Communication Strategies

In the contemporary era of globalization, the business organizations are seeking competent human resources who have the specialized knowledge, skills, and experience for performing the assigned duties and responsibilities. Besides, the employers want to recruit those people who can adapt themselves to the changing business environment, work with a diverse workforce, and deliver the results within the stipulated deadlines. To meet the requirements of the employers, the job seekers prepare catchy CVs, cover letters, follow-up letters, and also rehearse for the interviews through comprehensive research and practice. This paper highlights the endeavors of the job seekers as they search for employment in a competitive job market, and it also includes a layout for a CV, which will help them to emphasize and match their key strengths with the requirements of a potential employer.

The job seekers use the available resources for searching the advertised positions in the newspapers, specific industrial publications, and the online job portals. These are the most common methods used by the candidates as they want to grasp the available employment opportunities. However, according to the information presented by Judith Dwyer in Business Communication Handbook, 8th ed., a smart job seeker also uses the expertise of employment agencies and does not hesitate in doing cold canvassing. In the ongoing recession, the job seekers grab every employment opportunity- full-time, part-time, or freelance. While applying for a job, it is essential that the candidate must have a catchy CV, which should have the contact information, qualifications, work experience, specialized training, and references. The CV is mostly written in reverse chronological format to highlight the most recent work experience, education and training followed by previous endeavors. The career goal, position and strengths should be clearly mentioned because the employers want to hire those people who would have the specialized skills in their organization. The details of writing a job application, CV, and electronic application form must be followed meticulously, and the content should be proofread before submitting the application to a potential employer. While writing the contact information of the referees, it is highly recommended to include a diversity of people from workplace and academics although trustworthy colleagues and customers can also be used to support the employment application.

Interview Preparation and Follow-up
When the job seeker gets an interview call, all energies should be focused on preparing for the face-to-face interview, which ultimately decides the selection of the most deserving candidate for the available position. It is highly recommended to do research about the company and its products since it shows the employer that the candidate is sincere in working with the organization. The candidate should dress neatly and carry all the necessary documents during the interview. The recruiters look for candidates who have confidence, good communication skills, and can perform their duties efficiently. Since the goal of the interview is to analyze the candidates competency for the position, the job seeker should emphasize the key strengths that match the requirements of the job. After the interview, a courteous thank you letter or a follow-up letter should be sent to the interviewer to show interest and professional conduct.

Name
Street Address, City, State, ZIP
Ph (xxx) xxx-xxxx
Email abcdef.com

Professional Goal
Seeking  Name of Position  in a Blue Chip Company

Strengths
Mention the number of years of experience in the related discipline
Highlight the problem solving and communication skills necessary for working in a group
Emphasize the ability to work under stress and deliver the results within deadlines
Summarize the specialized skills that the organization is looking for
Reiterate professionalism, integrity, and adeptness at using computers

Work Experience

Name of the current or latest organization Location
Position held From Year to 2010
Mention the duties performed
Portray the major achievements
Highlight the most notable achievement that led to economic growth (include statistics from the available annual report to corroborate)

Name of the previous organization Location
Position held xxxx to xxxx
Mention the duties performed
Portray the major achievements
Highlight the most notable achievement that led to economic growth (include statistics from the available annual report to corroborate)

Educational Qualifications

Highest Degree, Name of College, State Year of Graduation
(Include honors, GPA, etc.)
Previous Degree, Name of College, State Year of Graduation
(Include honors, GPA, etc.)

Professional Memberships

Name of Society Year of Membership
Name of Association Year of Membership
Name of Club Year of Membership

Special Training

Name of Course Year of Completion

Awards

Name of Award and honoring organization Year of Award
Meritorious achievement and honoring organization Year of Award

References
Full Name 2) Full Name
Designation and Organization Designation and Organization
Address Address
Phone and Email Phone and Email

Hypothesis
In proposing a thesis, it is important to have a solid hypothesis as a first step in beginning a scientific study.  In regard to the digital divide and limits to education, it is essential to acknowledge that not all people are given equal access to modern technology.  Notably, it is the poor and impoverished members of our global society who are the most limited in regard to access to resources, and therefore also modern technology and education.  The internet is the most valuable modern technological resource in providing instant access to information, and is therefore a key element in education.  Although there is much research surrounding the positive correlation between income levels and access to the internet, there is less research which is inclusive of educational success.  It is the hypothesis of this research that there is a positive correlation between personal income, level of access to the internet, and educational performance.  In other words, as the income of the individual increases, there is more of chance of having access the internet and also an increase in educational performance as demonstrated by student GPA. By analyzing an individuals socioeconomic financial level, access to internet, and educational performance together, one is able to identify whether or not there is a positive correlation between the three dimensions of higher income, higher internet access, and higher educational performance.

