Question

2. What is the difference between the direct approach and the indirect approach to writing? Give an example for using each. What types of messages would work best with each approach?

Answer 1

• With the direct approach, the main idea of the message comes near the top and is useful when you believe the audience will react neutrally or positively towards your message. On the other hand, the indirect approach is where you first present your evidence, and then follow it up with your main idea. This approach is best suited for when you believe the audience will resist or be displeased with your message.
• If I was writing a recommendation report for an audience that doesn’t know me, I believe that I would use the direct approach, and focus on the recommendation.
• I would use the direct approach because if I was presenting my recommendation report to the group of people who did not know me, I would expect them to have a neutral attitude towards me and my message. Another reason that I would use the direct approach is because it is the most convenient approach for business reports because it makes the message easier to follow.You also sound surer of yourself when you confidently state your conclusion at the beginning of your report.
• Due to the fact that the group you are presenting to does not know you, they may not be familiar with the way you like to present. This means that starting off by getting straight to the point would be the most beneficial in this instance I believe. The indirect approach may be better suited for a report in which you as the message giver know the audience will oppose what you have to say.
• For those who have questions or want more information, later parts of the report provide complete findings and supporting details. The direct approach also produces a more forceful report.
  
• The indirect approach gives you a chance to prove your points and gradually overcome your audience’s reservations. By deferring the conclusions and recommendations, you imply that you’ve weighed the evidence objectively without prejudging the facts. You also imply that you’re subordinating your judgment to the audience, whose members are capable of drawing their own conclusions when they have access to all the facts.
• Example of a formal report:-
• Direct Approach (assumes audience will favor or be neutral to your recommendations)
• Since the company’s founding 25 years ago, we have provided regular repair service for all our electric appliances. This service has been an important selling point as well as a source of pride for our employees. However, we are paying a high price for our image. Last year, we lost $500,000 on our repair business.
• Because of your concern over these losses, you asked me to study the pros and cons of discontinuing our repair service. With the help of my colleagues, I have studied the issue for the last two weeks and have come to the conclusion that we have been embracing an expensive, impractical tradition.
• By withdrawing from the electric appliance repair business, we can substantially improve our financial performance without damaging our reputation with customers. This conclusion is based on three main points that are covered in the following pages:
• It is highly unlikely that we will ever be able to make a profit in the repair business.
• Service is no longer an important selling point with customers.
• Closing down the service operation will create few internal problems.
• Indirect Approach (assumes audience will be hostile to or resistant to your recommendations, or that you are much lower in the organizational power structure than the primary reader)
• Since the company’s founding 25 years ago, we have provided regular repair service for all our electric appliances. This service has been an important selling point as well as a source of pride for our employees. However, the repair business itself has consistently lost money.
• Because of your concern over these losses, you asked me to study the pros and cons of discontinuing our repair service. With the help of my colleagues, I have studied the issue for the last two weeks. The following pages present my findings for your review. Three basic questions are addressed:
• What is the extent of our losses, and what can we do to turn the business around?
• Would withdrawal of this service hurt our sales of electric appliances?
• What would be the internal repercussions of closing down the repair business?