Communication Strategies

This essay is a reflective essay on what group dynamics and group communication are all about, and my personal experiences and insights I have gained from the process. Working in a group in never an easy task as every person has a very different mindset and every participant would like his or her ideas inserted into the presentation. We were lucky enough as we did not choose our partners and it was a random selection by the faculty. This made our group diverse both culturally and intellectually, and every participant had a unique faculty to contribute for the group. We had to have an active exchange of ideas within our group that greatly increased our interest among participants, which also helped improve our critical thinking. Shared learning has its great advantages as students participate in discussions, take responsibility for their own learning and as a result become critical thinkers.

Part I
When we started working in a group, we all realized that one of the toughest challenges in working in a group was sharing responsibility and accepting authority. Even though we did not want to have a formal leader in the group, due to the concern and commitment put in by one Chinese classmate, he became the leader by default. We accepted him as a leader as he had the abilities and qualities to lead the team and thus became the designated leader as per Wheelans Integrated Model of Group Development.

With a leader ready, it was then his responsibility to choose the activities to be performed by each member. Knowing my expertise in computers, he assigned me responsibility to research on the internet and get relevant data for the project. I also had to search through the college library to find as much information as possible and condense the same into a presentable manner.

We chose to communicate by text messaging, student email service and instant messenger on our laptops, as these were the easiest way to send communication to everyone in the group and get responses too. As we learnt later from the Wheelan model, there were way too many discussions and debates in the very beginning of the preparation. Our brainstorming sessions went for hours and days with little or no progress and in a way, some of us were getting dejected with the lack of harmony. However, I then realized the flaw we were doing. We wanted everyone to approve every decision and not a single decision could be taken, as a result.

When you read books as the one by John Gastil about decision making in small groups, you would realize that unanimous decision making in small groups was only possible when everyone had exactly the same thought process. When this was not the case, there were bound to be constructive arguments for the betterment of the group.

I identified in the process of preparation that one of our teammates was actually doing close to nothing and when the same was discussed in one of our meetings there was sudden resistance to change.

He believed he was working harder than the lot and had many excuses to give to escape from the responsibility assigned to him. It surely was no easy task making him contribute to the project. We had to implement the theories of JP Kotter by negotiating with them and in some ways coercing our friends to contribute to the better performance of the team. He finally agreed to contribute in the final review of the presentation and the printing of the documents.

Even after this incident, quite some time was spent in bringing minds to meet in the four of us as we belonged to very diverse cultures and backgrounds. The communication channels created in the first few days and the affiliative style of leadership by the leader, who really cared about every teammates shortcomings and never exerted himself onto the team. An affiliative leader according to Daniel is the most successful style of leadership after Authoritative leadership. However, considering the circumstances where there was no natural leader and that the group did not have a binding onto each other as if employees did, there could have been no better style than what was adopted by our leader. For Collaborative learning to be successful, there needs to be two important prerequisites, i.e. group goals  Individual Accountability.  It is the responsibility of every group member that every member has learned something and also that every member has contributed his share to the assignment. Collective learning or collaborative learning also is a great simulation technique as the diverse thought processes of the team members who posed unique questions that acted as a rehearsal for the presentation.

When I look back at the way our team has developed, it was surprising as we exactly went the Wheelman way. From the days of being a group of incoherent members, we learnt to constructively conflict with one another that brought in innumerable new ideas into our processes and systems. We then learnt to build trust, which lead to higher commitments from everyone in the team as a result of which the productivity increased significantly of every member. We parted as teammates and remained as friends at the end of the project.

Part II
The D day was here and I was to start the presentation. We divided the work into four parts as we had four teammates. I was the least confident about my part of the presentation, but my team wanted me to start and did a great job motivating me to take up the challenge. Luckily, I had been practicing by speaking loudly my presentation into the mirror as we decided that it was the best method to overcome fear. I also understood the Aura effect. By using this method of maintaining eye contact with a large audience, it was easy to maintain healthy communication with the audience and also reduce fear.

I started with a strong opening about Networking, the importance of networking and the possible goals of networking. Once the initial jitters were done with, I was surprised to see a very appreciative response from the audience and it was smooth sailing form there onwards. There was a problem handing over the stage to the next teammate due to her unpreparedness. A few minutes of valuable time were lost in the process that made each one of us quite tense. However, our leader rose to the occasion again, exchanged roles with the person facing difficulty, gave her time to prepare and he engaged the audience in an extempore about the barriers to networking, and interlinked how a strong network can help build your list of friends, associates and mentors. He displayed his effectiveness as a leader through his actions in such a situational contingency.

