Communication Strategies

Intercultural communication is a fundamental form of communication in every society. Understanding the culture and the communication techniques and methods used by different ethnic groups or even different nations is significant to any form of business or individual operating in different geographical zones. This is because intercultural communication aims at understanding the ways and methods in which different cultures and countries communicate, behave and perceive ideas and the world around them (Crocker, 3). These ideas are applied in our daily lives in creating some form of cultural synergy amongst peoples of different cultural backgrounds and orientations. For a global telecommunications firm, intercultural communication becomes even more important for the purposes of facilitating good flow of business transaction and also good interactions with the business clients across the regions in which the transactions are made. The essence of this paper is to discuss the experiences with other cultures on the bases of the characteristics of their oral traditions, communication and general cultural norms (Crocker, 3). This paper will mainly concentrate of the experiences with the Indians and Japanese, in addition to comparing and contrasting with the American culture.

Oral Traditions, Communications and Cultural Norms
Oral tradition is a very important part of the tradition of a society because it enables the members of the society to be familiar and well conversant with the history of their society and nation as well as the preservation of historical knowledge. Oral traditions consist of many forms through which the tradition and knowledge are passed on to the succeeding generation. The major forms of oral tradition include tales, fables, myths, music and dances (NCREL, PAR. 3).

America
The American oral traditions and culture have long been disregarded or passed on as superstitious myths. The Americans do not have any strong ties to culture and they mostly believe in the freedom of an individual or a group to express themselves in the way that they find appropriate and respectful. However, due to the influence and the power that the United States of America hold in the entire world, most of the developing and third world countries have adopted the American way of life and embraced it in their society (Crocker, 5). This includes the manner of speaking and relating to each other. For instance, most countries around the world use English as the official language which is the native language for the Americans. The American culture is much westernized like the European culture and allows for diversity and equality of the rights of all genders and member of the society (Crocker, 5).

Japan
The Japanese cultural setting is deeply rooted in the unity of the community and focuses on the country as a whole. The Japanese are patriotic and have a deep relationship with their family and society. As such, they have a tendency to be uncomfortable when around foreigners and they highly resist any changes related to their cultural beliefs. The Japanese have a high loyalty to the cultural believes and norms. It is better for them to sacrifice individual comfort or needs and conform to the virtues of the society. Individualism is not considered as a norm in the society. It is taken to imply that a person is selfish and disrespectful of the society (Kobayashi, par. 2, 3).

In Japan, every person is usually expected to conform to the societal norms and ways, although there are several exceptions through which the recent generation has intentionally used to mock the cultural conformity. In Japan, the group needs usually come before personal needs. As a result, the Japanese are usually guided by their cultural heritage in the way they communicate and translate oral communications in their relationships with people from a different culture. This is particularly the case with the Japanese Americans (Wood, par. 1-4).
 
American society on the other hand is usually guided by the strong values that it places on individualism and personal uniqueness. Even in the communication and personal relationships with people, the American culture encourages an individual to stand out from the crowd while the Japanese discourage this. In an exceptionally endogamous Japanese society, understanding was not dependent on literal talking but communication was greatly made possible through a shared communal understanding that did not involve words. Too much speaking in Japan is associated with either immaturity or empty hardheadedness and more so has to do with women. Furthermore, little verbal communication such as silence is taken to imply incompleteness or lack of satisfaction in the manner of communicating (Wood, par. 1-4).

Difficulties in communicating with the native Japanese are mostly encountered in their non receptive nature to strangers. They believe that they are not supposed to interact with other people, save for fellow Japanese. Therefore, approaching them is a problem as majority of them will shun away because it is not a cultural norm to welcome foreigners in their land (Acevedo, par. 3- 5). However, the literates are a bit different as they have learned that other people are just like them and they are transforming their society positively by embracing change by not only welcoming foreigners but also pursuing further studies in the foreign countries, for example, America. The Japanese American students will initially have the tendency to keep to themselves or just relate with their fellow Japanese when in the classroom and also try to live together in a given estate so that they can maintain their home culture. But with time, this behavior has also been decaying and there is quite a good number who live  just like the Americans, with only a few cultural values (Acevedo, par. 3- 5).

Appearance in the work place A way of communication
The Japanese people believe that the appearance of a person, especially in an official setting is very important. According to them, it is a perfect way of communication. For example, any person who is not dressed officially in a business setting is perceived as less serious. This trait is the same even with the American culture, and all the others across the globe. However, the ladies are not supposed to wear trousers in the office setting. It doesn t matter whether the trouser is an official one. This is because the men are usually disgusted by these kinds of women. Therefore, it becomes difficult for the Japanese men to interact with ladies from the other cultures who do not find wearing trousers as offensive. Though indirect, it communicates a message, that such kinds of ladies are disrespectful. On the other hand, it is not wrong for the American ladies to wear trousers at their places of work (Williams, Japan).

According to the Japanese people, any lady who wears high heeled shoes is also disrespectful. The message sent across to the Japanese men is that these ladies are not submissive. Additionally, they crave for power and want to dominate over the men, which is against the Japanese culture. The American culture has got no attached meaning to all these. A woman who wears high heels is only seen to be fashionable. In fact, there exists no unequal treatment of men and women in their society. All the men and women are considered to be the same. There are even leadership positions which are held by women (Williams, Japan).

The Japanese people are not fond of communicating using gestures. Their culture demands that the only way communication is acceptable is when they talk. Otherwise, using dramatic movements, gestures and facial expressions will be perceived as a weird way of communication. It will only distract them, which means that in a work situation, the Japanese would not concentrate on the instructions being given. This will also apply in an interview. The interview panel ought to be cautious when hiring Japanese nationals, as the use of gestures will distract all their concentration. Pointing is also forbidden in the Japanese culture. Facial expressions are common with the American people. This is especially so when someone is trying to emphasize a point (Williams, Japan).

An employer should therefore be very careful when dealing with the Japanese employees. Ordinarily, the Japanese people come from densely populated regions. Therefore, they have a tendency of creating their own spaces. This is also seen in the places of work. The Japanese prefer to work in privacy therefore, the management of a company should always ensure that their offices are spacious enough, so as to perform effectively. For the Americans, it is a requirement to have a comfortable working position. However, the issue of space is not cultural, like in the Japanese culture. When dealing with a Japanese workmate, it is always advisable to avoid smiling. This is because it has got a double meaning in their culture. It can either be a symbol of anger or joy. Therefore, one should be cautious when dealing with them, as they can easily misunderstand smiles as a form of facial expressions. Smiling has only got one meaning in the American culture, which is happiness. It is very rare for a person to smile when he or she is angry, not unless the smile is sarcastic (Williams, Japan).

The Japanese people value business cards. They term them as meishi. They appreciate very much when they are given business cards in a working environment. However, the business cards have to be printed on one side using the Japanese language. This applies even to the Japanese nationals who are fluent in English. If a person from Japan gives a business card with all the details, one should not put the card in the wallet immediately. One should first read the details of the cards so as to make sure he or she has internalized them. Careful examination of the card is a sign of deep respect. The official greeting of the Japan people is through bowing. However, some of them give handshakes, though weak ones. A person from a different culture should not perceive the weak handshake as a sign of disrespect, as their culture demands so (Williams, Japanese).

On the other hand, the American people are not so sensitive to the mannerisms like the ones the Japanese have related to the business cards. As long as they have the business card with them, they can always look for the details later. Additionally, the business card is normally written in English, and all the titles and locations are stated. The official greeting is a handshake. In official setting like interviews and in work places, there is no need for handshakes, as it seen as casual (Williams, Japanese).

India
The culture of the Indian people is significantly evident in almost every area of life. It is possible to tell that a person is a native of India after interacting with him or her for a short while. They are very loyal to their culture and most of these cultural norms and behavior are founded on the Hindu religion. It is not a cultural norm in India for the females to shake hands with the males unless in exceptional situations where the males extend the hand first. The females shake hands with the females and the males with the males. In addition, they also believe that there is a spirit that controls the mannerisms and behavior of every person and the way they relate with other people (Indian Mirror, par. 3). For instance, they avoid the use of abusive language and arguments with other people because they believe that such actions displease the spirits that are present in the society. This explains the reason as to why the Indians are generally calm and composed and less likely to cause trouble as compared to other people. The oral traditions and communications are usually through the spoken word of mouth as well as through the tales and fables and Indian sayings and proverbs. Songs and Indian dances are also a major channel via which the oral traditions are passed on in India (Budelman, par. 2-3).