Survey
Please note that research study participation is confidential in that no personal identifiers such as name or address are required.
What is your net household income
What percentage of the net household income is spent on your own personal needs
(Note Household income will be multiplied by personal percentage in order to obtain personal income.)
How many hours per week on average are you able to access the Internet
What is your current or most recent student grade point average (GPA)

Population and Sample
The population size and sample of this study are somewhat limited, given that fact that this is a student led research project without any official funding.  However, it is the aim of this study to have the best population and sample size possible.  Engagement of a diverse population and a large random sampling size are ideal for significant research studies involving meaningful quantitative information.  It is the aim of this particular research project to involve 100 random adult individuals with various ethnic, educational, and income levels.  The research study is confidential in that no personal identifiers such as name and address are required.

Instrument Creation
How difficult did you find the creation of a good research instrument (your survey) to be
Given that the three factors being studied are rather precise in this quantitative research, the formulation of a good research instrument was not very difficult.

Population and Sample Determinations
How did you come to determining the size of sample most appropriate for your research What were some of the issues you needed to address to do this

The size and sample determination was decided upon via a mixture of realistic research resources and best research practices.  Some of the issues being considered are the level of access to a diverse population and ability to acquire random participants.

Validity and Reliability of Survey
In responding, consider why you think (or dont think) your survey is valid and reliable. Discuss what you could change to make your survey more valid and more reliable.

I believe that the survey instrument is valid and reliable.  By keeping the research thesis and survey very specific, there is a limitation to extraneous variables.  It is possible that more questions could increase the validity of the survey and that more participants could make the survey more reliable.

Recently I attended a lecture given by a geriatrician. He was speaking on healthy ageing. Most of the audience consisted of people above the age of fifty years. However there were some youngsters too like me. The appealing fact regarding the entire lecture was that the geriatrician possessed the qualities of a good orator. What is said is not as important as how it is said. All the health related information was given in an easy to understand and interactive manner making the speech structured, intentional yet formal. The audience got bound to be attentive for full one hour due to excellent communication techniques of the speaker.

The eye contact of the geriatrician was excellent. His eyes moved in all the directions which kept the audience engaged. He used interesting slides to present his point. The slides did not just contained written words but also lots of pictures and easy to understand graphs. All this made the lecture more interesting. There was a high degree of audience participation as the geriatrician did not just kept on speaking on the topic, rather frequently asked questions. He also scheduled the last fifteen minutes of the lecture for the audience to ask questions or clear their doubts if any.

He stood in the middle of the room and his facial expressions, and body language beautifully matched the contents of the message he wanted to convey. He was a lot younger than the majority of the audience attending the lecture but his excellent command on the subject that he was speaking and the matured way in which he was conducting the whole session resulted in a wonderful interactive session. He reworded certain information in order to hold the interest of the few young audience who were present.

Thus every element of communication such as the sender, message, medium of communication and the receiver were in perfect synchrony making the lecture a huge success.

Research Theme and Conceptualisation
Most social issues are influenced by gender either directly or indirectly. Educational attainment, distribution of wealthy, epidemiology, violence and sexual abuse are some social issues that are influenced by gender. By creating awareness on the influence of gender on social issues, it is possible to determine some of the underlying causes for instance discrimination and maternal responsibilities. In a nutshell, understanding gender representation provides an avenue to addressing some of the social challenges associated with gender based responsibilities and even discrimination.

Gender issues are increasingly gaining audience due to the emphasis placed on empowering women and addressing the challenges that they face. The mass media plays a central role in creating awareness on the challenges facing women and highlighting some of the social events and even incidents that are influenced by gender. The theme of this study is gender representation. The study will determine the representation of males, the representation of female issues and comparison between males and females in the mass media. Evidently, the study will seek to determine if the mass media addresses gender issue and the frequency of addressing gender related issues. The study will therefore highlight if there is a difference in representation of either gender. Findings from the study are important in highlighting corrective strategies that should be instigated by the mass media to ensure that both male and female genders are equally represented. Equal representation is vital in addressing the challenges facing either gender and ensuring equity in addressing problems in the society.

