitches it to this client. He can also reach out to the customer directly by finding a means to communicate with him by researching online.’

LEARN ABOUT: 12 Best Tools for Researchers

Qualitative research is a method that has a high importance in business research. Qualitative research involves obtaining data through open-ended conversational means of communication. Such research enables the researcher to not only understand what the audience thinks but also why he thinks it.

In such research, in-depth information can be gathered from the subjects depending on their responses. There are various types of qualitative research methods, such as interviews, focus groups, ethnographic research, content analysis, and case study research, that are widely used.

Such methods are of very high importance in business research as they enable the researcher to understand the consumer. What motivates the consumer to buy and what does not is what will lead to higher sales, and that is the prime objective for any business.

Following are a few methods that are widely used in today’s world by most businesses.

Interviews are somewhat similar to surveys, like sometimes they may have the same types of questions used. The difference is that the respondent can answer these open-ended questions at length, and the direction of the conversation or the questions being asked can be changed depending on the response of the subject.

Such a method usually gives the researcher detailed information about the perspective or opinions of its subject. Carrying out interviews with subject matter experts can also give important information critical to some businesses.

For example: An interview was conducted by a telecom manufacturer with a group of women to understand why they have less number of female customers. After interviewing them, the researcher understood that there were fewer feminine colors in some of the models, and females preferred not to purchase them.

Such information can be critical to a business such as a  telecom manufacturer and hence it can be used to increase its market share by targeting women customers by launching some feminine colors in the market.

Another example would be to interview a subject matter expert in social media marketing. Such an interview can enable a researcher to understand why certain types of social media advertising strategies work for a company and why some of them don’t.

LEARN ABOUT: Qualitative Interview

Focus groups

Focus groups are a set of individuals selected specifically to understand their opinions and behaviors. It is usually a small set of a group that is selected keeping in mind the parameters for their target market audience to discuss a particular product or service. Such a method enables a researcher with a larger sample than the interview or a case study while taking advantage of conversational communication.

Focus group is also one of the best examples of qualitative data in education . Nowadays, focus groups can be sent online surveys as well to collect data and answer why, what, and how questions. Such a method is very crucial to test new concepts or products before they are launched in the market.

For example: Research is conducted with a focus group to understand what dimension of screen size is preferred most by the current target market. Such a method can enable a researcher to dig deeper if the target market focuses more on the screen size, features, or colors of the phone. Using this data, a company can make wise decisions about its product line and secure a higher market share.

Ethnographic research

Ethnographic research is one of the most challenging research but can give extremely precise results. Such research is used quite rarely, as it is time-consuming and can be expensive as well. It involves the researcher adapting to the natural environment and observing its target audience to collect data. Such a method is generally used to understand cultures, challenges, or other things that can occur in that particular setting.

For example: The world-renowned show “Undercover Boss” would be an apt example of how ethnographic research can be used in businesses. In this show, the senior management of a large organization works in his own company as a regular employee to understand what improvements can be made, what is the culture in the organization, and to identify hard-working employees and reward them.

It can be seen that the researcher had to spend a good amount of time in the natural setting of the employees and adapt to their ways and processes. While observing in this setting, the researcher could find out the information he needed firsthand without losing any information or any bias and improve certain things that would impact his business.

LEARN ABOUT:   Workforce Planning Model

Case study research

Case study research is one of the most important in business research. It is also used as marketing collateral by most businesses to land up more clients. Case study research is conducted to assess customer satisfaction and document the challenges that were faced and the solutions that the firm gave them.

These inferences are made to point out the benefits that the customer enjoyed for choosing their specific firm. Such research is widely used in other fields like education, social sciences, and similar. Case studies are provided by businesses to new clients to showcase their capabilities, and hence such research plays a crucial role in the business sector.

For example: A services company has provided a testing solution to one of its clients. A case study research is conducted to find out what were the challenges faced during the project, what was the scope of their work, what objective was to be achieved, and what solutions were given to tackle the challenges.

The study can end with the benefits that the company provided through its solutions, like reduced time to test batches, easy implementation or integration of the system, or even cost reduction. Such a study showcases the capability of the company, and hence it can be stated as empirical evidence of the new prospect.

Website visitor profiling/research

Website intercept surveys or website visitor profiling/research is something new that has come up and is quite helpful in the business sector. It is an innovative approach to collect direct feedback from your website visitors using surveys. In recent times a lot of business generation happens online, and hence it is important to understand the visitors of your website as they are your potential customers.

Collecting feedback is critical to any business, as without understanding a customer, no business can be successful. A company has to keep its customers satisfied and try to make them loyal customers in order to stay on top.

A website intercept survey is an online survey that allows you to target visitors to understand their intent and collect feedback to evaluate the customers’ online experience. Information like visitor intention, behavior path, and satisfaction with the overall website can be collected using this.

Depending on what information a company is looking for, multiple forms of website intercept surveys can be used to gather responses. Some of the popular ones are Pop-ups, also called Modal boxes, and on-page surveys.

For example: A prospective customer is looking for a particular product that a company is selling. Once he is directed to the website, an intercept survey will start noting his intent and path. Once the transaction has been made, a pop-up or an on-page survey is provided to the customer to rate the website.

Such research enables the researcher to put this data to good use and hence understand the customers’ intent and path and improve any parts of the website depending on the responses, which in turn would lead to satisfied customers and hence, higher revenues and market share.

LEARN ABOUT: Qualitative Research Questions and Questionnaires

• Business research helps to identify opportunities and threats.
• It helps identify research problems , and using this information, wise decisions can be made to tackle the issue appropriately.
• It helps to understand customers better and hence can be useful to communicate better with the customers or stakeholders.
• Risks and uncertainties can be minimized by conducting business research in advance.
• Financial outcomes and investments that will be needed can be planned effectively using business research.
• Such research can help track competition in the business sector.
• Business research can enable a company to make wise decisions as to where to spend and how much.
• Business research can enable a company to stay up-to-date with the market and its trends, and appropriate innovations can be made to stay ahead in the game.
• Business research helps to measure reputation management
• Business research can be a high-cost affair
• Most of the time, business research is based on assumptions
• Business research can be time-consuming
• Business research can sometimes give you inaccurate information because of a biased population or a small focus group.
• Business research results can quickly become obsolete because of the fast-changing markets

Business research is one of the most effective ways to understand customers, the market, and competitors. Such research helps companies to understand the demand and supply of the market. Using such research will help businesses reduce costs and create solutions or products that are targeted to the demand in the market and the correct audience.

In-house business research can enable senior management to build an effective team or train or mentor when needed. Business research enables the company to track its competitors and hence can give you the upper hand to stay ahead of them.

Failures can be avoided by conducting such research as it can give the researcher an idea if the time is right to launch its product/solution and also if the audience is right. It will help understand the brand value and measure customer satisfaction which is essential to continuously innovate and meet customer demands.

This will help the company grow its revenue and market share. Business research also helps recruit ideal candidates for various roles in the company. By conducting such research, a company can carry out a SWOT analysis , i.e. understand the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. With the help of this information, wise decisions can be made to ensure business success.

LEARN ABOUT:  Market research industry

Business research is the first step that any business owner needs to set up his business to survive or to excel in the market. The main reason why such research is of utmost importance is that it helps businesses to grow in terms of revenue, market share, and brand value.

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Top 25 Management Reporting Best Practices To Create Effective Reports

Table of Contents

1) What Is A Management Report?

2) Financial vs. Management Reports

3) Management Reporting Best Practices & Examples

4) Management Reporting Trends & History

5) Importance Of Management Reporting

6) Types Of Management Reports

7) Management Reporting System Functionalities

8) Best Practices Summary

Management reporting is a source of business intelligence that helps business leaders make more accurate, data-driven decisions. But, these reports are only as useful as the work that goes into preparing and presenting them. In this blog post, we’re going to give a bit of background and context about performance management reports, and then we’ll outline 25 essential best practices you can use to be sure your reports are effective.

We’ll also examine examples that illustrate these practices in action created with modern online reporting tools . By the end of this article, making stunning and useful managerial reports will be second nature to you. But before we get into the nitty-gritty, let’s start with the basic definition.

What Is A Management Report?

Management reports are analytical tools used by managers to inform the performance of the business in several areas and departments. Senior executives and leadership use management reporting to drive their strategic decisions and monitor critical KPIs in real-time. 

They basically show the worth of your business over a specific time period by disclosing financial and operational information. Reporting for management provides insights into how the organization is doing, empowering decision-makers to find the right path to increase operating efficiency and make pertinent decisions to remain competitive. To do so, many companies use professional management reporting software .

Backed up with powerful visualizations developed with a dashboard creator , no information can stay hidden, eliminating thus the possibility of human errors and negative business impact. The image above is a management report example focusing on a SaaS business. Throughout this post, we will cover various examples for different industries and departments to help you understand the power of these modern tools.

In The Beginning, Financial Reports

Most people in business are familiar with financial reports, which your business is required to keep for external accounting purposes. These reports are generally put out “after the fact” and follow a very clear and established set of guidelines known as Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP).

While such reports are useful for legal purposes, they’re not ideal for decision-making. They give you a bird's eye view of your business operations but without the actionable insights that are useful for making strategic choices. They’re also slow. As Tyrone Cotie, treasurer of Clearwater Seafoods, said , “…no matter how quickly you compile and release historical financial statements, you never make a decision from them. The challenge for finance is getting timely and accurate analysis that’s forward-looking and helps us make decisions.” This statement is valid today and probably, in the future as well. Why?

Because this mismatch between usefulness and reality comes from the fact that financial reports were never designed to be useful: they were designed to satisfy legal requirements. They were using historical data only.

Trying to make financial management reports useful

The mentioned mismatch led some companies to try to use their financial reports for legal purposes as decision-making tools by including additional information in them. While this approach has some merit, it has one big drawback: increased complexity and time cost. Considering that financial reports have to hit specific legal deadlines and that any additional information will cause them to be prepared in a more time-intensive way, this approach of “hybridizing” financial reports into management + finances is not recommended. Thus, the practice of management reporting separately from financial reporting came about. Managerial reports use a lot of the same data as financial ones but are presented in a more useful way, for example, via interactive management dashboards .

As a Growthforce article states, management reports help answer some of the following questions for a CEO:

• “Am I pricing my jobs right?
• Who are my most profitable clients?
• Do I have enough cash for payroll?
• Should I hire more employees? If so, how much should I pay them?
• Where should I spend my marketing dollars?”

To answer these questions, you will need a financial management report focused not on legal requirements but on business-level and decision-making ones. In essence, analysis reports are a specific form of business intelligence that has been around for a while. However, using dashboards, big data, and predictive analytics is changing the face of this kind of reporting.

Before moving on to our list of best practices, we leave you an image to help you easily visualize the differences between these two types of reports.

**click to enlarge**

What Should Be Included In A Management Report: Top 25 Best Practices, Examples & Templates

We’ve asked the question: ‘ What is a management report?’ and explored its clear-cut benefits. Now, it’s time to consider the management reporting best practices.

Here, we’ll explore 25 essential tips, looking at management reporting examples while considering how you can apply these principles to different types of managerial reports.

1) Set the strategic goals and objectives

For every report you write, you will need to start with the end in mind. Why do you need that report in the first place? Do you know the key drivers of your business? How can you tell if your pricing is correct? How do you define success? Ask yourself some important data analysis questions that will allow you to address the needs of the report.

Once you know what you are monitoring and why it will be much easier to set the performance indicators that will track each specific aspect of the performance, don’t go further in the reporting process until you have set at least two to three goals.

2) Gather and clean your data  

After you’ve set strategic and operational goals for the organization, your next step is to collect the information needed to track the success and performance of your efforts toward achieving those goals. Now, an important point to consider here is to pick only the data that will assist you in tracking your goals. Businesses gather an infinite amount of information coming from customers, sales, marketing, and much more, and tracking everything can become overwhelming and counterproductive. Instead, pick the sources of data that you actually need and move on to the cleaning stage. 

Once you have selected your sources, you must ensure your data is clean and ready to be analyzed. When we say clean your data, we mean erasing any duplicates, missing codes, or incorrectly formatted data that can damage your analysis in the future. If, just by reading this, you are thinking, “What a tedious process this must be,” it's because it is. Cleaning your data manually requires a lot of time and effort. That said, there are many online data analysis tools out there that automate this process to save you countless hours of work and prevent any risk of human error. 

3) Pick the right KPIs for your audience

OK – so you know that you need to focus on a small number of KPIs. Which ones should you be putting on?

It really depends on your audience – both on their job function and their level of seniority. For example, a junior sales manager and a junior marketing manager are both going to want to see different indicators. And the junior marketing manager will be interested in different data than the head of marketing. Good KPI management is critical in the process of manager reporting. A good way to think about the challenge of picking the correct metrics is to think: what data-driven questions will the readers of this report want to be answered? A sales manager might be interested in which of his reps is performing better, while an inbound marketing manager might want to know which piece of content is performing better regarding new email signups. Only after answering this question you will be able to address your audience’s expectations and benefit from effective reporting. You can also read our KPI reports article, where you can find precious advice on how to pick your KPIs.

Hereafter is an investment management reporting format that illustrates this practice well. It focuses entirely on variables that investors would care about, including the share price and the price-to-earnings ratio.

 **click to enlarge**

4) Set measurable targets and benchmarks

Once you’ve set your goals and defined the KPIs you’ll need to measure them, it is a good practice to set targets or benchmarks to evaluate your progress based on specific values. Let’s explore some ways in which you can define them in the most efficient way possible. 

To do so, you first need to understand the difference between targets and goals. On one hand, goals are general strategic objectives that your company wants to achieve, such as increasing revenue compared to the previous year. And on the other hand, targets are the measures that will enable you to understand if you are on the right track to achieving your initial goals. Based on that, you should be able to set measurable, relevant, and achievable targets. Emphasis on achievable. Many businesses make the mistake of setting unrealistic targets and end up being disappointed when they don’t reach them. To prevent that from happening, comparing your performance to the previous period is a good and realistic benchmark to get started. Our example below is a CEO dashboard that gives managers a perfect overview of the organization’s performance compared to the previous period. Let’s talk about it in more detail below.  

The CEO template provides insights into 4 critical areas for any C-level executive: finances, sales and marketing, customer service, and HR. Each of the metrics displayed in this report is compared to a benchmark of the previous period, with the colors red and green showing negative or positive development, respectively. Through this, managers can understand if their strategies are performing as expected and quickly spot any issues or improvement opportunities. 

5) Take customer feedback into consideration in your reports

An additional tip is to use customer service analytics to draw conclusions from your client's feedback. Customer feedback plays into the overall performance of an organization as it caters to the organization’s ability to meet the needs of its customers. This feedback not only helps teams gauge what they’re doing wrong on their digital channels but also what they’re doing right .

Reporting on insights from feedback surveys can aid in forming a more data-driven digital strategy. For example, it can be leveraged to inform your product roadmap, identify pain points across the website (usability), and boost overall customer satisfaction.

Is it overall customer satisfaction you wish to report on? Dive into your charts and show the rise (or fall) of your Net Promoter Score (NPS). Then take it one step further and analyze open comments associated with your scores to uncover what’s causing the drop. From here, you can formulate a strategy for boosting the organization’s NPS.

Here is an illustration of an NPS (feedback) chart:

6) Tell a story with your data

Our next tip zooms out of hard data and figures to focus more on the style and how to present your raw content. Human beings are primarily persuaded through 3 different types of information: context, content, and meaning. When you tell a story using the insights on your report, you can utilize all of them. This form of storytelling is challenging, but you have a few tools at your disposal and some tips:

• Using time periods and historical data. Stories follow a beginning, middle, and end pattern, and through the use of showing trends over time, you can achieve something similar. For example, you could compare the revenue in Q1 this year to the revenue in Q1 last year.
• Contrasting different KPIs and metrics against each other. For example, showing a target revenue number vs. the actual number this quarter.

Hereafter is a good example of a management report, mainly thanks to the three large historical graphs taking up most of the display:

Let’s take a real-world example of how you can selectively use metrics to tell a specific story: you are the head of marketing and need to justify your current expenditures on content marketing to the CEO. She doesn’t care about email signups or page visits. No, your CEO is interested in revenue and ROI (an essential element of any effective financial management report). It is your job to connect the KPIs you look at revenue so that your CEO understands how important funding your department is.

You could show her the following variables to tell a story:

• Current email list numbers compared to last quarter
• How many new email list signups you’re currently getting per week on average
• The average email list signups you got per week last quarter
• How much money are you making, on average, for every new email subscriber and calculate the expected ROI

Using all of this information, you can answer the following question: how much new revenue is being driven by your new content marketing strategy?

This is the kind of story that can make or break funding allocation for a department.

7) Pick the right visuals 

If you ever dealt with analytics and reporting before, then you must be aware of the multiple types of graphs and charts available to visualize your most important KPIs and build your reports. That said, being aware that these graphics exist does not mean you have the knowledge of how to use them correctly. A common mistake when it comes to management reporting is to use the wrong visual. This can significantly harm the decision-making process as the data can be perceived in the wrong way. 

The first step you should take to avoid this mistake is to think about the goal of the data you want to display. Are you trying to show the breakdown of total costs? Or comparing costs to a previous period? Understanding the end goal will enable you to pick the right visual to convey the information you want. To help you with this task, below we display a visual overview of the different types of graphs and charts you should use depending on whether you want to compare, find relationships, analyze distribution, or composition. 

If you want to dive deeper into this topic, our guide on the different types of graphs and charts will provide all the necessary knowledge and practical examples. 

 8) Make your report visually pleasing through focus

The human mind cannot process too much data at a time without getting overwhelmed. Getting overwhelmed leads to decision fatigue – which makes it harder for your management team to think strategically. That’s why when it comes to this level of reporting, you should remember the mantra of “less is more.” As a rough rule of thumb, displaying three to six KPIs on a report is a good range, and going too much beyond this is not the greatest idea.

That doesn’t mean that you can’t have other data presented – but you must have a clear hierarchy of visual importance in your report and only give the most important spots to your indicators. Other metrics should occupy secondary or tertiary positions. State-of-the-art online dashboard software allows you to easily build interactive KPI dashboards in no time that will become your prime asset when you’ll need to convey your information.

The following example is good to showcase this practice:

The four KPIs in this report template are prominently displayed:

• Number of New Customers
• Average Revenue per customer
• Customer Acquisition Cost

These metrics are set in context with historical trends, targets for the period, or other metrics like Customer Lifetime Value, causing this focused graph to tell a story.

9) Make your report very clear

In business writing and management reporting, clarity is the primary objective. This has several implications for your report design:

• Follow established dashboard design principles – give plenty of white space, ensure your colors stand out from each other, and select colors carefully.
• Don’t forget the small things – display a date range next to the data, and ensure it’s clear whether a given KPI is good, bad, or neutral. A good way to do this is by comparing expected values to real ones, like the expected revenue for a quarter to the actual revenue of this very quarter.
• Use common metrics that everyone who will read the report can understand and has experience with using.

For more tips & tricks on data-efficient reporting, you can read one of our previous blog posts on how to create data reports people love to read.

10) Be mindful not to mislead 

As you learned in our two previous points, making your reports visually appealing and following design best practices is a fundamental aspect of achieving a successful management reporting process. Another important aspect to consider in this regard is to be mindful of how the information is presented to avoid being misleading. As a manager generating a report, it is very likely that you will have a diverse audience which can include people that are not familiar with the data presented in them. For this reason, following some best practices to avoid misleading reports can help you keep your work objective and easy to understand. 

• Labels : When integrating several charts and graphs into your reports, labels play a fundamental role in how the data is perceived. For this reason, your labels should be short, clear, and concise. Avoid writing labels that guide the viewer to a specific conclusion or too complicated ones that can make the chart hard to understand. 
• Axis: Manipulating an axis is a common form of misleading statistics used by the media and politicians to manipulate the public. A common bad practice in this regard is to start the X axis in a higher number than 0 to exaggerate a comparison between two data points. To avoid this, use your axis correctly, following charting guidelines. 
• Cherry picking: This means picking only the data that will make you look good. As a manager, you obviously want to show how great the business is doing. However, showing only good results is a practice that can mislead the audience into believing something that is not the complete truth. Including bad results is a good way to learn and find improvement opportunities. 

Your Chance: Want to test a management reporting software for free? We offer a 14-day free trial. Benefit from great management reports!

11) Go digital!

An important best practice for management reporting is to ditch paper-based reports and go digital. Online KPI reporting software is a great asset for your business, as they offer real-time updating capabilities, saves money, and reduces waste.

These digital reports can be made to be interactive, allowing you to get more granular or zoom out as you wish. Moreover, they are collaborative tools that let your team onboard the analytics train and work conjointly on the same report. Another example we will provide you with is the following marketing KPI report:

This is the perfect type of report a management team needs to ensure actionable, data-driven decisions: a high-level overview of the marketing performance is given. Indeed, focusing on the click-through rate, the website traffic evolution, or page views wouldn’t make sense. On the other hand, the big picture of how the marketing department works as a whole will be more appreciated: total revenue generated standing next to the total spend, the profit that came out of it, the return on investment, etc.

12) Strike a balance with your visualizations

We’ve established that making your report clear is vital to success. Another way of making sure that your management report format is digestible is to make your various visualizations balanced on the page. Our SaaS executive dashboard is an excellent example of a visually balanced format:

The primary focus of this particular example is to provide a customer-centric view of the costs, revenue, and performance stability of your SaaS-based activities from a senior standpoint.

As you can see, our SaaS executive dashboard serves up 4 performance indicators (Customer Acquisition Costs, CLV, ARPU, and MRR) to offer a concise snapshot for senior decision-makers, with each visualization selected based on their ability to offer at-a-glance information without clashing or creating confusion.