India has in many occasions been referred to as the  living Tower of Babel . On average, there are 15 national languages in India which are recognized by the constitution these are spoken in more than 1600 dialects. Adding this to the more than 900 million people population in India, these statistics make great sense. The official language of India is Hindi but English is the official working language. India has a broad variety of languages. In addition to English and Hindi, other popular languages in India include Guajarati, Kannada, Assamese, Konkani, Sanskrit, Malayalam, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugi, Marathi and Urdu (Indian Mirror, par. 6).

One major characteristic with the way in which the Indians communicate is the fact that the Indians  just can t say no  whether it is verbal or non verbal, the Indians will prefer to tell you what you want to hear instead of disappointing you by saying that something is not possible or is unavailable. This behavior ends up portraying a tendency to be dishonest and insincere although they usually do this in an attempt to avoid being rude by disappointing somebody (Budelman, par. 4). Therefore, because they dislike giving someone negative answers, the Indians at times give affirmative but mis-representative answers, while at the same time deliberately vague and avoid giving the specific details. Thus, this requires somebody to seek for non-verbal cues such as the reluctance in committing to specific time for a meeting or enthusiasm in the answers being offered for questions. This is the greatest challenge when communicating with the Indians because they are likely to provide wrong information which may greatly affect the way one relates with them. Successes in communicating with the Indians however is found in the fact that they are very welcoming and willing to provide a stranger with the best reception and information that they can (Budelman, par. 4).

Mannerisms A communication method
According to the Indians, it is very wrong for someone to beckon others. Additionally, wagging one finger is considered as an insult, and standing with the hands on ones hips is very wrong. All these actions pass a message, that the person is aggressive and angry. This is very different from the American culture. Whistling is also very wrong, especially in places of work. It is considered as a very impolite action and an insult too. To the women, it is considered as a sexual proposition or an insult. Whistling is just taken literally, where the meaning of humming brings a feeling of joy or relaxation.  If a person in employed by an Indian national, he should learn the language to use. It is very wrong for an Indian to say  no . This term has got very harsh implications. It is better for someone to respond  I will try . It is perceived as a way of being polite. This is very important in the working environment, especially during negotiation processes in the communication field. On the other hand, the term  no  is just used to show the opinion of the person speaking (Williams, India).

The Indians are very cautious when it comes to giving titles at the work place. It is very important for people to refer to each other as Dr, Ms, Mrs., Mr., or any titles that they are assigned. This is similar to the American cultures, who also consider culture as very important. In cases where there are business luncheons organized by the managers in a work place, it is always expected that the workers should appreciate with the words  thank you , as it is in the American culture. This is different in the culture of the Indians. This is because  thank you  is considered as a way of payment. Failing to say thank you in the American culture is perceived as unappreciative. It is a very important word to use it the day to day interactions, as it portrays respect (Williams, India).
 
Unlike the Japanese culture, it is not wrong for the Indian women to wear pantsuits in places of work. However, they should be conservative in the way they dress. The men are supposed to wear official suits and ties in their places of work. It is not wrong for them to remove the coats in cases of hot weather. This is the same with the American culture. The only difference is that the American women do not necessarily dress in a conservative way. They dress officially and decently (Williams, India).

Successes and failures in communicating with the Indian and Japanese
The Japanese are very conservative as far as communication is concerned . It is very hard for them to interact with strangers. These people are very unreceptive to visitors. It is therefore very important for organizations to ensure that they insist on loyalty to the company so as to achieve good results. This character of being introverts has been a disadvantage as far as business is concerned. The day to day interactions have also been affected. However, they are perfect when keeping the top secrets of any organization (Williams, Japan).

The Indians have a very close association between religion and their day to day living. Therefore, they require a lot of freedom of worship, which cannot even be restricted by the jobs that they do. All the same, they are very devoted to their work, and they ensure that the companies they are employed in make profits (Williams, Japan).

There are several ways through which the inter-cultural communication can be improved to avoid the problems associated with communicating with the people of different cultural backgrounds. Such include the use of translators, efforts to learn other languages, encouraging other countries where English has not yet been adopted to learn English as a second language since it is used by many countries in the world (Payne, par. 2- 4).

Purpose of speech
Generally, the purpose of speech is to describe a persons thoughts, perceptions and feelings. However, different speeches may serve differing purposes it is the potential audience that assists a public speaker in determining the purpose for which the speech is aimed at (Davidson 19). There is one principal purpose of a speech the speakers ability to engage the audience with the main proposition or idea. A speech must aim at actively capturing the attention of the audience and maintaining their undivided attention throughout the period that the speech will last. Prior to delivering any kind of speech, it is very crucial for a public speaker to determine the reason as to why he or she wants to give the speech (Davidson 19). Most public speakers tend to view speeches as solely intellectual activities whereby ideas or thoughts presented to the audience are meant to assess their truth and integrity. Much as this perception is valid, it is also incomplete. The purpose of a speech must be wholesome and planned prior to delivering it there is a wide range of ways of communicating ones ideas in making a speech (Ferraro  palmer, par. 2).

An ideal speech usually carries three objectives. However, the speaker attaches special emphasis upon these objectives in relation to the context in which his or her speech will be delivered (Ferraro  Palmer, par. 3). To begin with, the speech must aim at conveying an insight of some given information. This is the most common objective of majority of public speeches. It is mostly achieved through oral presentation, especially in circumstances where the audience does not have to ask any follow-up questions. It requires the speaker to put extra care in reviewing the audience because replication of familiar ideas or knowledge is not only a waste of time but also a negative signal to the audience (Ferraro  Palmer, par. 3).

Persuasion
Effective speeches go beyond the level of mere information and reporting but attempt to persuade the audience that the interpretation, assessment and conclusion based on the speech delivered is true. Persuasion takes place when the audience is convinced that the speakers conclusions relate to the information or knowledge that they sought to understand (Ferraro, palmer, par. 4). To achieve this purpose, the speaker needs to be well informed, truthful and sincere as well as possess the ability to articulate his conclusion. These conclusions should possess sentiments, understanding and be resolute. A persuasive public speaker is not only able to convince the audience about the ideas and thoughts he or she is presenting but also gains a reputation from the audience as an orator and intellect (Ferraro, palmer, par. 4).

Motivation
 Speeches ought to stimulate an audience towards taking an action.  The objective of motivating the audiences requires the speaker to understand the passions of their audience. This implies that the speaker must be well familiar with the informational needs of his audience and the knowledge or ideas they need to be stimulated in taking an action (Ferraro  palmer, par. 5). Martin Luther Kings speech I have a dream is a good example of a speechs purpose in motivating the audience. In this speech, he did not only assert that equality in race was justified, but also argued that it was necessary if America was to realize dignified aspirations of the declaration of independence and the constitution. In framing his speech in such a manner, Dr. King achieved in pleading to the passions of the whites who were in his audience since they were the ones who, according to the circumstances, required some motivation in order to take action (Ferraro  palmer, par. 5)

Audience analysis
Audience analysis refers to the act of determining the significant features of an audience so as to come up with the most excellent format, style, arguments and information when speaking. It also involves understanding the uniqueness, characteristics and personality presented by the particular type of an audience (Laskowski, par. 2). The knowledge of the audience enables the speaker to understand the social situation in which he or she speaks. It enables the speaker to establish a strategy of generating arguments which suit the audience best. The preparation of a speech ought to also include the gathering of information regarding the type of audience the speaker will handle as well as their specific needs, otherwise, a very carefully prepared speech delivered to the wrong audience will have similar effects with a poorly and carelessly prepared speech, delivered to the right audience (Laskowski, par. 2). The importance of audience analysis can be summarized in the words of Lenny Laskowski, which he refers to as the 9PS to effective audience analysis Prior Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance of the Person Putting on the Presentation (Laskowski, par. 2).

For a speakers presentation to be successful, it must aim at the opinions, knowledge and wants of a potential audience. Therefore in analyzing the audience, the speaker needs to answer questions on how he or she would determine the knowledge of his audience, their opinions, wants and needs (Laskowski, par. 3-4). The more a speaker is familiar with the kind of an audience that he or she will be handling, the more likely he or she is to deliver the speech in a relaxed manner since he or she is assured that the message is landing into the right ears. For many effective public speakers, sending out questionnaires to their potential audience is a rewarding effort towards gathering adequate information concerning their needs (Laskowski, par. 3-4). The most likely questions that the questionnaire seeks to obtain include the type of audience, what level of understanding they have on the subject, their age, sex, educational backgrounds, why they are attending, what are their needs, and what specific needs they would like the speaker to address (Laskowski, par. 3-4).