Operationalization
The study will focus mainly on print media with special emphasis on newspapers that have a readership of over half a million in a day. All three variables will be measured using the same unit of measurement. Mention of words relating to males, females or gender will be considered to be instance of one of the variables. The words that will be searched in the newspaper editions include man, male, female, woman, gender, girl and boy. In capturing the attributes of the variables it is important to note that every instance of a variable will be considered to have a single numeric value that corresponds to the number of appearance. For instance the occurrence of the word man twice in an edition will result in award of the numeric value two to the associated variable. Direct comparison between males and females will be considered as instances of the third variable and will not be considered in the variables corresponding to either male or female gender. This is a measure that is aimed at reducing the risk of double entry and therefore improving the accuracy of the findings. Evidently, every instance of occurrence of comparison between male and females earns a unit point or value to the corresponding variable. It is noteworthy that news or information on specified or named persons will not be considered as instances of the variables. For instance the phase Tom said that will not be considered as an instance for the variable associated with the male gender.

Sampling
Though the study aims at determining gender representation in the mass media, it will focus mainly on print media. Newspapers and information on print media is more comprehensive than that in TV content. Moreover, the use of print media makes it easy to confirm if there is any comparison between male and female gender. This capability is vital in minimising the risk of erroneous entry which is a threat to the validity of data. The sampling approach that will be adopted in the study is convenience sampling. Under this approach to sampling, the sample is chosen with the aim of improving the validity of the findings and improving data collection (Creswell, 2009). The non-probabilistic convenience sampling approach will allow the researcher to formulate a criterion that will be used in determining the elements that will be considered in the sample (Punch, 2005). The criterion that will be used emphasises on review of newspapers with over half a million people readerships in a day use of at least five editions of the newspaper and use of at least three different newspapers. Use of at least three different newspapers is aimed at ensuring that the data collection strategy leads to reliable results. Moreover, the use of at least five editions of the newspapers is aimed at improving the reliability and validity of the results over time. This is important because newspapers tend to address current issues thus a local conference on violence could result in mention of gender issues above normal rates. Collecting data over the five editions ensures that such events do not adversely affect the validity and reliability of the findings.

Measurement
Data collection will be carried out using a data collection form that has been designed to capture the frequency of observations of the attributes associated with the variables. Data measurements will require the researcher to read five different editions of three newspapers and fill the data collection form. A data collection form will be filled for every session of data collection that must involve collection of data from all the three newspapers. Data collection forms that were used to facilitate measurement of the variable are presented below

Data Collection form

Day  16th May 2010

Variable
Frequency
Total Frequency
Paper 1
Paper 2
Paper 3

Representation of male issues
3
4
2
9

Representation of female  issues
4
6
2
12

Comparisons of males and females
2
2
3
7

Day  17th May 2010

Variable
Frequency
Total Frequency

Paper 1
Paper 2
Paper 3

Representation of male issues
1
4
2
7

Representation of female  issues
4
3
1
8

Comparison of males and females
2
1
3
6

Day  18th May 2010

Variable
Frequency
Total Frequency


Paper 1
Paper 2
Paper 3

Representation of male issues
4
5
0
9

Representation of female  issues
2
4
1
7

Comparisons of males and females
5
8
3
16

Day  19th May 2010

Variable
Frequency
Total Frequency

Paper 1
Paper 2
Paper 3

Representation of male issues
3
3
2
8

Representation of female  issues
2
1
3
6

Comparisons of males and females
4
5
3
12

Day  20th May 2010

Variable
Frequency
Total Frequency

Paper 1
Paper 2
Paper 3

Representation of male issues
6
0
4
10

Representation of female  issues
2
3
3
8

Comparisons of males and females
2
3
4
9

Data Construction and Analysis
The following data set will facilitate quantitative analysis of the collected data
ObservationDateRepresentation of male issuesRepresentation of female  issuesComparisons of males and females
116th May9127217th May786318th May97164
19th May8612
520th May1089
Total434150
Average8.68.210

The findings show that the representation of female issues (41) is slightly lower than the representation of male issues (43). It is however noteworthy that though there is a slight difference in the average representation of male and female issues, the rates are comparable. This may be a result of increased awareness on gender issues which is supported by the findings that the newspapers report on average ten instances of comparison between males and issues. The relatively high rate of comparisons of gender issues (average 10) compared to address of male and female issues (8.6 and 8.2 respectively) may be depictive of an increase in awareness on gender equality. The findings clearly show that mainstream media is increasingly addressing both female and male dimension to issues though it is evident that female issues are relatively lowly represented relative to male issues.

A leadership development plan is a tool that aids in developing and sharpening ones leadership skills. It is a tool that allows one to review their leadership strengths and weaknesses as well as develop a plan on how to translate from the current position to a better equipped person for leadership. Through this tool one is also able to identify the different leadership styles and theories and incorporate them so as to be come more effective. This paper is my leadership development plan to help me as I lead in the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation where i am a parole agent. It will help me as I supervise and provide training to parole agents. This will also help me in any other place where I may acquire a position of leadership and this includes even in the community.