I personally felt that his speech was quite exceptional as he spoke about the barriers to networking keeping in mind the complexities of the human brain. It is a proven fact that us human beings, prefer being in a state where we neither ask for help nor extend the same. However, one of the greatest ways to develop a strong network of associates is to stand with them at their hour of need. Another common pitfall committed is by egoistic people who wish to have all the acclaim for themselves in a group or feel shy or ashamed to ask for help. As a result, they do not divulge information to other team members and keep them oblivious to developments in the team. He spoke at length on handling such people with practical solutions.

The second part of the presentation on mentoring was a very valuable presentation to the audience, as many were influenced with the discussion on the importance of mentoring. Mentoring can be vital for a business to survive in todays competitive environment. There are three kinds of mentors or peers that we come across in our regular lives i.e., Informational Peers, Collegial Peers  Special Peers. The trust and self-disclosure is lowest with informational peers and highest with special peers who are important people in our lives.

The presentation then talked about how ego can be a barrier to development of trust required to be a mentor. Also, the relationship of a mentor and the person should not be mechanical or structured as that might affect the trust between the participants.

We then had a question answer session that lasted for about twenty minutes, wherein many questions were asked by the audience on how to develop human networks and build relationships with their mentors.

Part III
I must say we were quite fortunate to give the presentation in front of one of the finest audience. Though there was initial noise from them, they turned very silent when we spoke, applauded our efforts, encouraged us when we were down and made us give an outstanding presentation.

We passed written feedback sheets to the audience to understand how well or badly we fared in the eyes of the audience, and we were amazed to know that we got the best feedback among all groups. Some members from the audience came to me personally, congratulated me for my introductory speech, and told me about the impact the concept of networking and mentoring had on them.

I was very humbled when my professor too walked to me to congratulate the teams performance and especially when everyone congratulated my part of the presentation. My presentation, which I thought was average, turned into the best presentation I ever gave, which would not have been possible  without the help of my teammates and the support of the audience.

Effective leadership is not obtained by using one style of management because every situation requires a different form of management that should coincide with the follower, the leader, and the environment of the situation. The concept of leadership does not conform to the idea of one-size-fits-all because every team, situation, or event has different characteristics, which entails that the management style should coincide with the condition of the people or organizations that have to be led. In relation to this, leaders should also be mindful that there is no perfect management style for every situation because of the very idea that it changes over time due to the different elements that affects a situation.

In line with this, it is also important to point out that leaders have different management styles, which also means that every leader have their respective strengths and weaknesses. The results of the leadership assessment, How Good Am I at Building and Leading a Team, show the different leadership styles of the people who took the assessment. The results of the leadership assessment of four people that were previously discussed show that every people have different characteristics and leadership styles.

Leadership is proven to be very diverse in a sense that every leader has its respective way of managing people, accomplishing task, handling conflicts, and others. Being the case, effective leadership requires carefully assessing the different components of the situation and also the elements that affects the members and the leaders themselves.    

Some people show remarkable ease in delivering speeches. From maintaining eye contact, to choosing the right words to appeal to a specific audience, to utilizing correct body language  voice modulation techniques, to creating audience impact, some people can effortlessly ignite interest and hold attention. For the average speaker, though, delivering a speech entails ample preparation. Beyond thinking about how to appeal to the logic or emotions of people in the audience, there are many factors that need to be considered, like age, mood  listening skills of the audience. This paper tackles the basics of speech preparation, and techniques to adapt to the audience and convey a message effectively.

Speech preparation techniques
Preparing a speech can be both a challenge and an adventure. Speaking before an audience for the first time requires ample preparation and careful thought about the subject matter. It must be well-researched. It also pays to use the right techniques applicable to a certain speech situation.

Speakers should also be aware, before making a speech, of audience characteristics, including age and possible things that they may find interesting and helpful. The speech itself must be structured in such a way as to appeal to the audience. Devices like humor or human interest detail, are usually effective in gaining audience attention in the opening of the speech. Using visual aids or props to help emphasize the key points may also be helpful. To retain the attention of the audience, the speech must offer new and useful information. The best speakers try to think of possible questions that the intended audience may have, and prepare the answers in advance.

Speakers will also do well to remember that if the end goal is to get listeners to embrace an idea, take action, or adopt a new mindset or attitude, the speech must be carefully constructed in a coherent, organized manner using the right elements of style, and supporting evidence.  Try to recognize also errors or fallacies in reasoning and revise the speech accordingly.

The next important matter in making speeches is the delivery itself. It is very important to speak clearly and use words that are easy to understand. A speech that is not delivered in an audible manner, or carries an ambiguous message, is practically useless.