The Methods of Collection and Organizing Material Effectively
 The first step in preparing for any public speech involves collecting and reading loads of information concerning the subject. This ensures that one is well and adequately informed on the subject of the speech. There are various methods that public speakers use in collecting and organizing materials effectively. As a requirement, all of them should have the goal of gathering facts and arranging ideas so as to come up with a presentable final product (Woolf, par. 3-5). Public speakers naturally generate material for their speeches from books, journals, magazines, the press, the internet, personal life experiences and examples, discussions with friends and colleagues, issuing out questionnaires and interviewing people on the subject matter. In organizing the materials for a speech, the speaker needs to arrange his or her ideas logically. Organizing the thoughts and ideas involves outlining the key areas chronologically and sticking to the outline all through the session of the speech (Woolf, par. 3-5).

Speech Structure
 In public speaking, a good speech structure involves the use of attention-getting opener, a well organized essay that follows naturally throughout the body of the speech, and a well thought out conclusion. Attention- getting openers are used to arouse immediate attention and curiosity from the audience. They give the speaker the advantage of immediate capturing of the thoughts of the audience (Davidson 59). Such opening statements could be the thoughts of a well known speech professional (for example Martin Luther) or an experience that brings out the subject into practical real life application. The opener should then naturally connect with the body of the speech which should be logically organized. This assists the speaker in explaining the subject well without confusing the audience with juggled up statements and thoughts (Davidson 59).  Finally, the conclusion is important as it states the outcome or the advantage of the subject being discussed. A good speech ought to adopt a diamond shape, starting off with an attention-getting opener, expanding to the main body and eventually condensing with the well thought conclusion (Davidson 59).
Clear Articulation, Good Projection, Variety and Animation in Presenting the Speech

The Importance of Clear Articulation
In public speaking, articulation is the art of being able to express oneself in a logical and lucid way. It is the pronunciation feature which puts together all the articulatory organs so as to form the sounds in a presentation (Peterson, par. 1-5). Proper and clear articulation in public speeches enables the speaker to communicate with confidence. Additionally, it ensures that the audience gets the proper meaning of the words used in the speech. Clear articulation is important to every public speaker because almost all public speeches involve oral presentations over and above the other methods of presenting the ideas (Peterson, par. 1-5). Clear articulation also helps the speaker to reduce tension and anxiety when delivering a speech because it allows the words to come out clearly and naturally. This is facilitated through the use of sound breaks when speaking it keeps the tongue in proper check so that words do not flip off the tongue in a manner that they were not intended to. A public speaker who is able to articulate effectively saves time. This is because it is less likely for the audience to ask for clarifications of words and sounds which they cannot properly hear. It also gives the speaker credit from the audience because it creates the impression of public speaking professionalism (Peterson, par. 1-5).

The importance of good voice projection
The vocal tone that the speaker uses during the speech determines the kind of response he will receive from the audience. The voice projection needs to be balanced, affirmative and influential. Whether the voice is commanding or soft depends on the kind of audience that the speaker is addressing. Good voice projection ensures that the speaker is loud enough while at the same time not too loud to sound noisy. It also creates a good rapport between the audience and the speaker (Greene  Felicia, 5- 7).

The Importance of Variety
Use of variety is essentially important when delivering long speeches or technical subjects. This is especially when demonstrations and practical examples are used so that the audience can understand. Particularly, presenting a new technology that will be useful to a certain group or a new method of solving a problem in a simplified manner may call for the use of a variety of methods of presentations in a speech (Greene  Felicia 7).Various methods and styles used by public speakers include oral and power point presentations, diagrams, charts video tapes, audio tapes and demonstrations. Variety prevents boredom and lack of concentration from the audience while at the same time demonstrates prowess and professionalism in the speaker which is very important. Variety is also important because it helps the audience to understand the concept better and quickly than the use of just one style because, what cannot be explained in words of mouth can be clearly put in a diagram or a video tape (Greene  Felicia 7).

Animation helps the speaker to gain and keep the audience in total attention. This is because the audience in our current generation is more occupied. People have so much on their minds and concentrating on something which is grossly captivating is quite difficult. Animation serves to ensure that what cannot be put in words of oral presentation can be easily understood by the audience (Boyce 8).

The Importance of Nonverbal Variables
When a speaker is presenting a speech to an audience, he or she is more like an actor performing at the stage. Therefore, the speech should never be like a lecture to the audience because these might disorient the audience and prevent them from concentrating. Non verbal variables include the body language and eye contact amongst others (Davidson 49). Body language involves moving arms, using facial expressions or movement of the whole body, depending on the empathy or emotion of the subject being discussed.  The use of body language demonstrates passion and familiarity of the speaker with the subject of discussion. Eye contact on the other hand reflects confidence and also helps the speaker to see the reaction of the audience on what he or she is delivering (Davidson 49). The development of proper non -verbal variables is also a key component in generating humor during the presentation and which helps to draw back the attention of the audience and make them lively. Humor also assists the speaker to break tension and feel more affiliated with the audience. Standing, moving about or walking with the right facial expressions or hand gestures is more appropriate than just sitting and reading from the notes on the desk (Davidson 49).

The importance of using the visuals in public speaking
It is a common practice by the best public speakers to complement their presentations with visual aids such as objects (for example people, books, globes, models and animals), graphics, charts, and demonstrations when delivering their thoughts and ideas to an audience. The visual aids present an added advantage to a speaker especially in the current high tech generation. Rzadkiewicz (par. 2) puts it that a picture is worth a thousand words. This statement applies especially when the speaker needs to provide information that involves a process. Visual aids assist the public speaker in gaining and maintaining the attention of the audience. They are used as reinforcements of the message being communicated because people find the presentation more convincing as they can hear and see as well. When the audience views the presentations in demonstrations or in charts, they are not likely to misinterpret the message. In addition they gain a more defined understanding of the subject matter (Rzadkiewicz, par. 2).

To be able to use the visual presentations in a simple and less technical manner, the speaker needs to first understand the kind of audience that he or she will be handling. For instance, PowerPoint presentations which are widely preferred by public speakers are very useful and effective public speaking tools (Rzadkiewicz, par. 3-6). However, if they are not used in the right way, they end up making the presentation complicated to the audience. For simple and clear use of this aid, the speaker should first of all make sure that the whole audience can clearly see every slide without any difficulty. More importantly, he or she should make sure that all the information in the slides is error free. The speaker should also make each slide as short as possible so that the audience will not find it too long to read from the screen (Rzadkiewicz, par. 3-6). Visual presentations should be presented in a way that the speaker does not literally repeat the message on the screen. Rather, he should explain it because repeating creates an impression of lack of professionalism. Also it is very important to ensure that all the technologies needed to keep the visual presentation working are properly functioning, and some backup is available in case of technical interruptions (Rzadkiewicz, par. 3-6). For the visual presentations that do not require scenes, such as charts, graphics and flipcharts, the speaker should place them strategically so that every person can see and also use simple language in explaining the contents of the visual aid. Audio visual tapes should be made as short and captivating as possible. The picture and the sound system should be clear and the speaker should not interrupt when the video is still continuing- in case he wants to elaborate a certain part, he or she should first put a pause on the video before explaining (Rzadkiewicz, par. 3-6).

Analysis of Evaluation of the Student Speaking Experiences
Some students shared their experiences in public speaking and its outcome. For most students, public speaking is a real problem that can make them avoid some courses which involve a lot of oral presentations (Boyce 8). However, for the students who like speaking in public, it is the course they love most since it is interactive and helps them in developing public communication skills.  Most of the students experiences after giving a public speech only reflected anxiety and fear of the audience. Some students said that they get very upset thinking that the others are looking at them when (Boyce 8).

One student prepared an extensive and outstanding handout on a topic and then distributed copies to everybody in class. According to the student, no one looked at her when she started her oral presentation. Instead, they concentrated on reading the hand out. However, if a speaker wants the full attention of the audience, they should give out the handouts after the speech or else give the audience sometime to go through the speech before they continue (Boyce, 8). Another student demonstrated a brief video clip in the process of his presentation, because he was too tense to speak without first taking a break for a few minutes. Afterwards, he told the professor how several students liked the presentation as it featured some students (Boyce, 8).

Suggestions for Improvement
Most students find it useful to draft a sheet of paper containing the key phrases or words they intend to use in their presentations. They said that they find it better not to put everything in the sheet because they might tend to read from it during the presentation which lowers the standard of the whole presentation (Boyce 8). Other students prefer using large fonts in drafting the short notes so that they may be able to easily read from them. Prior practice of the presentations also worked well as it ensured a good speech delivery. In addition, others said that taking a video of their presentations during the practice sessions helped them in evaluating their tonal variations. Therefore, they were able to improve on the mistakes they made before the actual speech presentation day (Boyce 8).