Leadership theories to apply
I will mainly apply Transformational leadership theory (Bass). This theory defines how leaders affect their followers. It assumes that the importance of the task normally affects the motivation level of the followers. It also assumes that focusing on the organization or on the team usually produces a better result. A transformational leader usually gains respect from the followers or from his subjects. Thus in this theory a leader should increase among his followers the awareness of how important the task is and at the same time make his subjects understand that organizational goals are before their personal interests. The leader should also make the workers activate their higher order needs. Charisma is important in this theory but it is viewed as not necessary. This theory is based on four components that are idealized influence, inspirational sort of motivation, individualized consideration and intellectual stimulation. It also highly emphasizes on the need for the leader to be morally upright so as to lead by example and also the morality of the whole leadership style. This refers to the entire morality process that leaders follow so as to get into a conclusion. Morality in this theory also refers to the ethical values that are embedded in the leaders vision and how ethically he articulates the program and how they collectively pursue the program in the organization. According to burns it gives the spiritual values gives people an uplifting.

I will also employ the visionary theory of leadership. A visionary leader has a deep sense of purpose. He makes things happen. He also has sensitivity to what people are feeling. He also makes great sacrifices to ensure that goals are achieved. They connect well with the people they lead. The future is also clearly defined to this type of leader. He also leads others by example and involves people in the decision making process and employs the caring and the coaching style of leadership. A visionary leader also has a strong social presence as they influence the people around them.

My Leadership strengths
My strengths in leadership include the fact that I have an ability to live and coordinate well with people. I am also able to create an ability to influence people to work as a unit and this helps me to influence people easily towards achievement of goals. I have high levels of integrity as that I believe forms character believe in loyalty to every commitment I make and especially towards my job and towards the organization that employs me.I have a very high level of inspiration am very motivated towards achieving the goals set before me. I also respond well to positive feedback .this is a vital element in the work place also provide feedback to people. I respond well to constructive feedback. This serves as an opportunity for me to explore the areas that need to be improved. I share my knowledge and experience with other people. This in turn influences them to work well and to follow and emulate. I provide feedback by considering who is giving the information and how they are likely to receive it.

My leadership weaknesses
My main weakness is that am not proactive which means mainly I wait for things to happen so as to react and this is normally not a very good leadership quality. I also can abandon a project in the very last minute. This poses problems especially when a situation depends on me and when people count so badly on the results that I produce. This sometimes causes me to fail my own expectations as well as the expectations of those around me. My other weakness is that I do not reward my followers. Motivational theories and models suggest that an employee is motivated through being rewarded and this normally discourages some of my followers.

Gaps between the leader now and the leader to be
My being proactive and learning leadership skills are a gap that requires to be closed. It also includes learning the integrated model of the leadership theory. This also includes deciding which leadership model meets all the needs of my department.

Items to implement so as to close gaps
I will undertake a study guide about how to become proactive. This would call for a need to be stimulated and to sense more highly what needs to be done so as to curb the eventuality of things happening as a surprise as this is at times expensive. This will take a period of about six months to incorporate a proactive behavior to my character. I will also learn more about the leadership approaches. This will entail learning on all the leadership styles and putting into practice what I learn. This will also take approximately a six month period. It will also include learning all the details about the people who follow me within the department. This will take more association with them. This is a measure to help me in implementing and incorporating all the concepts will dedicate a period of one to two months to know my followers. However the implementation of the leadership styles to suit each individual may take a sizeable period of time as part of it will be learning what style works well with whom.

I will complete my doctoral programmer. This will make me more knowledgeable and thus I will be more competent and my decisions will be more informed. This will take a period of approximately 2 to 3 years. I will also consult experts in the field so as to ensure that I follow the right direction in this career development and to ensure I lead people towards the right direction. This will also provide feedback on how to go about my role as a leader. It will also take an approximate period of 2 to 3 years. Finally I will Get feedback from employees and supervisors about what they think about a good leader. I am will incorporate these ideas so as to make leadership more effective within the organization. I will also use this to improve that which does not auger well with the employees within the organization. This will cost

How to use the plan to impact the leadership and the followers in the organization
I will use my strong points like the fact that I am a natural leader and that am a person of integrity to influence others to follow me. This I will do by leading by example and by being reliable to all those expecting my services to ensure dependence. I will also ensure a close relationship with my family and friends. I will ensure that I get their support so as to make the accomplishment of my goals easier. I will also ensure loyalty towards my job and loyalty towards my organization as well as towards my bosses. I will also ensure am totally committed to life long learning and to service.

