1. Business Studies Workshop 1
How to write an effective executive summary.
Basic principles
• The executive summary is a summary of what is in
the actual business report.
• The executive summary is NOT about what the
report will do but rather what it does.

2. • The executive summary does NOT restate the
question
• Waffle is only used when you DON’T KNOW the
answer and want to try and kid the examiner - it
might work but its very doubtful!
Do not use phrases such as:
- The purpose of this report is to
or
- This report will

3. Use instead phrases like:
• The report reviews
• The report provides detailed information
regarding
• Additionally the report highlights
• The report illustrates the relationship
between

4. Sometimes different terms are used.
All of them are acceptable.
1 Executive summary
2 Overview
3 Synopsis

7. Can you see how this excellent example of an executive
summary from Walmart focuses on telling you what is in
the report. It is a summary of the key ideas in the report

8. The body of the report
• answers each aspect of the question in detail
• the answer focuses on the stimulus but does not
include waffle
• there will be underlining of key words and/or
important terminology
• bullet points are often included at the end of
paragraphs Eg “Additional strategies might
include” (and then bullet the strategies)

9. Question 26 (20 marks)
Just Cotton Ltd is an Australian manufacturer and retailer with stores throughout Australia
exclusively selling Just Cotton products. The company uses pure Australian cotton to
produce men’s only t-shirts, socks, suits and jeans.
Just Cotton has used the same methods of production throughout its 10 year history and
has achieved reasonable success in the industry.
Recently Just Cotton has experienced a decline in sales and market share due mainly to
competition from cheaper overseas imports and the increasing number of customer
complaints about the quality of the product. As a result Just Cotton has decided to examine
opportunities in the global market such as online retailing and outsourcing manufacturing
operations and product design to China and India.
You have been employed as a consultant to prepare a report for Just Cotton Ltd.
In your report:
•
Explain why a situational analysis is crucial for Just Cotton.
•
Outline TWO influences on operations management for Just Cotton.
•
Evaluate the proposal to outsource operations and product design.
•
Propose and Justify TWO marketing strategies that would be effective in ensuring
Just Cotton Ltd regain market share in the domestic economy.

10. Executive summary
This report is prepared for Just Cotton Ltd as it prepares to
regain any losses incurred in the market.
This report will make various recommendations that will
strengthen the competitive position of the business in the
face of an extremely competitive global and national market.
The importance of situational analysis will be re-iterated in
this report and will outline how this analysis can be used as a
good form of preparation.
It will also examine with detail the influence of quality and
globalisation that will impact Just Cotton Ltd.
Moreover the report will evaluate the company’s proposal of
outsourcing highlighting and the consequent advantages and
disadvantages. Lastly the promotional strategy of advertising
and penetration pricing strategy will be proposed and
justified as a means to regain the market share that was
before lost.
The situational analysis is horrible. The executive summary
repeats the question. It would be much easier for me to read
the question. The executive summary should NOT be
concerned with what the report WILL do – it is a summary of
what the report PROVIDES.

11. achieved a reasonable amount of business success over the last ten years. Although
recently has experienced a decline in sales and market share due to reduced
international competitiveness.
This report will outline the effect of a situational analysis on Just Cotton, outline two
influences that have lead to the decline of the company and evaluate a proposal
designed to further growth in the coming years. Furthermore this report recommends
that Just Cotton, implement penetration pricing to enable it’s expansion into the
domestic markets and commence e-marketing to reduce the costs associated with a
higher visibility retailer such as Just Cotton.
The executive summary is horrible. Do you think, for example, the CEO of Just Cotton
is not aware the business is an “Australian clothing manufacturer and retailer”?
The executive summary should immediately come to grips with the question.
1 Explain that a comprehensive understanding of the market place is essential
because marketing objectives are more likely to be achieved if there is this
understanding of the marketplace. (Make the cause and effect of the directive
obvious).
2 Surely the executive summary should identify the two influences on operations
management! More importantly why talk about “influences that have lead to the
decline of the company” rather than identifying influences on the operations process.
A really top answer would also identify influences on the basis of the stimulus
material – I think cost-based competition and globalisation are the most relevant
3 Why talk about an “evaluate a proposal designed to further growth? The question
related to a proposal to outsource operations and product design. Is this a good idea
to outsource these functions? What criteria will be used to make this judgement?
4 The setting out for the fourth part of the question could be improved. Why wouldn’t
you bullet the two proposals so they stand out? The first proposal is fine but why not
be more specific and state this strategy is designed to improve market share (rather
than its expansion into the domestic market) and possibly demonstrate you
understand the impact of this strategy on cost and profitability and maybe even bring
in the idea of cost leadership
The second proposal is horrible! In the report it is called a high visibility strategy and
that is NOT a marketing strategy. Don’t even think you can get a band 6 without
memorising the syllabus.
Last, watch out for bad habits, such as misspelling “business”. In the above “it’s” is
just as bad. I would also like to belt this candidate across the left ear hole every time

12. Sample 3
Executive summary
This business report will outline the strategies that Just Cotton must
be able to do to regain their market share and sales; this will
include:
• Using the situational analysis to be able to anticipate their
position in the market place.
• Outline two influences that are present in the Just Cotton company
• Provide an evaluation in the proposal to outsource the operations
and product design
• Provide two marketing strategies that will be effective in ensuring
the Just Cotton achieve its market share once again
Challenges
• Regain market share and market sales
• Provide a quality product
• Outsource from cheap wage countries such as India and China
The executive summary is horrible. Would be brilliant for someone
who knows nothing and is aiming for a band 3 by trying to kid the
examiner they know something. The executive summary is simply a
restating of the question. It is irrelevant!
It should NOT be about what the report WILL do. But rather a
summary of what the report HAS found.

13. Sample 4
Executive summary
* A situational analysis is crucial for Just Cotton because a
comprehensive understanding of the marketplace in which the
business’s products are manufactured and sold will impact on how
well the business will achieve its marketing objectives of improved
revenue and market share.
* Two key influences on operations management at Just Cotton
will be cost-based competition and globalisation.
* The report supports the proposal to outsource operations and
product design because access to the global marketplace will
reduce costs and improve the quality and design of the products,
which in turn will lead to improvements in market share.
*It is proposed that Just Cotton adopt the following marketing
strategies to regain market share in the domestic economy:
1
A penetration pricing strategy because this will have an
immediate effect of more competitive prices and improve market
share
2
A more intensive channel choice in distribution, particularly
because again this is most likely to achieve the marketing
objective of improved market share.
I like this executive summary. It is to the point. It responds
specifically to the question. I like the setting out of things like the
proposed marketing strategies as 1 and 2. I like the use of
because. It makes the justification clear.