For public speakers, speech is meant to serve various purposes so as to ensure that it is worth listening by the audience, informative or educative and also persuasive. Therefore, public speakers utilize a number of methods and tools that are geared towards ensuring that they have captured the total attention of the audience for as long as the speech lasts. This is what forms a complete speech and every public speaker must combine the elements discussed above to make their speech not only interesting but also effective in accomplishing its goals.

In, Do We Need To Go There Again an article by Bel Bruno in the popular My Turn section of Newsweek, he argues that the events that fate deals out to each person, although sometimes seemingly completely negative, come together in subtle ways to ease situations which are otherwise fraught with anxiety and resentment in Brunos case, confessing his homosexuality to his conventional father.

The advocate of this argument, as mentioned earlier, is Bel Bruno, a magazine editor who is currently working on a book about relationships, the vagaries of urban life and the coming of the Internet Age. On reading the article, one discovers that he is a 42 year old bachelor and by his own admission, a homosexual. The style in which he writes indicates the lucidity that follows a period of struggling with and subsequently coming to terms with his sexual awakening. Statements such as, I, at 42, unmarried and the youngest of three brothers, was now his partial caretaker reveal his honesty to himself and the world around him. Since he does not mention anything more about his brothers, one tends to assume a limited bond between Bel and them. Certain portions in the article reveal the authors sense of humor and ability to see the lighter side of a situation rather than be weighed down by it. Towards the end of the write up he jokes about taking advantage of his fathers Alzheimers induced memory loss and the prospect of facing another Groundhog Day of coming out of the closet

At one point, it occurred to me that if this interrogation thing happened yet again, maybe I could revise my autobiography a bit- add in an adoring wife and kids, a spunky German shepherd, and a bad knee from my gridiron days at Penn State.

The authors target audience is mainly other homosexuals, most of who are faced with similar dilemmas when coming out to their parents.

Bel reveals his inclusion in this group when he says, Surely it is a rare opportunity to come out to a parent twice. Some never get around to doing it once. That being said, the article also addresses the painful process of coming to terms with the fact that one of your parents is dying. The article is also directed at people who have faced similar situations.

Although Bruno maintains an even, positive tone throughout the article, he implicitly attacks the conventional patriarchal mindset which takes pride only in knowing that a son fits the American stereotype by middle age (wife and two kids) or who played contact sports in high school (gridiron at Penn State) and treat homosexuality as being disgusting or unnatural The implicit message that Bruno delivers through the piece is that, sadly enough, it took a life threatening disease and layers of plaque on (his fathers) brains misfiring synapses to finally absolve the relationship that they shared of all the pent up, unexpressed awkwardness and disappointment that built up in the twelve years of silence that followed his initial confession. He claims in amazement that the second time around it felt all right. This is one of the reasons that his fathers passing away seemed timely. He says that it was alright because they had finally gotten the talk just right anyway.

The type of argument that Bruno employs in this piece are valid, inductive arguments. His fathers membership in the Moose Lodge is taken to be a good indicator of his conventional mindset. Similarly, his mothers participation in a mind-expansion class and a local production of Sondheims Company is taken to be a measure of her open-mindedness. Bruno uses another inductive argument when he claims that his fathers cheerful gathering of facts is related to his worsening Alzheimers condition. An appeal to authority is used when he talks about being in the closet to parents as being a flaming red flag on the homosexual dating checklist. It is not true that all homosexuals see secrecy from parents as being a red flag.

But being one himself, Bruno claims authority on the matter and gets the audience to believe what he is saying as universally true. The argument is also an invalid inductive argument which states

1. It is undesirable to be in the closet to ones parents.
2. I am in the closet to my parents.
3 Therefore, I am undesirable.

Both statement 1 and statement 3 are invalid. The first is assumed to be universally true based on limited knowledge and third is assumed to be related to the second without considering the other possible reasons for it.

Professionals have various options of communication available to them. Memos, letters and electronic mails are three of such options.

Memos are like letters only shorter, to the point and convenient. They are used when communicating internally within a company structure when the message to be conveyed is professional. They are also used when appreciating or good behavior by individuals and groups. If certain employees are to be fired, a memo is very appropriate as it comes in handy in the event of a lawsuit. A memo can be used to query the progress and request for information on an on-going project. Use of a memo also extends to informing recipients of a change in policy, change in prices or even insisting that a particular employee turn up for a meeting. In writing a memo, one should choose their words carefully, stick to the subject and not make it personal.

Letters can be formal or informal. Informal letters are appropriate for personal matters e.g. friends, family and close acquaintances. When one wants to convey a message to be taken seriously by the recipient, a business letter is used. It is also sent when the recipient requires time to analyze the message seriously and act upon it, when a permanent record of the conveyed message is desired or when the intended point of the message is lengthy and full of information (Reep, 2003). In a business, a letter is vital when conveying disappointing or encouraging news to a client and when addressing a complaint with an external party or client concerning a company product

Electronic mail is a recent form of communication that is appropriate when sending a message attached with documents to a client immediately in another region. In an organization with many branches, email is used as a form of communication between employees and the management.  It is appropriate when sending a common message to a number of people and this especially applies in an organization if one wants to send a common message to several employees e.g. to inform them of a meeting. This is one of the quickest ways to send a message (Evin, 2009)

Similarities

Both user manuals employ pictures of their products features (buttons, icons, and slots) that were enlarged to be identified easily. They both have a table of contents for easy reference. The two manuals contain a step-by-step guide and specific instructions written in simple words on how to use or operate the products.
Differences

The Nero User Manual starts with a welcome page extending gratitude to the user for buying the companys product. This page is followed by a discussion on copyright laws, since CDs are very easy to replicate and resell. The Nero manual has a system requirement sheet since it is a computer software, this page discusses the requirements that need to be met for the proper installation of the program. The Nero manual ends with a list of the companys technical support contacts.

On the other hand, the TV User Manual begins with a safety precaution page which warns that when the manual is not properly followed, it could cause serious injuries. It also list all the possible actions that the user can do in case of improper operation of the product. It is also written in several languages, compared to the Nero guide that is only written in English.

Common Components of a User Manual

A user manual must include the product name (model, issue number, etc.) and a short description of the product if necessary. It must also have a comprehensive table of contents, a page dedicated to the proper use of the manual, warnings or safety precautions page if needed, and diagrams and pictures (enlarged) of the parts and components of the product. A user manual should also have a step-by-step guide on the proper operation of the product and a page containing information in case of product malfunction. Finally, it must also have a list of phone numbers, email addresses, and the office address that the user can reach in case of technical problems, and a page dedicated to the companys or issuers profile.

A glimpse of the table of contents of the user manual should give a summary of what the users can learn about the product. It should also enable them to access easily any specific information that they wish to see. There are instances when the users do not need to go through the whole manual to learn about the product. Hence, the table of contents gives them the option to skip pages and just go to the parts of the manual that are useful to them.

The paper is intended for an efficient Financial Accounting objective development from the perspective of a Cardiac Care Hospital. The requirement put forward for analysis is a bridge to working capital shortage. The funding options are evaluated for acquiring medical equipments as well as capital expansion. Various sectors are being identified and critically studied to deduce certain options for succeeding in those.

Phase I Capital Shortage
Capital shortage is one among the major challenges faced by any business sector especially related to medical field. The shortage can be encountered by either reduction of expense or expansion of profit. There have been many methods introduced into management area of studies with respect to capital shortage and its elimination. Cost cutting methods and loan options are used extensively utilized for facing capital shortage by contemporary business sectors.

Which cost cutting options did you select Why
The idea proposed by David Fillingham can be used in this perspective of cardiac hospital case. He, the CEO of Bolton Hospital says that Good quality costs less. (Graban, 2008, p.10). The enhancement of medical assistance in terms quality can help in reducing the expense of the hospital. The approaches to increase the profit can never always result in success. It is a fact that quality improvement is not accepted by everyone as an explicit method of cost cutting, but it remains factuality that ultimate result will inevitably be stated as reduction in expense. The service quality development will thus create a real shift as the case under consideration is related to a cardiac hospital which helps the society thereby turning out to be a boom for the society.

Which loan option did you select Why
When the situation of capital shortage occurs, working capital loan is the best option. The working capital loan can pump in the cash flow and fund the daily operations of your business. (Working capital plan, n.d., para.2). Here, hospital can undertake their requirements to cover up scarcity by availing a secured working capital scheme. Selection of the scheme for loan is based on the flexibility and lower rate of interest. Secured option is having easier procuring of loan with negotiable rates of interest payment having payback duration convenient for the client. Of course, banks forward working capital loans for any business launch in need of fiscal assistance at critical stages.

