Amazon.com 2015 Annual Report
The Amazon.com 2015 Annual Report was released in April 2015. This report effectively tells the story about Amazon. The report motivates the reader to read the whole report by noting the exciting accomplishments the company has made in 2015. For instance, opening with the fact that the company is the first company to amass $ 100 billion in annual sales, motivates a reader to discover how this accomplishment was reached (Amazon, 2016). The report also discusses the essential aspects of the company’s business such as the corporate culture, relationships with suppliers, customers and other stakeholders in the market. The report also does well in indicating the prosperous future of the company.
The report efficiently utilizes headings and subheadings. This makes the whole report easy to read and navigate. A key aspect in the use headings is showing the essential elements of the report. The company must have known the areas that stakeholders and potential investors would be interested in reading. The headings make it easy for the audience to trace any information they need. The headings are also used to highlight the significant accomplishments made by the company through the year 2015. For instance, aspects such as the Amazon web services and the different types of innovations are aspects that are emphasized on (Amazon, 2016). This does well in selling the company to the audience. The headings also highlight the prospects of the enterprise, making it easier for the public to analyze the business. Below every heading are bullets, which give the report a good coherent structure. Overall, the report has a logical flow, where headings quickly guide a reader through the different aspects of Amazon’s business.
A key positive in this report is the efficient use of figures and charts. The financial information about Amazon is clearly presented in this annual report. The company, in drafting this report, made the figures and tables simple such that a broad audience could comprehend the information passed. This is an important aspect of any communication since a company such as Amazon rouses the interest of audiences that may lack a grasp of complex financial terminology. The report has made use of many headings, touching on a variety of items such as office space, locations in various countries and revenue breakdown. An interesting aspect of the report is that the tables used allow a reader to compare the financial performance of the company in 2015 to other years dating back to 1997 (Amazon, 2016).
Overall, Amazon does well in presenting the facts about the company in 2015. As a reader goes through the different tables, figures, and statements being made, they can get a clearer picture on Amazon and how it works. In the end, the report does not leave any statement hanging. Facts and raw data support every statement. This highly improves the readability of the report.
I find the Amazon annual report for the year 2015 very reliable. As pointed out above, the report supports every single statement with facts. Any statement that requires the use of financial proof is effectively given. This highly improves the reliability of the report. Besides, the company, in drafting this report, has clearly given out the numbers, and this further improves the report’s reliability. Another important aspect is the fearlessness the company shows in indicating its shortcomings. The company, for instance, states that it failed in the development of certain programs such as Auctions and zShops (Amazon, 2016). This shows the reliability of the report since the company is not ready to hide aspects that negatively portray the company. The reliability of the report is also proven by the acknowledgment of the risks that the corporation faces. The report shows that the business takes responsibility for the risks that come in this form of business such as harsh regulations and tax regimes.
The efficiency in the drafting of this report offers some pointers when conducting individual report writing. A factor I would borrow from Amazon’s presentation is the logical flow of information. The report does well in taking the readers through a journey of Amazon; from the past, the present, future, and the distant future. This progression is an aspect I would apply in my report writing. Another aspect is the prudent use of headings and emphasis. The report does well in emphasizing the key points of the report. To this end, a prospective investor can easily identify an aspect in the report. Besides, the headings make the reading of the report very easy. Another lesson from Amazon’s annual report of 2015 is the use of evidence when making statements. The lesson is that supporting statements with proof, especially in financial figures considerably improves the reliability of the report. This is an aspect I would gladly apply in my report writing.
Despite the fact that this report is well written there are a few aspects that can be improved in future. First in the aspect of trend analysis. The report briefly touches on trends in the business. Touching more in this is an aspect that would make the report better in the future. The second area for improvement is giving more room for the input of stakeholders within the company such as employees and suppliers. This would make the report more appealing to a wider audience. Lastly, in future reports, the company can use more figure, images and charts that improve the overall readability and comprehension of the report.
Reference
Amazon. (2016). Amazon.com 2015 Annual Report. Retrieved May 16, 2016, from Amazon.com : http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=97664&p=irol-reportsannual