Pitfalls and sources of interference          
There are great, inspiring speakers who captivate audiences, and there are those who fail. Based on experience, the speakers who have been difficult to listen to or pay attention to are those who mumble what they say and are barely audible even with a well-functioning microphone and audio system. Some politicians or businessmen who are invited as guest speakers are an illustration of this. Speakers who use very technical language but who are addressing laymen in the audience, as well as those who are unable to connect with the audience, may likewise be tiring or difficult to listen to.

As for interferences within oneself which make it hard to concentrate on what others are saying, boredom or lack of interest in the subject matter, preoccupation with pressing matters, or even anxiety are common reasons that divert attention and prevent full concentration or listening well to a speech of feedback. Speakers who are unable to connect with the audience and thus fail to effectively convey their message may overcome internal interferences by changing their approach. They should appeal to the listeners pathos, which aims to strike an emotional chord with the audience and logos, which makes an appeal to the rational side (Jeffreys, n.d., par. 2). Individuals listening to a speech, for their part, can overcome the problem of dealing with interferences within themselves by focusing on the topic of the speaker. It is important to be open-minded, to make real effort to clear the mind of distracting thoughts, to listen to the speech in its entirety rather than just portions of it, and to learn to decode in order to grasp the message being conveyed. It may also help to learn the art of listening by watching speakers on television or attending seminars.

Adapting to external factors
Given the scenario of an excellent speaker, during the final class period just before spring break, preceding me  taking the same general approach on the same topic and eliciting positive response from the audience and instructor, the probability is high the audience may expect much from me as well. The other possibility is that they may lose interest in what I have to say. I will adapt to the situation by opening my speech with a humorous remark while praising the speaker ahead of me. I will then segue to my speech, make a few references along the way to a few points that may have been taken up by the prior speaker, and then highlight the things that were not tackled. I will keep my speech concise but still speak with ardor.

Tailoring a speech for certain audiences
Preparing a speech should, first and foremost, take into consideration the audience. The most well written speech is a disaster unless it appeals to audience interests (Jeffreys, n.d., par. 5). Even during speech delivery, the speaker must be alert to audience reactions like facial expressions, body language, and other reactions.

If I were to deliver a speech about global warming to middle school girl scouts, I will speak in simple language and use illustrations or examples suited for them.  I may cite summer camping grounds, for instance, as backdrop and suggest ways of preserving a scenic outdoor environment. I will encourage audience participation to keep the talk lively.

If a speech on global warming will be delivered to members  officers of a local chamber of commerce, I will use examples appropriate to their professional level. I may use examples of corporate entities actively engaged in environmental preservation, and cite case studies pinpointing accomplishments and problems, and what the local chamber of commerce may do to help in the ongoing efforts. Some technical language may be used, but majority of what I will say must still be in laymans terms.  I will use charts and maps or illustrations, or present these using an audio-visual presentation with well-researched data.

If I were to speak about global warming to my classmates, I will also use plain and simple language to present the global situation, then provide an update in order to offer something new and interesting. I will likewise tailor my speech to the student level and cite practical ways young individuals may contribute to saving the environment. For the local womens garden club, I will tailor my speech by focusing on plant care. I will tackle biodiversity and cite concrete ways to preserve water resources, and other gardening tips.

The researcher plans to investigate the social and economic characteristics of people receiving treatment for CVD in Kenya. CVD is an abbreviation for cardio-vascular diseases. The researcher 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 the researcher 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.

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, lack of physical activity. The same source also shows that using alcohol aggravates the risk of getting heart attack.  Specifically, for in stance, 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, the researcher  wishes  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. The researcher hopes that at each point of interview (that is, at each hospital) he will be in a position to interview at least five patients, three nurses and one doctor. Through these procedures, the researcher 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, the researcher 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.

The researcher 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. The researcher has, 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 have also accepted my request 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 the researchers budget. In addition, they have agreed to allow me 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 help the researcher 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, the researcher 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.

Limitations of the Study
The researcher 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 generalizeable to such individuals who remain untreated. The researcher however 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
The researchers travels are as indicated below
May 23rd -24th Travel to Nairobi, Kenya
May 25th-30thWork with Kenyan-Heart National Foundation staff in Nairobi on finalizing the tools of data collection tools and putting groundwork for travel logistics
June 1st-31stCollect data at 6 hospitals (3 days of work are required with 2 days of travel per hospital)
July 1st-14thData cleaning at Kenyan-Heart National Foundation office in Nairobi
July 15thReturn air travel from Nairobi, Kenya

Budget
Budget Notes
Airfare The researcher has budgeted 2,000 for round-trip airfare between Kansas City, United States (MCI) and Nairobi, Kenya (NBO). This amount is derived from quotes the researcher received through bargain airfare websites concerning cost of air travel tickets on the researchers intended travel dates May 23rd departure and July 25th return.