When choosing types of graphs and charts, it’s important to consider basic design principles while also considering whether each chart, graph, or display works cohesively to provide essential information without causing conflict or consuming too much time.

By considering the previous tips, testing your visualization choices, and considering your core goals throughout, you’ll create a managerial report that gets real results.

13) Make your report scannable & drillable

It’s clear that going digital with your management reporting system is essential in our tech-driven age. And as we touched on earlier, two of the significant advantages of these systems are interactive functionality and customizable features.

By being able to customize your reports with ease while taking advantage of interactive features, you can build on your data visualization selection and design practices to ensure your management report template is both scannable & drillable.

Take this dynamic project reporting example, for instance:

By making customizations and using interactive functions to drill down deeper into particular pockets of information, this IT report sample is effective for quick access to real-time project performance information as well as comprehensive trend-based data.

Working from the top left to the top right and down the project dashboard in a logical format, you can see the dashboard is entirely scannable and customized for cherry-picking important metrics. Here, it’s possible to get a clear gauge of project progress, looming deadlines, budgets, and workloads by simply scanning the page.

Plus, by taking advantage of interactive features and drill-down boxes, it’s possible to dig deeper into your data as required. By embracing customizable and interactive dashboard features, you can build your creations flexibly, working in real-time or with monthly management report tools. If you want to track your progress in a different format, you can take a look at our KPI scorecard article and organize your milestones differently.

14) Deliver real-time data that aligns with your objectives

Regarding major types of management reports, it’s important to understand when to lean on real-time insights. Knowing when to use this kind of dynamic data is the most prominent feature of your dashboard.

We’ve covered the importance of storytelling and selecting a balanced mix of KPIs (for past, predictive, and real-time insights). But what is important to consider with any management report sample is making sure your real-time insights fully align with your objectives.

The next of our examples comes in the form of our energy dashboard - a prime representation of well-placed real-time insights:

Energy management is challenging as it requires quick responses to potential issues or inefficiencies to prevent major losses or problem escalations by utilizing modern energy analytics solutions. As demonstrated in this most insightful example, while you can see a mix of data types, the real-time metrics reflect the core aims of monitoring energy consumption and improving powercut management.

When creating your report, here’s what you should do to ensure your real-time data aligns with your primary goals:

• Revisit your key objectives and KPI selections, studying them in greater detail to see whether your real-time metrics “tell a story or paint a picture” that your audience will benefit from.
• Run your report for a week, personally testing it to check if your real-time insights allow you to achieve your goals and make quick, informed decisions.
• Ask other key stakeholders within the organization to test your report and offer their feedback. Based on their (and your) discoveries, make tweaks, changes, or customizations accordingly.

15) Try Predictive Analytics & AI Technologies 

Following the line of real-time data, our next best practice is related to advanced management reporting systems. To extract the maximum potential out of your reports, you need to be sure you invest in a tool that will make your process easier, more automated, and more time-efficient. To assist you with this purpose, there are several business analytics tools in the market that can offer you these types of solutions. Let’s look at what you can achieve with these technologies. 

Predictive analytics: Unlike not many other solutions out there, datapine provides a predictive analytics tool that takes historical data in order to predict future outcomes in your business performance. Getting these kinds of predictions is valuable as it will let you prepare in advance for the future and spot any potential issues before they happen. 

Artificial intelligence (AI): As we’ve mentioned a few times throughout this post, management reports should turn your life easier. For this reason, embracing the powers of AI can take your managerial data to the next level. datapine’s intelligent alerts use neural networks to learn from trends and patterns in your data so they can later notify you if something unusual happens. All you need to do is set predefined targets or goals, and the alerts will set off as soon as a goal is met or something is not going as planned. 

16) Keep your dashboards actionable and improve constantly

Expanding on the previous point: whether a financial management report, a monthly management report sample, or any other type of senior dashboard, continual improvements will ensure your offerings remain relevant and actionable.

The digital world is constantly evolving, and as such, business goals, aims, strategies, and initiatives are always changing to adapt to the landscape around them. To ensure your reports work for you on a sustainable basis, you should periodically test each report to check for any irrelevant KPIs while looking for any reporting inefficiencies. This can be done simply by utilizing visual analytics tools that use the power of visualization to ensure your reporting stays on course and improves your business's bottom line.

At this point, you’ll have already laid out the framework for your reports, and by committing ample time to make updates as well as improvements, you’ll remain one step ahead of the competition at all times. Get testing!

17) Develop your reports collaboratively

Managerial reporting systems are designed to offer insight, clarity, and direction.

To squeeze every last drop of value from your managerial reports, you must commit to developing your reports according to the landscape around you—and the best way to do so is as a team.

By taking a collaborative approach to your company's reporting initiatives, you will increase your chances of making tweaks or enhancements that offer a real benefit to your business.

Suppose you're in charge of financial management reporting, for instance. In that case, you should create a tight-knit workgroup of relevant specialists within your organization to gather on a regular basis and assess the relevance of your KPIs or metrics.

With this mix of professional perspectives, you will gain the power to spot any existing report management system weaknesses (outdated visualizations, inefficient reporting layouts, unnecessary data, etc.) to ensure that your accounting management reports not only capture every valuable fiscal insight but work in a way that gives every user the tools to perform to the best of their abilities.

As modern management reporting templates offer flexible 24/7 access across a multitude of devices, it’s possible to develop or evolve your visualizations and insights collaboratively on a remote basis, if required.

18) Create a sense of cohesion & consistency

Concerning financial management reporting best practices, our dynamic financial dashboard is as good as it gets. With a balanced mix of scannable visualizations and KPIs designed to drill down into the four primary areas of CFO management, this particular tool demonstrates the unrivaled value of internal executive reports.

Here, everything is geared towards striking a balance between economic value, improved financial performance, and ongoing employee satisfaction, presented in a logical and digestible format for swift decision-making even under pressure.

One of the main reasons this CFO manager report template works so well is it is functional as well as visual cohesion and consistency. Every key element is neatly segmented on screen, with charts that offer a wealth of relevant information at a glance.

As you can see, everything flows, each element fits into the right place, the colors and tones are cohesive, and it’s clear where you need to look when you need very specific nuggets of information at the moment.

Using this template as a working example, which you can adjust also as a CEO dashboard , you can create various types of reports in management with visual and practical consistency and cohesion at the forefront of your mind. If something appears out of place or creates friction, return to the drawing board and start again until everything is harmonious and offers genuine value.

19) Compartmentalize your data effectively

Our striking IT dashboard is a dynamic informational toolkit for anyone leading a company’s technical innovation and progress.

Whether you’re a small, medium, or large business (and regardless of your sector), our CTO-centric management reports template focuses on minimizing technical issues, streamlining tech-based processes, improving team attrition rates, managing new developments, and more.

In addition to its streamlined functionality and sheer reporting power, one of the key reasons this managerial report example is so powerful is its effective compartmentalization. Expanding on our last trip, by focusing on cohesion before considering how you will compartmentalize your insights, you will consistently get the most from your reporting efforts.

We touched on this before, but it’s a vital component of reporting, so it’s worth covering in further detail: once you’ve committed to your data and visual KPIs, examine how each key element fits into your report and place it into the ‘right compartment’ on-page.

Looking at the CTO dashboard, each core branch of information is split into a box under a clear-cut subheading. Within each of these compartmentalizations, there are clearly labeled data, insights, and visualizations.

By drilling down further into how you compartmentalize your reports, you will give yourself the ability to analyze one area of information or grab an entire snapshot at a simple glance. As a result, you will improve your business performance and streamline your decision-making process.

20) Create a scannable timeline

Employee management reporting helps managers make vital improvements to specific functions of the business with clear-cut direction and complete confidence.

Our HR dashboard — a must for any modern HR department — exists to assist personnel-based managers in keeping their employees happy, engaged, and motivated. Employees who feel valued and engaged in the business are generally more productive and more creative, so looking after your talent the right way should be one of your company’s top priorities — no exceptions.

When it comes to HR, managers need to take care of many tasks, which include picking the best payroll system, conducting performance reviews to ensure productivity, hiring the right talents, and more. Putting the talent area into perspective, our HR management reporting template serves up a perfect storm of data-driven insights that covers staff turnover, dismissal, rising talent, and overall satisfaction levels. For example, the talent satisfaction KPI for HR managers gives you a clear overview of whether your business gives enough incentives to satisfy your current workforce.

But not only here, but you will also gain a deep working insight into where you might be going wrong while capitalizing on your strengths and, ultimately, offering the right reward, recognition, training, and support where needed.

What makes this workforce management reporting example so successful is the fact that it provides a solid timeline of information. By working down or across, you can access an excellent balance of historical, real-time, and predictive knowledge with ease.

As such, this report paints a data-centric timeline that will empower any HR manager to examine trends, understand fluctuations in employee engagement rates, and create viable strategies that increase retention while boosting productivity.

The takeaway here? When considering the contents of a good managerial report, it’s always important to look at how your visualizations and design layout create a timeline that allows you to formulate initiatives that will benefit the business both in the moment and in the future.

21) Embed your reports  

As we are about to reach the end of this insightful list of tips and best practices, we couldn’t leave out one of the technologies that have revolutionized the reporting landscape: embedding analytics. Essentially, embedding a report means integrating all the functionalities of a business intelligence reporting software , such as dashboards, charts, and more, into your company’s existing system. 

Having access to this type of technology is not only way cheaper as your company doesn’t need to invest in creating a system of its own, but it can also provide a great competitive advantage. Embedded dashboards and reports are fully customized to the colors, logo, and font of the organization, allowing employees and managers to enjoy all the functionalities of a reporting system in a familiar environment which can boost productivity and performance. 

22) Don’t neglect security and privacy  

So far, we’ve covered tips related to the planning, design, and usability of your reports. Now, we will talk about a topic that is often overlooked but is becoming increasingly important, privacy and security. According to research , in 2021, 70% of small businesses reported a cyberattack of some kind. The financial impact of these attacks can significantly damage an organization. It is believed the average cost of an email comprise attack is $130.000. At the same time, ransomware attacks are projected to reach $11.5 million in damages this year.  

That said, privacy and security issues affect businesses on a financial level but also on a reputational and legal one. Not protecting sensitive customer and employee data, such as addresses, bank records, phone numbers, and others, can expose them to serious damage that can lead to legal repercussions. 

To prevent critical business information from falling into the wrong hands, you should implement strict access controls, data encryption, and data anonymization processes, among other things. Plus, you should train your employees about potential threats and prevent risky behaviors, such as accessing reports on a public network. Tools such as datapine provide a secure environment for your management reporting process. This includes secure sharing options such as password-protected URLs or strict viewing rights to make sure only authorized people have access to the reports. 

23) Explore self-service analytics tools 

The times when financial or management reports were only meant for analysts or scientists are long gone. In today’s data-driven era, if a business wants to succeed and get an advantage over competitors fully, they need to make sure that everyone in its organization can benefit from data analysis. For this purpose, implementing a self-service business intelligence tool can be the answer. 

In simple words, self-service BI refers to the process or tools companies use to analyze and visualize their data without needing any prior technical skills. Management reporting systems such as datapine include a user-friendly interface as well as an intuitive dashboard designer that will allow you and anyone in your business to visualize insights from several sources and create powerful reports with just a few clicks. Businesses that benefit from these types of solutions can extract valuable information into their performance and constantly spot improvement opportunities. 

24) Assess data literacy  

As mentioned a couple of times already, in order for your management reporting process to be efficient, it is necessary to involve the entire organization. While self-service tools such as the ones we mentioned in the previous point are extremely valuable to achieve this task, there is still a level of knowledge or analytical awareness that needs to be had across all employees for the process to be successful. To do so, assessing the level of data literacy is a great place to start. 

Data literacy refers to the ability to understand and communicate using data. To evaluate the level of literacy of your employees, you can carry out surveys to categorize them depending on their level of knowledge. With the results, you can set up training instances to get everyone in the same place with the tools and concepts that will need to be used across the organization’s analytical journey. In time, everyone will be able to generate stunning management reports and use them to collaborate with each other. This leads us to our next and final best practice. 

25) Encourage a data-driven culture

Following on from the prior point, by implementing self-service solutions, you will gain an invaluable benefit: a data-driven culture for your business. Your company culture is the blueprint for how your business runs, as well as how everyone within your business interacts or operates internally. Naturally, your internal culture will have a notable impact on the way your clients, customers, and affiliates view your business.

Seventy-eight percent of top business leaders believe that company culture is among the top five things that add value to their company. That said, if you want to maximize the power and wider organizational values of your data-driven reporting efforts, you should make it a key component of your company culture.

If you place the value of data and using it to its maximum capabilities at the heart of your company culture, you will empower everyone to embrace and make use of the reporting tools that will improve their performance while making their roles easier (which, in turn, will boost employee satisfaction levels).

To do so, you should hold regular meetings to explain how data reporting can benefit every department within your organization while holding educational workshops where everyone within the business can learn how to use the tools.

Let’s now go over the history of these reports, where they come from, and how they have been developed.

History And Trends Of Management Reporting

In the past, legacy systems were used to prepare reports for management – and still are, in many cases. These systems are much more useful than financial reports but still have their drawbacks. Legacy systems are often quite technical in their operation and interface, which makes them challenging for most non-IT personnel to use effectively. This creates a situation of “lag time” between a member of management wanting a report and actually receiving it.

In modern times, with the breadth and depth of data available growing at an astonishing rate, these challenges have only escalated. As Peter Wollmert, an EY global leader, stated in a quote from a Financial Director article: “Many [CFOs] are encumbered by legacy systems that do not allow reporting teams to extract forward-looking insight from large, fast-changing data sets.”

To put the rise of management reporting into perspective, let’s analyze the results of Deloitte’s survey about the changes in this managerial practice. As we mentioned before, top managers are no longer satisfied with static financial reports that don’t provide the level of insights the business needs to grow. Although getting a clear picture of a company’s finances is fundamental, modern management reports provide the context and reasons behind the business's financial results, which makes it possible to go deeper into the roots for better decision-making. 

Although managers have the willingness to adopt these reporting practices, the survey shows that only 24% of the reporting time is actually spent doing analysis and building strategies. The reason is businesses today are still spending an insane amount of time building their reports. Paired with this, 50% of respondents said they were unsatisfied with the speed of delivery and the quality of the reports they received. 

What businesses need today are management systems that will provide them with the perfect mix of internal and external real-time data to put their business performance into context and drive those much-wanted business insights. 

Tools such as datapine provide businesses with an all-in-one management reporting system in which they can connect all their data sources to create real-time automated reports in the form of professional business dashboards . By adopting this type of technology, managers and their teams can save countless hours on manually gathering the data and creating the reports, and spend all the necessary time monitoring and analyzing their performance in the most interactive and efficient way. 

Why Is It Important To Write A Management Report?

For any function and in any industry, reports are more than useful, they are crucial to the well-functioning of the company.

Reporting is all the more important in management as it has higher stakes and holds bigger, cross-disciplinary decisions. In general, reports are important to management for various reasons: they measure strategic metrics to assess and monitor the performance, they set benchmarks about said performance, enable the business to learn from its activity by leaving a track record, and finally, enhance communication. Here’s a short list of benefits:

• Measuring strategic metrics to assess and monitor the performance: by now, we’ve understood that if businesses wanted to grow, they would need to implement a way to measure their performance against their competitors – but also against their own
• Helping you understand your position: a management-style report provides you with the right metrics to get a snapshot of your business's health and evolution. You can compare it to your competitors to focus on or realign your strategy.
• Setting clear-cut performance benchmarks: thanks to that track record, you have a regular benchmark about how you perform both operationally and financially.
• Learning and reproducing – or not: benchmarks are a guide to tell you what works and what doesn’t. From it, you can learn the best and worst practices to develop or avoid.
• Enhancing communication: among partners, investors, customers, and colleagues. Management-type reports develop the visibility of the different activities across departments and improve communication within the company.
• Improving collaboration: as a direct result of improved internal communication, senior-level reports enhance interdepartmental collaboration. With people working cohesively towards a common goal, departments can use management reporting discoveries to collaborate on specific projects or initiatives, catalyzing success in a number of key areas.
• Boosting engagement & motivation: a well-crafted manager-level report makes critical company data accessible to all, which improves individual performance. When people perform at an optimum level and are recognized for their work, they will become more engaged, inspired, and motivated. This, in turn, will increase productivity across the organization.
• Fostering continual business growth: solid reporting in management indeed improves productivity and decision-making, which fosters consistency as well as continual business growth. If you’re growing consistently over time, you will ensure long-term success - the most powerful benefit of reporting in management.

Essential Types Of Management Reports

As we’ve mentioned throughout this post, there is an immense amount of growth possibilities when implementing a modern management reporting system in your business. To finalize interiorizing you into the benefits of these powerful tools, we will mention 9 essential types of reports for management you can adopt for different analytical purposes. 

• External reports: We’ve already introduced you to this type of report at the beginning of the post. As its name suggests, these reports are aimed at external stakeholders, which can be investors, creditors, suppliers, and bankers, among others. These reports can also be used to provide context into something that might be affecting business performance, for example, industry trends.
• Internal reports: The next in our list are internal ones. This refers to any managerial task that must be reported on, and it is not expected to follow legal format standards. Internal reports can be used for top-level, middle-level, or lower-level management, and their frequency will vary depending on their main goal.
• Progress or status reports: Tracks the progress of a project or a goal in detail. By using this type of management report, you can track all activities related to the completion of the project, see how far you are from the final goal, and if tasks are running at the expected schedule.  
• Operational reports: This type aims to track all aspects related to the operation or performance of different metrics. They are usually created on a daily, weekly, or even monthly basis and are used to optimize business processes, lower costs, spot trends, and improve the overall day-to-day running of the company. 
• Analytical reports: This type of business report uses quantitative and qualitative data to analyze, evaluate, and filter the performance of a company's strategies. They can deliver predictions and trends for better decision-making and business innovation.
• Industry reports: As its name suggests, this type gives managers an overview of the industry's status. These reports are helpful because they enable decision-makers to understand their position in the industry and their competitors. The insights provided in this report can help businesses extract benchmarks to measure their performance. 
• Product reports : C-level executives need to oversee every single aspect of the business, and one of them is product development. These reports provide a complete overview of product development, such as feature adoption, top-selling products, and willingness to pay, among other things. Through them, decision-makers can find improvement opportunities and boost their products and services through the power of analytics.  
• Project reports: In a business context, there is always a range of projects being carried out. These reports provide an overview of the development of a project with insights into completed and upcoming tasks, budget usage, competition percentage, and launch dates, among other things. Through them, teams can stay connected to ensure every task is carried out efficiently and in the expected time. 
• Compliance reports: As mentioned previously, companies have been generating financial reports for decades. These reports enable them to stay compliant with law and tax regulations and provide an accurate picture of financial health to investors and other external stakeholders.

What Should A Successful Management Reporting System Include?

In our 25 tips to generate efficient management reports, we presented you with a few features any software worth its salt should include, such as real-time data, embedding capabilities, predictive analytics technologies, and more. A management reporting system that wants to be successful in today’s fast-paced world needs to support itself with a set of functionalities and technologies that will make it more efficient in various aspects. Paired with the features we already presented before, a couple of others that are fundamental include: 

• The ability to connect multiple data sources 

If you’ve ever dealt with generating a report, then you must be aware of the fact that manual work is the enemy of productivity. For this reason, your management reporting system should provide you with the possibility to automatically connect multiple external and internal data sources with just a few clicks. Management reporting tools, such as datapine, offer professional data connectors that allow users to merge all their sources into one location. The best part is that the information in them is updated automatically, eliminating any kind of manual work from the process.  

• Be user-friendly and intuitive 

Another important functionality is user-friendliness and accessibility. Analytics has become a mandatory practice for modern businesses, meaning generating reports and analyzing the information in them is a task that cannot be segregated to people with technical knowledge anymore. When investing in professional software, ensure it has a user-friendly interface that anyone in your organization can use. This way, you’ll make sure all employees are empowered to integrate data into their daily routines. 

• Interactive filters to explore your reports 

While report generation is an important part to consider, data exploration is equally as important. Traditional reports created on PowerPoint or Excel often limit users to only analyze the information that is visually available. Modern management reports should be interactive and provide a set of filters that allow users to navigate the data and extract deeper conclusions from it. For instance, datapine’s drill down filter allows you to explore lower levels of data just by clicking on a specific chart. For example, say you have a chart showing sales by product category. A drill down would allow you to click on a specific category and see the best-selling products in that category. This proves to be a great method to support discussions and make more improved strategic decisions. 

• Automation of various tasks  

Going back to the first point, automation is key when it comes to achieving an efficient management reporting process. We already talked about merging your sources of information as a key automation feature. However, this is only the tip of the iceberg. Any reporting system worth its salt should also provide other automation features, such as report automation and sharing. This means telling the tool that you want to generate a report with specific data in it, and you want it sent to a specific recipient on a specific date and time, and the system should do it on its own. Relying on automation for various tasks that would otherwise take a lot of time and resources is a great way to focus your efforts on growing the business and carrying out successful strategies. 

How To Prepare A Management Report – Summary

To sum up, the main steps we have explored throughout this guide and cement our understanding of the question “What is management reporting,” here is a list of the 25 best practices you should use to prepare a solid report or overview. By taking the time to get acquainted with these approaches, you will boost your business intelligence (BI) initiatives sooner than you think.

