Development of Heat Resistant Chocolate

Development of Heat Resistant Chocolate PRALINE The term ‘cocoa’ comes from the word ‘cacao’ that is taken directly from Mayan and  Aztec languages. Chocolate has been derived from cocoa beans, present in the centre to the fruit of cocoa tree, Theobroma cacao, which originated from the South American region.(Afoakwa 2010) Chocolate is one of the most popular products throughout the world. The fact that it is solid at room temperature but melts in the mouth, giving a smooth delicate taste, makes it one of the most yearned product. From a more technical point of view, chocolate is a complex food made of solid particles of cocoa powder, sugar and milk powder in a continuous fat phase. The production of chocolate consists of multiple steps among which tempering are one of the most important step. During this the temperature of the chocolate will be varied to get the right crystalline form of the fat. Chocolate pralines are a lot more complex product since they also contain a soft  filling which will interact with the chocolate shell. Migration can happen from the filling to the shell which can result in structural damages like cracking. Another effect can be fat bloom which is a grayish haze on the praline surface. This occurs due to the migration of the liquid fat through the shell to the surface and crystallizing. Cracking and fat bloom are two major issues that lead to reduced shelf life in chocolate  pralines. The main suggestions for crack formation are that cracks form due to moisture or  ethanol migration through the chocolate shell, or due to an unbalanced distribution of  moisture in the filling that causes some parts to shrink and other to expand. (SLETTENGREN 2010) Most of the fat inside chocolate must be cocoa butter. Cocoa butter consists of different triacylglycerols (triglycerides), each of which will solidify at a different temperature and at a different speed in correlation with time. To make it more complicated there are six different ways the crystals can pack together. If the fat is present is not right or if the chocolate has not been crystallized properly, then fat bloom occurs. All fats are made of mixtures of triglycerides i.e. they have three fatty acids attached to a glycerol backbone. In cocoa butter there are three main acids which account for over 95% of those present. Almost 35% is oleic acid (C18:0) and almost 26% is palmitic acid (C16:0). Since the cocoa butter has few main components that it melts rapidly over such a small range of temperature range i.e. between room and mouth temperatures. POSt molecules are palmitic acid (P) in position 1, oleic acid (O) in position 2 and stearic acid in position 3. If the stearic and oleic acids are inverted then this would become PStO, which is quite atypical even though the constituents are similar. The stearic and palmitic acids are saturated acids i.e. the hydrocarbon chain which makes up the fat does not have any double bonds. In unsaturated fats this chain has one or more double bonds, as is the case for oleic acid. About 80% of the cocoa butter has oleic acid as the middle acid. 1% to 2% of cocoa butter has saturated long chain trisaturatedtriglycerides (SSS) where the saturated fat is mainly palmitic or stearic and the melting point is high. From 5% to 20% on the other hand consists of two oleic acids and is mostly fluid at room temperature. When the above two have been combined then fat of the cocoa butter will be partially fluid at room temperature. If the temperature is raised fat will melt according to the proportions of the different types of fat present. The property of to crystallize every time differently is known as polymorphism. As the structure becomes denser and gets lowered in energy, it becomes more stable and harder to melt. Polymorphic forms are solid phases of the same chemical composition that differ among themselves in crystalline structure but yield identical liquid phases. Because of their shape the fat molecules fit together with other molecules like stacking chairs which can be done in two ways i.e. via double chain packing and triple chain packing. There are basically 3 polymorphs (ÃŽ ±,ÃŽ ²,ÃŽ ²Ã¢â‚¬â„¢) each with their own specific properties. The melting range and stability of the polymorphs are in the following range: ÃŽ ±Ã¢â‚¬â„¢. The least stable polymorph will crystallize first and transform to a stable polymorph as a function of time. Cocoa butter has six polymorphs. However the chocolate industry numbered them as I to VI. Forms V and VI are the most stable and are triple chain packing whereas the other forms are double. Form V is good for confectionary products as it is responsible for the hardness with a good snap, glossy appearance and the resistance to bloom. (SLETTENGREN 2010) Mixing different fats (Fat eutectics) It is important that after mixing two or more fats the final product should sets at a suitable rate and has the correct texture and melting properties in the mouth. An unstable structure can form when other fats have been mixed with cocoa butter. Even though the fats are triglycerides it will be like fitting another size of chairs within the stacks. Disruption would be less if only a less amount of other fat is present. The actual hardness can be near to the expected one. When cocoa butter is mixed with vegetable or other fat in equal proportions then the softening effect is largest. The original vegetable fat made by Unilever and many other that are now in the market are known as cocoa butter equivalents. These are like cocoa butters and can be put in any proportion without causing any major softening or hardening effect. Other fats can be used only if almost all the cocoa butter is replaced and these are known as cocoa butter replacers. The vegetable fat should crystallise in the same way as cocoa butter (i.e. using the chair analogy, have the same size and shape chair) so that it can be added to the cocoa butter without causing eutectic effect. Cocoa butter