What was the outcome of your decision
The outcome of the decision obviously was success. The loan facility supported to pass the existing tight financial situation keeping a goal for quality enhancement which reduced the cost as its eventual output. The initial stages were a bit narrower which required certain essential most modern equipments to be installed for quality improvement supported by the loan amount acquired. While on track, every aspect turned out to be positive creating more and more satisfied customers and reduction in crisis leading to fame and name of the hospital.

Phase II Funding Options for Equipment Acquisition
The funding options available for equipment acquisition are having a wider range creating a choice for the firm to select. Usually there are three options for equipment acquisition procedure namely cash imbursement, financed acquisition and leasing. Cash payments involve payment of complete cost of the product leading to no payment further works on that procured device. Financed payment offers assistance with higher interest rates to buy required equipment while leasing is rental option in which the device is owned by leasing firm. For our cardiac hospital it would be better to buy by cash payment itself. Already a loan is availed utilizing which equipments can be bought eliminating further implications regarding equipment acquisitions. The only disadvantage regarding this method is capital distribution saying that the cost paid in full can be used for some other options.

Which cost-effective equipment selections did you make Why
The cost effective equipment selection opted for cardiac hospital is to select pre utilized equipments. There are equipments which can never become redundant due to usage. There will be many types of equipment accessible from certain leasing and financing firms which are used and in good condition for further usage. Such equipments will be better for the hospital in case of both aspects working condition and cost. The efficiency of huge equipment never reduce with usage but often any hospital opting for leasing will opt for newer ones keeping leasing people in an option to sell the existing equipments giving a chance for other hospitals to acquire equipments in good conditions itself. At times when a financed equipment is been ceased, it is put in sale itself. Also when a renovation procedure is carried out many of the equipments will be replaced after selling of existing ones. All these can be utilized for cardiac hospital by proper examination of those.

What was the outcome of your decision
The outcome of the equipment procurement procedure was good and appreciable. The cash payment was a bit redundant when crisis prevails but reduced cost for used equipments gave spirit for acquiring devices with no extra time and money expense in future. The equipments bought enabled to provide services with enhanced quality which contributed to cost cutting options. The selected choice turned out to be the best procedures for attaining sustained performance in the case of customer satisfaction as well as capital consistency. No additional involvement was necessary as entire equipments are owned and operated by themselves.

Phase III Funding Options for Capital Expansion
The funding options refer to the ways from the finance or the capital can be raised for performing the operations within a cardiac centre. Funds are mainly used to expand the business and carry out the operations in an effective manner by delivering high quality product and services to the target customers. Capital expansion refers to the availability of the fund to the firm for the purpose of making the products and services produced by them and by which it can be commercially offered to the public. These funds are mainly used in cardiac centre for developing their product and services by increasing the availability of fund. Mostly venture capital is preferred for the capital expansion in hospitals. Large cardiac centre requires huge investment in hospitals for employing latest technologies, improving their quality of services and to make necessary innovations in the hospitals. The increased rate of baby boomers and diversity among population has increased the demand for quality services. The amount of capital required to optimally deliver modern healthcare practices, adequately address and manage reimbursement issues, and effectively recruit and retain both specialized and primary care physicians will almost certainly drive continued consolidation of health care delivery entities whose nexus is the multi-hospital system. (Kennedy  Sawchyn, n.d., p.5).

Which source of funding did you select Why
The availability of the funding options reflects the strong capital structure of the hospital. A strong capital structure is at the foundation of a systems credit strength, and as such, critical to the ability of a system to optimally fund organizational growth, drive profitability, and deliver enhanced health care services. (Kennedy  Sawchyn, n.d., p.5). Before selecting the selecting the sources of fund the credit position of the organization has to be understood. The most important funding options that are available to the hospitals are as venture capital, hybrid, arranging debt finance, employing equity partner etc.

Among the various funding options venture capital is selected as the best funding option for the cardiac centre for the purchase of modern equipments and machines. It is an aspect of equity financing which is most frequently used by the enterprise those grow rapidly. In venture capital the funds are invested on a professional basis. The investments in the hospitals are huge and therefore the best method to be selected is the venture capital. The venture capital involves huge investment.

What was the outcome of your selection
The necessity to purchase new equipment in hospitals can be decided at any time. There are many benefits that are experienced by implementing the venture capital within the organization. This will enable the organization to generate large sum of equity finance. The availability of huge finance will enable the organization to bring wealth into the business, where by this will enable the health care centre to purchase modern technologies that can be used for delivering quality services to the peoples who use to visit the hospital for better treatment. It is the most important method which is used by most of the business concern that are planning to implement professional funding method. It has been used by Intel, apple computer and many other organizations. Venture capital is the easiest and the quickest way by which the funds can be generated and it is has the capacity to tolerate risk.

Summary and Conclusions
The simulation describes the financial accounting process that is carried out in an organization with respect to the Cardiac health care centre. It explains the various ways by which the working capital can be generated and also explains the various ways by which the shortage in working capital can be recovered are also discussed. This simulation depicts the available funding options that are required for equipment acquisition and what are the cost effective methods that can be implemented

From this simulation it is very clear that, which funding option will be better for the cardiac care centre. It is also clear that by using venture capital it is easy for the hospital to raise finance by which it will be helpful for them to increase the financial stability of the concern. This is to be considered that even though there are many other funding options, most of the organization which requires huge investment in their business usually adopts venture capital. The current learning is very much helpful to the current and future job performance. a clear cut idea regarding the various sources of funding has generated an idea regarding which method has to be selected.

With the fast progress in technology, increasing social mobility, globalization of cutback, and the emergency of cultural miscellany, intellectual human contact at both individual and organizational level is on the rise (Joseph et al 1983 126). It is because of the increased number of contacts between people whence an increased number of beliefs and cultural backgrounds that cultural diversity has been generating more heat in organizations. Even though the conflicts act as hutching grounds for problems, sometimes they are likely to foster organizational development if managed well and foster positive relationships between workers than even before.

When cultural diversity is on an increase this calls for a knack to live together in a weird environment and work and live positively with people with varied backgrounds. Intercultural sensitivity has been connected with intercultural communication competence which entails execution of activities effectively, adjusting to multifaceted cultures and a healthy personal relationship with people of multifaceted cultures.

Exploring conflict management in groups
Conflicts are inherent in any group when making decisions and when deliberating on important issues. Group deliberation and decision making as a group is important as it may bring logging heads of groups together (Joseph et al 1983 128). Disagreement and discrepancy is likely to ignite discussion that tests positions against one another and may further the emergence of creative new ideas of any matter to be solved. Critical discussion backs up critical decision making and any possible causes of action if the decision is likely to cause mayhem.

Conflicts have also been found to have limitations as they are likely to arouse negative emotions that may contribute to uncontrolled escalation or repetitive cycles of conflict. If one party is likely to take a competitive or negative action toward another the other is likely to reciprocate to the competitive action. Sometimes opposition to complaints and expressions of negative effect are often responded to be in kind. This propensity to reciprocate tends to set up cycles of competitive behavior which may escalate and impede the groups ability to evaluate ides and options critically. As a substitute decisions are made by forcing or alternatively are not made at all as the ends in impasse.

Communication in conflict management
In order to understand how effective management of conflicts is likely to enforce harmony in a group it is advisable to look closely at group processes. In managing conflicts it is crucial that a lot of time is devoted in creating an arena that is likely to encourage people to dialogue and maybe in the course look at the root cause of the problem. This is likely to be seen as a joke but a strategy to solving some malignant tumor. It also gives people an opportunity to know more about each others background and this is likely to guide them on what they are supposed to avoid when they are together because it is likely to invite trouble as it maybe considered against the cultural doctrines of what other people think of. (Joseph et al 1983 128).This could be made successful by erecting a framework where expression and amicable solving of disputes is appreciated and put high on the list of the preference. Effective communication is likely to cultivate a positive rejoinder to conflict, which is a breeding ground for healthier relationships and increased output in organizations.

Disputes sometimes can sometimes act as an arena for reaching to other people otherwise one could have not reached and sharing out concerns not only related to the problem at hand but how to foster productivity in an organization.. In group conflicts this is an opportunity for everyone to style up and realize that the group is no longer to be run as personal property but as an amalgamation of people with divergent views on issues and varied backgrounds. When addressing conflicts one is presented with a challenge to clarify needs, values, and identify sources of satisfaction and dissatisfaction. When the source of dissatisfaction has been singled out it means the root cause of the problem has been identified and the way forward is to prescribe some therapy for the same. Dealing with conflicts is likely to bring out some intrinsic goodness that lies within us, and is likely to take one from being fearful and defenceful to being confident, responsive and caring.