6. How to modify and asses the plan so it is on track.
I will incorporate the concept of ScholarPractitioner model into constructive feedback. I will also deeply incorporate the suggestions given in the visionary model of personal purpose. Use my influence on people to affect peoples behavior. I will also incorporate the concepts of the transformational leadership and make the workers understand their higher order needs. I will also do this by employing such steps as motivating the workers by doing the following I will help associates to be enthusiastic towards their jobs.

Conclusion
 An effective leader delivers to the followers the expected standards. A leadership development plan is an important tool to use in the development of ones leadership skills. it acts as a highlight to the acts that need to be undertaken so as tom help one be more effective in their leadership roles. this leadership development plan shall act as my ,aiding guide towards achieving my career objectives.

Given the challenges being face in the health industry and mainly in the treatment of cardio-vascular disorders, we found it very important to investigate or rather find out what are the characteristics the social and economic perspectives of people living in Kenya who are suffering from cardio-vascular diseases. We are targeting a decrease in the rate of mortality due to the heart disorders in Kenya and in the general world. Many deaths are being registered each year due to the lack of treatment for heart diseases such as the cardio-vascular diseases. CVD is an abbreviation for cardio-vascular diseases. We will collect the qualitative and quantitative data that relate to the economic background of the patients, their demographic characteristics, the family structures, the community structures, other socio-economic support systems, income at family and personal level, personal and family assets and then access to financial resources and other material resources. The end goal of us is to find out the common characteristics exhibited by the patients who have accessed medical or treatment services for Cardio-Vascular diseases.  The findings of the research should be helpful to the government and policy stakeholders in the health sector in Kenya, in drawing out a clear depiction of the population being served through their CVD treatment program. The findings will also help other similar countries that are scaling up new treatment programs and have the need of establishing the common attributes of the population that is likely to seek care.

Objectives
In this research, we have four main objectives regards to solving the cardio-vascular disorder problem in Kenya. These objectives are as follows
Investigating the risk factors associated with CVD
Find ways that may help in the reduction of risk factors of CVD
Find ways that may improve survival of CVD patients
Findsuggest ways of Improving treatment for CVD patients

Background
CVD is a group of heart-related diseases that also affect the blood vessels. These diseases also include all the diseases that affect the cardiovascular system. As such, CVD have similar causes and exhibit similar mechanisms and the treatments are also similar. Cardio-Vascular Diseases have been documented by the World Health Organization (WHO) as the largest killer diseases in the world that claim about seventeen million lives every year.  According to the WHO, these diseases result from various causes including use of tobacco, an unhealthy diet, and lack of physical activity. The same source also shows that using alcohol aggravates the risk of getting heart attack.  Specifically, for instance, when an individual does not exercise adequately and eats high calorie-cum-fat foods, the arteries may block thereby calling for medication or medical attention. If there is no prompt medical attention then this can turn into blockage of the arteries and ultimately cause a disease like heart attack.  Heart attacks may strike all of a sudden and may be fatal if immediate medical attention is not sought or availed. An overweight individual has higher chances of getting strokes or heart attacks.

Research methodology
Cardio-vascular diseases are most common in developing countries or countries that have population characterized by low or medium income levels. In fact, the WHO records that about 80 of the deaths that result from CVD occur in the countries where average income levels are low or medium. Women are affected more especially after their menopause though the risk is equally distributed for men and women in these regions. The ability to access the requisite medical attention may be inhibited by economic resources, availability of transport, level of awareness, geography, or even family members.  

In this research, we wish to investigate these factors by interviewing CVD patients in six of the countrys eight provincial hospitals and the two of the national hospitals. The Kenyas healthcare system is arranged in a hierarchical manner where the most complicated cases are taken to the highest-level hospital. We hope that at each point of interview (that is, at each hospital) we will be in a position to interview at least five patients, three nurses and one doctor. Through these procedures, we will collect and analyze both qualitative and quantitative data that relate to various aspects of the patients, which include their demographic information, family structures, the structures of the community where they come from, the patients local transportation, and how accessible to the transportation systems it is. In addition, we will also collect and analyze data that relates to the income an asset possession for the patients. Level of education and access to financial services will also be among the factors that the researcher will explore.