contains palmitic (P), stearic (S) and oleic (O) on a glycerol backbone, with the majority of the molecules being POP, POSt, and StOSt. From nuts or seeds of fruits generally two types of fractionation are used to obtain the easy melting and the hardest melting fraction. In dry fractionation the fat is kept at a more predefined temperature and then by pressing and filtering the liquid part is separated from solid. In solvent fractionation the fat is dissolved in acetone or hexane. After this the higher melting triglycerides are crystallized and filtered out. The StOSt and the increased amounts of POSt are hard to obtain. By altering the proportions of StOSt it is possible to make the chocolate so that it will not melt until the temperature is several degrees higher than the normal cocoa butter, but cannot put behind the feeling of stickiness in the mouth. (SLETTENGREN 2010) Legislation: In June 2000, the European parliament agreed to permit the use of vegetable fat other than cocoa butter in chocolate. This directive came into force on August 2003 and for the first time, harmonised chocolate legislation across all the member states of Europe. A number of restrictions were placed on use of vegetable fat by the EU in terms of where oils should be sourced from, and what processing methods have to apply. To maintain miscibility and compatibility with cocoa butter (as is required by the EU Directive) it is necessary to use vegetable fats which contain a similarly high levels of these triglycerides. This means that a) these triglycerides would often need to be concentrated by fractionating the permitted base oils and b) the resulting fats would be needed to blend together to get an optimum mix of the three triglycerides. Even though the CBEs show equivalence with the cocoa butter at all compositions but they have been restricted to a maximum level of 5% of the total compo sition in EU chocolate.(Geoff Talbot 2008) Development of Heat Resistant Chocolate using high melting fat Chocolate generally melts at 33.8 °C when solid cocoa butter transitions to liquid and the crystals of cocoa butter are in stable form V. The development of heat resistant chocolate would allow it to be enjoyed in tropical and humid climates. Three main methods have been developed to make heat resistant chocolates: enhancement of the microstructure of the materials, addition of a polymer and increasing the melting point of the fat phase. The approach that is used for the development of heat resistant chocolates for this thesis is to incorporate fats with higher melting points. (Stortz and Marangoni 2011) (Stortz and Marangoni 2011) One specific example of this was done by Jeyarani and Reddy (1999) and focused on using mahua (Mahua Latifolia) and kokum (Garcinia indica) fats to increase the melting point of cocoa butter blend. The kernels found in the fruits of mahua trees consist of semi-solid fat. Conversely, kokum kernels contain a hard, brittle fat with a melting point 39-43 C. The oils are fractionated and then blended. After that these fats were evaluated for their ability to increase the melting temperature of and replace the fat phase in chocolate products. Fractionation were used to separate the stearin fraction from kokum and mahua fats because it was reported that addition of fats rich in 2-oleodistearins to cocoa butter can increase the solid fat content (SFC) , increase the melting point and decrease the tempering time of chocolate. The meted successfully produced a fat phase that achieved higher SFCs at elevated temperature than conventional chocolate. However, once the temperature reached 37.5 C the SFC of most of the blended fats was less than 20% indicating that the heat resistance of the chocolate would be lost at temperatures higher than this. Another attempt was done to improve the heat resistance via replacement of some cocoa butter with kokum fat. Kokum fat was refined but not fractionated. It was blended with cocoa butter at different levels. The chocolate had good sensorial properties. However, the heat resistance of the chocolate was not as desired considering the melting temperature is only 34.8C with 5% inclusion of kokum fat. Finally , the chocolate formulas exceeded some countries’ legal limits for inclusion of NCVF.(Stortz and Marangoni 2011) Gel Filling: Hydrocolloids: Hydrocolloids are a heterogeneous group of long chain polymers (polysaccharides and proteins) which are characterised by their property of forming viscous dispersions and/or gels when dispersed in water. Presence of large number of hydroxyl (-OH) groups increases their affinity for binding water molecules which results in hydrophilic compounds. Further, a dispersion is produced which is intermediate between a true solution and a suspension, and the properties exhibited are that of a colloid. Considering these two properties, they are aptly termed as hydrophilic colloids or hydrocolloids. The important reason behind the ample use of hydrocolloids in foods is their ability to modify the rheology of food system. This includes the two basic properties of food system namely, flow behaviour (viscosity) and mechanical solid property (texture). The modification of texture and/or viscosity of food system modify its sensory properties, and thus, hydrocolloids are used as important food additives to perform specific purposes. Hydrocolloids have a wide range of function. These include thickening, gelling, emulsifying, stabilisation, and controlling the crystal growth of ice and sugar through the basic properties for which hydrocolloids find extensive use as thickening and gelling. Hydrocolloids disperse in water to give a thickening or viscosity producing effect. This water thickening property is general for all hydrocolloids and is the primary reason for their overall use. Gel formation is the phenomenon that involves the association or cross linking of the polymer chains to form a three dimensional network that traps or immobilises the water within to form a rigid structure that