Communication Strategies - Essay Example

Communication Strategies http ojs.ub.gu.se/ojs/index.php/gt/article/viewFile/1295/1124 In the paper, Ricardo Ramirez and Wendy Quarry analyze the different communication strategies in this age of decentralization and privatization of rural services. The study is based on two African experiences to incorporate the aspect of rural service provision. From the study, the paper then identifies the challenges that decentralization faces in privatizing the provision of rural services. Globally, this wave creates many challenges for the local governments, service providers and the rural communities at large. The unprecedented new rules and procedures that come with this new trend are studied in respect to their impact on local organizations. Further, the paper finds that these new rules bring about the need for change in attitudes and skills. The paper is to a large extent, an account of two cases in which the authors have been actively engaged in developing strategies in communication. These strategies, the authors say, are specifically driven towards aiding the different stakeholders to make the necessary transition. In the first case, the authors identify Uganda in studying the Communications and Information Strategy for the National Agricultural Advisory Services Program. Secondly, they then tour Mozambique, where efforts are made to formulate a plan tom communicate the National Water Policy and the Rural Water Transition Plan. The research findings are wide and varied and agree on the importance of having communication strategies in decentralization and privatization of rural services. Among the findings are the different complimentary functions that communication plays in any development. The authors say that it goes well beyond ‘public relations’. The paper also finds posits that there is an increasing urge to incorporate specialized skills in planning and managing communication strategies. The uses of communication and information strategies are also identified in the respect of tackling organizational performance, human resource goals and field implementation. The paper further analyzes the stakeholders’ knowledge of communication strategies, and the available channels that they can access (Quarry & Ramirez, 2009). Since the development of communication strategies follows basic design principles, the research paper uses the findings to design principles for other strategies. In addition, the authors review and emphasize the importance of communication research and planning. The paper suggests that planned communication is an important prerequisite for any effective development to take place. The place of research in implementing communication action is also discussed with a clears emphasis on research-based methodologies. The paper identifies the discontinuity of organization staff as one of the hindrances to effective implementation of communication strategies. The authors, therefore, propose a need for continuity of staff to prevent loss of capacity to manage and adapt diverse strategies as conditions evolve. http://journalarticle.ukm.my/5544/ The research is done by three lecturers from the universities of Kebangsaan and the Lincoln University College, both from Malaysia. The area of study was at the University of Kebangsaan in Malaysia. In the study, the authors, Tan, Fariza, and Nayef, investigate how and in which situations, oral communication strategies are used in group discussions by international students. In extension, the paper presented examines the difference in the use of communication strategies between low and high proficient speakers. In the methodology, the authors sampled a group of ten high, non proficient Arabic speakers of the English language. On the other hand was a group of a similar number of high proficient English speakers of Chinese and Arabic origin. The participants were sourced based on their willingness to participate and on their level of proficiency in English. The method used in data collection was derived from the audio recordings in the two groups. The participants were divided into two groups based on their proficiency levels, such that one group had high proficiency levels while the other had low proficiency levels in English. The communication strategies used was identified through the use of a similar self-test questionnaire. The questionnaire was used to obtain detailed information on the students’ self awareness of the use of communication strategies in their university. The same tool was used to record their perceptions towards the different communication strategies in use in their school. Data from the two groups was then analyzed and inferences made based on the results. In the findings, the paper found that the two groups resorted to ten of the twelve communication strategies that Tarone (1980) and Willems (1987) identified in their earlier researches. In addition, the communication strategy that was frequently employed in the two groups was code switching. Code switching is identified as an inter-lingual strategy. Word coinage, an intra-lingual strategy, was identified as the least used one in the course of the group discussions. The investigation further proved that the choice and use of a communication strategy was dependent on the levels of oral proficiency among the students. The influence was based on the aspects of frequency of use and the selection of types of communication strategies. Based on these findings, the paper suggests that the students’ levels of proficiency be identified before making the students aware of the use of communication strategies. This suggestion is based on the fact that increasing the awareness of both high and low proficient to existing strategies may help in easing communication. Personal Reflection on the Project It would be ignorant and fallacious to say that embarking on this project was a smooth sail. In actual fact, the project was faced with many challenges, some of which seemed insurmountable at the face value. However, the determination to complete the project and the numerous encouragements from, among others, my peers and role models pushed me to work harder. Researching for all these work ate up a lot of my leisure time and rendered my social life inactive at times. Nevertheless, the most important thing from all these challenges is the fact that I am not complaining and at no single time did I ever harbor the thought of quitting. One way or another, I always moved to the next step and did as was required. The beauty of this project lies not in completing my coursework alone, but in knowing that I can tackle challenges as they arise. The project taught me important lessons, some of which I would never learn in class. In the course of this project I learnt a lot about communications strategies and the effectiveness in easing communications. Some aspects of communication strategies that I knew nothing, or very little, of are now firmly entrenched in my mind. The importance of employees’ perceptions towards the existing communication strategies in an organization stood out over the course of this project. The fact that top managers have the influence of directing the level of satisfaction that information achieves marveled my mind. Another important lesson that I learnt, is the place of technology in the modern organizational settings. The new order requires that managers adopt a conversational and interactive form of communication rather than the archaic top-down and directive approach in their organizations. Moreover, the process of data collection led me to interact with a lot of different individuals from diverse backgrounds. Particularly, the diversity of the many respondents that I interacted with introduced a new realm of partnerships that prove to be important in the long run. The value that this project has added to my knowledge base cannot be underestimated. I can now, for example, distinguish and identify the many different communication strategies that exist in our school. In addition, this project has increased my capacity to analyze and assess the importance and value of diverse communication strategies as they are employed in different organizations. It would be futile if this project did not improve my research skills when that is an area that I have been lacking for some time. The process of data collection and the many methods at the disposal of scientists is now lucidly clear in my mind. For example, I can now make logical inferences from raw data without having to result to empirical intuition. More importantly, the project has perfected some of my soft skills ,including developing a search strategy for publications to be reviewed and improving my quality of typing. In addition, my interpersonal skills have benefitted from this endeavor, therefore, making me more interactive. I can now positively handle hostile respondents without having to engage in arguments with them. In a nutshell, I now feel like a ‘fully baked’ researcher. While the largest part of this project involved acquisition of knowledge and its application, the most important additions to my general life have been far from that. The most exciting part of the project was in the small and usually ignored additions it imparted in my life. Without these improvements, the research would have been hard work in futility and a cumbersome process. References Quarry, W., & Ramírez, R. (2009). Communication for another development: Listening before telling. London: Zed Books. http://ojs.ub.gu.se/ojs/index.php/gt/article/viewFile/1295/1124 http://journalarticle.ukm.my/5544/ Read More