Executive Summaries:

Formal reports often have a single-page summary at the beginning of the report. Many call this an executive summary because it is meant for top-level executives who do not have time to read the entire report. The summary plays another role: it serves as a preview of the report contents. Lengthy reports are enhanced by summaries at the beginning of each section to alert the reader about what is to be analyzed, reported, claimed, or proposed in the coming section. Executive summaries are usually 1-2 pages long. For lengthy reports, many business communication specialists recommend that the executive summary be one eighth the length of the full report.

Content and format:

For readers who want a quick overview of the report, the executive summary presents its most important elements. Executive summaries focus on the information required for making a decision related to the issues discussed in the report. A 100 page report may require a 10 page executive summary; a 10 page report will probably only need a one page executive summary. The summary will likely include: Purpose Scope Research methods Findings Conclusions Recommendations

Tone and style:

An effective executive summary will likely achieve the following: Inform Persuade Convey a sense of completeness and conciseness simultaneously Allow decision makers to make quick informed decisions Match criteria, in the case of responding to RFPs.

Direct or indirect:
Decide if you want to structure your executive summary directly, with the recommendations and conclusions stated in the first paragraph, or indirectly, with the recommendations and conclusions stated in the last paragraph. The decision depends on your analysis of your audience. (See Table below) Direct: audience analysis familiar with content receptive to the recommendation being given comes from a culture that expects directness in business reports Indirect: audience analysis not familiar with content anticipated to be unreceptive to recommendations comes from a culture that expects and values indirectness in business reports .

Sample executive summary

Executive Summary The city of Flagstaff can benefit from the development of industrial parks like the Coconino Industrial Park. Both direct and indirect economic benefits result, as shown by this in-depth study conducted by Del Rio Industrial Consultants. The study was authorized by the Flagstaff City Council when GoldmanLyon & Associates sought the City councils approval for the proposed construction of a G-L industrial park. The City Council requested evidence demonstrating that an existing development could actually benefit the city. Our conclusion that Flagstaff benefits from the industrial parks is based on data supplied by a survey of 5,000 Coconino Industrial Park employees, personal interviews with managers and CIP tenants, city and state documents, and professional literature. Analysis of the data revealed benefits in three areas: 1. Revenues: Flagstaff earned nearly $2 million in tax and other revenues from the Coconino Industrial Park in 2010. By 2015 this income is expected to reach $3.4 million. 2. Employment: In 2009, CIP businesses employed a totoal of 7,035 workers, who earned an average wage of $56,579. By 2015, CIP businesses are expected to employ direclty nearly 15,000 employees who will earn salaries totalling over $998 million. 3. Indirect Benefits: Because of the multiplier effect, by 2015 Coconino Industrial Park will directly and indireclty generate a total of 38,362 jobs in the Flagstaff metropolitan area. On the basis of these findings, we strongly recommend that additional industrial parks be developed , helping to simulate local economic growth. Source: Adapted from Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication