Managerial Communication of Analytical Work

Abstract

W hen business and management science students graduate and have a job, they give many managerial communications about analytical work, but typically they are not taught how to give presentations in their undergraduate courses. We describe the characteristics of the "managerial presentation" and contrast them with characteristics of the "narrative presentation" that is given to technical peers and focuses on process. We then use the business analysis lifecycle to describe and contrast the real world and the model world. Implications for instruction build upon empirical data gathered at Georgia Tech for the presentation skills identified through interviews with engineers, managers, and senior executives in the workforce. We conclude by reviewing processes already used effectively for teaching the relevant presentation skills at Georgia Tech.

Case Article—Markdown Management at Sports Unlimited

“…It will enhance managerial consulting aspect of the case and give students a chance to practice their interpretation and communication skills. If a presentation is going to be included in case assignment, instructors should emphasize managerial presentation and persuading of nontechnical executive audience; we refer to Grossman et al (2008) for description of managerial communication characteristics.…”

Teaching Revenue Management at the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration

“…Clear written and oral communication of technical results is an integral part of the course, and the message that we constantly reinforce is that the way results are conveyed matters as much as technical accuracy. Grossman et al (2008) provide further support for the need to equip students with the ability to communicate technical material in a nontechnical fashion.…”

Case Article—Business Value in Integrating Predictive and Prescriptive Analytics Models

“…• Teaching better managerial communication of analytical work by discouraging narrative presentations that chronicle a quantitative approach to a problem, and instead reporting a set of insights and recommendations derived from analysis (Grossman et al 2008);…”