Without further ado, let’s summarize:

• Set the strategic goals and objectives : Start by defining what you want to achieve, why you need to write that report, and who you are writing it for.
• Clean your data : Make sure it is clean from any formatting errors or duplications to avoid damaging your analysis later.
• Choose the right KPIs for your audience: Different positions have different needs – keep in mind who will read what you write to know what you need to focus on.
• Set measurable targets: Set performance benchmarks or targets to evaluate the success of your strategies toward achieving general company goals. 
• Take customer feedback into consideration: Customers are the backbone of any business, and you need to understand what your business is doing wrong as well as right.
• Polish your storytelling skills : You have hard data in your hands that need to be understood by everyone: clarifying it with a nice story backed with a comprehensive dashboard will convey your insights even more easily.
• Pick the right visuals: Understand the goal of your reports to help you pick the right graph or chart to visualize your data. 
• Make your report visually pleasing through focus : With the help of BI software, you can build compelling dashboards in no time that will be your best ally when communicating your findings.
• Clarity is the watchword : Follow some presentation and design principles to stay on the safe side while elaborating your report.
• Don't mislead : make sure you follow design best practices and avoid unethical manipulations of the data to avoid misleading your audience.
• Go digital : Paper-based reports are of the past. Put your hands on an online dashboard tool that will let you consolidate your data in one central place and quickly and smoothly build interactive reports with always up-to-date information.
• Striking the balance : To ensure you get the most from your centralized digital dashboards, you need to make sure that the visualizations work well on-page and help those within your organization obtain at-glance information with ease, devoid of confusion.
• Scannability + drillability = success: By taking full advantage of the interactive functionality of digital reporting dashboards, you can improve the scannability of your dashboard reports while using filters and drill-down boxes to dig deeper into important pockets of information with ease.
• Real-time data relevance: Real-time insights are invaluable to any organization—but only if they align with your core reporting goals. Test your reports before rolling them out across the organization, checking your real-time metrics for clarity and relevance.
• Keep on improving: The digital world is constantly evolving. Sector, niche, or industry aside, you must regularly test your reports, making changes or customizations to iron out any data that has become redundant or inefficient. Never stop testing; never stop improving.
• Use predictive analytics & AI: Benefit from advanced analytical technologies to spot trends and patterns in your data and get a pick into your future performance.
• Develop your reports collaboratively: When improving and enhancing your reports and dashboards, you should work as a tight-knit team, taking everyone’s ideas and perspectives on board. Doing so will ensure your reports are valuable and built for success at all times.
• Create a sense of cohesion & consistency: From both a visual and functional perspective, focusing on creating a sense of consistency and harmony with your KPIs and visualizations will improve your reporting success across the board.
• Compartmentalize your data effectively: In addition to making sure you create cohesion within your on-page reporting layout, you should also compartmentalize every key branch of information, creating separate boxes and subheadings for quick access to effective information.
• Create a scannable timeline: When creating your dashboard reports, developing an informational timeline over a specific period will make it easier for you to put together strategies and initiatives in a wealth of key areas.
• Use embedding analytics : Use this technology to make your reports more professional and accessible to all stakeholders.
• Don’t neglect privacy and security: Implement security measures to ensure your financial, customer, and employee data doesn’t fall into the wrong hands. 
• Use self-service analytics: Involve all your employees in your reporting process with the help of intuitive self-service BI tools.
• Assess data literacy: Evaluate your employee's analytical knowledge and provide training instances where needed. 
• Encourage a data-driven culture: Your company culture is, in many ways, the beating heart of your entire business. By taking measures to place respect and value for data-driven reporting at the heart of your business, you will empower everyone to embrace the concept, boosting the value of your dashboard-centric efforts.

With all of these reporting best practices, you can now perform online reporting that will help your company’s leaders to make effective, data-driven decisions. 

Key Takeaways Management Reporting  

On our journey, we’ve outlined the management reporting definition, looked at management reports examples, explored best practices, and drilled down into the business-boosting benefits of dynamic digital dashboards.

It’s clear that by embracing the wealth of digital data available to your business and harnessing it effectively, you stand to make the kind of management decisions that will drive your organization forward with force, accelerating your success in the process.

In a nutshell, you should follow the management reporting examples by hand-picking a few relevant KPIs to display and tell a clear story with your data. It’s also essential to work collaboratively, creating a healthy ecosystem of data-driven innovation that will empower everyone in the business to benefit from the unrivaled power of managerial-style reporting. Knowledge is indeed power, and if your business runs on it, you will reap great rewards, both now and in the long run.

Combine this concept with the help of our BI dashboard software which will empower you to work on the evolution of your data in real-time while enabling you to create efficient dashboards, and you will drive your business well above the competition.

Take charge of professional destiny today by trying datapine with a 14-day trial , completely free, and start creating your own reports just with a few clicks!

How to Write a Business Report: A Step By Step Guide with Examples

Table of contents

Enjoy reading this blog post written by our experts or partners.

If you want to see what Databox can do for you, click here .

With so much experience under your belt, you already know a lot about business reporting.

So, we don’t want to waste your time pointing out the obvious because we know what you need.

Secrets. Tricks. Best practices.sales rep drilldown business report

The answer to how to write a mind-blowing business report that you don’t need to spend hours and days writing.

A business report that will immediately allow you to identify your strengths and weaknesses.

A report that’ll help you learn more about your business and do more accurate forecasting and planning for the future.

We believe we have just that right here.

With this comprehensive guide, you’ll create effective sales, analytical, and informative business reports (and business dashboards ) that will help you improve your strategies, achieve your goals, and grow your business.

So, let’s dive in.

What Is a Business Report?

Importance of creating business reports, types of business reports, what should be included in a business report, how to write a business report: an 11-step guide.

• Business Report Examples

Although there’s a variety of business reports that differ in many aspects, in short, a business report definition would be the following:

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.

Their main purpose is to facilitate the decision-making process related to the future of the business, as well as to maintain effective communication between people who create the reports and those they report to.

A good business report is concise and well-organized, looks professional, and displays the relevant data you can act on. The point is to reflect upon what you’ve achieved so far (typically, over the past month, quarter or year) and to use the data to create a new strategy or adjust the current one to reach even more business goals.

Business reports should be objective and based on the data. When stating the facts, people rely on numbers rather than giving descriptions. For instance, instead of saying “our conversion rate skyrocketed”, you would display the exact percentages that back up that claim.

Business reporting matters for several reasons, among which the most important ones are:

Recognizing Opportunities to Grow

Detecting issues and solving them quickly, evaluating a potential partner, having a paper trail, keeping things transparent for the stakeholders, setting new company goals.

In fact, over half of the companies that contributed to Databox’s state of business reporting research confirmed that regular monitoring and reporting brought them significant concrete benefits.

If you never look back at what you’ve achieved, you can’t figure out what you’ve done well and what you can leverage in the future for even better results.

When you analyze a specific aspect of your business over a specific time period and present the data you gathered in a report, you can detect an opportunity to grow more easily because you have all the information in one place and organized neatly.

Is it time to introduce new products or services? Is there a way to enhance your marketing strategy? Prepare a report. Can you optimize your finances? Write a financial business report . Whatever decision you need to make, it’s easier when you base it on a report.

Reports are essential for crisis management because they can introduce a sense of calmness into your team. Putting everything on paper makes it easier to encompass all the relevant information and when you know all the facts, you can make a more accurate and effective decision about what to do next.

Writing business reports regularly will also help you identify potential issues or risks and act timely to prevent damage and stop it from escalating. That’s why monthly reporting is better than doing it only once a year.

Having an insight into your finances , operations and other business aspects more regularly allows you to have better control over them and mitigate potential risks more effectively.

Different types of business reports may be accessible to the general public. And if they’re not, specific situations may require a company to send them over to the person requesting them. That may happen if you’re considering a partnership with another company. Before making the final decision, you should learn about their financial health as every partnership poses a certain risk for your finances and/or reputation. Will this decision be profitable?

Having an insight into a company’s business report helps you establish vital business relationships. And it goes the other way around – any potential partner can request that you pull a business report for them to see, so writing business reports can help you prove you’re a suitable business partner.

In business, and especially in large companies, it’s easy to misplace information when it’s communicated verbally. Having a written report about any aspect of your business doesn’t only prevent you from losing important data, but it also helps you keep records so you can return to them at any given moment and use them in the future.

That’s why it’s always good to have a paper trail of anything important you want to share with colleagues, managers, clients, or investors. Nowadays, of course, it doesn’t have to literally be a paper trail, since we keep the data in electronic form.

Writing business reports helps you keep things transparent for the stakeholders, which is the foundation of efficient communication between these two sides.

You typically need to report to different people – sometimes they’re your managers, sometimes they’re a client. But your company’s stakeholders will also require an insight into the performance of your business, and relying on reports will help you maintain favorable business relationships. A business report shows you clearly how your company is performing and there isn’t room for manipulation.

Once you set business goals and the KPIs that help you track your progress towards them, you should remember they’re not set in stone. From time to time, you’ll need to revisit your goals and critical metrics and determine whether they’re still relevant.

When you write a business report and go through it with your team members or managers, you have a chance to do just that and determine if you’re efficient in reaching your goals. Sometimes, new insights will come up while writing these reports and help you identify new objectives that may have emerged.

Depending on your goals and needs, you’ll be writing different types of business reports. Here are five basic types of business reports .

Informational Report

Analytical report, research report, explanatory report, progress report.

Informational reports provide you with strictly objective data without getting into the details, such as explaining why something happened or what the result may be – just pure facts.

An example of this type of business report is a statement where you describe a department within your company: the report contains the list of people working in this department, what their titles are, and what they’re responsible for.

Another example related to a company’s website could look like this Google Analytics website traffic engagement report . As we explained above, this report shows objective data without getting too much into the details, so in this case, just the most important website engagement metrics such as average session duration, bounce rate, sessions, sessions by channel, and so on. Overall, you can use this report to monitor your website traffic, see which keywords are most successful, or how many returning users you have, but without further, in-depth analysis.

Analytical reports help you understand the data you’ve collected and plan for the future based on these insights. You can’t make business decisions based on facts only, so analytical reports are crucial for the decision-making process.

This type of business report is commonly used for sales forecasting. For instance, if you write a report where you identify a drop or an increase in sales, you’ll want to find out why it happened. This HubSpot’s sales analytics report is a good example of what metrics should be included in such a report, like average revenue per new client or average time to close the deal. You can find more web analytics dashboard examples here.

From these business reports, you can find out if you will reach your goals by implementing your current strategy or if you need to make adjustments.

Research is critical when you’re about to introduce a change to your business. Whether it’s a new strategy or a new partner, you need an extensive report to have an overview of all important details. These reports usually analyze new target markets and competition, and contain a lot of statistical data.

While not the same, here is an example of an ecommerce dashboard that could help track each part of a campaign in detail, no matter whether you are launching a new product, testing a new strategy, and similar. Similar to a research report, it contains key data on your audience (target market), shows your top-selling products, conversion rate and more. If you are an online store owner who is using paid ads, you can rely on this report to monitor key online sales stats in line with Facebook Ads and Google Analytics. See more ecommerce dashboards here.

As you might guess from its name, you write the explanatory report when it’s necessary for you to explain a specific situation or a project you’ve done to your team members. It’s important to write this report in a way that everyone will be able to understand.

Explanatory reports include elements like research results, reasons and goals of the research, facts, methodology, and more. While not exactly an explanatory report, this example of a HubSpot marketing drilldown report is the closest thing to it, as it helps marketers drill into an individual landing page performance, and identify how good their best landing pages are at converting, or which ones have the best performance.

A progress report is actually an update for your manager or client – it informs them about where you stand at the moment and how things are going. It’s like a checkpoint on your way towards your goal.

These reports may be the least demanding to write since you don’t need to do comprehensive research before submitting them. You just need to sum up your progress up to the point when the report was requested. This business report may include your current results, the strategy you’re implementing, the obstacles you’ve come across, etc. If this is a marketing progress report you can use marketing report templates to provide a more comprehensive overview.

In many companies, progress reports are done on a weekly or even daily basis. Here is an example of a daily sales report from Databox. HubSpot users can rely on this sales rep drilldown business report to see how individual each sales rep is performing and measure performance against goals. Browse through all our KPI dashboards here.

What does a great business report look like? If you’re not sure what sections your report should have, you’ll learn what to include in the following lines.

Business Report Formatting

Different types of reports require different lengths and structures, so your business report format may depend on what elements your report needs to have. For example, progress reports are typically pretty simple, while analytical or explanatory reports are a different story.

However, most reports will start with a title and a table of contents, so the person reading the report knows what to expect. Then, add a summary and move on to the introduction. After you’ve written the body and the conclusion, don’t forget to include suggestions based on your findings that will help your team create an actionable plan as you move forward.

After that, list the references you used while creating the report, and attach any additional documents or images that can help the person reading the report understand it better.

This outline may vary depending on what kind of report you’re writing. Short business reports may not need a table of contents, and informative reports won’t contain any analyses. Also, less formal reports don’t need to follow a strict structure in every situation.

Business Report Contents

When it comes to the contents of your report, keep in mind the person who’s going to read it and try to balance between including all the relevant information, but not overwhelming the reader with too many details.

• The introduction to the report should state the reason why you’re writing it, and what its main goal is. Also, mention what methodology and reporting software you’ve used, if applicable.
• The body of the report is where you’ll expose all your key findings, explain your methodology, share the important data and statistics, and present your results and conclusion.
• The conclusion , similarly to the summary you’ll add at the beginning of the report, briefly singles out the most important points and findings of the report.

If you decide to include more sections like recommendations, this is where you’ll suggest the next steps your team or the company may want to take to improve the results or take advantage of them if they’re favorable.

PRO TIP: Are You Tracking the Right Metrics for Your SaaS Company?

As a SaaS business leader, there’s no shortage of metrics you could be monitoring, but the real question is, which metrics should you be paying most attention to? To monitor the health of your SaaS business, you want to identify any obstacles to growth and determine which elements of your growth strategy require improvements. To do that, you can track the following key metrics in a convenient dashboard with data from Profitwell:

• Recurring Revenue. See the portion of your company’s revenue that is expected to grow month-over-month.
• MRR overview. View the different contributions to and losses from MRR from different kinds of customer engagements.
• Customer overview . View the total number of clients your company has at any given point in time and the gains and losses from different customer transactions.
• Growth Overview . Summarize all of the different kinds of customer transactions and their impact on revenue growth.
• Churn overview. Measure the number and percentage of customers or subscribers you lost during a given time period.

If you want to track these in ProfitWell, you can do it easily by building a plug-and-play dashboard that takes your customer data from ProfitWell and automatically visualizes the right metrics to allow you to monitor your SaaS revenue performance at a glance.

You can easily set it up in just a few clicks – no coding required.

To set up the dashboard, follow these 3 simple steps:

Step 1: Get the template 

Step 2: Connect your Profitwell account with Databox. 

Step 3: Watch your dashboard populate in seconds.

Note : Other than text, make sure you include images, graphs, charts, and tables. These elements will make your report more readable and illustrate your points.

Whether you’re writing a specific type of business report for the first time or you simply want to improve the quality of your reports, make sure you follow this comprehensive guide to writing an effective business report.

• Do Your Research
• Create an Outline
• Determine Formatting Guidelines
• Think of an Engaging Title
• Write the Introduction
• Divide the Body of the Report into Sections
• Choose Illustrations
• Conclude Effectively
• Gather Additional Documentation
• Add a Summary
• Proofread Your Work

Step 1: Do Your Research

A well-planned report is a job half done. That means you need to do research before you start writing: you need to know who you’re writing for and how much they know about the topic of your report. You need to explore the best business dashboard software and templates you can use for your report.

Also, if you believe you will need additional resources and documents to add in the appendix, you should do it during this phase of report writing.

Step 2: Create an Outline

Once you’ve gathered the resources, it’s time to plan the report. Before you start writing, create an outline that will help you stick to the right structure. A business report is complex writing in which you can get lost very easily if you don’t have a clear plan.

Moreover, the report shouldn’t be complicated to read, so sticking to a plan will allow you to keep it concise and clear, without straying from the topic.

Step 3: Determine Formatting Guidelines

Most companies have their in-house formatting that every official document has to follow. If you’re not sure if such rules exist in your company, it’s time you checked with your managers.

If there arent’ any guidelines regarding formatting, make sure you set your own rules to make the report look professional. Choose a simple and readable format and make sure it supports all the symbols you may need to use in the report. Set up proper headings, spacing, and all the other elements you may need in Word or Google Docs.

Pro tip: Google Docs may be easier to share with people who are supposed to read your business report.

Step 4: Think of an Engaging Title

Even if you’re writing a formal business report, the title should be clear and engaging. Reports are typically considered dull as they’re a part of official business documentation, but there’s no reason why you can’t make them interesting to read. Your title should suit the report topic and be in different font size so the reader can recognize it’s a title. Underneath the title, you should add the name of the author of the report.

Step 5: Write the Introduction

A good introductory paragraph for a business report should explain to the reader why you’ve written the report. Use the introduction to provide a bit of background on the report’s topic and mention the past results if there’s been a significant improvement since your last report.

Step 6: Divide the Body of the Report into Sections

As this will be the most comprehensive part of your report, make sure you separate the data into logical sections. Your report is supposed to tell a story about your business, and these sections (such as methodology, hypothesis, survey, findings, and more) will help the data look well-organized and easy to read.

Step 7: Choose Illustrations

Of course, each of these sections should be followed with charts, graphs, tables, or other illustrations that help you make a point. Survey results are typically best displayed in pie charts and graphs, and these enable the reader to visualize the data better. From the formatting point of view, breaking the long text sections with illustrations makes the report more readable.

Pro tip: Using centralized dashboard solutions like Databox can bring your reporting game to the next level. Sign up for a forever-free trial now to see how you can use Databox to track and visualize performance easier than ever before .

Step 8: Conclude Effectively

Finish your report with a to-the-point conclusion that will highlight all the main data from the report. Make sure it’s not too long, as it’s supposed to be a summary of the body of the report. In case you don’t want to add a specific section for recommendations, this is where you can include them, along with your assessments.

Step 9: Gather Additional Documentation

If you’ve determined what additional documents, images, surveys, or other attachments you may need for your report, now is the time to collect them. Request access to those you may not be able to get on time, so you have everything you need by the deadline. Copy the documents you can use in the original form, and scan the documents you need in electronic format.

Step 10: Add a Summary

The summary is usually at the top of the report, but it’s actually something you should write after your report is completed. Only then will you know exactly what your most relevant information and findings are, so you can include them in this brief paragraph that summarizes your report’s main points.

The summary should tell the reader about the objective of the report, the methodology used, and even mention some of the key findings and conclusions.

Step 11: Proofread Your Work

It may seem like common sense, but this final step of the process is often overlooked. Proofreading your work is how you make sure your report will look professional because errors can ruin the overall impression the reader will form about your work, no matter how great the report is.

Look for any spelling or grammatical mistakes you can fix, and if you’re not sure about specific expressions or terminology, use Google to double-check it. Make sure your writing is to-the-point and clear, especially if you’re writing for people who may not know the industry so well. Also, double-check the facts and numbers you’ve included in the report before you send it out or start your reporting meeting.

Business Report Examples (with Ready-to-Use Templates)

Here, we’re sharing a few business reporting examples that you can copy, along with ready-to-use and free-to-download templates. If you don’t know where to start and what to include in different types of business reports, these business report examples are a great way to get started or at least get some inspiration to create yours.

Activity Report Example

Annual report example, project status report example, financial report example, sales report example, marketing report example.

Note : Each of the business report templates shared below can be customized to fit your individual needs with our DIY Dashboard Designer . No coding or design skills are necessary.

For reporting on sales activity, HubSpot users can rely this streamlined sales activity report that includes key sales metrics, such as calls, meetings, or emails logged by owner. This way, you can easily track the number of calls, meetings, and emails for each sales rep and identify potential leaks in your sales funnel. Check all our sales team activity dashboards here. Or if you are looking for dashboards that track general sales performance, browse through all Databox sales dashboards here.

If you’re preparing for annual reporting, you will benefit from choosing this HubSpot annual performance report . It contains all the relevant metrics, such as email and landing page performance, new contacts, top blog posts by page views, and more. See all our performance dashboard templates here.

Project status reports can be very similar to progress reports. If you’re in need of one of those, here’s an example of a Project overview dashboard from Harvest that shows that can help you create simple, but well-organized report based on metrics that matter: hours tracked, billable hours, billable amount split by team members., and more. Check out more project management dashboard templates we offer here.

Are you creating a financial report? You will find this QuickBooks + HubSpot integration a great choice for a financial performance dashboard that makes creating a report simple. This dashboard focuses on the essential financial report

ting metrics and answers all your revenue-related questions. See all Databox financial dashboards here.

If you’re tracking your sales team’s monthly performance, this sales report template will help you prepare an outstanding report. Check out all the vital productivity KPIs, track your progress towards your goals, and understand well how your current sales pipeline is performing. See all sales performance dashboards we have available here.

Marketing reports can be easily prepared by using this monthly marketing report template . With HubSpot’s reporting, you can determine where your website traffic is coming from, how your landing pages and specific blog posts are performing, and how successful your email campaigns are. Browse all Databox marketing dashboards or marketing report examples here.

Create a Professional Business Report in No Time with Databox

Does creating a business report still sound like a daunting task? It doesn’t have to be with Databox.

In times when we’re all trying to save our time and energy for things that matter rather than scattering valuable resources on tedious, repetitive tasks, it’s critical to optimize your business process. And we want to help you do just that.

Using a business reporting dashboard enables you to track data from all the different tools you’re using – but in one place. With Databox, you can monitor and report on performance in a single dashboard that is optimized for all your favorite devices and you can create streamlined and beautiful dashboards even if you are not that tech-savvy. (no coding or design skills are required).

Automating business reporting has never been easier. And with Databox, you can do exactly that in just a few clicks. Sign up now and get your first 3 business dashboards for free.