Accommodations in Nairobi The researcher expects to use a daily budget of 25day for the 30 days that he 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.

Internet- based activities had transformed and evolved in no time as obscure computer systems suddenly began to be complex that for instance, to be able to contact someone, a click of the mouse can be of great help. The activity surrounding this geography of technology, with its pace of expansion, made companies to take grasp on the opportunity on the apparent power and potential of growing network personally for their enrichment and consequently, for commercial gain. Australia remained to rely on Broadband as an advance technology that promises high speed access to the internet that emerged from its transition from dial-up service. There can be no doubt that this industry largely help them in everyday life thus, moderation of the business environment should be a subject for consideration to evaluate it in terms the standards in implementation of strategy.

Now that we are in the Information Age, the application of information and knowledge creates the economy that is situated everywhere as it revolutionizes our ways of communication. Internet has the domain of its geographic location structured with networks and nodes that interlocks with each other across the planet. The industry required policies and regulations highly strategized being the key driver of competitiveness of the company that allowed them to grow in the economy, society and culture. In these strategies, we consider correlated factors in order to see how the policies are being structured. First, goal tops all of these factors as it determines the flow of the business from its early stage to its universal setting. This will begin with the attempt to expand the network, knock the way thru competition and gain a more diverse market. Second, network which serves as the one responsible for the environment of sharing, allocation, reallocation, and deployment of broadband access. Third, services as it is concerned with the quality and fairness in application and content providing. This remains as an obligation to companies dealing with this service. Fourth, Applications, which are the framework of the transactions in the industry, serves as the basis of the intellectual capability of the existing product. And as a final consideration, it should be the users. Users are the determinant of the success for their number is highly considered to be the main key to see the productivity of the company. They can raise demands price and overall quality of products and services.

Telstra (2010), one of the leading broadband service providers in Australia, has the vision of economical yet efficient product and services highly devoted for the satisfaction of their customers. They try to make sure that each client will be treated fairly with their experience with the broadband service while keeping the eye on the value of the information which is their key product. They strive to sustain the platform and technology for management of their products. Their strategy in marketing intends to have clarity to avoid misinterpretation from the clients with the belief that it will reflect the quality and integrity of Telstras broadband. Fixed and wireless telephony including broadband service remained to be the main focus of their marketing strategy. Their operation tends to look forward on plans for future development for infrastructure designs, IP, and support functions and maintenance. Telstras responsibility for infrastructure is divided between their Information technology and Network Service Management. The part of Information technology under the Chief Information Officer and GMD Information technology set and implement the internal technology the company needs. Then, the functions such as designs and maintenance are managed by the members of their Network and Services group. Their finance and administrative section account and report the objective numbers accumulated by the company. They strive to comply with the standards of accounting to keep accuracy of financial records and supports. The administration is responsible for the security of all the records. They also allotted responsibilities for procurement and treasury to conduct development on ways to get sources and ways for external and internal financial conducts.

Also, Telstra (2010) made sure that they will be able to adopt on any changes that the market will determine. In the event of something resulting to crises, they have measures to follow managed by their team in Corporate Security  Investigation (CSI). Broadband business and other communication based industry required preparedness for uncontrolled variable that may severely affect their activities and may result to compromised quality of the services. They monitor the compliance of the business to the methodology that was set by the management and along the way tried to prevent any risks that may result to crises. They prepared a team especially equipped with the ability to respond appropriately and timely in case it happened and consequently restore the stability of the system. The infrastructure which is highly significant as it defined the framework of the broadband service is under National Counter-Terrorism plan to avoid any extent of damage to other sector of the business. They have periodical assessment and implementation of precautionary actions using the reviews from Risk Management and Assurance. Telstra valued the security of their human resources and sensitive internal information as they consider them as assets to the company. They have a particular design for their approach in facing the risks and different business aspects. This is for proliferation of all the progress they are acquiring in the industry of broadband and telecommunication as a whole.

BMC Software (2008) affirmed the promise of Vodafone in giving the market further worthwhile options in terms of their products accessibility. Relative to Telstra, Vodafone Australia remained as one of the leading innovator in the industry of telecommunication and broadband as they also partnered with Hutchison. In Australia, they provide wholesale internet services that have a wide spectrum of information. Like Telstra, they also encountered challenges when it comes to the complexity of the infrastructure that is based on both Information technology and Internet Protocol.