The observational system
The observational system I will employ to describe group conflict management processes is has roots to the normative model of conflict management presented by (Walton 1969). The model presents a model of two phases of effective conflict management and in the first phase the problem will be aired out and any possible root causes of the problem which are likely to lead to the second phase which is primarily concerned with integration of the warring parties taking into consideration the differences of the members.  If differentiation is handled aptly, the concerned parties learn about others positions, interests, and issues and develop an understanding based on a common rapport that they are going to work and manage any other conflicts amicably. If integration is appropriately handled, parties develop solutions that take their joint concerns into account, develop commitment to accept and stick to the solution, and develop respect.

If either the differentiation or integration phases are curtailed or futilely executed, conflict execution will be less effectual.  In the process of differentiation if the warring groups dont come to consensus, then understanding of issues which affect each other is not likely to be successful and consequently working together is likely to be a nightmare. (Joseph et al 1983 132).  As a result parties may not move to the integration phase and they may become stuck in continuing cycles of divergence.  There are case where differentiation may be successful but the integration causes problems, in this case they have to live with each others believes.

This two-phase normative model also implies two less desirable conflict management patterns. One, the parties may never surface conflict and thus fail to differentiate at all, that is, they may shun and inundate the conflict.  Two, parties may surface differences, but be unable to work together, in which case one party may force the other to accept hisher favored option or one party may simply acquiesce and give in to the other.  Both of these approaches to resolving conflict engrosses acquiescence of one party and allow the group to move forward, but they are likely to lead to less positive outcomes than will moving through the two phases properly.

In groups conflicts are neither good nor are they bad but what is important is how the problem is handled and any prospected outcome or even the real outcome (Joseph et al 1983 135). Dealing with group conflicts and solving them amicably is likely to foster positive change but avoiding it is likely to be a hub of more problems. Conflicts are like a way of life for any firm and fundamental for mutual relationships with the workers. A conflict will be healthy when used to reach a collaborative agreement or new alternative and unhealthy when used to utter fury, trepidation, and aggravation. Integrity and reliance condense unnecessary conflict and augment the potential for alliance and conformity.

Conflict situations are common in almost all aspects of life, ranging from workplace, institutional, political, religious conflicts etc. Conflicts are said to arise in situations where different individuals have varying ideologies, goals and perceptions which may lead to personal animosities between the conflicting parties. With the increasing conflicts and disputes, several conflict resolution methods and styles of interacting in such situations have been formulated. Proper conflict management styles may lead to professional and personal growth based on the fact that negative and positive outcomes of the conflict are identified (Falikowski, 2002).

There are five major styles of addressing conflicts depending on the prevailing dispute situation. The approaches include competitive, collaborative, compromising, accommodation and avoidance tactics. Other methods used in conflict resolution include diplomacy, negotiation, mediation, litigation and arbitration processes.

The aim of this essay is to briefly discuss various approaches applied in alternative dispute resolution and general conflict management. Each approach shall be defined and applicable situations for each alternative dispute resolution strategy identified.

Competitive Approach
In this approach, the conflicting parties take firm positions in order to achieve their personal goals. Such conflicts in most cases are brought about by the desire for power in political scenarios and other leadership wrangles. This approach is normally applicable in crises and emergency situations requiring urgent decision making. Where the decisions involved are correct, better decisions may be arrived at without compromise. It may also be applicable in defending unpopular decisions and if not checked, may have the impact of precipitating resentment, hostility and violence, leading to injuries and dissatisfaction on the aggrieved party (Falikowski, 2002).

Collaborative Approach
This approach encourages a mutual style that attempts to satisfy the needs and demands of the parties involved. This conflict interaction styles makes the two parties to effectively cooperate and acknowledge the importance or the role played by each individual in the conflict. In this approach, several viewpoints are brought together and solutions based on the ideas optimized to address the conflict. This approach however requires commitment and consumes a lot of time  effort before reaching an optimal solution (Falikowski, 2002).

Compromise
In this approach, the parties involve develop mechanisms to cope with the conflict by attempting to get solutions acceptable to both parties. In such a scenario, the parties are expected to relax some of their pre-conditions by relinquishing some of their demands. This conflict interaction style is applicable to situations where the costs or risks associated with the conflict are higher than the costs associated with the relinquished demand. As an example, this approach may be applicable in unlocking political deadlocks, by arranging power sharing arrangements especially where the opponents have equal strengths with interests in diverse solutions to the existing problem. The demerits associated with this approach include creation of less ideal outcomes that may be unsatisfactory to the interested parties.

Accommodation
In this case, one party in the conflict may show some willingness to satisfy or meet the demands of the other party at their own expenses. The accommodating party learns to cooperative in this approach may know the right time to surrender particular demands especially if peace is at stake. The returns of such an approach may include favors and other positive outcomes, maintaining the working relationship, and minimal losses associated with losing on the part of the accommodating party.

Avoidance
This is characterized by evasion tactics whereby the parties concerned develop response mechanisms such as taking responsibility for default decisions and delegating controversial verdicts by taking precautionary measures to minimize negative impacts on the other parties. This approach is categorized as ineffective and weak since the disputes remain unresolved and the other conflicting parties may take advantage of the prevailing situations to undermine the avoiding party.

The most appropriate times for applying this approach are circumstances where victory is practically impossible. It may also be applicable where the other party is better placed to address the crisis or in scenarios involving trivial controversial issues. The approach also minimizes confrontations and in turn plays a part in building the working relationship (Falikowski, 2002).

The Conflict Resolution Process
The various conflict resolution processes in use today have several common aspects. The preliminary step taken in the resolution process is the problem identification stage (Bellafiore, 2010). Understanding the underlying causes of the problem and the demands of the conflicting parties leads to the next stage which is the suggestion of possible solutions. At this stage, it is advisable to generate as many ideas as possible (Bellafiore, 2010).

The third stage in the conflict resolution process involves scrutiny and evaluation of the suggested solutions, weighing the benefits, risks and costs associated with every suggested solution. Here, the suggested solutions are eliminated one after the other leaving behind two or three of the best recommended ways of solving the crises. This stage requires honesty, transparency and commitment from both parties. A final optimal decision acceptable to the conflicting parties is then arrived at before actual implementation of the suggested solution (Bellafiore, 2010).

During the implementation process, parties share various roles in the process based on mutual understanding in order to facilitate the conflict resolution process. The solution is then evaluated continuously and reviewed from time to time to include further suggestions and recommendation. This process is regarded as progressive until and when a final solution, satisfying most of the demands of either party has been arrived at and mutually agreed upon.

This report pertains to the Owl Company. It is written by a committee for top management to implement an Employee Suggestion Program (ESP) to be introduced in the Owl Company. The company has identified a need for such a program to be introduced and has worked to find methods to form and implement such a program.

It is highly imperative that the Owl Company take the situation from two perspectives. First, how would Employee Suggestion Program benefit the company as a whole if implemented Second, if this program is implemented, how would employees benefit from it

Methods of Investigation
The committee set-up initiated the review process and it involved three distinct steps
It organized five focus groups with the employees. In each of these focus groups, the committee tries to determine that what can the company do more to increase employees sense of belonging toward the company In other words, it tried to have employees tell them what can company do to have them feel an intrinsic part of the company

The committee also conducted visits to competitors and other industries to get to know what others have to say about the employee suggestion program as the insights form others are very valuable.

The committee also hired an independent Human Resources Consultant. The task of the consultant was to provide Owl Company with the feedback on various sets of policies followed by businesses across US.

Employee Suggestion Program A need of Owl Company
Now that we have the background, our report will focus on the recommendations of the committee, the process of implementing the program, and the advantages it will offer to the company.

Recommendations
Owl Company should reward employees for any of their suggestions accepted through the Employee Suggestion Program.

A permanent committee should be set-up which will regularly see through suggestions put forward by employees and choose the appropriate ones for further processing.

The committee should also make an ESP form which must be accessible to all employees and should be used by them to communicate their suggestions to the management.

The Chief Financial Officer of the company will have the authority to approve any amount of reward for the employees whose suggestions are accepted. It will depend on the value added by that suggestion if implemented.

We will now move toward the description of the program but before that let us briefly discuss the findings of investigations conducted (the investigation methodologies are described above). The investigation revealed that 61 of the employees at Owl Company believe that there should be set procedure through which employees could convey their ideas to the management. In other words, this procedure can be called an ESP. 90 of the above 61 employees were of the opinion that if their ideas are given some attention by the management, they would associate themselves more closely with the company.

Description of the Program
The Employee Suggestion Program (ESP) at Owl Company will reward employees with cash if their suggestions are approved. The cash reward will be calculated under the supervision of Chief Financial Officer. The amount will depend on the degree of positive cash flow that the suggestion will generate. It must be noted that the maximum cash reward allowed is 5000. Suggestions which will not have any financial impact on firm but may contribute to other aspects like goodwill will be reward with 100 only.
The ESP will be open to all the employees, both full-time and part-time as every employee is an asset for the company. Employee who wants to make any suggestion can use the ESP form to convey it to the management. The committee formed for this purpose will review the suggestion and will recommend any action.