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Stefana Zarić is a freelance writer & content marketer. Other than writing for SaaS and fintech clients, she educates future writers who want to build a career in marketing. When not working, Stefana loves to read books, play with her kid, travel, and dance.

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Blog Marketing 50+ Essential Business Report Examples with Templates

50+ Essential Business Report Examples with Templates

Written by: Sara McGuire May 29, 2023

Reports may not be the most exciting communication format. But they’re important.

To make smart decisions about budgeting, marketing strategies, product development and growth strategies, you can’t rely on gut feeling alone.

And if you’re trying to sway stakeholders, creating a report with a simple, elegant design and creative data visualizations is guaranteed to impress.

This guide will deliver the most essential business report templates you can edit with Venngage, plus design tips and best practices.

Top business report templates (click to jump ahead):

What is a business report?

• Annual reports
• Project status reports
• Budget reports
• Sales reports
• Marketing reports
• Case studies
• White papers
• How to create a business report in 6 steps
• What are the types of business reports
• Business report template FAQs

A business report is a document that delivers important information about a company’s performance, financial health, a particular project, or other aspects that influence its decision-making process. 

Business reports come in various formats, such as PowerPoint presentations and online dashboards, offering more than just traditional files and spreadsheets.

They are crucial for organizations as they provide vital details that guide decision-making for business owners and managers.

They act as GPS, highlighting essential aspects like customer satisfaction, operational efficiency, and financial figures. Business reports serve different audiences and purposes, delivering information in a clear and engaging format for both internal and external stakeholders.

Want a quick rundown of some of the business report templates in this blog? Check out this video tutorial:

1. Annual Report Templates

An annual report is an all-encompassing document that allows you to reflect on your company’s past year, including:

• Your company’s mission statement
• Your company’s growth (financially, product-wise, culture-wise)
• Your statement of income and cash flow
• Your various business segments
• Information about the company’s directors and executive officers
• Information about your company’s stock and dividends
• Wins and success stories

A lot of that sounds pretty dry, doesn’t it?

There’s actually a lot to be excited about in that list. You’re talking about how your company has grown, your wins (and maybe a few losses), and what’s on the horizon for the coming year.

You can bring that story to life in your annual report design  and we have business report samples to inspire you.

This annual business report example uses a variety of charts and unique sections like “program highlights” to tell the agency’s story:

Think about how you can represent your company visually:

• Are there photos you can include of your business in action?
• What fonts and colors reflect your business’s personality?
• Are there icons you can use to illustrate certain concepts?

The below annual report design uses an energizing orange and yellow color scheme and cute icons. The format is highly visual and modern. All this reflects a dynamic company that’s optimistic about the future.

This company annual report template uses a mountain motif to reflect the company’s ambitious goals. Take a look at how the different sections of the report (“Strategy”, “Finance” and “Performance”) are color-coded to make the report easier to scan:

In the business report example below, the sleek, modern design with bold color accents reflects design trends in the games industry, which would appeal to stakeholders.

The same design ideas can be applied to an annual report presentation.

Take this annual report presentation for a coffee shop company. The whole design reflects the coziness of a coffee shop, from the softly filtered photos to the old-fashioned font:

A few annual report best practices:

• Create an eye-catching cover for your report
• Tell your company’s story in your annual report design by using thematic visuals, like background images and icons
• Pick a decorative font for headers and pair it with a more minimalist font for body text
• Look for opportunities to visualize data using infographics , charts and pictograms

Related : Our blog post with 55+ annual report templates , plus design tips and best practices.

2. Project Status Report Templates

Communication is central in any project. Consultants, agencies and freelancers especially want to be as transparent as possible. That is why a project status report template is one of the business report examples we are sharing in the article.

A project status report is crucial for communicating updates on what you’ve accomplished and what’s still pending. It also helps you flag any issues, either current or on the horizon. This helps build trust with the client.

The project status report template below communicates key information in an easy-to-understand format.

The above template lets you alert the client if the project is:

• Suffering from budget or scope creep
• On track in terms of schedule
• Healthy or not i.e. milestones completed on schedule, issues resolved

You can add bullet points on the second page to quickly flag key issues that are impacting project success.

Related : Our post on how to write a project management plan .

Simple Project Status Report Templates

Avoid ad-hoc emails or meetings. Use a simple project status report template to present your latest work and keep everyone on the same page, without endless back and forth.

The project status report below would work well for weekly updates.

This template lets you quickly provide an overview to busy stakeholders, who’ll be able to spot key project issues and progress  at a glance.

Project Status Report Template PPT

Big updates might require consultants to communicate the status of a project in person. The below presentation template uses charts and data visualization to get your key points across immediately.

Clients or other stakeholders can see what’s been accomplished and when, while the last slide leaves room for what’s still pending.

A few project status report best practices:

• Include a summary of all important tasks currently in progress. If you have a weekly meeting with the client, this section will probably serve as the jumping-off point for your conversation.
• Stakeholders should be able to tell at a glance if the project is way off schedule or there are too many unresolved issues.
• Document all outstanding problems and concerns. It’s important to have a record in case you run into issues with the client later on.

Related : Our post with 30+  project plan examples plus design tips.

3. Budget Report Templates

This is Business 101: on a quarterly or yearly basis, you should be analyzing your budget, expenses and revenue.

A budget report typically breaks down:

• The different categories of your budget
• The last year or quarter’s spending for each category of your budget
• Areas where you may need to cut or increase spending
• Forecasts for the coming year or quarter

Business Monthly Expenses Template

A full budget report is a bit too dense to pass around a room during a meeting.

But, a visually engaging presentation or one-page summary, like the business report example below, is perfect for keeping your team and stakeholders up to speed.

You can provide an overview of the last period’s spending by category, and highlight the amount you saved or exceeded the budget by.

For example, take a look at this summary budget report slide that uses a thematic background image to make it more engaging:

A quick summary page is also the perfect opportunity to creatively visualize data.

While tables are certainly efficient for comparing amounts spent, you could also use a more unusual visual like a bubble chart. This is because unique visuals make memorable business report examples.

Forecast Budget Template

A forecast is an essential business report that shows where a business is headed financially. It’s not a plan for the future, but rather its current short-term direction .

Use this forecast template to project your businesses’ revenue, and take appropriate action.

A few budget report best practices:

• Clearly label the period the report covers (monthly, quarterly, yearly)
• Provide a brief description of each section of your report, to highlight important insights
• Use a table to compare amounts of money saved vs. spent
• Use bar charts, pie charts and bubble charts to visualize budget allotment
• Highlight important insights using contrasting colors, bold fonts and icons

4. Sales Report Templates

If you aren’t tracking your sales on a weekly, monthly, quarterly and yearly basis, it’s time to start.

Creating a sales report for different time periods can help you identify trends, as well as an opportunity for growth. Regularly reporting on your sales can also help your team stay focused on your goals.

What should be included in a sales report?

A sales report typically covers any of the following data:

• An overview of sales goals and whether or not those goals are being met
• Revenue and expenses
• Sales forecasts for the upcoming periods (month, quarter, year)
• Products and services that are selling the most and ones that are lagging
• Number of leads and conversion rates for a given period
• Any challenges or roadblocks

Weekly sales report template

Consider making  sales reporting  a segment of your weekly team meetings. You may want to provide a quick update for company-wide meetings and a more in-depth report for sales and marketing team meetings.

Here’s an example of what a quick weekly sales report could look like:

The slide simply covers the total sales for the week and compares them to previous weeks to highlight growth.

While this sales report presentation digs deeper into KPIs (key performance indicators) and conversions :

Monthly sales report template

For a monthly, quarterly or yearly sales report, you will probably want to go more in-depth into your metrics as you plan for upcoming periods.

That said, you don’t want to produce a 62-page text-heavy document no one will read. Surprise your client or boss with a fresh new way of doing things that are engaging and concise. You’ll differentiate yourself as an innovator.

For example, the following monthly sales report template uses a variety of charts and tables to keep the data fresh:

The below sales report template will help you visualize key sales metrics using pie charts, bar graphs and tables. The weighted text and icons help organize information in an easily digestible way.

Making your sales report easily accessible will help build your reputation as someone who’s transparent and trustworthy.

A few sales report best practices:

• Clearly identify the time period you are reporting on
• Use descriptive section headers and include descriptions for any charts or tables that need more clarification
• Provide context for readers, explain any major trends they should be aware of, any challenges your team encountered, and how the goals have been impacted
• Use line charts and bar graphs to show changes over time and highlight trends
• Emphasize key metrics in big, bold fonts (for example, the total sales for a given week)
• Use contrasting colors to emphasize keywords or one point on a graph

Related :  5 ways to host a more successful sales demo  by using images.

5. Digital Marketing Report Templates

If you’re a SaaS or e-commerce business, I don’t have to tell you how important digital marketing is. It’s the thing that can make or break many small businesses.

In order to scale and grow your business , it’s important to make informed, deliberate digital marketing decisions.

That means always looking for ways to improve your search rankings, grow your social media engagement, and optimize your ad campaigns.

A ‘ digital marketing report ‘ is a pretty broad term for a report that could be an overview of all your digital marketing channels or one particular channel.

A digital marketing report that covers all your main marketing channels  could include any (or all) of the following data:

• An overview of your current digital marketing strategy
• Your main marketing goals and whether or not they are being met
• An overview of your conversion metrics, including the number of leads, paid vs. organic leads, and your cost per conversion
• An overview of your traffic metrics, organized by channel
• An SEO overview , including any chhttps://growthbarseo.com/anges in rankings for target keywords
• An overview of PPC campaigns you’re running, including clickthrough rate, ROI and cost per click
• An overview of your social media channels, including engagement metrics and leads from specific channels

For example, take a look at this digital marketing report template that dedicates one page to each channel. Note how the company’s branding has also been incorporated into the design by using the brand’s colors and visuals that reflect the computer theme:

In a digital marketing report that focuses on one specific marketing channel, you will probably want to go more in-depth into each metric.

For example, in a social media report, you should cover:

• A comparison of your performance on specific social media channels like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube (you could try visualizing it with a  comparison infographic )
• Specific engagement metrics like impressions, clicks, subscriber count, likes and comments
• An overview of your followers, including demographic information like age, gender and profession
• Conversion metrics from each specific social media channel

The below social media report visualizes some of these key metrics.

As a consultant, you may be gifted in social media marketing but totally flummoxed by all things design. Look better than you are by using the above template. It’ll help you present your findings in a way that’s effective and professional, while still managing to be playful and engaging.

If you’re concerned about organizing information by channel, here’s an example of a social media marketing report presentation that uses colored columns to make it easy to scan for a specific channel’s metrics:

A few digital marketing report best practices:

• Provide an overview of the performance of all your channels, or a particular channel
• Organize your report by channel (“Organic Search”, “Social Media”, “PPC”) or by specific campaigns/projects
• If your report is long enough, include a table of content to make it easier for readers to navigate your report
• Use bar charts and tables to compare your performance on different marketing channels
• Use icons to emphasize key information and visualize different channels (for example, different social media networks)
• Try to communicate your information concisely and focus on only one topic per page or slide

Related : Our post on what is a marketing plan and how to write and design one for maximum effectiveness.

6. Competitor Analysis Templates

Get the attention of marketers with a competitor analysis report. The best reports show exactly what a company must face off (and beat) to be successful.

A competitor analysis report usually has the following sections:

• Product summary
• Competitor strengths and weaknesses
• Competitor strategies and objectives
• Outlook: is the market growing? Flat? Splintering into niche segments?

The following competitor analysis template neatly organizes these categories into compact sections and highlights important stats. Stakeholders can quickly compare them with their own company’s numbers and get an immediate sense of how they measure up.

Using a pre-designed competitor analysis template is also a great idea for consultants who want to set themselves apart from big consulting firms or boutiques. Visualizing data is a way to set yourself apart as numbers-focused, unique and innovative, as in this business report example.

A few competitor analysis report best practices:

• If you’re listing all competitors, add those entering the market in the next year as well as indirect competitors who sell to the same customers as yours.
• Find customer satisfaction surveys for competitors (usually carried out by trade press) and include their findings.
• Talk to the sales department to get a sense of the competitor’s customers.
• Do informal research on the competitor’s strengths and weaknesses. Talk to journalists who cover this specific industry. Don’t just rely on online information.

Related : Our post on how to create a competitor analysis report (with templates).

7. Case Study Templates

One of the business report examples on our list is the business case study. Though not a report exactly, a case study analyzes a particular aspect of a company or a situation it faced. A consultant may need to write one as part of a corporate training program they’re developing.

Case studies usually focus on one of these situations:

• Startup or early-stage venture
• Merger, joint venture, acquisition
• Market entry or expansion
• New project or product
• Pricing optimization
• Profitability
• Industry landscape
• Growth strategy

What makes case studies unique is how they tell a story. They include background information on the company, a protagonist or key players, the situation and outcomes.

The below case study template has plenty of space for this narrative while using icons and numbers to highlight key details.

Make sure to include a conclusion that contains your key findings. Why did the protagonist make the decisions she made? What were the outcomes? What can we learn from this? Circle back to the key question the case study raises and answer it.

Business case study template

Business case studies are usually teaching tools to show how real companies approached a particular scenario or problem. The case study usually reflects a business theory and demonstrates its real-life application.

For example, the following business case study template shows how a crafts retailer uses earned media to drive engagement-heavy traffic.

This is another version of the above case study. Notice the changes in branding in this business report example that sets it apart from the previous template.

Marketing case study template

Case studies are a powerful form of marketing as they show a potential customer how existing customers are already using your product or service to meet their goals.

For example, this social media marketing case study illustrates how Toy Crates used content marketing to radically increase their sales:

A few case study best practices:

• Outline any constraints and challenges the protagonist of the case study faced that affected her decision (such as a tight deadline).
• Attach supporting documentation, such as financial statements.
• Include an original title, such as “Design Thinking and Innovation at Apple.” The title should mention the company and the subject of the case study.

Related : Our post on how to write and design a case study .

8. Growth Strategy Templates

Setting goals for your business might seem easy in theory… but setting ambitious yet realistic goals can actually be quite challenging.

At Venngage, we follow these 5 steps to set our goals:

• Identifying and set high-level goals.
• Understand which inputs and outputs impact those goals.
• Run experiments to impact those inputs.
• Validate those experiments.
• Foster accountability for the results within the team.

For a more in-depth look at this process read our  growth strategy guide .

For example, if you’re a SaaS company, your high-level goals would probably be a specific number for revenue, a number of daily active users or employee count, like in the business report template below:

Once you’ve identified your high-level goals, the next step is to identify your OKRs (Objective Key Results), the metrics that impact your goals. Generally, you will probably want to break down your OKRs by channel.

So, if one of your goals is to hit a certain number of daily active users, your OKRs could be organized by:

• Acquisition OKRs, like organic traffic and paid traffic
• Conversion OKRs, like conversion rate
• Retention OKRs, like retention rate

Once you’ve identified your OKRs, you can come up with experiments to run that will impact those OKRs.

At Venngage, we use a weekly sprint to plan, execute and analyze our growth experiments. But I know other companies that use longer sprints, like two-week or month-long sprints.

Before you run an experiment, you should validate that it’s an experiment worth running. You can do that by identifying which goal it impacts, what resources the experiment will require, and how much effort you anticipate it will take to run the experiment.

This is the exact marketing sprint validator template that our marketing team uses when we schedule growth experiments:

After you’ve run a growth experiment, it’s extremely important to track your results.

At the end of every sprint, take a good chunk of time to analyze your experiments to see what learnings you can take from them. Then, classify an experiment as a “Winner” or “Loser” based on whether or not the results lined up with your hypothesis.

You can use your results from the sprint that just ended to inform your experiments in the upcoming print.

Here’s an example of a sprint release and results template that you could use. Note how each experiment is owned by a team member to foster accountability for the process and results:

A few growth strategy report best practices:

• Divide your growth strategy reports into color-coded columns based on goals, OKRs, or stages in a sprint
• Use icons like checkmarks and x’s to identify winning experiments and losing experiments
• Include brief descriptions on each template, to make it easy to understand
• Attribute each growth experiment to a team member, to foster accountability for the process and results
• Use your company colors, fonts and logo to maintain consistent branding across all of your communications

Related : Our complete guide to developing a growth strategy checklist.

9. Market Research Report Templates

Even after you’ve launched your business, it’s a good idea to do regular market research. You can use your research to plan and refine your marketing strategies, to identify new prospective customers and product plan.

Market research generally involves gathering information about the needs, problems and wants of your customers. This research can help you come up with your customer personas and specific problems you want to solve with your product or service.

You can conduct market research in two ways:

• Qualitative research (calls, focus groups)
• Survey research

For example, many consultants struggle to get buy-in from various stakeholders. The boss may be constantly changing the scope of the project based on a whim, such as the latest article he’s scoured from the internet! Employees may be set in their ways and resistant to incorporate consultants into their workflow.

One way to get clients on board and build trust is to provide stats and research that support your recommendations.

Here’s a market research business report example that lays out the industry landscape and gives clear guidance on the way forward, all backed up by facts.

This cheerful, icon-heavy market research report should help energize reluctant stakeholders. Packaging new (and sometimes daunting) information in fresh ways can help break through resistance.

You may also want to look at competitor statistics and industry trends. This template includes a competitor case study, including website analytics, and a SWOT analysis :

When it comes to creating your market research report, you may want to do an in-depth overview of all of your market research. Or you may want to focus on one area of your research, such as your survey results.

Survey Report Template

This survey report template helps visualize your findings; the pictogram and chart make the findings easy to understand.

The one-slide market research report identifies the demographics of the survey participants. The report categorizes participants by their jobs, locations, and the topics that they find most engaging. Note how each persona is visualized using an icon:

This business report example highlights how you can give your team and stakeholders a quick overview of your main market and what topics they’re interested in.

One of the purposes of a market research report is to present any conclusions that you came to after analyzing the data.

These could be conclusions about who your target customers are, areas where you can expand your business, and customer needs that aren’t currently being met. The below business report example visualizes this data and also provides space to draw your own conclusions.

Here’s an example of a market research report template that emphasizes key findings in the larger text before providing supporting data:

A few market research report best practices:

• Use icons to illustrate your customer personas
• Use charts and graphs to compare demographic information like customer age, gender, location, and occupations
• Include the main conclusions you came from after analyzing your data
• If your market research report is long enough, include a table of contents
• Include a brief summary of your data collection methods , including the sample size

10. White Paper Templates

White papers are great tools to educate and persuade stakeholders. Consultants can also use them to improve their reputation vis-a-vis big consulting firms and boutique firms or use them as lead magnets  in Facebook ads etc.

As always, a polished design is much more likely to engage senior leaders or potential clients.

A business report template or consulting report template is the fastest way to produce something that’s both attractive and easy to understand.

The below consulting report example has a full page dedicated to visuals. It’s the perfect way to break up the text and let it breathe. It also reinforces the information.

Browse our library of thousands of professional, free stock photos to swap in images that suit your topic best. Or upload your own.

Our editor makes it simple to adapt any of our business and consulting report templates to your needs. Change the text, fonts, photos, icons, colors, anything you want.

The next business report template is perfect for marketers and marketing consultants. It has an inviting and fun (but still professional) cover page that quickly communicates the content marketing process using icons.

Venngage has an extensive library of thousands of custom, modern and diverse icons you can swap into the above consulting report example. For instance, you could add the Twitter or Facebook logo or a “thumbs up” icon.

Then, click on the template’s chart or graph (pages four and five) to add your own data.

Struggling with organizing information in your reports?  It’s important for consultants and marketers to find a way to communicate key takeaways, and not overwhelm your reader with data.

The below consulting report template uses filled text boxes and icons on the third page to highlight top findings.

Different-colored headers also help create a hierarchy of information and add more variety to the design.

A few white paper best practices:

• Create an eye-catching white paper cover page using a background in bold color, photos or icons.
• Add a key takeaways section, with a header and bullet points.
• Visualize data using charts and pictograms in order to highlight key data.
• Incorporate your branding into your white paper template (brand colors and logo).

Related : Our blog post with 20+  white paper examples  for even more templates and design tips.

11. Project Plan Templates

A project plan is the best way to keep a project on track.

But, showcasing the steps towards completing a project and showing how each step is actionable and measurable can be tough. 

This is especially difficult if you’re a consultant and you don’t have company templates to rely on.

The below  project plan template is a simple way to visualize what needs to happen, and when.

The above highly organized project plan template uses bar graphs, icons and color-coding to present information in an accessible way. Once you enter the editor, click on the bar graph to customize the schedule.

The project timeline below also uses icons and color-coding to organize information, though in a slightly different way.

Projects suffer when there’s confusion about deadlines and what’s required at each step. This timeline from a business report sample makes it crystal clear what tasks belong to what step and how long each step should take.

A timeline is a perfect way for your team or client to refer back to the project schedule without having to read through tons of text.

You can also revise your timeline as the project progresses to reflect changes in the schedule.

The below consulting report template has a more traditional format for a project plan. Still, like the timelines, this business report sample relies heavily on visuals to create an easily scannable and understandable project overview.

Scope creep is the enemy of any project’s success (and the bane of many consultant’s existence). That’s why it’s so important to define the project from the very beginning. The consulting report template above has a section to do just that.

Of course, projects change and evolve. The project report below will help you raise any issues as soon as they happen and present solutions. That way, stakeholders can make a decision before the project schedule is seriously derailed.

Check out our blog post with  15+ project plan templates  for even more examples and design tips.

A few project plan best practices:

• Plot your project schedule visually using a timeline.
• Use color to categorize tasks and milestones.
• Use icons to illustrate steps in a process.
• Insert charts to track the duration of each phase of a project.
• Pick a flexible template that you can update as the project progresses and things change.