Despite this, they tend to provide services that show their uniqueness that separated them from other competitors. Vodafone progressed in parallel to their actions of remodeling and sustenance of their system platforms. They also took the challenge of transitioning to become a multiple service provider. With this move, they emphasized the need for analysis of each individual service to meet every requirement and additional opportunities such when they focused solely on their mobile service, they might neglect to find ways in competing in the industry of broadband services. Their management system is interlocking as they secure their capabilities maintain their oneness in the workflow. Like some other companies that are not in the same industry of telephony, Vodafone also used outsourcing as they rely to third parties direct and indirect assistance. They have been monitoring their balance sheet to successfully forecast the variability of possible events that can impact the productivity of the company and assist them in cushioning the threats that this may have caused to the quality of their service. They also tend to abolish any isolated system that didnt relate well with other systems making them more interdependent. The changes they made in the whole system in 2008 like adding updated firewalls and servers and some other changes in the infrastructure can be perceived now as a whole. Vodafone has the promise of innovative overall planning, designing and standard specifications that will surely benefit their operations and marketing activities.

Being one of the second tier players in the market, Vodafone Australia had been equipped with an effective strategy since 2006 as they value their so-called total communication needs of the customer. It made them meet all their business objectives, increased popularity and was still able to keep ethics applied in their business structure as they were able to grow their revenues while providing due credits to their shareholders. Their market is expected to grow as well so it became a big challenge for them to follow its pace. They will be facing the first tier players in the market which already had the grasp on it making competition perceived as a huge consideration. The demand for innovative service and products remained to be the priority to gain confidence from the consumers. They tend to look for consolidated services in the way that will provide them outstanding convenience and savings. To stand out among the broadband service providers, Vodafone focused in four objectives they plotted in 2009 first, promoting the importance of clients as their service become more cost efficient making the services worthwhile second, consolidating their mobile service as their core advantage with broadband and the rest of communication elements third, expansion in the market, although this will be applied in international setting and fourth, commitment in ensuring honest accounting.

This company also provides not just technical service but also served in socio-civic activities which made them closer to the public. In the graph shown in the website, Vodafone (2008) apparently accounted the value of strategy, purpose and vision in alignment to their guiding principles as they formed Vodafone Foundation Australia. As they mentioned, the strategy of the company is always relative to the fulfillment of their aspirations to meet their altruistic vision.

The growing demand for Broadband service remained to be the basis why is it in the top of considerations in keeping the balance between profitability and public benefits. Ethics had been the consideration in almost all companies who strive to last long in their chosen industry. Despite the importance of highly standardized business plan and strategies, competence cannot be sustained solely if the credibility will be compromised because of bias choice for revenues. Economists cannot account the value of Ethics using numbers but there is no doubt that fundamental ideas of being righteous, as applied in business, was admired in market system across the globe. Broadband industry involves interactions between executives, employees, stockholders, and consumers and these human factors are interdependent as long as confidence and trust remained at their core. Ethics can contribute revenue immediately, but in the long run, if this will be sustained, it can deliver positive result for the business since it shows honor for the contract with the human factors. Customers are not just paying for the service but they need more than that as they value the reputation of what they are getting and from whom are they getting it. This proved that high ethical standards, in a way, can be translated to money.

Italy is recognized around the world due to its decent cultural approach towards education, business, healthcare and society. Italians culture diligently maintains high standards of healthcare system as well as education systems which provide the best and affordable healthcare services and free educational opportunities to the people.

Italian Culture towards Healthcare
Italian culture towards healthcare is highly recognized due to the provision of high standards healthcare services and medical assistance at very low cost. Italian doctors are very devoted and expert in their profession and the healthcare treatment services are maintained at higher levels. It is wise thinking of Italians who prefer to cover their hospitalization and surgery cost through private health insurance providers which, of course, avoid inconvenience faced due to long waiting lists.

The official name of Italys Health System is Servizio Sanitario Nazioanale which provides low cost healthcare services to the entire European citizens. The healthcare services include in-patient treatments such as medications, tests, family doctor visits, surgeries during hospitalization and medical assistance provided by various medical specialists. Other healthcare services are too offered which include dental treatments, out-patient treatments and provision of medicines and drugs. The Italian culture mandates the health insurance for every foreigner which must cover the entire healthcare treatment from the arrival moment till the departure moment, failing which permit to stay (permesso di soggiorno) is not granted.

Italian Culture towards Education
Education in Italy is perceived to be an essential necessity of life. Italians culture has regulated education as a compulsory requirement for 6-16 years of children and free education is too granted to facilitate people. There are five grades in Italians educational system namely Kindergarten  Playgroup (Scuola Maternal), Elementary School (Scuola Elementare), Middle School (Scuola Media), High School (Liceo) and University (Universita) (Italy Education System, Italiamia).
The educational system in Italy consists of public and private standards. Both the standards are developed more progressively than UK and Germany educational systems. Various universities for postgraduate education have been established in Italy namely University of Bologna which is the oldest university in Western and La Sapienza University which is the biggest university in Italy.

