Week 3 and 4 – Jss 3 Third Term Business Studies Notes

WEEK 3: MEMORANDUM
A memorandum is a written report that is prepared for a person or committee in order to provide them with information about a particular matter.
A memorandum can also be regarded as a short official note that is sent by one person to another within the same company or organization.
PURPOSE OF MEMORANDUM
The primary purpose of a memorandum is to support decision making – to “help (or sometimes influence) a decision-maker to make a better decision in a particular problem situation than he might otherwise have made without the analysis”. Other purposes that the briefing note can serve include: conveying information; informing decisions, making a request, providing a response to a question, making a suggestion, presenting an informal report, proposing a solution to a problem, or documenting a reference for future use.
Structure of memorandum
As the communication mechanism of the policy analysis process, the memorandum should provide a coherent synopsis of a policy problem, identify different policy options for addressing the problem, articulate opposing perspectives and advocate a recommended option. The typical structure for a memorandum includes: a description of the proposed policy; relevant background information; a discussion of key considerations (including implementation concerns, financial considerations, stakeholder impacts, and possible unanticipated consequences), a summary of arguments for and against the policy and a recommended decision. Policy documents that start with a proposal and assemble an argument that position are more accurately referred to as a government white paper. A government green paper which raises a policy option and is meant to open a dialogue on the proposal is more similar in tone to a briefing note than is a white paper.
TIPS TO WRITING A MEMORANDUM
• You should write memorandum letters in a brief and simple way. Be direct with the information you are sharing. Memos do not usually exceed a paragraph or two and is usually just bulleted list of information.
• If it is a formal memo that is issued, the first part of the paragraph should state the purpose of the memorandum and then proceed to enlist additional information.
• Maintain a professional tone and use easy-to-understand language in writing the memorandum, it is meant to be read by a number of people. Keep in mind that you should not include any personal statements.
EXAMPLE OF A MEMORANDUM

 ASSIGNMENT

1. Define memorandum
   
2. Outline 3 tips of writing a memorandum
   
3. Explain 2 purposes of memorandum
   

 WEEK 4:    BUSINESS LETTER
MEANING:    A business letter is usually a letter from one company to another, or between such organizations and their customers, clients and other external parties. The overall style of letter depends on the relationship between the parties concerned.
FORMAT FOR WRITING A BUSINESS LETTERA business letter includes:
contact information,
a salutation,
the body of the letter,
a complimentary close, and
a signature.

ASSIGNMENT

1. Define business letter
   
2. Write a complaint letter to the manufacturer of the faulty refrigerator you bought on the 24^th of March, 2018.