Related : Our post on the four phases of the project life cycle .

12. Business Proposal Templates

A business proposal  is a document that presents your product or service as the solution to a client’s problem. The goal of a business proposal is to persuade a prospective client to buy your product or service. These proposals can be either solicited or unsolicited.

The contents of a business proposal report will vary depending on the problem. 

Typically, a business proposal will include these sections:

• Information about your company (mission, qualifications, competitive edge)
• A detailed description of your client’s problem 
• The cost of your product/service 
• The methodology of how you propose to solve the client’s problem
• A timeline of your approach to solving the problem

A few business report examples and design tips:

Create an engaging title page for your business proposal. Think of it as the cover of a book or a movie poster. This will be your prospective client’s first impression of your business.

Use a design that tells a story about your company’s mission and the people you serve. For example, the cover for this business proposal template shows a happy team working together:

Meanwhile, this simple business proposal example uses icons to illustrate what the company does. The motif is carried throughout the rest of the proposal design:

Use visuals to highlight the emotion behind the problem

Businesses are made up of people, and people are emotionally charged. When identifying the problem, use imagery to highlight the frustration, confusion, or dissatisfaction behind the problem. This will show empathy towards the people you’re proposing your solution to.

This business report sample page from a business proposal contrasts one image to illustrate the “problem” with a more cheerful image for the “solution”:

This marketing business proposal uses a variety of visuals like icons, bold typography and photos to tell a story:

Related : Our post on  consulting proposal templates or our guide to creating a business proposal .

How to create a business report in 6 steps?

Creating a business report can seem daunting, especially if you’ve never done it before. don’t let the word “business” intimidate you – these steps can be used for writing a report in any field!

Step 1: Define the purpose and scope of your report

Know the purpose of your report. Are you aiming to share the results of a project? Analyze performance? Recommend specific actions? Whatever the goal, keep it in mind as you go through the process. Also, consider the scope of your report. Decide what information you’ll be including, as well as what you can leave out.

Example: Let’s say your boss wants a report on your team’s sales performance during the last quarter. Your purpose might be to analyze the numbers and identify trends, areas for improvement, or opportunities for growth.

Step 2: Gather relevant data and information

Now that you know what you’re aiming for, it’s time to gather the information you’ll need. This might involve pulling data from internal systems, interviewing colleagues, or even conducting your research. Remember, the quality of your report depends on the accuracy and relevance of the information you provide, so double-check your sources and make sure you’ve got everything you need.

Example: For our sales performance report, you’ll need to collect data on product sales, individual and team performance, and any factors that may have influenced sales during the quarter.

Step 3: Organize your content

Next up is organizing all that information into a logical and easy-to-follow structure. This will depend on the specific requirements of your report, but some common components are an introduction, executive summary, main body, conclusion, and recommendations. A clear and logical structure helps readers easily understand and follow your report.

Example: In a sales performance report, you might start with an executive summary highlighting sales growth (or declines), outline individual team member’s performance, and then delve into a more detailed analysis of factors and trends.

Step 4: Write the report

When writing your report, start by developing a clear and concise writing style, avoiding jargon and buzzwords. Keep your audience in mind – make sure your report is easily digestible for your intended readers.

Example: When writing about sales performance, share facts and figures in simple terms that everyone can understand. Instead of saying, “Our sales team demonstrated a 12.3% compound annual growth rate,” say, “Our sales team increased their sales by 12.3% each year.”

Step 5: Add visual aids

To make your report more engaging and easier to understand, consider adding visual aids like graphs, charts, or images. These can help break up large blocks of text and highlight key findings or trends.

Example: For your sales performance report, you might create a bar chart showing sales growth over time or a pie chart displaying individual team members’ contributions.

Step 6: Review and refine

Last but not least, review your report. Does it achieve the purpose you set at the beginning? Are there any gaps in the information? Are there areas that could be clearer or more concise? Address any issues you find and refine your report until it meets your goals and is easy to understand for your target audience.

Example: In your sales performance report, if you find that you haven’t adequately explored the impact of a new product launch on sales, go back and add that analysis to provide a more comprehensive view.

What are the types of business reports?

Different types of business reports cater to various purposes, including monitoring performance, making decisions, and more, offering a range of options beyond standard reports.

1. Informational reports

The primary purpose of informational reports is, well, to inform. These reports provide all the nitty-gritty details of specific aspects of your business without any conclusions or opinions. 

Examples include daily sales reports, inventory levels, or even project updates. This is the essential “just the facts, ma’am” type of report you need to stay in the loop.

2. Analytical reports

Analytical reports give you a more in-depth look at the data to help you make decisions. These reports come with all the bells and whistles – charts, graphs, and recommendations based on thorough analysis. Analytical reports are what you whip out when you need to decide whether to invest in a new project, evaluate your marketing efforts, or diagnose challenges within the company. The goal of such a report is to help you make smarter decisions for the growth and development of your business.

3. Summaries & reviews:

If you’re a little short on time and need a quick overview of your business’s performance, summary reports are your best bet. These reports condense the crucial details from other reports at regular intervals (monthly, quarterly, or annually) and present them in a digestible format. 

4. Research reports

As the name suggests, these in-depth reports dig into specific topics or issues relevant to your business. Research reports are great when exploring new markets, considering new product development, or requiring a detailed evaluation of business practices. These reports act as guides for making major decisions that could significantly impact your company’s direction and success.

5. Progress reports

Let’s say you’ve got a fantastic project idea underway. You’ll need to keep track of every stage of it to ensure it’s smooth sailing ahead. Enter progress reports. They track the achievements, setbacks, and future plans of ongoing projects. These are essential for keeping everyone – from employees to investors – in the loop.

Business report template FAQs

1. what are the best practices for creating a business report.

You could open up Google doc, record your metrics and make a few points of analysis, send it to your team and call it a day. But is that the most effective way to report on your findings?

Many people may not even read those types of reports. Not to mention, a plain old report probably won’t impress stakeholders.

It’s important to brand yourself (and stand out from your competition). And then there’s the ever-important need to create buy-in from stakeholders and convince them of your recommendations.

That’s why it pays to make your reports as engaging as possible. That means visualizing data , processes , and concepts to make them easier to understand and more fun to look at, as you’ve seen from the business report examples in this post.

You can do that easily by getting started with a  business report template  or consulting report template .

There are two big reasons why it’s a good idea to create a highly visual business report:

• You will be able to organize, analyze and summarize your findings .
• You will be able to communicate your reports more effectively with your team, stakeholders and customers.

For example, the below business report template shows four different ways you can visualize information. It’s much more captivating and easily digested than a block of text.

And don’t worry about how time-consuming designing a report might be. If you start with a solid business report template, you can repurpose that template over and over again.

Use the template as a framework, then customize your information and design to fit your specific needs. Then, use a  chart tool  to convert cumbersome data into clear visuals.

Just like in the above business report sample, you’ll have a succinct, powerful (and polished) report that stakeholders can understand at a glance.

2. How do you design a business report template?

Incorporate your branding into the design

Part of building a strong brand is using consistent branding across all of your content, both internal and public-facing. You can incorporate your branding into your business report design by importing your logo and using your brand colors and fonts.

Our My Brand Kit feature automatically imports company logos and fonts from any website. You can then apply them to your design with one click.

Stick to only one topic per page or slide

When creating a report, it’s easy to try and cram a bunch of text onto one page. But then you run the risk of creating an impenetrable wall of text.

Instead, focus on only one topic per page or slide. If you find that even that makes your page look too cramped, then try breaking up your information into two pages or looking for ways to better summarize your information .

Put functionality first

When you’re designing a business report, you should look for opportunities to visualize data and creatively present information. That being said, the primary goal of your business report should still be to communicate information clearly.

Use design elements such as icons or fonts  in different sizes, weights and colors to highlight, emphasize and categorize information, not obscure it. If a page you’re working on looks cluttered or confusing, take another stab at it.

Remember that functionality comes first, and that includes using the right visuals for your information.

3. What is the best business report maker?

You can make a business report online using a number of tools. As we have mentioned, a great business report is visually appealing, includes icons, images, clear fonts, easy-to-understand charts and graphs, as well as being branded.

Venngage is the one-stop design solution when it comes to creating reports. The business report examples in this article highlight how easy it is to design a variety of reports for every type of organization and activity. Make design simple by using Venngage.

More business communication guides:

• The Ultimate Guide to Consulting Proposals (2024)
• 20+ White Paper Examples [Design Guide + White Paper Templates]

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Which are the best business research methods.

12 min read Business research is a well-established way to get an edge in your market. In this article, we’ll cover some of the most valuable business research methods.

Business research is a well-established way to gain an edge in your target market . But less than 40% of US marketers use consumer research to make decisions, according to data from Google. Could the huge range of methodologies and techniques be preventing business research takeup?

In this article, we’ll lay out some of the most popular and valuable business research methods, from general approaches to industry-specific techniques, to help you decide which business research process is the best fit for you and your company.

Free eBook: The ultimate guide to conducting market research

What do we mean by business research?

There are two primary areas of business research – understanding the market in which you’re operating, including the target consumers out there who don’t yet buy from you, and understanding your existing customers.

Market research

Market research is an umbrella term covering a wide variety of business research techniques which are used to help a business understand its target customer’s preferences.

This arm of business research often involves techniques like the focus group, where a moderated discussion helps companies understand their target audience, and survey research, including online surveys.

Customer feedback is an important part of any business intelligence process. This might come in the form of direct feedback, where a customer provides their opinion to a business either spontaneously or in response to a survey invitation or feedback form, or through indirect methods like social media listening.

As well as being able to assess customer satisfaction , this allows businesses to discover the unmet needs of their current customers. This kind of business research helps seed new product development, among other improvements.

Qualitative research methods for business

Qualitative business research techniques are all about the ‘why’ of what’s happening in your business. Rather than relying on data and statistics, they use description and human interpretation to investigate situations and events.

Qualitative research can be quite time-consuming and historically it has been harder to automate than quantitative methods, although nowadays tools are available to scale up qualitative data collection.

Even without these tools, qualitative research can be done with smaller sample sizes and still provides rich information that can offer lasting value.

Focus groups

Focus groups are a business research mainstay. They can help companies understand their current customers or target customers in a deep and authentic way using the power of conversation and connection. Focus groups can be valuable for nuanced topics, as well as controversial ones, since you can use the format to bring in multiple points of view from within your target audience.

As a form of qualitative research, focus groups are well-established with plenty of best practice advice and techniques available. They are also relatively familiar to the general public, which means low effort is required to on-board your participants.

At the height of COVID-19, Jittrapirom et al. (2021) used remote focus groups to study perceptions of car-sharing services in Bangkok, Thailand as a way of improving transport planning. They found that the ‘mental models’ of different stakeholder groups were significantly different depending on their understanding of the car-sharing concept. Working with the focus group, the researchers were able to collaboratively build a diagrammatic representation of how car-sharing works, which could then be used to help roll it out as a more sustainable means of transport in developing countries.

Ethnographic research

In ethnographic research, you study people in a naturally occurring setting. Rather than bringing them into your offices or restricting your data collection to a survey, you’re looking at the person and their environment as a whole.

In this sense, ethnographic research is all about understanding the context. You might be observing customers in a store, or interviewing them as they interact with your products and services. Ethnographic research in contexts like shopping malls, online discussion boards or social media can help you understand your target consumer too. Business research of this kind can be especially valuable in consultancy and B2B settings, where one business is looking to gain a deep understanding of another in order to help them improve.

Autmaring et al. (2018) studied SMEs working in B2B to investigate the potential for ethnographic research to improve product development. They found that although SME-level businesses had good access to their customers, their uptake of ethnographic research was low because of a lack of familiarity and concerns about expense. The B2B SMEs studied had low awareness of the benefits of ethnographic research and did not recognize that they were in a strong position to carry it out. This suggests that ethnographic research is an underused technique in business, and one that could offer significant advantages for SMEs especially.

Quantitative research methods for business

Like qualitative research methods, quantitative research methods help you understand your customer and your market better. Quantitative research can also be used to make forecasts and predictions about what might happen in the future. You can develop an in depth knowledge of your customers using existing data, or you can carry out business research to find out more about a specific research question.

Experimental research

In experimental research, you start out with a hypothesis about something happening in your business, and test it by manipulating an independent variable – or multiple independent variables – to find out the effect on a dependent variable. Strictly speaking, experimental research should follow rigorous scientific principles, but in business it’s more likely you will adopt a quasi-experimental approach with less emphasis on method and more on results.

One of the most popular applications of experimental research in business is A/B testing. A/B testing pits two or more variations of something against one another to find out which is more successful. It’s commonly used in marketing management when developing ads or marketing campaigns. In A/B testing, the hypothesis you’re testing is that both or all variations are equally successful. You’ll disprove this if one of the variants gets better results.

One of the benefits of A/B testing is that you can test multiple variants simultaneously by segmenting your audience.

For example, Kornitzer et. al (2020) used A/B testing in a healthcare setting to compare 9 patient messaging options to see which were more effective at preventing hospital appointment no-shows. The options each used a behavioral ‘nudge’ to encourage patients not to skip their appointments. By randomly assigning patients with upcoming appointments into groups, the researchers were able to test all 9 messaging approaches simultaneously. They determined that the most successful messages were those reminding people that skipping their appointment negatively impacted other patients who needed care.

Correlational research

Unlike causal research and experimental research, which look at relationships between a dependent variable and the independent variables acting on it, correlational research doesn’t deal with cause and effect. Instead it looks at phenomena that occur in proportion to one another, without one necessarily having to act on the other.

This kind of business research is helpful because it acts as a starting-point for further research. It can provide promising hypotheses that are worth investing in, as opposed to just guessing which variables might be related causally. Correlational research can also be used to bust myths and remove unhelpful assumptions.

For example, a correlational study by Stanley (2011) explored the relationship between corporate social responsibility and financial performance, using quantitative data to challenge assumptions that socially responsible behavior is negatively associated with financial success in business.

Combined qualitative and quantitative research methods

Mixed mode research.

Mixed mode is a form of business research that combines quantitative and qualitative research methods in a single research project. Qualitative business research can be used in an exploratory way to uncover the questions that should be addressed more deeply. Quantitative research is used to investigate specific research questions arising from the qualitative study. Then, a second round of qualitative research might be used to add depth and nuance to the quantitative verdict, bringing the insights to life.

Survey research

Surveys are a staple among business research methods, as well as being to collect data in other forms of research such as academic studies. A survey can generate both qualitative and quantitative data, depending on the question formats used. It’s a familiar format for most people, and can be taken in a variety of formats from online surveys to telephone surveys. This makes it a very inclusive method, giving you maximum access to your target audience. Survey business research can be used for everything from customer satisfaction to concept testing.

Today’s technology means that surveys can be integrated right into the experiences they’re measuring. This helps offset some of the weaknesses of the survey method, such as participants misremembering or generalizing their experiences, or forgetting details because of the time lag between the events being studied and the participant taking the survey.

For example, Virgin Media used on page surveys to gather user feedback from website customers who had abandoned their carts. These in-the-moment insights helped them not only to understand the customer pain points , but to put them right quickly and efficiently.

Case study research

In case study research, the emphasis is on depth rather than breadth. Researchers explore a particular phenomenon in situ, looking at how a group or organization behaved in a specific time and place, and what happened as a result. It is both a quantitative research method and a qualitative research method, as the research involves both types of data.

Case study research can be very helpful in business, as it offers an opportunity to learn how other companies approached a challenge you might be facing, and to learn from the solutions they devised and the obstacles they faced. However, this research method does require care and attention on the part of the researcher to make sure the research involves relevant cases. They must fully understand the similarities and differences between their own business goals and the situation being explored, in order to avoid incorrectly assuming equivalence and coming to faulty conclusions.

Case study research really comes into its own in emerging areas where best practice approaches are not yet firmly established.

For example, Urbaniti et al. (2020) conducted case study research on circular economy practices in multiple European manufacturing businesses. They noted different managers’ peculiar and innovative approaches to achieving the circular economy business model, taking into account environmental factors like legislation which helped shape the approaches.

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Business Research Reports

• First Online: 01 January 2013

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• S. Sreejesh 4 ,
• Sanjay Mohapatra 5 &
• M. R. Anusree 6  

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Market researchers and decision makers conduct research on various problems/opportunities and base their future decisions on the findings of the research. Unless the research results are properly communicated in the reports, they would be of little use to managers. Managers cannot take valid and effective decisions unless the entire research findings are presented to them in a systematic manner. A business research report contains many items including findings, analysis, interpretations, conclusions and at times recommendations. These can be presented to the management either in a written form or communicated orally. For the research findings to be useful to the managers, the research report needs to be meticulously designed, with all the necessary contents properly arranged and presented.

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Sreejesh, S., Mohapatra, S., Anusree, M.R. (2014). Business Research Reports. In: Business Research Methods. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-00539-3_12

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• Educators' guide
• Writing a business research report

This video explains how to write a business report for postgraduate level students. It covers the introduction, report structure and organisation, writing the report, and business writing.

Introduction

[slide 1: Topic slide]

[slide 2: Outline]

Description:

Sitting at the centre of the screen is: “What am I going to be learning today?” The following four words animate in:

- Introduction

- Report structure and organization

- Writing the report

- Business writing

This resource covers three important features of the writing required for a successful business research report. Following this brief introduction, the second section covers report structure with a focus on suitable ways

to organize content. The third section outlines the features of persuasive writing. And the final section provides tips for strong effective business writing.

[slide 3: What is a business research report?]

A checklist of items that make up a research report:

- Formulates a research

- Reports on research findings

- Recommends actions to achieve desirable outcomes

And is written in a

- Business report format

- Professional business writing style

This assignment provides you with the opportunity to research and write a real workplace report. It will inform the client of important aspects of their research brief. It will also provide recommendations to achieve desirable outcomes. The report will be presented as a written business proposal and as a presentation. This assignment requires a transition from academic writing to professional business writing. A business research report is written in a professional business style that differs from academic writing.

Report structure and organization

[slide 4: Topic slide]

[slide 5: Linear text structure]

[Graphic] Three babushka dolls representing each of the following:

- Whole text

- Paragraph

Overall, reports have a highly structured linear form with a beginning, middle and an end. This is repeated at the section level and the paragraph level.

[slide 6: Part: 1 - Organising content]

A report structure should be broken down into sections, having a beginning, middle and end. An example of this is:

- Executive summary

- Research question

- Problem, context and literature

- Methodology, approach and limitations

- Discussion and data analysis

- Implications (benefits and limitations)

- Recommendation and conclusion

- Considerations of policy adjustments and recommendations for further research

- References

A numbering system is used for the table of contents, and within them a broad example of a research page appears. Here it emphasizes the use of TEEL, and how each paragraph should be linked with one another.

Reports are structured using sections that are clearly organized and use a numbering system. Paragraphs within the sections should be well structured

and ideas should be linked between paragraphs.

[slide 7: Part: 2 - Organising content]

An example of going from general to specific.

- Current trend for businesses to outsource non-core activities

- Increase in demand for Facilities Management (FM) services

- More integrated and strategic approach to providing FM services

- Business now delivers a range of services through a single contract. These include…

General to specific is a useful strategy for organising content in business writing. This is particularly helpful for giving background or an overview.

[slide 8: Report sections]

[Text] We will now go through each of the report sections in detail:

Example. Report structure and headings.

- Report title and authors names

- Recommendations and conclusions

- Consideration of policy adjustments and recommendation for further research

No narration.

[slide 9: Executive summary]

- Briefly summarise the whole report in a logical order

- Outlines context, rationale, objectives, findings, conclusions, recommendations

- Written last, mainly in past tense

A strong executive summary is vital to a successful report as it determines the relevance of the report for the reader. It is the section the reader reads first and provides an overall summary of the whole report. Each major section of the report should be summarised in 1 or 2 sentences.

[Slide 10: Introduction]

- Identifies the main context and issues

- Narrows to project aim/purpose

[Text and graphic example]

Graphic of a triangle point downwards, writing from a general to specific.

Accompanying this the following text:

General (top of the triangle): ‘PICA is a property and financial services company currently offering…’

Specific (bottom of the triangle): ‘PICA requires a business plan for….’

Notice how the introduction narrows the topic from its broader context to the specific purpose of this report. The introduction is written from general to specific, which is a common form found in business writing.

[slide 11: Research question]

Frames the whole report

[Text example]

This report aims to answer the question ‘Is now a good time for PICA to diversify into Facilities Management (FM)’?

- Sub-questions

This research question frames the whole report and focuses the research to a specific area. It is common to have one research question followed by sub questions and these emerge from the larger question being answered.

[slide 12: Problem, context and literature]

Outlines the general situation in the specific business area

- Definitions

- Competitors

- Financial background

The accompanying graphic is of the triangle representation pointing downwards from general to specific.

Problem, context and literature section of the report requires a general

Introduction to the business which then narrows to cover details of competitors and their financial background. Again you are writing from general to specific.

[slide 13: Methodology, approach and limitations]

The research uses an applied strategy with a change focus (Saunders, Lewis & Thornhill 2012).

The main approach is data collection will be This methodology is appropriate because….

The research is based on secondary data, both qualitative and quantitative

Limitations in the research include…

The methodology covers how the research was done, why these methods were chosen, the details of the methods used and the limits of stating explicitly what is covered and what is not.

[slide 14: Discussion and data analysis]

Refer to your research

- Limitations in the research include…

Compare to theory / other research

- Industry bodies and secondary research…

- Eg. This strategy encompasses all aspects of financial reporting (Faulding & Lau 2011)…

Sum up at the end of each section

- In summary, Sydney is well positioned for further growth in residential buildings that require FM services…

It is important to refer to your research to show links between the primary research. In this case industry bodies, secondary research such as academic papers, theory and research and your findings.