Italys educational system was constituted by Legge Casati (Casati Act) in 1859. The vision of this act was to diminish illiteracy among children and enhance their learning needs. The single town regulates the primary education system, the province regulates the secondary education system and the state regulates the universities education system. The educational system was further streamlined by Legge Gentile Act in 1923. The compulsory age of children for education was increased up to 14 years and option for promotion towards Middle School was granted upon completion of five years primary education which could further be continued up to High School (Italy Education System, Italiamia).

Conclusion
Inadvertently, Italian culture towards healthcare and education is very appreciating and is a symbol of developed country of the world. Since, Italian culture has maintained the higher standards in healthcare and education systems therefore, it is right to claim the Italy as one of the best country of the world which cares about the life of its people with love. In short, Italys healthcare and education culture should be adopted by every developing country in order to maintain good health and develop learning needs among people which will of course, benefit the same in the prosperity of a country.

Learning the process of communication aids one to become a good communicator. Oftentimes, we fail to attain understanding with another person due to cultural, gender, linguistic or other human differences. Nevertheless, with a good understanding of how communication works, we can relate well with others despite the presence of barriers. In this paper, I analyze a communication situation I had with a friend based on the different elements and processes of interpersonal communication. Analyzing each element present in the situation, I reflect on the importance each element plays in helping me achieve a better connection with others. Likewise, in analyzing the processes involved, I emphasize the importance of applying the knowledge I have gained in overcoming my weaknesses as a communicator and in improving the way I relate with others either personally or professionally.

Communication is part of everyday life. It is not limited to adults or learned individuals. Babies communicate with their mothers as they cry when they are hungry, the mute use the sign language to express what they want to say, while the mentally disabled laugh when they are happy or excited. The forms of communication people use may vary but common elements are usually present. These include the message and the communicators or the participants who play the role of either the sender or receiver of the message. In the communication situation I had with my friend, these common features were present along with others namely, feedback, noise, context, and mutual agreementnegotiation. These elements affected the outcome of the conversation but through it all, the communicators still served as the key participants controlling communication factors to achieve understanding.

Summary of the Communication
The communication occurred in a caf one afternoon after classes. The meeting was arranged by my friend, Kang. I have been friends with him for two years now, and except for knowing him as a two-timer, I have always considered him a good friend. Kang arranged to see me that afternoon to ask a favor. He requested me to ask my friend who was his ex-girlfriend to allow him to see her again. He wanted me to act as the mediator to convince the girl that he has finally realized he was wrong for having another girl, and that he would make it up to her if she agreed to make up with him.

When Kang said these words, a lot of things came up to my mind. First, I felt he was not serious, and his bad experience with the other girl might have caused him to think this way. Second, thinking about his past action, I could not help but to feel bias towards him. I thought that having deceived my friend in the past, it would be easier for him to leave her again if she gave him another chance. Guys like him do not deserve a second chance. They need to feel that girls should be respected, and forgiving them is similar to tolerating their bad deeds. Guided by these thoughts, I felt mad at Kang for what he said but I tried to keep myself calm, and clarified his motives for thinking that way.

As the receiver of Kangs message, I felt the need to provide feedback. Feedback is the mirror of communication (Erven, n.d.). Providing feedback is very important in communication because it confirms receipt of the message, and verifies whether the message is completely understood. There are many forms of feedback. The simple arching of the brows in face-to-face communication, smiling, and nodding may all be considered forms of feedback. Keeping ones silence instead of retorting may sometimes be considered feedback, depending on the situation. In my case, I wanted to react right away to what Kang said but at the same time hesitated for I did not want to hurt his feelings. In order to play safe, I kept silent for a while, allowing Kang to express his thoughts.

He reasoned out that he was wrong for trying to find another girl, but felt sorry to find out that after all, he still loved his ex-girlfriend. He tried to forget her, knowing how mad he made her feel, but every time he met another girl, he just remembered and missed her more. Listening to Kang uttering these words convinced me he was serious, but it did not change my mind entirely. Nevertheless, I tried to make an agreement with him by proposing an option to befriend the girl, and take a step by step process. I explained to him that gaining ones trust is not easy especially if you have destroyed it once. Therefore, I suggested him to get to know her again, be friends, and finally take a chance to win her heart. Kang agreed to this proposition, and as we parted, I felt I had a good conversation with a friend. Somehow, the concepts I learned in school have helped me become a better communicator and friend.