All the suggestions will have to lie in one of the following categories operations, marketing, product enhancement, product development, training and development, social responsibility, and employee well-being. Any suggestion that cannot fall under any of the above categories should be marked as other.
Various costs will be incurred in the implementation of this program. These costs will include promotional material, policy book, and training of employees.  The cost will approximately add up to 3000. An additional cost of 2,500 will be incurred under the head of administrative expenses. If no suggestion is made, the company will risk losing approximately 5.500.

Administration of the ESP
There are 10 different departments at Owl Company. In each department, we a coordinator for ESP program should be selected who would coordinate ESP procedures in their respective departments. These coordinators will attend a special 4-hour training session besides a 1-hour training session mandatory for all employees. The special training session will train coordinators in the areas of tracking and procedures of ESP, employee awareness campaigns etc. Our foremost goal in ESP program is to make sure that every employees suggestion is given due attention. For this to happen, we present the following procedure
Employee fills the form and informs us about the savings expected to be generated from hisher suggestion. Heshe submits the form to his boss.

The boss goes through the form, acknowledges that by his signature, and returns the form to the employee.
Coordinator then collects the form from the employee.

Coordinator, in turn, submits the form to the head of review committee to consider the suggestion.
Head Review Committee calls a meeting to review all the ideas submitted in a given period of time. The committee discusses the ideas and approves or rejects the ideas with decision communicated to the coordinator who informs the employee of the decision.

Advantages of the ESP Implementation to the Owl Company
Owl Company can possibly generate more revenues through this program as employees might give ideas for new products, product improvement, improved customer service etc. But revenue can only be increased if the review committee is very honest in review the suggestions. In some cases, it might reject some ideas because the idea did not tick their minds but the idea might have resulted in more revenues for the company.  While in other cases, the committee might approve a suggestion which might be that impactful.

Employees are the key persons who are involved in day-to-day operations of the business. They might have a better idea of how to achieve efficiency in various processes. Employee suggestions can, thus, provide management with wonderful ideas on how it can achieve efficiency in business processes which might lead it to gain competitive advantage in the industry. This applies to Owl Company as well.

Now that employees are free to tell management about their ideas, the company will encourage employees in training sessions to spend their free time thinking about new products or improvements to the existing products as they will be rewarded for that. This might result in more ideas coming for product development and improvements which will lead to the extension of product lines.

The ESP will also boost employee morale at Owl Company. Listening to employee suggestions and implementing practical ideas is, in effect, telling employees that they are a great asset for the company and that the company cannot function effectively without them. Including employees in decision-making actually makes employees feel more closely to the company and hence improve their productivity as they would love to work for the company. From the discussion in this paragraph, we can conclude that employee turnover will reduce. This will save company a huge amount of money that it invests in new recruits training them to fit in the company.

All in all, it can be said that implementing Employee Suggestions Program at Owl Company will benefit company in the long run. The ESP will reduce employee turnover as employees start feeling part of the company intrinsically. The companys revenue will increase as employees start pouring in their suggestions to improve the business that the company is currently into. The program will offers less risk as the investment is minimal so even if the program fails, the company would not have much to lose. The success of this program depends mainly on its implementation. If the management is genuinely interested in this program and makes conscious efforts to make it a success, it would surely be a success.

Identify personal insights, moments of critical questioning, and comments or ideas from todays workshop that have impacted you.

Todays workshop brings me to realize that education is more than books, exams, lectures and getting a degree. I realize that education drawn from the latin word child rearing is a cultural lifestyle. And more than technology, books, lectures and exams, education encompass how one is brought up. This insight sends me to question my own educational upbringing starting from how my own parents reared me. Critical questioning brings me to retrospection of my own personal journeys. I have put more weight on what is tangible but now after questioning my journey in positive way, I realize a world of intangibles that are as important in daily life.
Reality is not all that we can see, hear, smell, feel and touch. There is a subjective part in reality that we can only access by activating our instincts or gut feel. These things are not always available in books but always available when one relates to human beings, nature and the environment.

Describe why these insights, questions, and ideas are important to you. What effect do they have and what dilemmas, questions, or possibilities do they raise How do these issues affect the clarity, order, confusion, or chaos of your thinking

These insights are important to me because the reflection will give me an open guideline in my own career being an education manager. In every situation, reacting is inevitable. The way I react to the moment will be basis on how the next events will unfold. The possibility of having positive outcomes in my life will depend on my reflections. Of course when dilemmas arise, it is easier to react immediately without critical thinking. This is dangerous because thinking abruptly guided by immediate feelings can bring more chaos than order.
Accepting that there are always different ways of seeing decrease the possibility of confusion. Organizing ones thoughts according to positive motivations and outcomes is the result of critical thinking endeavors. With better insights gathered from critical reflection, relating to people will be smoother. Collaboration is a better alternative than having winner and losers. A win-win situation is attained by collaboration that will give rise to more positive relationships.

What issues, questions, and dilemmas are you going to explore further Why and how How will your actions influence who you are and how you relate to others What relational nets can you construct to continue this process of reflective and critical learning

I would like to explore the issues on how to manage the insights I gather. There is a decisional activity when insights and reflections arise. These decisions as an education manager are important because it will be foundation to learners who are practicing their own critical thinking competencies. The way I relate to others reflects my personality, my vision and my goals. My vision as an educational manager, no matter how ideal will be of no use if my relationships with my colleagues cannot embody my vision. Studying the kinds of relationships and three-dimensional characters will make my point of view bigger and therefore enlarge existing contexts that I know. Knowing different kinds of social constructs is also important because reflections and critical thinking are based on cultural dimensions. The more I know of these dimensions, the more I can understand how people will react. The more I know how people react to stimulus, I would be able to better choose the management tools to use in different situations.

Education is a mission. It doesnt stop when I leave the educational institution. Even the home is a place of learning. Relationships are places of learning. Therefore, to sustain the process of reflective and critical learning, relational nets must be constructed. Continuous simulations can help increase my practice of critical thinking. I must be articulate in my insights. Keeping a reflective journal like this exercise is an effective way of checking the development of my relationships according to the path of my personal visions.

Knowledge is one of the most precious assets in the lives of many people and that is why people have kept on pursuing higher levels of education. Basing on this, it Therefore, it is pertinent to note the at it is quite important to  importance of climbing levels of education that one can manage. I believe that pursuing a Ddoctorate of Business Administration from the uUniversity of pPhoenix is a very vital decision that adds more value in my life.

Factors Iinfluencing the Cchoice of Ddoctorate in Business Administration
The direction and ambitions of a person is something that develops with time. That is to say, it It starts from childhood at a time when one joins the first level of education (Obezinger, 2005). The basic level of education greatly contributes to what one may become in the future basing  together with theon  abilities the a  person possesses.  My decision to pursue a Doctorate in Business Administration was also substantially influenced by the existence of well-known scholars who have achieved greatness as a result of the knowledge they have amassed from this course. Pursuing a doctorate in business administration is also influenced by the existence of well-known scholars who have achieved in there lives as a result of gaining knowledge in this course. Many scholars have been are able to climb academic ladders in their lives and even consequently support their communities in a large scale, be it material or simply the sharing of knowledge.  a big deal. Chief executives of most companies are taken as good cases for striving to excellence through academic achievement. Encouragement by the family members is also a turning point a factor that greatly influenceds pursuance of doctorate  my decision to pursue this course.in business administration. This implies that my family has been pivotal point in my desire to pursue the doctorate.
In brief, University of Phoenix helps develop leaders with the potential to put theory, research, and practical experience to carry effectively their assignments in a professional way. It also supports development of their students to become scholars with the potential to uplift the society and witness greater developments. It also equips the learner with analytical and inquiry skills, which is the basis for increased productivity (U.P, 2007).

Relevancy of the cCourse
Ample p  reparation Dedication to my chosen field is another important aspect that should be put into considerations bearing in mind that there are other assignments to be done to consider. And I realized that this entails burning the midnight oil and practically spending day and night comprehending complex ideas and subject matters.

GGiven the current work in the Ddepartment of aAccounting, then it is wholesomely agreed that Bbusiness Aadministration is indeed the appropriate doctorate that gives one more command in the field especially after acquiring Bachelors of Science in Business Management and Masters in Business Administration. Studying this course i particular discipline in conjunction with current assignments is a little bitquite  challenging because the course it requires enough time for carrying out research with a detailed methodology. And this simply converts to that means one requires much time hours to be spent for  on reading to enable him prepare  deliver a superb presentation (Obezinger, 2005).