[slide: 15: Implications: benefits and limitations]

What do your findings mean for the client?

- The findings outlines above suggests that PICA’s desire to enter the FM industry is expected to be beneficial given that…

- NSW trends demonstrate…

- Evidence suggests that PICA will be required to …

- There are risks associated with entering the FM services market.

It is important to refer to your research to show links between the primary research. In this case industry bodies, secondary research such as academic papers, theory and research and your findings. You need to explain what your research findings mean for your client. These implications will lead into your recommendations in the next section.

[slide 16: Recommendations and conclusions]

[Text and Graphic]

- Restates purpose

- Provides ‘the answer’

- Provides a concluding statement

The accompanying graphic of a triangle representation, this time with it points upward -going from specific to general.

Recommendations

- Suggests steps for further action

Eg. It is recommended that:

o PICA should enter the FM market

o Pica should acquire new…

The conclusion should provide a clear answer to the research question.

The conclusion is the reverse of the introduction it moves from answering the specific research question to showing how it fits into the broader context. In the recommendation section we return to the steps that this specific business should be taking as a result of the report.

[slide 17: Recommendation for further research]

Outline other research

- Based on the research findings, it is recommended that further in-depth analysis be conducted of the competitive landscape.

- PICA should seek legal and tax advice in order to…

Broadening the scope of the research

Examining certain issues in detail

In the final section of your report, outline what other research you think the client should undertake. This could include broadening the scope of the current research or examining certain issues in more detail.

Writing the report

[slide 18: Topic slide]

[slide 19: Paragraphs: TEEL]

[Graphic and Text]

Buns top and bottom: Topic and linking sentence

Condiments and meat: Explanation, evidence and examples

TEEL can be described using a burger metaphor. The topic and linking sentences make up the bun and base of the burger, and the evidence and explanations make the filling.

A paragraph contains one main idea, which is found in the topic sentence.

It is best to put the topic sentence first in the paragraph as this makes reading easier. The rest of the paragraph is made up of explanation and evidence to support the topic sentence.

[slide 20: Paragraph structure: TEEL]

A sample of a paragraph structure is given using the TEEL structure; each of these parts is highlighted.

[Topic] Leighton Contractors is a large-scale FM operation with considerable FM expertise within its own group of companies [end-topic]. [Example] A brief analysis of Leighton’s focus is helpful to PICA as it considers entry to the FM industry as PICA is considering a similar strategy [end-example]. [Evidence] The specific observation of this report is that Leighton focuses its FM operations into specific areas in which its group of companies has expertise, in particular in construction, telecommunications and mining (Leighton Constractors Pty Ltd 2009) [end-evidence]. [Link] This is a key observation as it affirms PICA’s expressed desire to enter FM by leveraging its expertise in Strata Management [end-link].

[slide 21: Persuading the reader]

Grid of icons accompanying the following text:

- Strong topic sentence

- Introduction and summaries for each section

- Effective evaluation and analysis

- Integration of sources to support your view

In a business research report your goal is to persuade the reader to follow your advice. Therefore, it is essential that they believe your understanding of the market is thorough and well researched. The following strategies are useful for writing persuasively.

[slide 22: Strong topic sentence]

[Text examples]

- [underlined] Evolution consulting [end-underlined] recommends that PICA consider acquiring the Port Stevens Group.

- [underlined] The hypothesis [end-underlined] is that now is a good time for PICA to diversify into FM.

Strong topic sentences reinforce your argument and help persuade the reader. Both topic sentences below have a clear direct message.

Notice how the topic sentence comes at the beginning of the sentence.

[slide 23: Introductions and conclusions for sections]

Introduction to a section

It is the belief of the research team that the successful entry into the FM sector will require PICA to target a specific building sub-market.

Conclusion to a section

In a conclusion, from the analysis of overall market trends, PICA would benefit from targeting the residential building sub-market.

Use section introduction and summaries to clearly state and restate your view. This acts as a reminder to the reader and emphasises the consistency

of your argument.

[slide 24: Effective evaluation and analysis]

- Paragraph strategy

- Sentence strategy

It is essential to write convincing evaluations of the strengths, weaknesses and risks. It is this understanding that makes it possible for the company to make decisions about future strategy.

[slide 25: Paragraph strategy]

A graphic illustrating the narration:

At the beginning of a paragraph, the topic sentence (evaluation of risk) should be first written. Followed by an explanation and analysis. Lastly, providing a solution. The language used in the process, should be formal impersonal language.

Here are two useful writing strategies, which make your evaluation

and analysis more effective. They are firstly clear paragraph organization

and secondly use of a formal impersonal style.

[slide 26: Sentence strategy]

Use tentative language

This demonstrates you have a thorough understanding of the level of risk.

- It is advised

- Is minimized

- Will be made

Use passive form

Write in an impersonal style. Suggest your view is based on research rather than opinion.

- Could, would, may, might

- There is a view that,

- There is a perception that

Use active verbs

In business writing it is generally better to write in a

clear and direct style. This includes using active verb forms.

However, when evaluating risks it is useful to write in a more

tentative and indirect style. Using tentative language shows you have a complex understanding of the situation and are aware of the degrees of risk.

It is also useful to write in an impersonal style as this gives your writing authority. It suggest that you are stating the views of the industry or other experts, and not just your own opinion. Passive verb forms generally weaken business writing as they are indirect. However, they are useful in evaluation as their use emphasises the advice itself rather than the voice of the writer.

[slide 27: Integration of sources]

- Supports your view with evidence

- Demonstrates the strength of your research and sources

[slide 28: Referencing in sentences]

Description: Sentence 1:

[Source] ACIF (2013) [end-source] projects that recovery will continue to strengthen for NSW in 2014.

Sentence 2:

Recover of the construction sector will continue to strengthen for NSW in 2014 [source] (ACIF) [end-source]

There are two ways to include references in a sentence at the beginning or at the end. The difference between these two constructions is subtle but it changes the focus of the sentence.

[slide 29: Effects and emphasis]

Source prominent

- Source (ACIF) emphasized as topic

- Common in academic writing where the research itself can be the topic

Information prominent

- Recovery emphasized as topic

- Common in business writing

This sentence emphasizes the source of the information and is common in academic writing. This does not emphasize the view of the student or writer. This sentence puts the information at the beginning of the sentence and emphasizes the writers view. This is useful if the writer wants to persuade the reader to follow his or her advice.

Business writing

[slide 30: Topic slide]

[slide 31: Academic writing and business writing]

Description: Academic

Knowledge and research

- Expected structure

- Academic style

- Uses a range of sources

Business decision-making and action

Workplace / Industry

- Business style

- Uses sources with practical application

There are differences between academic writing and business writing. In academic writing the overall focus is on knowledge and research. In business writing decision making and action are the goal. These differences are important and affect the writing style.

[slide 32: Tips for business writing]

Iconography for the following three points:

- Be direct: Darts board, aimed at the centre

- Be concise: Cutting out words (paper)

- Use strong active verbs: A man lifting up weights

[slide 33: Be direct]

Put the most important information first. So people can easily find it.

Put the topic sentence at the beginning

attitude towards FM services [end-emphasis] have changed to now viewing these costs as life cycle costs (International Facilities Management Association 2011).

[Emphasis] Attitudes towards FM services [end-emphasis] have changed from that of an overhead cost to a life cycle cost (International Facilities Management Association 2011).

Make it easy to read

Clear logical structure, headings, sub-headings and bullet points.

People are busy and will read only minimally. Therefore, one very useful strategy in business writing is to put the most important information first,

so you know the audience will find it. Notice how the first sentence is more difficult to read. In the second sentence the topic is at the beginning of the sentence as this makes the point immediately clear to the reader.

[slide 34: Be concise]

Description: Cut out unnecessary words

Use concise language by replacing wordy phrases with single words.

[slide 35: Use strong active verbs]

Description: Use strong active verbs

[Example 1]

ACIF believes [end-emphasis] that construction projects will experience [end-emphasis] considerable growth in 2014.

[Example 2]

ACIF forecasts [end-emphasis] considerable growth in residential construction investment in 2014.

Strong active verbs convey a clear and remove the need for repetition.

[slide 36: Identify the weaknesses ]

Description: [Poor example]

In terms of non-residential construction projects ACIF (2013) expects that construction investments in NSW will be subject to a considerable growth rate, whereas investments in non-residential construction projects are expected to remain constant for all other region.

How this can be improved

Legend: [strikethrough] = Be concise. [Highlight] = be direct. [Emphasis] = Use strong active words.

[Strikethrough] in terms of [end-strikethrough] [highlight] non-residential [end-highlight] construction projects ACIF (2013) expects [end-emphasis] that [highlight] construction investments in NSW [end-highlight] will be [strikethrough] subject to a considerable growth rate [end-strikethrough] , whereas investments in non-residential construction projects are expected to [end-emphasis] remain constant for all other regions.

[Improved example]

In NSW, construction investment for non-residential projects will grow compared with other regions of Australia (ACIF 2013).

• Overall structure of a report
• Methodology section in a report
• Example of a report
• Report checklist

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• Writing Tips

How to Structure a Business Report

• 5-minute read
• 14th March 2019

The content of a business report will depend on what you are writing about. Even the writing style may depend on who you are writing for (although clear, concise and formal is usually best). However, there is a general structure that most business reports follow. In this post, then, we’ll look at how to structure a business report for maximum clarity and professionalism.

1. Title Page

Every business report should feature a title page . The title itself should clearly set out what the report is about. Typically, you should also include your name and the date of the report.

Most business reports begin with a summary of its key points. Try to include:

• A brief description of what the report is about
• How the report was completed (e.g., data collection methods)
• The main findings from the research
• Key conclusions and recommendations

A paragraph or two should suffice for this in shorter business reports. However, for longer or more complex reports, you may want to include a full executive summary .

3. Table of Contents

Short business reports may not need a table of contents, especially if they include a summary. But longer reports should set out the title of each section and the structure of the report. Make sure the headings here match those used in the main text. You may also want to number the sections.

4. Introduction

The introduction is the first part of the report proper. Use it to set out the brief you received when you were asked to compile the report. This will frame the rest of the report by providing:

• Background information (e.g., business history or market information)
• The purpose of the report (i.e., what you set out to achieve)
• Its scope (i.e., what the report will cover and what it will ignore)

These are known as the “terms of reference” for the business report.

5. Methods and Findings

If you are conducting original research, include a section about your methods. This may be as simple as setting out the sources you are using and why you chose them. But it could also include how you have collected and analyzed the data used to draw your conclusions.

After this, you will need to explain your findings. This section will present the results of your research clearly and concisely, making sure to cover all the main points set out in the brief.

Find this useful?

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One tip here is to break the findings down into subsections, using headings to guide the reader through your data. Using charts and illustrations , meanwhile, can help get information across visually, but make sure to label them clearly so the reader knows how they relate to the text.

6. Conclusions and Recommendations

The last main section of your report will cover conclusions and recommendations. The conclusion section should summarize what you have learned from the report. If you have been asked to do so, you should also recommend potential courses of action based on your conclusions.

If you are not sure what to suggest here, think back to the objectives set out in your brief.

7. References

If you have used any third-party sources while writing your report, list them in a bibliography after the main report. This could include other business documents, academic articles, or even news reports. The key is to show what you have based your findings and conclusions upon.

8. Appendices (If Applicable)

Finally, you may have gathered extra documentation during your research, such as interview transcripts, marketing material, or financial data. Including this in the main report would make it too long and unfocused, but you can add it to an appendix (or multiple appendices) at the end of the document. It will then be available should your reader need it.

Summary: How to Structure a Business Report

If you are writing a business report, aim to structure it as follows:

• Title Page – Include a clear, informative title, your name, and the date.
• Summary – A brief summary of what the report is about, the data collection methods used, the findings of the report, and any recommendations you want to make.
• Table of Contents – For longer reports, include a table of contents.
• Introduction –Set out the brief you were given for the report.
• Methods and Findings – A description of any methods of data collection and analysis used while composing the report, as well as your findings.
• Conclusions and Recommendations – Any conclusions reached while writing the report, plus recommendations for what to do next (if required).
• References – Sources used in your report listed in a bibliography.
• Appendices – If you have supporting material (e.g., interview transcripts, raw data), add it to an appendix at the end of the document.

Don’t forget, too, that a business report should be clear, concise, and formal. And if you would like help making sure that your business writing is easy to read and error free, just let us know .

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Home » Others » Business Communication » What is Business Research Report | How to Write It

What is Business Research Report | How to Write It

A Business Research Report is a document that provides information on a particular topic or issue.

It typically includes an overview of the research conducted, an analysis of the results, and conclusions and recommendations for further action.

Writing a successful Business Research Report requires careful planning, research, and analysis. Here, we will discuss what is a Business Research Report? and how to write it effectively.

Table of Contents

What is a Business Research Report

A Business Research Report is a document that summarizes the results of an investigation into a specific business-related issue.

See Also: What is Precis Writing

It’s used to provide insight into a particular problem and can be used to inform decision-making.

The report includes findings, analysis, and recommendations based on data gathered through research.

Business Research Reports are typically written by consultants, researchers, or analysts and provide an overview of a particular business issue.

The report typically follows a specific format, which includes an introduction, the body of the report (including the analysis and recommendations), and a conclusion.

Depending on the scope of the project, these reports can range from simple summaries to more in-depth reports that include detailed data and analysis.

The primary purpose of a Business Research Report is to present the findings from an investigation into a particular business issue.

These reports can be used for decision-making purposes and can provide insights into potential strategies or solutions to a given problem.

Additionally, Business Research Reports can help create awareness of certain issues within an organization, and serve as an educational resource for those unfamiliar with the topic.

Writing a Business Research Report is no easy task, but with some careful planning and preparation, it can be achieved.

When writing a Business Research Report, it’s important to include relevant information that supports your argument, such as statistics and data from reliable sources.

Additionally, use clear language and structure your report so that it is easy to understand.

Finally, make sure to include references and citations where appropriate to support any claims you make throughout your report.

Purpose of Business Research Report

A Business Research Report (BRR) is an important document that provides valuable insights into the operations and performance of a business.

It is used to analyze and interpret various aspects of a company’s performance and operations to make decisions about its future.

The purpose of a BRR is to provide an overview of the company’s performance, compare it to industry standards, and make suggestions for improvement.

This document can be used to help management identify trends and issues, monitor the competition, understand customer needs, and assess the impact of strategic decisions.

In addition to providing an overview of the business, a BRR also helps to identify potential opportunities for growth and development.

By analyzing data from surveys, market research, financial statements, customer feedback, and other sources, businesses can gain insights into areas of potential growth or areas that may require improvement.

The insights gleaned from a BRR can be used to inform decisions about strategic investments, partnerships, marketing plans, pricing strategies, product innovations, and more.

The insights can also be used to benchmark performance against competitors and formulate plans to capitalize on weaknesses or capitalize on strengths.

Ultimately, a BRR provides a comprehensive view of a business, enabling managers to make informed decisions based on evidence-based data.

A well-written BRR can help managers and executives make better decisions that lead to increased profits and long-term success.

How to Write a Business Research Report

Writing a business research report can seem intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be.

Business research reports are an important tool for businesses to understand the current state of their industry and make informed decisions about their next steps.

See Also: Tips for Writing a Successful Business Essay

A well-written research report can help businesses gain valuable insights into their target markets, identify new growth opportunities, and develop strategies to increase profits.

Before you begin writing your business research report, it’s important to first understand what a business research report is and its purpose.

A business research report is a document that provides information and analysis on a specific topic or industry, often intending to help a company make informed decisions.

This type of report typically contains data collected through primary or secondary research, such as surveys or interviews, as well as analysis and conclusions drawn from the research.

Once you have a clear understanding of what is a business research report, you can start to plan how to write one. When writing a business research report, there are several components to consider:

• Research objective – What is the purpose of the report?
• Research methods – How will you collect the data and information needed for the report?
• Report structure – How will you organize and present the findings in the report?
• Data analysis – How will you interpret and analyze the data?
• Recommendations – What recommendations do you have for the business based on the findings of the report?

These components will provide a framework for you to structure and write your business research report.

Once you have established these elements, you can begin to fill in each section with the relevant information.

Make sure to include accurate data and detailed analysis when presenting your findings.

It’s also important to back up your conclusions with evidence and provide recommendations that are both practical and actionable.

Writing a business research report can be a complex process, but with the right guidance, it can also be an effective way to provide insights into the current state of an industry or organization.

By following the steps outlined above, you can ensure that your report is well-structured, accurate, and insightful.

Types of Business Research Report

Business research reports provide a detailed analysis of a company, its market, and its competitors.

A business research report is an organized and comprehensive overview of the current state of a company or industry.

See Also: Qualities of a Good Business Report

It typically includes primary and secondary research, data analysis, and recommendations for improvement. Business research reports can be divided into three main types:

Competitive Intelligence Reports

These reports offer a comprehensive overview of the competitive landscape of a particular industry or sector.

They include an in-depth analysis of the key players and their competitive strengths and weaknesses.

Market Research Reports

These reports provide detailed information about the market trends in a given sector.

They include an overview of current market conditions, an analysis of customer needs and preferences, and insights into opportunities for growth and development.

Strategic Analysis Reports

These reports are used to inform strategic decision-making. They offer an in-depth analysis of a company’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, as well as recommendations for how the company can improve.

Each type of business research report has a different purpose and provides different types of insights.

Depending on the company’s needs, multiple types of business research reports may be necessary to gain a comprehensive understanding of the business landscape.

Whether you’re looking to write your business research report or hire someone to do it for you, it’s important to understand the different types of reports available and the insights they can provide.

With the right data and analysis, these reports can help inform your strategic decision-making and propel your company forward.

A Business Research Report is a comprehensive document that presents research findings on a particular business-related topic.

It provides a comprehensive overview of the information that has been gathered, analyzed, and interpreted to create meaningful insights.

The report also includes recommendations for action based on the findings. Knowing how to write a Business Research Report is important to present accurate and reliable information to make informed decisions.

See Also: How to Write a Business Report

There are several types of Business Research Reports, from market research reports to operational performance analysis, so it’s important to understand the purpose of each type before starting.

With the right planning and preparation, you can create an effective Business Research Report that meets your specific needs.

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Home » 500+ Business Research Topics

500+ Business Research Topics

Business research is an essential component of any successful organization, as it allows companies to make informed decisions based on data-driven insights. Whether it’s market research to identify new opportunities, or analyzing internal processes to improve efficiency, there are a vast array of business research topics that companies can explore. With the constantly evolving business landscape, it’s critical for organizations to stay up-to-date with the latest research trends and best practices to remain competitive. In this post, we’ll explore some of the most compelling business research topics that are currently being studied, providing insights and actionable recommendations for businesses of all sizes.