Analysis
Several elements of communication are obvious in the situation. First, there are basic elements such as the communicators, which in this case are Kang and I. We both played as either the sender or receiver of the message, but since it was Kang who opened the conversation regarding the favor he would ask, we may consider him as the sender of the message while I, the receiver. Later, as we exchanged views, both of us alternately played the roles of the sender and the receiver. The main message was asking favor to win a girls heart, followed by several other messages relating to the first. Considering the exchange of information and the subsequent exchange of messages, the communication that transpired between me and my friend followed the transactional model. Likewise, as the communication ended up with a mutual agreement, it also suggests the model proposed by Kincaid (1979), also known as the Convergence Model of Communication.  
Another element present in the communication situation was barrier or noise. Noise could come in different forms. It could be external, internal, or semantic noise. External noise otherwise known as physical noise includes physical illness or incapability and the noise we hear from the streets. In the sample communication situation, there was limited external noise considering the quiet ambience inside the caf. Likewise, both I and Kang were feeling alright that day so there were no physical barriers to communication. Also, since I and my friend have the same cultural background, there was little chance for semantic barriers to occur. Semantic noise refers to linguistic barriers or those that relate to the use of the language. Improper word choice, pronunciation and the inability to use a common language are among common semantic barriers to communication (Barriers to Interpersonal Communication, n.d.). However, due to opposing views regarding the present situation, the presence of internal or psychological noise could not be avoided.

When we communicate, we are greatly affected by our perceptions, experience and values. When these aspects contradict those of the other communicator, there is a big chance for psychological noise to occur. When I learned about Kangs plan, I wanted to cover my ears, and not utter a word. I almost said I did not want to hear any more of what he had to say but remembering the outcomes that linear communication can bring, I regained my interest and tried to decipher the truth in Kangs motives. I did not want to defeat the purpose of communication following a linear type of communication I opted for a transactional kind, something that gives importance to building connection between communicators, or a convergent kind, which involves negotiation between the participants.

Linear communication, as perceived by early communication specialists such as Shannon (1948) and Katz (1957), happens when the message from the sender is received by the recipient of the message but the latter does not provide a feedback. Authors of this model may have intentionally missed the importance of feedback due to earlier practices in mass media and autocratic systems such as the case of a terror boss to his subordinates who do not dare to question his decisions. In this type of communication process, the sender does not get a chance to know how the recipient feels about the message. The absence of feedback thus makes the communication incomplete. In the sample situation, when I heard about Kangs plan and felt too opposed to it, I was silenced for a while. On the one hand, I did not know how to react. On the other, my biases of him convinced me right away that he was not serious. These biases hindered me from understanding his point, and it almost caused me to fail to sympathize with my friend. My belief about male stereotypes added to my initial opposition. I always heard what people say that men are usually polygamous. Although I myself am not polygamous, seeing men like Kang convince me that the saying is quite true to some. Too bad, the friendship I shared with Kang did not do good to destroy such stereotypes.

Moreover, the context of the situation added to the internal noise I encountered. Remembering how Kang hurt Claire by having another girlfriend while they were still together, my view of the situation is affected by the past. Based on this, I realized the role that context plays in the process of communication. Context, which includes the communicators present knowledge, perceptions, beliefs and attitudes towards the situation (Ige, cited in Pfeffinger, 1999), has been adopted by modern communication specialists as one important element of the communication process. Context has been added to some basic models such as those by Shannon (1948) and Laswell (1948) to show the relevance of other factors affecting communication. In particular, Foulgers (2004) Ecological Model of Communication emphasizes the relevance of context or communicators background to the communication outcome. Evidently, context plays an important part in the sample communication scenario. It affected the way I perceived Kangs initial message, my view of his plans, and the way I responded to him. Nevertheless, his context or perception of me as his friend may have also affected the way he addressed me. I was quite flattered to think that among all his friends, he chose to trust me more than anyone else.

With these thoughts in mind, I remembered the discussion we had about communication blocks. I realized that my attitude towards Kang and his behavior served as blockage to communication. This is considered internal noise as it interfered with my conversation with Kang. Reflecting on the way I thought and behaved that time, I could accuse myself of stereotyping, judging, and mind-reading. Nevertheless, I tried to overcome such thoughts, and concentrated on what Kang had to say. I kept in mind that good listening habits could somehow help me overcome prejudices I had that time.
The next steps I took that afternoon were remarkable. They helped me discover more about my friend and even myself. First, shocked at Kangs proposition, I clarified his intention by rephrasing his statement in a question that says, Did I hear you say you want to make up with Claire to which Kang nodded with a heavy sigh. From his gestures, I could tell he was somewhat serious but I needed more to clarify. First, he looked down at his cup as if shy to admit what he said, then looked at me straight in the eye smiled without his teeth showing. I could feel then that he was serious as he remained silent, probably not knowing how to explain himself. Then, with another serious look on his face, he explained how he felt about the breakup and the time he spent with other girls. I listened to him as innocently as I could, without calling to mind his past mistake.

