Office Memorandum or Memo or Memorandum
Memorandum is popularly known as memo. The literal
meaning of the word memorandum is a note to assist the memory. Memos are the
written internal communication means for exchanging information
relating to day-to-day functions within the organizations.
According to Lesikar and pettit, “Memorandum is
a form of letters written inside the business”.
According to Stewart and Clark, “Memos are used
to communicate with other employees, regardless of where the employees may be
located in the same organization.”
According to S. Taylor, “Memo is a
written communication form one person to another (or a group of people) within
the same organization.”
So, memorandum or memos are an
internal short note or letter in which information exchanged among superiors
and subordinates or same potion of employees in the organizational structure.
Advantages of office memo
We know memorandum serves
various purposes. It is a common means of writer, communication within the
organization. The main advantages of
memos are discussed
below:
1.
Time saving: We can see that may organizations use printed memo. As it is usually
printed, it takes less time to draft it.
2.
Less formality: No formality is necessary in drafting a memo, usually inside address,
salutation and complimentary closing is omitted in it.
3.
Maintenance good relationship: It can help to maintain the good
relationship among the boss and subordinates, because the bossing attitude is
absent here.
4.
Low cost: The cost of communication through a memo is less than those of others.
5.
References: Memo is a written document. So, it can be used for future references.
6.
Inform the decisions and actions: The main objective of memo is to inform the
decisions and actions. For this purpose, it should be written by the higher
authority.
7.
Request the decisions and actions: The objective of memo is to request the
decisions and actions. For this objective, it may be drafted by the
sub-ordinate.
8.
Provide information: Another important objective of the memo is to provide information form
one level to another within the business.
9.
Remain someone of action: Memo is also written to remind someone of
action, if requires.
10.
Others: Issuing orders and instructions, providing response, providing
suggestions, presenting informal report, solving problems.
Disadvantages of office memo
There are few limitations or Disadvantages of memos they
are:
1.
Limited application: It is not widely used means of communication. Memorandum is mainly used
in business firms. It maintains communication only among the employees of the
same firm regardless of distance.
2.
Time consuming: It takes time to be sent to a distant branch or office.
3.
Expensive: As usually a memo is a per-printed form, it is expensive than other
means. Sometimes huge printed memos remain unused.
4.
Lack of formality: It provides only informal communication.
5.
Lack of explanation: Memo is written in a short form. So the meaning of it may not be cleared
to the reader.
6.
Less important to the reader: As it is an informal means of communication,
it can be less important to the reader.
7.
Not suitable for illiterate people: Office memo is a one kind of written
communication. So, illiterate people are not able to read and understand it.
Differences between memos and business letters
1.
Memos
are never sent out of the company or organization, but letters can be both sent
to recipients within the organization or outside the organization.
2.
The
information in a memo is concise and straight to the point. A memo will only
focus on the most pertinent issues. But letters on the other hand are
more detailed and often elaborate more on the important issues to be done or
addressed.
3.
Memos
are very short; letters are generally lengthier than memos.
4.
Memos
are normally sent to the recipient(s) by the organization’s messenger, but
letters are normally put in envelopes and posted via mail.
5.
Memos
do not contain addresses, but business letters must contain
addresses. In a business letter both the sender’s address and the
recipient’s address must be put.
6.
A
letter can be more private than a memo.
7.
Last
but not least, the features of memos are massively different from the features
of business letters.
The above-mentioned
are the common differences between memos and business letters.
Both memos and letters are used frequently in every well organized business
organization.
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