Business Research Topics

Business Research Topics are as follows:

• The impact of social media on consumer behavior
• Strategies for enhancing customer satisfaction in the service industry
• The effectiveness of mobile marketing campaigns
• Exploring the factors influencing employee turnover
• The role of leadership in organizational culture
• Investigating the relationship between corporate social responsibility and financial performance
• Assessing the impact of employee engagement on organizational performance
• The challenges and opportunities of global supply chain management
• Analyzing the effectiveness of e-commerce platforms
• Investigating the impact of organizational culture on employee motivation
• The role of corporate governance in ensuring ethical business practices
• Examining the impact of digital marketing on brand equity
• Strategies for managing diversity and inclusion in the workplace
• Exploring the effects of employee empowerment on job satisfaction
• The role of innovation in business growth
• Analyzing the impact of mergers and acquisitions on company performance
• Investigating the impact of workplace design on employee productivity
• The challenges and opportunities of international business expansion
• Strategies for managing talent in the knowledge economy
• The role of artificial intelligence in transforming business operations
• Examining the impact of customer loyalty programs on retention and revenue
• Investigating the relationship between corporate social responsibility and brand reputation
• The role of emotional intelligence in effective leadership
• The impact of digital transformation on small and medium-sized enterprises
• Analyzing the effectiveness of green marketing strategies
• The role of entrepreneurship in economic development
• Investigating the impact of employee training and development on organizational performance
• The challenges and opportunities of omnichannel retailing
• Examining the impact of organizational change on employee morale and productivity
• The role of corporate social responsibility in attracting and retaining millennial talent
• Analyzing the impact of employee motivation on organizational culture
• Investigating the impact of workplace diversity on team performance
• The challenges and opportunities of blockchain technology in business operations
• Strategies for managing cross-functional teams
• The role of big data analytics in business decision-making
• Examining the impact of corporate social responsibility on customer loyalty
• Investigating the relationship between corporate social responsibility and employee engagement
• The impact of social media marketing on customer engagement and brand loyalty.
• The effectiveness of AI in improving customer service and satisfaction.
• The role of entrepreneurship in economic development and job creation.
• The impact of the gig economy on the labor market.
• The effects of corporate social responsibility on company profitability.
• The role of data analytics in predicting consumer behavior and market trends.
• The effects of globalization on the competitiveness of small businesses.
• The impact of e-commerce on traditional brick-and-mortar retail.
• The role of emotional intelligence in leadership and team management.
• The effects of workplace diversity on employee productivity and satisfaction.
• The role of corporate culture in employee retention and satisfaction.
• The impact of employee training and development on company performance.
• The effectiveness of performance-based pay structures on employee motivation.
• The impact of sustainability practices on company reputation and profitability.
• The effects of artificial intelligence on job displacement and the future of work.
• The role of innovation in the growth and success of small businesses.
• The impact of government regulations on business operations and profitability.
• The effects of organizational structure on company performance and efficiency.
• The role of emotional labor in service industries.
• The impact of employee empowerment on job satisfaction and retention.
• The effects of workplace flexibility on employee productivity and well-being.
• The role of emotional intelligence in negotiation and conflict resolution.
• The impact of branding on consumer behavior and purchase decisions.
• The effects of customer experience on brand loyalty and advocacy.
• The role of storytelling in marketing and advertising.
• The impact of consumer psychology on pricing strategies and sales.
• The effects of influencer marketing on consumer behavior and brand loyalty.
• The role of trust in online transactions and e-commerce.
• The impact of product design on consumer perception and purchasing decisions.
• The effects of customer satisfaction on company profitability and growth.
• The role of social entrepreneurship in addressing societal problems and creating value.
• The impact of corporate governance on company performance and stakeholder relations.
• The effects of workplace harassment on employee well-being and company culture.
• The role of strategic planning in the success of small businesses.
• The impact of technology on supply chain management and logistics.
• The effects of customer segmentation on marketing strategies and sales.
• The role of corporate philanthropy in building brand reputation and loyalty.
• The impact of intellectual property protection on innovation and creativity.
• The effects of trade policies on international business operations and profitability.
• The role of strategic partnerships in business growth and expansion.
• The impact of digital transformation on organizational structure and operations.
• The effects of leadership styles on employee motivation and performance.
• The role of corporate social activism in shaping public opinion and brand reputation.
• The impact of mergers and acquisitions on company performance and stakeholder value.
• The effects of workplace automation on job displacement and re-skilling.
• The role of cross-cultural communication in international business operations.
• The impact of workplace stress on employee health and productivity.
• The effects of customer reviews and ratings on online sales and reputation.
• The role of competitive intelligence in market research and strategy development.
• The impact of brand identity on consumer trust and loyalty.
• The impact of organizational structure on innovation and creativity
• Analyzing the effectiveness of virtual teams in global organizations
• The role of corporate social responsibility in crisis management
• The challenges and opportunities of online marketplaces
• Strategies for managing cultural diversity in multinational corporations
• The impact of employer branding on employee retention
• Investigating the impact of corporate social responsibility on investor behavior
• The role of technology in enhancing customer experience
• Analyzing the impact of social responsibility initiatives on customer satisfaction
• Investigating the impact of supply chain disruptions on business performance
• The role of business ethics in organizational decision-making
• The challenges and opportunities of artificial intelligence in customer service
• Strategies for managing employee burnout and stress in the workplace.
• Impact of social media on consumer behavior and its implications for businesses.
• The impact of corporate social responsibility on company performance.
• An analysis of the relationship between employee satisfaction and customer loyalty.
• The effect of advertising on consumer behavior.
• A study on the effectiveness of social media marketing in building brand image.
• The impact of technological innovations on business strategy and operations.
• The relationship between leadership style and employee motivation.
• A study of the effects of corporate culture on employee engagement.
• An analysis of the factors influencing consumer buying behavior.
• The effectiveness of training and development programs in enhancing employee performance.
• The impact of global economic factors on business decision-making.
• The role of organizational communication in achieving business goals.
• The relationship between customer satisfaction and business success.
• A study of the challenges and opportunities in international business.
• The effectiveness of supply chain management in improving business performance.
• An analysis of the factors influencing customer loyalty in the hospitality industry.
• The impact of employee turnover on organizational performance.
• A study of the impact of corporate governance on company performance.
• The role of innovation in business growth and success.
• An analysis of the relationship between marketing and sales performance.
• The effect of organizational structure on employee behavior.
• A study of the impact of cultural differences on business negotiations.
• The effectiveness of pricing strategies in increasing sales revenue.
• The impact of customer service on customer loyalty.
• A study of the role of human resource management in business success.
• The impact of e-commerce on traditional brick-and-mortar businesses.
• An analysis of the relationship between employee empowerment and job satisfaction.
• The effectiveness of customer relationship management in building brand loyalty.
• The role of business ethics in corporate decision-making.
• A study of the impact of digital marketing on consumer behavior.
• The effect of organizational culture on employee turnover.
• An analysis of the factors influencing employee engagement in the workplace.
• The impact of social media on business communication and marketing.
• A study of the relationship between customer service and customer loyalty in the airline industry.
• The role of diversity and inclusion in business success.
• The effectiveness of performance management systems in improving employee performance.
• The impact of corporate social responsibility on employee engagement.
• A study of the factors influencing business expansion into new markets.
• The role of brand identity in customer loyalty and retention.
• The effectiveness of change management strategies in organizational change.
• The impact of organizational structure on organizational performance.
• A study of the impact of technology on the future of work.
• The relationship between innovation and competitive advantage in the marketplace.
• The effect of employee training on organizational performance.
• An analysis of the impact of online reviews on consumer behavior.
• The role of leadership in shaping organizational culture.
• The effectiveness of talent management strategies in retaining top talent.
• The impact of globalization on small and medium-sized enterprises.
• A study of the relationship between corporate social responsibility and brand reputation.
• The effectiveness of employee retention strategies in reducing turnover rates.
• The role of emotional intelligence in leadership and employee engagement.
• The impact of digital marketing on customer behavior
• The role of organizational culture in employee engagement and retention
• The effects of employee training and development on organizational performance
• The relationship between corporate social responsibility and financial performance
• The impact of globalization on business strategy
• The importance of supply chain management in achieving competitive advantage
• The role of innovation in business growth and sustainability
• The impact of e-commerce on traditional retail businesses
• The role of leadership in managing change in organizations
• The effects of workplace diversity on organizational performance
• The impact of social media on brand image and reputation
• The relationship between employee motivation and productivity
• The role of organizational structure in promoting innovation
• The effects of customer service on customer loyalty
• The impact of globalization on small businesses
• The role of corporate governance in preventing unethical behavior
• The effects of technology on job design and work organization
• The relationship between employee satisfaction and turnover
• The impact of mergers and acquisitions on organizational culture
• The effects of employee benefits on job satisfaction
• The impact of cultural differences on international business negotiations
• The role of strategic planning in organizational success
• The effects of organizational change on employee stress and burnout
• The impact of business ethics on customer trust and loyalty
• The role of human resource management in achieving competitive advantage
• The effects of outsourcing on organizational performance
• The impact of diversity and inclusion on team performance
• The role of corporate social responsibility in brand differentiation
• The effects of leadership style on organizational culture
• The Impact of Digital Marketing on Brand Equity: A Study of E-commerce Businesses
• Investigating the Relationship between Employee Engagement and Organizational Performance
• Analyzing the Effects of Corporate Social Responsibility on Customer Loyalty and Firm Performance
• An Empirical Study of the Factors Affecting Entrepreneurial Success in the Technology Sector
• The Influence of Organizational Culture on Employee Motivation and Job Satisfaction: A Case Study of a Service Industry
• Investigating the Impact of Organizational Change on Employee Resistance: A Comparative Study of Two Organizations
• An Exploration of the Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Supply Chain Management
• Examining the Relationship between Leadership Styles and Employee Creativity in Innovative Organizations
• Investigating the Effectiveness of Performance Appraisal Systems in Improving Employee Performance
• Analyzing the Role of Emotional Intelligence in Leadership Effectiveness: A Study of Senior Managers
• The Impact of Transformational Leadership on Employee Motivation and Job Satisfaction in the Healthcare Sector
• Evaluating the Effectiveness of Talent Management Strategies in Enhancing Organizational Performance
• A Study of the Effects of Customer Relationship Management on Customer Retention and Loyalty
• Investigating the Impact of Corporate Governance on Firm Performance: Evidence from Emerging Markets
• The Relationship between Intellectual Capital and Firm Performance: A Case Study of Technology Firms
• Analyzing the Effectiveness of Diversity Management in Improving Organizational Performance
• The Impact of Internationalization on the Performance of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises: A Comparative Study of Developed and Developing Countries
• Examining the Relationship between Corporate Social Responsibility and Financial Performance: A Study of Listed Firms
• Investigating the Influence of Entrepreneurial Orientation on Firm Performance in Emerging Markets
• Analyzing the Impact of E-commerce on Traditional Retail Business Models: A Study of Brick-and-Mortar Stores
• The Effect of Corporate Reputation on Customer Loyalty and Firm Performance: A Study of the Banking Sector
• Investigating the Factors Affecting Consumer Adoption of Mobile Payment Systems
• The Role of Corporate Social Responsibility in Attracting and Retaining Millennial Employees
• Analyzing the Impact of Social Media Marketing on Brand Awareness and Consumer Purchase Intentions
• A Study of the Effects of Employee Training and Development on Job Performance
• Investigating the Relationship between Corporate Culture and Employee Turnover: A Study of Multinational Companies
• The Impact of Business Process Reengineering on Organizational Performance: A Study of Service Industries
• An Empirical Study of the Factors Affecting Internationalization Strategies of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises
• The Effect of Strategic Human Resource Management on Firm Performance: A Study of Manufacturing Firms
• Investigating the Influence of Leadership on Organizational Culture: A Comparative Study of Two Organizations
• The Impact of Technology Adoption on Organizational Productivity: A Study of the Healthcare Sector
• Analyzing the Effects of Brand Personality on Consumer Purchase Intentions: A Study of Luxury Brands
• The Relationship between Corporate Social Responsibility and Customer Perceptions of Product Quality: A Study of the Food and Beverage Industry
• Investigating the Effectiveness of Performance Management Systems in Improving Employee Performance: A Study of a Public Sector Organization
• The Impact of Business Ethics on Firm Performance: A Study of the Banking Industry
• Examining the Relationship between Employee Engagement and Customer Satisfaction in the Service Industry
• Investigating the Influence of Entrepreneurial Networking on Firm Performance: A Study of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises
• The Effect of Corporate Social Responsibility on Employee Retention: A Study of High-tech Firms
• The impact of workplace communication on employee engagement
• The role of customer feedback in improving service quality
• The effects of employee empowerment on job satisfaction
• The impact of innovation on customer satisfaction
• The role of knowledge management in organizational learning
• The effects of product innovation on market share
• The impact of business location on customer behavior
• The role of financial management in business success
• The effects of corporate social responsibility on employee engagement
• The impact of cultural intelligence on cross-cultural communication
• The role of social media in crisis management
• The effects of corporate branding on customer loyalty
• The impact of globalization on consumer behavior
• The role of emotional intelligence in leadership effectiveness
• The effects of employee involvement in decision-making on job satisfaction
• The impact of business strategy on market share
• The role of corporate culture in promoting ethical behavior
• The effects of corporate social responsibility on investor behavior
• The impact of sustainability on brand image and reputation
• The role of corporate social responsibility in reducing carbon emissions.
• The effectiveness of loyalty programs on customer retention
• The benefits of remote work for employee productivity
• The impact of environmental sustainability on consumer purchasing decisions
• The role of brand identity in consumer loyalty
• The relationship between employee satisfaction and customer satisfaction
• The impact of e-commerce on traditional brick-and-mortar stores
• The effectiveness of online advertising on consumer behavior
• The impact of leadership styles on employee motivation
• The role of corporate social responsibility in brand perception
• The impact of workplace diversity on organizational performance
• The effectiveness of gamification in employee training programs
• The impact of pricing strategies on consumer behavior
• The effectiveness of mobile marketing on consumer engagement
• The impact of emotional intelligence on leadership effectiveness
• The role of customer service in consumer loyalty
• The impact of technology on supply chain management
• The effectiveness of employee training programs on job performance
• The impact of culture on consumer behavior
• The effectiveness of performance appraisal systems on employee motivation
• The impact of social responsibility on organizational performance
• The role of innovation in business success
• The impact of ethical leadership on organizational culture
• The effectiveness of cross-functional teams in project management
• The impact of government regulations on business operations
• The role of strategic planning in business growth
• The impact of emotional intelligence on team dynamics
• The effectiveness of supply chain management on customer satisfaction
• The impact of workplace culture on employee satisfaction
• The role of employee engagement in organizational success
• The impact of globalization on organizational culture
• The effectiveness of virtual teams in project management
• The impact of employee turnover on organizational performance
• The role of corporate social responsibility in talent acquisition
• The impact of technology on employee training and development
• The effectiveness of knowledge management on organizational learning
• The impact of organizational structure on employee motivation
• The role of innovation in organizational change
• The impact of cultural intelligence on global business operations
• The effectiveness of marketing strategies on brand perception
• The impact of change management on organizational culture
• The role of leadership in organizational transformation
• The impact of employee empowerment on job satisfaction
• The effectiveness of project management methodologies on project success
• The impact of workplace communication on team performance
• The role of emotional intelligence in conflict resolution
• The impact of employee motivation on job performance
• The effectiveness of diversity and inclusion initiatives on organizational performance.
• The impact of social media on consumer behavior and buying decisions
• The role of diversity and inclusion in corporate culture and its effects on employee retention and productivity
• The effectiveness of remote work policies on job satisfaction and work-life balance
• The impact of customer experience on brand loyalty and revenue growth
• The effects of environmental sustainability practices on corporate reputation and financial performance
• The role of corporate social responsibility in consumer purchasing decisions
• The effectiveness of leadership styles on team performance and productivity
• The effects of employee motivation on job performance and turnover
• The impact of technology on supply chain management and logistics efficiency
• The role of emotional intelligence in effective leadership and team dynamics
• The impact of artificial intelligence and automation on job displacement and workforce trends
• The effects of brand image on consumer perception and purchasing decisions
• The role of corporate culture in promoting innovation and creativity
• The impact of e-commerce on traditional brick-and-mortar retail businesses
• The effects of corporate governance on financial reporting and transparency
• The effectiveness of performance-based compensation on employee motivation and productivity
• The impact of online reviews and ratings on consumer trust and brand reputation
• The effects of workplace diversity on innovation and creativity
• The impact of mobile technology on marketing strategies and consumer behavior
• The role of emotional intelligence in customer service and satisfaction
• The effects of corporate reputation on financial performance and stakeholder trust
• The impact of artificial intelligence on customer service and support
• The role of organizational culture in promoting ethical behavior and decision-making
• The effects of corporate social responsibility on employee engagement and satisfaction
• The impact of employee turnover on organizational performance and profitability
• The role of customer satisfaction in promoting brand loyalty and advocacy
• The effects of workplace flexibility on employee morale and productivity
• The impact of employee wellness programs on absenteeism and healthcare costs
• The role of data analytics in business decision-making and strategy formulation
• The effects of brand personality on consumer behavior and perception
• The impact of social media marketing on brand awareness and customer engagement
• The role of organizational justice in promoting employee satisfaction and retention
• The effects of corporate branding on employee motivation and loyalty
• The impact of online advertising on consumer behavior and purchasing decisions
• The role of corporate entrepreneurship in promoting innovation and growth
• The effects of cultural intelligence on cross-cultural communication and business success
• The impact of workplace diversity on customer satisfaction and loyalty
• The role of ethical leadership in promoting employee trust and commitment
• The effects of job stress on employee health and well-being
• The impact of supply chain disruptions on business operations and financial performance
• The role of organizational learning in promoting continuous improvement and innovation
• The effects of employee engagement on customer satisfaction and loyalty
• The impact of brand extensions on brand equity and consumer behavior
• The role of strategic alliances in promoting business growth and competitiveness
• The effects of corporate transparency on stakeholder trust and loyalty
• The impact of digital transformation on business models and competitiveness
• The role of business ethics in promoting corporate social responsibility and sustainability
• The effects of employee empowerment on job satisfaction and organizational performance.
• The role of corporate governance in mitigating unethical behavior in multinational corporations.
• The effects of cultural diversity on team performance in multinational corporations.
• The impact of corporate social responsibility on consumer loyalty and brand reputation.
• The relationship between organizational culture and employee engagement in service industries.
• The impact of globalization on the competitiveness of small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
• The effectiveness of performance-based pay systems on employee motivation and productivity.
• The relationship between innovation and corporate performance in the pharmaceutical industry.
• The impact of digital marketing on the traditional marketing mix.
• The role of emotional intelligence in leadership effectiveness in cross-cultural teams.
• The relationship between corporate social responsibility and financial performance in the banking sector.
• The impact of diversity management on employee satisfaction and retention in multinational corporations.
• The relationship between leadership style and organizational culture in family-owned businesses.
• The impact of e-commerce on supply chain management.
• The effectiveness of training and development programs on employee performance in the retail sector.
• The impact of global economic trends on strategic decision-making in multinational corporations.
• The relationship between ethical leadership and employee job satisfaction in the healthcare industry.
• The impact of employee empowerment on organizational performance in the manufacturing sector.
• The relationship between corporate social responsibility and employee well-being in the hospitality industry.
• The impact of artificial intelligence on customer service in the banking industry.
• The relationship between emotional intelligence and employee creativity in the technology industry.
• The impact of big data analytics on customer relationship management in the telecommunications industry.
• The relationship between organizational culture and innovation in the automotive industry.
• The impact of internationalization on the performance of SMEs in emerging markets.
• The effectiveness of performance appraisal systems on employee motivation and retention in the public sector.
• The relationship between diversity management and innovation in the pharmaceutical industry.
• The impact of social entrepreneurship on economic development in developing countries.
• The relationship between transformational leadership and organizational change in the energy sector.
• The impact of online customer reviews on brand reputation in the hospitality industry.
• The effectiveness of leadership development programs on employee engagement in the finance industry.
• The relationship between corporate social responsibility and employee turnover in the retail sector.
• The impact of artificial intelligence on the recruitment and selection process in the technology industry.
• The relationship between organizational culture and employee creativity in the fashion industry.
• The impact of digital transformation on business models in the insurance industry.
• The relationship between employee engagement and customer satisfaction in the service industry.
• The impact of mergers and acquisitions on organizational culture and employee morale.
• The effectiveness of knowledge management systems on organizational performance in the consulting industry.
• The impact of social media marketing on brand loyalty in the food and beverage industry.
• The relationship between emotional intelligence and customer satisfaction in the airline industry.
• The impact of blockchain technology on supply chain management in the logistics industry.
• The relationship between corporate social responsibility and employee engagement in the technology industry.
• The impact of digitalization on talent management practices in the hospitality industry.
• The effectiveness of reward and recognition programs on employee motivation in the manufacturing industry.
• The impact of industry 4.0 on organizational structure and culture in the aerospace industry.
• The relationship between leadership style and team performance in the construction industry.
• The impact of artificial intelligence on financial forecasting and decision-making in the banking sector.
• The relationship between corporate social responsibility and customer loyalty in the automotive industry.
• The impact of virtual teams on employee communication and collaboration in the pharmaceutical industry.
• The impact of remote work on employee productivity and job satisfaction
• The effects of social media marketing on customer engagement and brand loyalty
• The role of artificial intelligence in streamlining supply chain management
• The effectiveness of employee training and development programs on organizational performance
• The impact of diversity and inclusion initiatives on organizational culture and employee satisfaction
• The role of corporate social responsibility in enhancing brand reputation and customer loyalty
• The effects of e-commerce on small businesses and local economies
• The impact of big data analytics on marketing strategies and customer insights
• The effects of employee empowerment on organizational innovation and performance
• The impact of globalization on the hospitality industry
• The effects of corporate governance on organizational performance and financial outcomes
• The role of customer satisfaction in driving business growth and profitability
• The impact of artificial intelligence on financial forecasting and risk management
• The effects of corporate culture on employee engagement and retention
• The role of green marketing in promoting environmental sustainability and brand reputation
• The impact of digital transformation on the retail industry
• The effects of employee motivation on job performance and organizational productivity
• The role of customer experience in enhancing brand loyalty and advocacy
• The impact of international trade agreements on global business practices
• The effects of artificial intelligence on customer service and support
• The role of organizational communication in facilitating teamwork and collaboration
• The impact of corporate social responsibility on employee motivation and retention
• The effects of global economic instability on business decision-making
• The role of leadership styles in organizational change management
• The impact of social media influencers on consumer behavior and purchasing decisions
• The effects of employee well-being on organizational productivity and profitability
• The role of innovation in driving business growth and competitive advantage
• The impact of digital marketing on consumer behavior and brand perception
• The role of strategic planning in organizational success and sustainability
• The impact of e-commerce on consumer privacy and data security
• The effects of corporate reputation on customer acquisition and retention
• The role of diversity and inclusion in organizational creativity and innovation
• The impact of artificial intelligence on customer relationship management
• The effects of customer feedback on product development and innovation
• The role of employee job satisfaction in reducing turnover and absenteeism
• The impact of global competition on business strategy and innovation
• The effects of corporate branding on customer loyalty and advocacy
• The role of digital transformation in enhancing organizational agility and responsiveness
• The effects of employee empowerment on customer satisfaction and loyalty
• The role of entrepreneurial leadership in driving business innovation and growth
• The impact of digital disruption on traditional business models
• The effects of organizational culture on innovation and creativity
• The role of marketing research in developing effective marketing strategies
• The impact of social media on customer relationship management
• The effects of employee engagement on organizational innovation and competitiveness
• The role of strategic partnerships in promoting business growth and expansion
• The impact of global trends on business innovation and entrepreneurship

About the author

Muhammad Hassan

Researcher, Academic Writer, Web developer

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Business Research A Guide to Planning, Conducting, and Reporting Your Study

• Donald R. Cooper
• Description

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“ Business Research: A Guide to Planning, Conducting, and Reporting Your Study is a worthy entry into this field of research texts. It provides a carefully thought out and tightly organized plan for conducting research across a variety of business and non-business fields. Rather than a cook book, it presents a sound theoretical approach to doing research firmly grounded in an understanding of the scientific method. It carries the student from problem inception to finished report in a highly readable and entertaining way. It can be recommended to any instructor who wants a text for a research methods course that is flexible and easy to use.”

“Donald Cooper provides a roadmap for success by supplying his readers with the essential tools needed to succeed in conducting and reporting research in the ever changing business environment we live in today.”