We will carry out the research in collaboration with Kenyan-Heart National Foundation. This is a non-governmental medical charity that works to prevent, reduce, control, advocate for treatment and better management of heart-related diseases. It does its work through creation of public awareness and through education its mission is centered on prevention as the best mechanism of dealing with CVD. The charity has worked together with community groups in Kenya to promote its work in the country. We have, on several occasions, communicated with them and they have accepted to help in easing the access to interviewees thus facilitate efficiency of the entire process. Kenyan-Heart National Foundation has also accepted our requests for assistance in the preparation of the necessary data collection tools, identification of a translator for some of the interviews given that some interviews might entail communication in Swahili. The translator is to be paid out of our budget. In addition, they have agreed to allow us use their office facilities in the preliminary review and cleaning of the collected data. They will also be of great help in determining the hospitals to be visited for the interviews out those in the country. Their recommendations with respect to this will us to come out with the most representative sample from the target population of CVD patients and providers.

After gathering, cleaning and analyzing the data from Kenya, we will be able to describe the socio-economic attributes or characteristics that are common amongst CVD patients who have accessed treatment services. Thereafter, the information gathered from the study will help in matters of planning and policy implementation to facilitate programs that can help in management prevention and treatment of CVD.

Action Plan
In all our activities and events we plan to have an action plan that will guide us through the research to be carried out. In order to fulfill this action plan, we shall ensure that we have a team that

Has goodwill
That is able to apply the quality methods needed in this research
That has the right type of management and communication degree and skills
To fulfill all our set objectives we shall follow that may follow a certain path as shown in the following diagram

Limitations of the Study
We will only deal with cases of patients who have accessed treatment services those who might have CVD and have not accessed treatment may be beyond the scope of the study. The findings of the study may, therefore, not be generalized to such individuals who remain untreated. However, we strongly believes that the entire research will be helpful to many countries of similar characteristics to provide new insights in management, treatment and control or prevention of CVD especially given that these are diseases that have been identified as they are responsible for over three-quarters of deaths in the low and middle-income countries.

Timeline and logistics
Our travels are as indicated below
June 23rd -24th Travel to Nairobi, Kenya
June 25th-30thWork with Kenyan-Heart National Foundation staff in Nairobi on finalizing the tools of data collection tools and putting groundwork for travel logistics
July 1st-31stCollect data at 6 hospitals (3 days of work are required with 2 days of travel per hospital)
August 1st-14thData cleaning at Kenyan-Heart National Foundation office in Nairobi
August 15thReturn air travel from Nairobi, Kenya

Budget
In all our activities, we have a budget that is sound enough and that will enable us to carry out the research in Kenya on CVD. Most of the expenses to be incurred during the research ard directs as can be seen in the budget shown below.

Proposed Budget for the Research Project0Characteristics of Individual Receiving Treatment for CVD in Kenya00000ExpenseCost per unit of unitsTotal ProposedNotesRound-trip airfare Philadelphia   Nairobi2,500 12,500 Based on quoted fares from several bargain airfare websitesAccommodations in Nairobi25 30750 Daily rate for guest house in NairobiFood  Incidentals in Nairobi15 30450 Daily rate for meals and incidental expenses in NairobiAccommodations for field visits15 31465 Average daily rate for guest house  hotel accommodations for field visitsFood  Incidentals for field visits10 31310 Daily rate for meals and incidental expenses in field visitsLocal transportation8 44352 Average daily cost for local taxi travel to Kenyan-Heart Foundation office  hospitalsTransportation between field sites50 6300 Average cost for inter-city travel by bus, 6 trips totalTranslator wages25 31775 Daily rate for full-time translator assisting with field visitsMaterials  Supplies00250 Required supplies include voice recorder, batteries, recorder memorystorage, and small gifts for all interviewees.Total006,152 0

Budget Notes
Airfare We have budgeted 2,500 for round-trip airfare between Philadelphia, United States (PHL) and Nairobi, Kenya (NBO). This amount is derived from quotes we received through bargain airfare websites concerning cost of air travel tickets on our intended travel dates June 23rd departure and August 25th return.

Accommodations in Nairobi We expect to use a daily budget of 25day for the 30 days that we will spend in Kenya before and after collecting data in the field. This is derived from the cost of daily accommodations for single rooms with shared bathroom and kitchen and which are easily accessible to the Kenyan-Heart National Foundation offices. All the rest are costs that are based on estimates provided by the Kenyan-Heart National Foundation.