The professional and personal context brought to the course is how it can help work  this chosen field of study signifies is the help it can extend in line with the values of the organization so as to improve delivery of services such that stakeholders and the society benefit from the operations of the company. This context serves as a guiding and a motivating principle that ensures these concerns are met fully so that the effects are felt by both the community and stakeholders (Brown, 1998).

The My aspirations from for this program areis to help explore how business skills will enables me to improve decisions making process, foretell reasonably gauge if success will be met, determineing various successfully ventures, and know the conditions necessary for realizing success.
The areas to improve in include the transformation of leadership skills that will promote improved management with ability to solve problems through creative thinking so as to realize optimal level of production (Obezinger, 2005).

There exists a big close relationship between the goals of the course  program and my objectives of pursuing it as seen in the following dimensions.  The courseprograms provides the learner with practical experience that is fundamental when carrying out professional duties and even in normal life situations. It The program supports the development of a learner critically to use the knowledge acquired to help him me realize many benefits and support the larger community to develop positive attitude toward education. Therefore, there is a direct relationship between my aims of pursuing the program and the objectives of this course (Brown, 1998)..

Doctorate in business administration is a course The opportunity to study this program is one that many people many yearn for in life. because theThe  course enables trains oneme to become creative and develop the ability to solve issues effectively. The course equips one  me with skills that areis vital for operation, management of the business, and above all, helping other people in the community. The knowledge acquired from thise course helps one me give advice his or her  to my community on the existing avenues for investment in the modern market, how they Ican access cCapital and the use of research to establish a number of issues like the existing gaps in the market so that the community can work toward filling market needs (U.P, 2007).

The possible communities to join after completing studies are those centered in business ventures or investment. as Tthesey businesses are expected to be competitive and hence train one how he or she can formulate policies that will help compete effectively with other entrepreneurs. It is possible that one will be able to acquire skills that will enable him to develop policies to guide him or her in carrying out duties and making sound decisions (Obezinger, 2005).

Lessons Learned
The entire program has brought out skills I never knew existed in me. More than the specific courses on leadership, the activities that we went through similarly cultivated in us the elements of successful interpersonal relations. For me, the entire program, consciously or unconsciously, created a simulation of the actual circumstances we are to face in the business world. And I am grateful for this.

It is quite easy to work with people who share the same views and ideologies that I have.  What is difficult is dealing with those having extremely opposite takes on things. And my courses, especially that on Ethical Leadership, trained me to coordinate with different, sometimes cumbersome, people. I have learned to value others opinions at the same time keeping my convictions. This is quite a tricky task. Furthermore, the training in critical management to motivate a group to achieve a common goal will also be beneficial in future endeavors (Reh, 2009)

My courses taught me well the standards to be adhered to in the different facets of business dealings. The course on Marketing and Managing the Customer taught me that more than the objective side of business administration, a future leader must also be sensitive of the multitude of factors to consider to satisfy mans cravings.

However, I just feel that there is a need to lengthen or reinforce the Communication Strategies course.  The process of admission is not so stringent in terms of written and oral skills, and being so, the program must be aware of possible cases of want in those areas that need to be addressed. This is critical in order for the learners to fully grasp the courses being taught and undergone.

I also feel that there is a need to beef up the research course to integrate further the use of electronic devices, especially the internet. The internet is such a rich source to extend the leadership knowledge and and conveniently address real-time learning needs (Knutson, 1999).

To me there is a necessity to invest in research skills. This is truly useful in achieving logical decisions especially for leaders who are trying to cause big impacts on the community they are trying to influence. This skill provides a competitive advantage over others. The program I believe must also give primacy to this (Thomas, 2004).

8A.
In the first part of the course, we discussed the different fundamental communication concepts and axioms of interpersonal communication that define the difficulties and success we experience in our communication exchange. The textbook explains these different concepts and axioms. According to the textbook, listening is one of the communication behaviors that are an appropriate change in the communication process since it is one of the vital skills needed to carry out the whole process. This skill clears the path of the messages for better understanding of the messages being sent by one of the participants of the communication process.

8B.
My improved listening skill pleased me as it enabled me to understand and relate well with my families, friends, and other people. Honing my listening skill also improved my communication process and strengthened my relationship with other people. It also enabled me to avoid unnecessary conflicts with others and resolve them effectively. This is consistent in the lessons discussed in class where it was mentioned that the ability to listen is an essential tool in resolving disputes and conflict that may arise in miscommunication and misunderstanding. Hence, the improvement is a positive change in my communication discourse as it allowed me to participate well in the communication process as well as to further assess and understand the ideas and messages being exchanged.

8C.
I am quite dissatisfied with my attitude in listening in the sense that I only listen to things that interest me while I ignore the topics that bore me. The topics that I am not quite interested in failed my ability to connect with the other person and my whole interpersonal communication. This attitude is less than ideal for it it is a fact that we will be exposed to  different topics and subjects in various settings. Eventually, I will encounter a situation wherein I will have to completely focus my attention and listen about topics that I am not highly interested in.

In the sixth course objective, we learned that in a communication situation wherein the information exchanged is detailed  and substantial such as lecture and instructions, effective listening strategies are needed to get the most out of the information being presented. This objective applies to one of my situations presented in the Part 7 activity. Even though the lesson presented in the lecture is on one of my least favorite subjects, I still had to listen as I needed to learn about the lesson.

8D.
There are still some changes and improvements that I would like to make in my communication skills. For one, I would like to work on my ability and understanding of non-verbal communication. The fifth objective of the course is to understand the importance of non-verbal communication in the whole communication process. The textbook explains that when oral communication is misinterpreted, non-verbal communication plays a vital role in improving clarity through non-verbal means.

Non-verbal communication can be beneficial to my whole communication as I need to understand more of the non-verbal cues in order to relate better with my friends and peers. Non-verbal cues are more truthful than spoken words.

8E.
The project has been beneficial for me and for my interpersonal communication and relationships. My behavior has been a tool in improving and further strengthening my relationship with other people. Improving my listening skills benefited me as I was able to further understand other people. Listening more and talking less is one of the significant changes in my communication process. My improved listening skill allows me to listen and understand the messages and ideas being exchanged.

A mass media and communication course is very important in the life of human beings and the surrounding environment. There are several activities that happen within the surroundings of human life and this can only be revealed through communication via media. Media in communication involves channels used for storage and transmission of information or data. These channels include the press, radio, internet and television. Since media communication is a delicate matter, individuals are supposed to undergo thorough training so as to have expertise and skill. There are various reasons that make individuals to take media and communication course (Martin, et al, 2002).

Development in  information technology and  evolution of  research methods  are  among the  various reasons why people  study  media  and  communication. The course of media and communication aims at exploring the impact of information communication technologies in individuals life. It  is  through study  of  media and communication that individual come  to understand  activities  that  shape  their  social life (Schorr, Schenk, 2003). The  life  of  human beings constitutes  basically  of social interactions  and this  is  made possible  through the  study of  media  especially information and communication technology.

Through adoption of various changes associated with media, information technology has helped to shape social life of human beings. This is one major reason that has attracted students to take media and communication course. To understand the impact of information and communication technology as an aspect of media, students are taken through an intensive teaching and testing. The study of media has changed positively in the way individuals carry on with their duties and way of life (Caristi, 2005). It is a form of enlightenment and revolution in individuals social life.

The  study  of  media and communication helps  students  to understand  the  importance  of  media  in globalization. There are various theories that explain the importance of media in the entire global community that is only understood through intensive study. Media is one of the major factors that have contributed to globalization and its impact on the lives of many individuals.

Information is shared among individuals through the use of electronic devices such as radio, television, mobile phones and computers. It is therefore important to understand how these devices work hence students have that urge of taking media and communication course. The demand for media and communication course has increased in the past decades due to advancement in technology. Every individual wants to engage in media services that help to communicate activities happening around the world.

Media  and communication course  gives  students the opportunity to understand the  clear  picture  on how  the sector of  media  is  regulated to reveal the positive side of human activities. This involves understanding various key terms, developments, concepts and issues related to media and communication (Christ, 1999). It  is  important  to understand  various aspects and issues that are  related  to media  and  this  can be achieved  through taking a course in media and communication.

Regulatory  policies  help  to shape and regulate  media  so as  to come  up  with a  regulated  media that is useful. Regulation of  media  involves measures  that  are  applied  to make sure that  information communicated  through the  media  is  of quality substance. Any person who has the desire to be a reporter or presenter should undergo some training so as to have thorough knowledge on the regulatory measures, opportunities and challenges of media and communication.