“This book provides clear, concise and practical guides to the whole research process from beginning to end. It is an effective reference for students and anyone learning how to do research. It covers each and every step of the research process thoroughly from exploring research question and problem all the way to writing the results.”

“An excellent guide for the novice or experienced researcher. This book is written with scholarship, integrity, and intelligence. The author has provided an excellent writing style and examples.  The material is easy to understand and presented in a fashion that students will enjoy.”

“I believe this to be a vast improvement over traditional research texts. The language is easy to understand making the work more accessible to students.”

“[Cooper] provides the step-by-step research process and explains the relevance and importance of each step. Additionally, the use and write-up of the data to inform readers of research is critical.”

“This text provides a comprehensive coverage on business research.”

“The textbook helps the serious researcher think better about research design.”

KEY FEATURES:  

• The only book to offer a simplified design, including both qualitative research and mixed designs, providing a useful and valuable resource for all students.
• Design matrix and three sets of questions narrow down the most appropriate design methods , allowing readers to begin their research projects with greater efficiency.  
• Unique Statistical Decision Trees enable students to bypass the typical statistics chapters and select the appropriate analysis based on prior learning, thus lessening anxiety surrounding complex research assignments. 
• Real world case studies blend business research within the context of successful organizations to detail business research challenges within a broad array of examples.
• Global narrative highlights a wide spectrum of business research challenges. 
• A concise and effective APA style how-to guide with over 26 exhibits that includes writing examples using permissions for articles and a 2016 thesis.
• Robust pedagogical features include learning objectives, key terms, discussion questions, comparison tables for a business report vs. an academic report, and over 500 references.
• An appendix includes an example of an original PowerPoint Business Research Proposal.   

Sample Materials & Chapters

2. Self-Defense Tools for Research: Preparation, Reasoning, and Terminology

8. Experimental Designs

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Business Management Report

Report generator.

No matter what field of professional undertakings it is where your business operation is incorporated with, you have to ensure that you have all the reports that you need to identify the current performance of your business as well as the path that you need to take to achieve the goals, objectives, and vision that you have set. Different establishments and corporations from various industries use different kinds of reports. One of which is a business management report .

• 10+ NGO Annual Report Examples
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A business plan or a business report is different from a business management report. As an example, a  food catering business plan  focuses on the plan of actions that a food catering start-up must follow so that it can survive in the marketplace and a food catering business report provides information about how the actual implementation of the action plans went in terms of reaching corporate milestones for the organization.

On the other hand, a food catering management report deals with the presentation of how the food catering is doing and how management practices affect its potential successes.

A list of downloadable business management report examples is available in this post. These references can be very useful if you want to be well-guided when it comes to the curation of all the information that you want to discuss in the document that you are making.

These examples can also allow you to properly format the business management report of your organization so that it can be at its most presentable. Make sure to browse through the examples that we have listed for you and download any of them for your advantage. You may also see investigation report examples .

Business Management Report Example

Business Management Report Template

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Editable Monthly Business Management Report Example

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Why Is a Business Management Report Deemed as an Essential Corporate Document?

Developing reports related to management functions and processes is important as it allows the presence of success measures to take place. With this, effective strategies can be maintained and activities that hinder the growth of the business can be removed. Proper assessment, as reflected in the results of a business management report, can make a company more proactive and directed to the achievement of its corporate goals .

Listed below are some of the reasons why a business management report is considered as one of the most essential corporate documents that your business is expected to have.

1. A business management report can serve as a source of credible information that can be used by the stakeholders of the business when it comes to decision-making processes for the company’s future operations. The content of this document helps particular entities be aware of how the business, its resources, its workforce, and its overall operations are managed which can reflect the level of quality standards that the company adhere to. You may also see academic report examples .

2. A business management report helps in presenting different areas and parts of the business that can make managers come up with a realistic overall view of the operations. This is necessary as it can help provide a platform that can connect the concerns of the workforce with the decisions that the management will make. You may also like status report examples .

3. A business management report, like a business project plan , ensures that all the key performance indicators of the business are considered and looked into in every effort that it executes. Since a business management report contains details from different business divisions, this document can showcase the processes and activities in every department and how these items contribute to the success of the business.

4. A business management report provides a crucial and vital role in terms of the proper functioning of the organization. Without a business management report, the managers and the decision-makers of the company will not see the actual results and analysis of their previous management tactics and strategies. This can be very dangerous to the operations of the business especially if the action plans followed even up to this date are inefficient and ineffective.

Business Management Report Outline Example

Size: 178 KB

Business Financial Statements and Management Report Example

Annual Financial Statements and Management Report of a Bank Business Example

Selected Business Management Report Framework Example

Size: 107 KB

Importance of a Business Management Report

Business management reports help organizations be more keen and observant when monitoring their performance and the level of management growth that has already occurred for a particular time period. This results to the proper setting of benchmarks that can allow businesses to execute strategies that work. You may also see project report examples .

A few reasons why it is important for you to create a business management report are as follows:

1. Having a business management report at hand can lead the business to the right direction. This document can promote efficiency in operations and productivity for the workforce. With this, there will be an effective development measure that can help the business become sustainable and competitive. You may also like research report examples .

2. With the help of a business management report, business intelligence can be within the reach of the stakeholders of any organization. This is a great way to ensure that any decisions that they make are accurate, specific, and based on data-driven and output-focused processes. You may also check out examples of short report .

3. Developing a business management report can help your business understand the underlying reasons of your successes, or the lack thereof. Using this document can thoroughly present the issues, concerns, factors, and elements that either helps or negates the improvement of your corporate health. If you want to evolve as a corporate entity, you have to make sure that you will realign your strategies and plan of action based on the results of the specified document.

4. Through the usage of a business management report, you can have an idea about the worth of your business within a particular time period. A basic business management report does not only contain simple analysis results and recommendations. It also presents the actual condition of the business as well as necessary financial information and operational activities.

5. If you have a business management report at hand, it will be easier for you to promote communication with the different levels of the organizational structure. As an example, an  annual financial report  incorporated in the business management report can help the finance and accounting departments become more open with the changes that they think that the management should consider to attain higher profitability and better return of investments.

Business Management Report of the Board of Directors Example

Business Report Planning and Development for Business Management Example

Size: 111 KB

Business Report Writing Example

Size: 167 KB

How to Make an Effective Business Management Report

Coming up with a business management report for your organization is something that you have to take seriously. The accuracy and precision of the information that you will discuss in this document can affect the future processes of the business, which is why you have to be careful with the presentation that you will develop. You may also see technical report examples .

The steps that you can follow if you want to create your own business management report are listed below:

1. Begin with the end in mind. You need to be aware of what you would like to achieve with the help of the business management report. If you are already knowledgeable of your objective and goals , it will be easier for you to become more strategic and tactical when looking into the document and its application to your operations.

2.Make sure that you will set realistic, measurable, and attainable key performance indicators. You have to think of the deliverable of your workforce as well as the available resources that the business can use.

With this, you can set the scopes and limitations of the business management report as well as the suggestions and recommendations that you would like the management to select from in terms of the further development of their decisions for the business operations. You may also like consulting report examples .

3. Present all the raw sources of your data. The items and information that you have collected must come from firsthand and credible sources.

Present these details in an organized manner. As much as possible, group the information based on the departments and/or divisions that provided you with particular facts and figures. This can make your presentation more comprehensive, understandable, and functional. You may also check out marketing report examples .

4. Allow your business management report to be visually appealing and pleasing. Narrow down your discussion to the most necessary and relevant information that you need to present. You can use virtual tools like graphs and general charts to help you elaborate your message.

5. Come up with useful suggestions and recommendations based on the results of general analysis , programs, and research studies. However, this is not always necessary as there are business management reports that are only required to present all the data from particular undertakings. Hence, you have to be aware of what to present and what the management requires from you before actually developing this document.

6. Just like when polishing a business annual report , it is essential for you to review the business management report draft and finalize its content and format. Ensure that the document is free from errors, misleading information, and irrelevant details.

Monthly Business Management Report Example

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Formal Reports and Proposal for Business Management Example

Size: 105 KB

Business Management Report Guides Example

Size: 265 KB

Useful Tips in Making Business Management Reports

In comparison to an after action report , which focuses on the particulars of the activities that are necessary to be done after an undertaking, a business management report considers not only future endeavors but also the previous activities that have been implemented that affected the management and operations of the organization.

If you want to have a business management report that can provide your business with high potential of successes, it is imperative for you to ensure that your discussion is multi-faceted, objective, and has the directive to track the path that the business can take to realize its vision within a particular time duration. You may also see sales report examples .

Here are the tips that you can refer to if you are already prepared in developing the business management report for your business:

1. Have an idea about the background and the basics of business management reporting. It is important for you to be knowledgeable of the context of the document’s development and usage. Through this, you can easily identify the best strategies that will allow you to come up with your desired presentation. You may also like quality report examples .

2. Review the processes and regulations that the business follows whenever there is a need to create a business management report.

Look into the management reporting procedures that are used in your business environment so you can be aware on whether you just need to maintain what is specified in there or if you need to change and update particular areas so that you can have a business management report that is fit with the current condition and needs of the business. You may also check out service report examples .

3. Keep in mind that for a business management report to be as successful as possible, you have to exert both your time and effort when developing the specified document.

It is essential for you to be prepared accordingly so that you can present the message of the document in the best manner there is. If you want to create an effective business management report, you have to be aware of the things that you need so that you can properly use them in putting together all the details of the specific document. You might be interested in financial report examples .

If you are already convinced to create your own business management report, the first thing that you can do is to refer to our downloadable examples so you can easily adapt the things that you need for the actual development of the document. Browse through this post for a relevant discussion and start making a business management report for your business .

Text prompt

• Instructive
• Professional

Generate a report on the impact of technology in the classroom on student learning outcomes

Prepare a report analyzing the trends in student participation in sports and arts programs over the last five years at your school.

Business Research

• Company Information
• Annual Reports
• Competitors
• Financial Information
• Financial Ratios
• Investment Reports
• Mission Statement
• Leadership Information
• Finding or Creating SWOT Analyses
• Using Hoovers to Create Lists
• Industry Overviews
• Trends and Projections
• Major Companies

Market Research

• Marketing Plans
• Market Share
• Market Size
• Demographics/Psychographics
• Product Reviews
• Products/Brands
• Business Plans
• Case Studies
• Country Information
• NAICS Codes

This Business Research Tutorial contains information on the following:

Company Research

• Finding Company Information
• Finding a Company's Annual Report
• Finding a Company's Competitors
• Finding Financial Ratios for Companies
• Finding Investment/Analyst Reports
• Finding a Company's Mission Statement
• Finding a Company's Leadership Information
• Using Hoovers to Create Company Lists

Industry Research

• Finding Industry Overviews
• Finding Industry Trends and Projections
• Finding Financial Ratios for Industries
• Finding the Major Companies in an Industry
• Conducting Market Research
• Creating a Marketing Plan
• Finding Market Share Information
• Finding Market Size Information
• Finding Demographic or Psychographic Information

Product Research

• Finding Product Reviews
• Finding a Company's Products/Brands

Other Business Research

• Creating a Business Plan
• Finding Case Studies
• Finding Country Information
• Next: Company Research >>
• Last Updated: Jun 3, 2024 2:46 PM
• URL: https://libguides.umgc.edu/business-research

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A multiple MSBA faculty excellence award winner,  Mišić focuses on decisions in uncertainty, customer choice problems and machine learning-based optimization in his operations analytics course.

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The state of AI in early 2024: Gen AI adoption spikes and starts to generate value

If 2023 was the year the world discovered generative AI (gen AI) , 2024 is the year organizations truly began using—and deriving business value from—this new technology. In the latest McKinsey Global Survey  on AI, 65 percent of respondents report that their organizations are regularly using gen AI, nearly double the percentage from our previous survey just ten months ago. Respondents’ expectations for gen AI’s impact remain as high as they were last year , with three-quarters predicting that gen AI will lead to significant or disruptive change in their industries in the years ahead.

About the authors

This article is a collaborative effort by Alex Singla , Alexander Sukharevsky , Lareina Yee , and Michael Chui , with Bryce Hall , representing views from QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey, and McKinsey Digital.

Organizations are already seeing material benefits from gen AI use, reporting both cost decreases and revenue jumps in the business units deploying the technology. The survey also provides insights into the kinds of risks presented by gen AI—most notably, inaccuracy—as well as the emerging practices of top performers to mitigate those challenges and capture value.

AI adoption surges

Interest in generative AI has also brightened the spotlight on a broader set of AI capabilities. For the past six years, AI adoption by respondents’ organizations has hovered at about 50 percent. This year, the survey finds that adoption has jumped to 72 percent (Exhibit 1). And the interest is truly global in scope. Our 2023 survey found that AI adoption did not reach 66 percent in any region; however, this year more than two-thirds of respondents in nearly every region say their organizations are using AI. 1 Organizations based in Central and South America are the exception, with 58 percent of respondents working for organizations based in Central and South America reporting AI adoption. Looking by industry, the biggest increase in adoption can be found in professional services. 2 Includes respondents working for organizations focused on human resources, legal services, management consulting, market research, R&D, tax preparation, and training.

Also, responses suggest that companies are now using AI in more parts of the business. Half of respondents say their organizations have adopted AI in two or more business functions, up from less than a third of respondents in 2023 (Exhibit 2).

Gen AI adoption is most common in the functions where it can create the most value

Most respondents now report that their organizations—and they as individuals—are using gen AI. Sixty-five percent of respondents say their organizations are regularly using gen AI in at least one business function, up from one-third last year. The average organization using gen AI is doing so in two functions, most often in marketing and sales and in product and service development—two functions in which previous research  determined that gen AI adoption could generate the most value 3 “ The economic potential of generative AI: The next productivity frontier ,” McKinsey, June 14, 2023. —as well as in IT (Exhibit 3). The biggest increase from 2023 is found in marketing and sales, where reported adoption has more than doubled. Yet across functions, only two use cases, both within marketing and sales, are reported by 15 percent or more of respondents.

Gen AI also is weaving its way into respondents’ personal lives. Compared with 2023, respondents are much more likely to be using gen AI at work and even more likely to be using gen AI both at work and in their personal lives (Exhibit 4). The survey finds upticks in gen AI use across all regions, with the largest increases in Asia–Pacific and Greater China. Respondents at the highest seniority levels, meanwhile, show larger jumps in the use of gen Al tools for work and outside of work compared with their midlevel-management peers. Looking at specific industries, respondents working in energy and materials and in professional services report the largest increase in gen AI use.

Investments in gen AI and analytical AI are beginning to create value

The latest survey also shows how different industries are budgeting for gen AI. Responses suggest that, in many industries, organizations are about equally as likely to be investing more than 5 percent of their digital budgets in gen AI as they are in nongenerative, analytical-AI solutions (Exhibit 5). Yet in most industries, larger shares of respondents report that their organizations spend more than 20 percent on analytical AI than on gen AI. Looking ahead, most respondents—67 percent—expect their organizations to invest more in AI over the next three years.

Where are those investments paying off? For the first time, our latest survey explored the value created by gen AI use by business function. The function in which the largest share of respondents report seeing cost decreases is human resources. Respondents most commonly report meaningful revenue increases (of more than 5 percent) in supply chain and inventory management (Exhibit 6). For analytical AI, respondents most often report seeing cost benefits in service operations—in line with what we found last year —as well as meaningful revenue increases from AI use in marketing and sales.

Inaccuracy: The most recognized and experienced risk of gen AI use

As businesses begin to see the benefits of gen AI, they’re also recognizing the diverse risks associated with the technology. These can range from data management risks such as data privacy, bias, or intellectual property (IP) infringement to model management risks, which tend to focus on inaccurate output or lack of explainability. A third big risk category is security and incorrect use.

Respondents to the latest survey are more likely than they were last year to say their organizations consider inaccuracy and IP infringement to be relevant to their use of gen AI, and about half continue to view cybersecurity as a risk (Exhibit 7).

Conversely, respondents are less likely than they were last year to say their organizations consider workforce and labor displacement to be relevant risks and are not increasing efforts to mitigate them.

In fact, inaccuracy— which can affect use cases across the gen AI value chain , ranging from customer journeys and summarization to coding and creative content—is the only risk that respondents are significantly more likely than last year to say their organizations are actively working to mitigate.

Some organizations have already experienced negative consequences from the use of gen AI, with 44 percent of respondents saying their organizations have experienced at least one consequence (Exhibit 8). Respondents most often report inaccuracy as a risk that has affected their organizations, followed by cybersecurity and explainability.

Our previous research has found that there are several elements of governance that can help in scaling gen AI use responsibly, yet few respondents report having these risk-related practices in place. 4 “ Implementing generative AI with speed and safety ,” McKinsey Quarterly , March 13, 2024. For example, just 18 percent say their organizations have an enterprise-wide council or board with the authority to make decisions involving responsible AI governance, and only one-third say gen AI risk awareness and risk mitigation controls are required skill sets for technical talent.

Bringing gen AI capabilities to bear

The latest survey also sought to understand how, and how quickly, organizations are deploying these new gen AI tools. We have found three archetypes for implementing gen AI solutions : takers use off-the-shelf, publicly available solutions; shapers customize those tools with proprietary data and systems; and makers develop their own foundation models from scratch. 5 “ Technology’s generational moment with generative AI: A CIO and CTO guide ,” McKinsey, July 11, 2023. Across most industries, the survey results suggest that organizations are finding off-the-shelf offerings applicable to their business needs—though many are pursuing opportunities to customize models or even develop their own (Exhibit 9). About half of reported gen AI uses within respondents’ business functions are utilizing off-the-shelf, publicly available models or tools, with little or no customization. Respondents in energy and materials, technology, and media and telecommunications are more likely to report significant customization or tuning of publicly available models or developing their own proprietary models to address specific business needs.

Respondents most often report that their organizations required one to four months from the start of a project to put gen AI into production, though the time it takes varies by business function (Exhibit 10). It also depends upon the approach for acquiring those capabilities. Not surprisingly, reported uses of highly customized or proprietary models are 1.5 times more likely than off-the-shelf, publicly available models to take five months or more to implement.

Gen AI high performers are excelling despite facing challenges

Gen AI is a new technology, and organizations are still early in the journey of pursuing its opportunities and scaling it across functions. So it’s little surprise that only a small subset of respondents (46 out of 876) report that a meaningful share of their organizations’ EBIT can be attributed to their deployment of gen AI. Still, these gen AI leaders are worth examining closely. These, after all, are the early movers, who already attribute more than 10 percent of their organizations’ EBIT to their use of gen AI. Forty-two percent of these high performers say more than 20 percent of their EBIT is attributable to their use of nongenerative, analytical AI, and they span industries and regions—though most are at organizations with less than $1 billion in annual revenue. The AI-related practices at these organizations can offer guidance to those looking to create value from gen AI adoption at their own organizations.

To start, gen AI high performers are using gen AI in more business functions—an average of three functions, while others average two. They, like other organizations, are most likely to use gen AI in marketing and sales and product or service development, but they’re much more likely than others to use gen AI solutions in risk, legal, and compliance; in strategy and corporate finance; and in supply chain and inventory management. They’re more than three times as likely as others to be using gen AI in activities ranging from processing of accounting documents and risk assessment to R&D testing and pricing and promotions. While, overall, about half of reported gen AI applications within business functions are utilizing publicly available models or tools, gen AI high performers are less likely to use those off-the-shelf options than to either implement significantly customized versions of those tools or to develop their own proprietary foundation models.

What else are these high performers doing differently? For one thing, they are paying more attention to gen-AI-related risks. Perhaps because they are further along on their journeys, they are more likely than others to say their organizations have experienced every negative consequence from gen AI we asked about, from cybersecurity and personal privacy to explainability and IP infringement. Given that, they are more likely than others to report that their organizations consider those risks, as well as regulatory compliance, environmental impacts, and political stability, to be relevant to their gen AI use, and they say they take steps to mitigate more risks than others do.

Gen AI high performers are also much more likely to say their organizations follow a set of risk-related best practices (Exhibit 11). For example, they are nearly twice as likely as others to involve the legal function and embed risk reviews early on in the development of gen AI solutions—that is, to “ shift left .” They’re also much more likely than others to employ a wide range of other best practices, from strategy-related practices to those related to scaling.

In addition to experiencing the risks of gen AI adoption, high performers have encountered other challenges that can serve as warnings to others (Exhibit 12). Seventy percent say they have experienced difficulties with data, including defining processes for data governance, developing the ability to quickly integrate data into AI models, and an insufficient amount of training data, highlighting the essential role that data play in capturing value. High performers are also more likely than others to report experiencing challenges with their operating models, such as implementing agile ways of working and effective sprint performance management.

About the research

The online survey was in the field from February 22 to March 5, 2024, and garnered responses from 1,363 participants representing the full range of regions, industries, company sizes, functional specialties, and tenures. Of those respondents, 981 said their organizations had adopted AI in at least one business function, and 878 said their organizations were regularly using gen AI in at least one function. To adjust for differences in response rates, the data are weighted by the contribution of each respondent’s nation to global GDP.

Alex Singla and Alexander Sukharevsky  are global coleaders of QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey, and senior partners in McKinsey’s Chicago and London offices, respectively; Lareina Yee  is a senior partner in the Bay Area office, where Michael Chui , a McKinsey Global Institute partner, is a partner; and Bryce Hall  is an associate partner in the Washington, DC, office.

They wish to thank Kaitlin Noe, Larry Kanter, Mallika Jhamb, and Shinjini Srivastava for their contributions to this work.

This article was edited by Heather Hanselman, a senior editor in McKinsey’s Atlanta office.

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