Conclusion
With the above research proposal, we hope to achieve all our set objectives so that we can fulfill our goal in reducing the mortality rate. We anticipate that alternative treatments for cardiovascular disorders or diseases will emerge or will be investigated so that the viable options can be implemented. In our research, we intend to recommend solutions to the people of Kenya who are suffering from cardiovascular disorders and give them an insight or knowledge of what they are supposed to do to reduce the chances of getting these disorders. We believe that this proposal is of importance to the whole world since most people suffer from cardiovascular disorders without their knowledge and therefore they may even die without even knowing what they were suffering from.
With a clear budget, action plan and teamwork, we believe that this proposal will be a success if put into motion and that there shall be no regrets as to why we started it. This research will also be a learning opportunity to us as we shall be able to intermingle with people of different ethnicities and therefore we shall be able to analyze each communitys social and economic lifestyle. It is our prayer that this proposal is given a go ahead for us to start the action soon so that we can see the benefits soon.  

The former president of United States of America, President Bush is mostly identified with the Iraq war and many people from America and across the globe are angered with the situation there. His poor handling of the conflict between the two countries has been criticized from time to time and because of that the US is still grappling with the consequences. Many have agreed that if the conflict had been resolved well, may be through other means, the war would have been averted and US would not be budgeting for the war the way they are doing now. Since then, two major conflicts have emerged and these are the conflict over the health bill by two dominant American parties and the other one is between USA and Iran over the latters nuclear program. This essay seeks to find out how these conflicts have been resolved and if not, what strategies have to be followed to resolve them.

The Conflict over the Health Care Bill
This conflict was between two major parties in the US, the Democrats and the Republicans. One would question what was in the bill. The passing of the bill meant that, with pre-existing conditions, parents would be able to buy their children and themselves insurance cover. The bill would also extend insurance on medical grounds to 32 million for the uninsured Americans which will last for ten years and this would be achieved by requiring every individual to purchase it through private exchanges. Another thing that the bill proposed is that companies offering insurances will not be restricted in raising prices and opponents have argued that many people will continue to be bankrupt because of their inability to pay huge medical bills hence not changing anything in America.

The most contentious issues were about abortion and Medicare rates. Many republicans and some anti abortion democrats saw the passing of the bill as a yes to abortion because it proposed that federal money would be used to provide abortions insurance coverage. Concerning the Medicare, people disagreed on the issue of geographical disparities which characterized the payments of Medicare.

The republicans saw the bill as an ambitious one and a strategy of the Obama government to take over the system of private healthcare and impose it on employers leading to a raise of taxes. At the time when the Americans economy is still reeling from recent economic slump, the republicans argued that they could not afford the budget which would cost 1.05 trillions in the next 10 years. They continued to argue that the consequences of this bill would be costly even to the next generations and it will take away the rights of Americans to make choices when it comes to health care. The nations jobs would also be devastated by this bill due to high costs of Medicare .

How was the conflict handled
The first step that was taken to resolve the issue is that the party leaders agreed to vote for an amendment to be done on the bill concerning abortion which was introduced by democrats who were antiabortion This amendment was approved and the approval meant that people who got subsidies on insurance would be prevented from buying private plans which covered abortions. Many were content with this move and they agreed to pass the bill.

Regarding the Medicare payments, the issue was left for the senate after the conservatives and moderates opposed the bill regarding the issue and even some democrats from rich states opposed the move to tax heavily the high earners in the country. The senate was left to decide whether companies should be given the opt out option that is, to choose to pay for their workers insurance coverage or face some punitive measures as suggested by the senate moderates. It was also mandated with the task to decide whether to tax the wealthy or health care policies which were highcost.

This led to another problem the house democrats could not trust the senate democrats over the bill. They saw that the latter would not do anything on the bill and they would just take it to the president the way it was prior to being taken there.

Strategies to Be Followed On the Conflict Resolution
What could have happened to solve all these divisions in the house and also in the senate, is for the house to pass the health care bill and take it to the president for signing. Then this would have been followed by a process of reconciliation which would need 51 votes of the senate to pass the amendments to the bill that would have been agreed upon by negotiators from the house and the senate.

It also would have been possible for the reconciliation bill containing amendments to be sent to the senate which would do some slight changes agreed by the house. Then the bill would later require the houses votes. Only after this would the house have passed the health care bill and then take it to the president for signing. This did not happen and that is why, Nancy Pelosi, the house speaker has been under criticisms for allowing the senate bill to pass without amendments. If she would have done so, there would not have been the wrangles that characterized the bill.

USA and Iran Conflict over the Latters Nuclear Program
This Conflict started when the United Nations reported that, it is under suspicion that Iran is in the process of developing nuclear weapons for war. This is as a result of some findings done by the UN nuclear watch dog but Iran has always found itself in the defense saying that its program is a peaceful one.
 