Reflecting on Kangs behavior during the conversationhis gestures, eye contact, facial expression, and toneI felt the seriousness of his intention. He explained his side with a calm and serious tone, looked at me directly in the eye from time to time, and clasped his hands on his forehead while he waited for my response. His nonverbal communication agreed with his verbal message, thus convinced me of his sincerity. In this view, I realized the importance of nonverbal communication in understanding and relating with others.

Aside from nonverbal cues, silence also helped me to clarify my thoughts, Kangs feelings, and the actions we should take to solve the situation at hand. When Kang uttered his plan, I wanted to react right away and tell him, Stop I dont want to hear any more of that.  I also wanted to say, Do you remember how you ended up with her, now you want to fool her again However, bearing in mind the importance of achieving understanding in communication, I tried to remain calm and kept silent for a while. The time lag thus allowed me to observe Kangs physical gestures. It also gave Kang the opportunity to clear his thoughts.

Instead of bombarding Kang with sermons, I listened to his reasons. Listening with an open mind helped me to feel his sincerity. It also made him feel that after all, his attempt to seek help from a friend was not in vain. For the first time, I saw Kang speaking seriously about his feelings for a girl, something he or most of my friends would not do. I realized that while prior experience and biases could affect our perception of other people, the willingness to listen and communicate between two persons is the most important aspect to give way to a transaction. The conversation between Kang and me that time at the caf was a transaction as we tried to create a meaningful connection with the way we communicated. As Narula (2006, p.19) explains, in transactional models, the concern is on the patterns of communication behavior between communicators and not the patterns information exchanged between the persons as reflected in a mere interaction. Realizing the difference between the two, I have noted that as guys do not usually open up with friends about their feelings, we usually just interact with friends, and fail to establish patterns of communication behavior that lead to a more meaningful relationship.

The courage Kang took to open up with me was enough to demonstrate how serious he was. In response, I asked Kang what exactly he wanted me to do. He requested me to ask the girl to go out with him, which I found too advance. Nevertheless, instead of telling him this, I asked him to reflect on how the girl felt before when he left her, and how she could be feeling right now. I also inquired whether the girl still says hi to him whenever they come across each other. Kang replied that she does not take notice of him, and pretends each time that she does not see him. In this view, I asked Kang, How do you think she will take the idea of going out with you again Kang was unable to reply immediately to this question, then said, Maybe youre right. She would be surprised and even take it against me. At last, Kang had the idea. The girls past experience would really play an important role in her future decisions.

I told Kang that to win the girls trust again, he might need to be friends with her first. Of course the decision still depended on him. I did not want to advise him directly on what to do because doing such would only result in a one-sided solution. Instead, I made him reflect on what he wanted to do, and offered a proposition he could accept or disregard. I told him that I would help him get a chance to communicate with the girl, so long as he promises to befriend her first and to never fool around again. Offering a proposition is a helpful way of addressing a problem. In Kincaids (1979) Convergence Model of Communication, the author emphasizes on the importance of achieving mutual agreement. Communication, according to this model, involves having common beliefs and understanding. In the sample situation, Kang and I achieved communication as we agreed to settle on the same measures, the same steps to solve the problem.

The negotiation process I had with Kang is similar to what is usually practiced. In Kozicki (2005), the author identifies each step of the negotiation process, starting from the Investigative Phase, moving on to the presentation phase, bargaining phase, and finally, the agreement phase. The investigative phase includes the time when I tried to clarify Kangs feelings. The presentation phase was when I asked him to weigh consequences of his first plan. The bargaining phase was when I finally offered him my idea to befriend his ex-girlfriend. Finally, the agreement phase occurred as Kang expressed his willingness to accept my proposition while I agreed to help him with his plan. Importantly, reaching a consensus required proper timing and going through the complete process not just insisting on what one believes is right. In contrast to the process I went through, Kangs proposal for me to help him get to communicate again with his ex-girlfriend was very abrupt. It surprised me, and if not for the learning I gained from the Communication class, I would have reacted offensively. Indeed, every communication procedure has process and elements that can make it successful.
Knowledge of communication processes and elements that contribute to effective communication helps a person to overcome difficulties in relating with others especially during communication scenarios. Although several factors such as biases, noise and poor listening habits are there to hinder communication, communicators will find it easy to achieve understanding if they will focus on what the other is saying, and avoid biases of any kind. Furthermore, timing and the goal to reach a consensus are also important to succeed in communicating ones thoughts and understanding other people.