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528 19 Writing Recommendation Reports

condensation of the report addressed to managers. Most managers need only
a broad understanding of the projects that the organization undertakes and
how they fit together into a coherent whole.
An executive summary for a report under 20 pages is typically one page
(double-spaced). For longer reports, the maximum length is often calculated
as a percentage of the report, such as 5 percent.
The executive summary presents information to managers in two parts:
• Background. This section explains the problem or opportunity: what was
not working or was not working effectively or efficiently; or what poten-
tial modification of a procedure or product had to be analyzed.
• Major findings and implications. This section might include a brief
description — only one or two sentences — of the methods, followed by a
full paragraph about the conclusions and recommendations.
An executive summary differs from an informative abstract. An abstract
focuses on the technical subject (such as whether the new radio-based system
monitors the energy usage effectively); an executive summary concentrates on
whether the system can improve operations at a particular company.

Guidelines

Writing an executive Summary
Follow these five suggestions in writing executive summaries:
 Use specific evidence in describing the background. For most managers, the
best evidence includes costs and savings. Instead of writing that the equipment
you are now using to cut metal foil is ineffective, write that the equipment jams
once every 72 hours on average, costing $400 in materials and $2,000 in pro-
ductivity. Then add up these figures for a monthly or an annual total.
 be specific in describing the research. For instance, research suggests that
if your company had a computerized energy-management system you could
cut your energy costs by 20 to 25 percent. If your energy costs last year were
$300,000, you could save $60,000 to $75,000.
 describe the methods briefly. If you think your readers are interested, include
a brief description — no more than a sentence or two.
 describe the findings according to your readers’ needs. If your readers want to
know your results, provide them. If your readers are unable to understand the tech-
nical data or are uninterested, go directly to the conclusions and recommendations.
 ask an outside reader to review your draft. Give it to someone who has had
no connection to the project. That person should be able to read your summary
and understand what the project means to the organization.

See page 536 in the sample recommendation report for an example of an
executive summary.

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