The (IAEA) International Atomic Energy Agency produced a report which contradicted the US report by saying that Iran had actually stopped its nuclear program. The US report agrees with Europes and Israels that Iran is enriching itself with Uranium which could make a nuclear bomb. This raised concerns over Irans past and present activities relating to nuclear development. The Obamas administration called the report a disturbing one. The US is calling for sanctions on Iran and also action to be taken against the country by the UN Security Council.

At the wake of these calls, Iran has tried to defend its nuclear program by saying that it is using Uranium to enrich its Tehran research reactor which helps in cancer treatment by producing Nuclear isotopes to be used medically. The IAEAs recent report on the issue, says that Iran is capable of developing nuclear warhead within 6 months. There so many unknowns in the Iran nuclear program with the US and Iran openly disagreeing over the issue.

How has the issue been handled before
The UN Security Council gave Iran a deadline through resolution 1737 to bring to a halt its nuclear program but Iran did not comply. This led to tension around the Persian Gulf when threats were leveled to Iran by the then US president, President Bush over its meddling in the Iraq war. During Presidents Bush leadership, the democrats had considered a grand bargain with Iran where the latter would continue with its nuclear program but cease to use the kind of fuel they are using which is usually used to produce nuclear bombs.

John Kerry, who was once a presidential candidate in the US came up with a new strategy of using Iran  in promoting stability in Iraq and Afghanistan. Thus, in his report, he was thinking of how to include Iran in the US efforts in creating post war governments in these countries. This would bring the two countries together. It was seen as unrealistic and a goal that could not be achieved.

In their effort to solve the situation, the west struck a deal with Iran in the year 2009. The latter agreed that it would transfer the uranium it had, even though low enriched to two countries, Russia and France in return for Isotopes for Tehrans research project. The president of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmdinejab was quite at home with the settlement but the Iranians could not hear of it. They rejected this forcing their president to counsel the deal.

The conflict between US and Iran has been long standing and some European states have offered themselves as intermediaries in their efforts to solve the stand off amicably. Washington welcomed this move but never participated actively but this changed later after President Bush visited Europe. In 2006, US for the first time offered to talk to Iran directly on high diplomatic level thus deviating from its principles of policies which they held since 1979. The US offered Iran both political and economic corporations but the latter rejected it resulting into diplomacy fail and calls for sanctions to begin. Even though European Union is always against the policy of isolation, the US has insisted that it is the best option. However, just recently, US approached Iran regarding Afghanistan and Iraq but the two countries have proven to be incompatible.

What Is the Way Forward In Solving the Conflict
The first step the US government should do is to make it clear that Iran will not be allowed to continue with its nuclear program because it is unacceptable. It should also be told to its face that even if they succeed to get them, they must give them up. Many have proposed the military option but this one will not help in solving anything and for a matter of fact, it is going to worsen the situation.

So what is the way forward First it should be acknowledged that negotiations will not lead to anything even though it is recommended. The US government should pay attention to various strategies that would increase pressure on Iran. It should impose sanctions on Iran, bolster its missile defense and also aim at establishing good relationship and Alliances with the Arab world around Middle East. Moreover, is it high time it learns to provide security assurances, and at the same time come up with structures that may reduce risks of nuclear weapon capabilities spreading in the Middle East. One thing is clear if Iran succeeds to get these nuclear weapons, nothing will prevent Egypt and Saudi Arabia to produce them.US should strive to dissuade these countries from engaging in the program, but the most important thing is for US to come up with mechanisms that will prevent these countries completely from accessing the nuclear capabilities.

US should never give up on this fight and accepting Irans nuclear weapons should be out of question. It is not always a win-win situation and therefore, it should never compromise but the answer should always be NO to Irans nuclear program. As stated before, declaring war on the country will be detrimental to US and thus the situation should be handled through containment, deterrence, robust alliances and at the same time trying weakening Iran. Russians and Chinese have been wavering in their decisions of whether to support Iran or US in imposing sanctions to the country. Russia recently has made it clear that it is not happy with the situation in Iran but Chinese are not yet to declare their stand on the issue. Since China is somehow close to Iran, US should aim at weakening that linkage between the two countries. The latter should encourage other Arab states to step up their crude oil supply to China to reduce the latters dependency on Iran for oil. It is going to be easy but the issue of using Diplomatic negotiations should be ruled out because it has proven to be ineffective with Iran.

In conclusion, there is bound to be conflicts all the time but the most important thing is how to resolve them. The resolutions should always aim at settling the conflict amicably where parties involved end up satisfied but the moment it is not done well, the conflict may persist and even be made worse.