is resistant to flow. In other words, it becomes visco-elastic showing both the characteristics of a liquid and a solid. The textural properties (e.g. elastic or brittle, long or spreadable, chewy or creamy) of a gel vary widely with the type of hydrocolloid used. The other sensory properties such as opacity, mouth feel and taste also depend on the hydrocolloid employed. (Saha and Bhattacharya 2010) Gels: Gels may be defined as a form of matter intermediate between solid and liquid and show mechanical rigidity. They consist of polymer molecules cross linked to form tangled and interconnected molecular network immersed in a liquid medium, which in food system is water. Food technologists use the word ‘gel’ for high moisture foods that are more or less retain their shape when released from their container. A gel is a visco elastic system with a storage modulus (G) larger than the loss modulus G†. Hydrocolloids form gels by physical association of their polymer chains through hydrogen bonding, hydrophobic association and cat ion mediated cross-linking and differ from synthetic polymer gels, which normally consisted of covalently cross-linked polymer chains. Hence hydrocolloid gels are often referred as â€Å"physical gel† The knowledge of the conditions required for gelling of particular hydrocolloid dispersion, the characteristics of the gel produced and the texture it confers are very important aspects to design a specific food formulation. The formation of gel involves the association of randomly dispersed polymer segments in dispersion in such a way so as to form a three-dimensional network that contains solvent in the interstices. The associated regions known as junction zones are formed by two or more polymer chains. The gelation process is mainly the formation of these junction zones. Hydrocolloid gelation can engage the hierarchy of structures, the most common of which is the aggregations of primary inter chain linkages into â€Å"junction zones†, which forms the basis for the three-dimensional network characteristics of a gel. The physical arrangement of these junction zones within the network can be affected by various parameters like temperature, presence of ions and inherent structure of hydrocolloid. For the gelation of hydrocolloids, the three main mechanisms proposed are ionotropic gelation, cold-set gelation and heat-set gelation. Ionotropic gelation occurs via cross-linking of hydrocolloid chain with ions, typically a cation mediated gelation process of negatively charged polysaccharides. Ionotropic gelation is carried out either by diffusion setting or internal gelation. In cold set gelation, hydrocolloid powders are dissolved in warm/boiling water to form a dispersion which on cooling results in enthalpically-stabilised inter-chain helix to form segments of individual chains leading to a three-dimensional network. Gelatine gel is formed by this mechanism. Gelatin: Gelatin is substantially pure protein food ingredient, obtained by the thermal denaturation of collagen, which are the structural mainstay and most common protein in the animal kingdom. Today gelatine is usually available in granular powder form. Ref: website Gelatin forms a thermo-reversible gels with water, and the gel melting temperature ( Various factors affect the gel formation by hydrocolloids which include concentration of the gelling agent, pH of the medium, molar mass/ degree of polymerisation, temperature, ionic composition and solvent quality. Rheological characteristics of gel involves characterizing a gel n the basis of various parameters like modulus of elasticity, yield stress, shear modulus, storage and loss modulus, complex viscosity , gel strength and compliance. These parameters are usually determined by conducting tests like compression test, dynamic oscillatory rheometry, creep and texture profile analysis, etc by employing instruments like universal texture measuring system, controlled shear rheometer. Addition of sucrose results in an increase of true rupture stress in all these gals. The gel sweetness is related with mechanical properties of gel like gel strength, rupture stress, rupture strain and particularly with the amount of deformation required to break the network and its resistance to deformation. Besides co-solutes like sucrose, concentration of hydrocolloid, shear rate and temperature are also important variables that influence the rheological status of hydrocolloid gels. The blending of different polysaccharides offers an alternative route to the development of new textures. The major interest lies in the development of synergistic mixtures with improved or induced gelation.(Saha and Bhattacharya 2010) References: . Afoakwa, E. (2010). chocolate science technology. Geoff Talbot, H. S. (2008). Cocoa butter equivalents and improvers Their use in chocolate and chocolate-coated confectionery. Focus on Chocolate vol 19 n 3(May/June 2008): 28,29. Saha, D. and S. Bhattacharya (2010). Hydrocolloids as thickening and gelling agents in food: a critical review. Journal of Food Science and Technology-Mysore 47(6): 587-597. SLETTENGREN, K. S. (2010). Crack formation in chocolate pralines. Stortz, T. A. and A. G. Marangoni (2011). Heat resistant chocolate. Trends in Food Science Technology 22(5): 201-214.

Self-Concept :: Psychology, Gender Difference

Before stepping onto the topic of the way we see ourselves, we first have to try to fully understand the definition of self-concept. The classification of self-concept is defined in many different ways by various researchers and practitioners over years. According to Purkey and William (1988), the popularity and attention of self-concept has been raising since decades of ignorance. Self-concept is mainly regarded as the realisation of our own existence; who we are, what is our purpose and how we fit into the society. Self-concept can be defined in a very complex manner. For example, it can be explained as a cognitive representation of oneself that gives coherence and meaning to one’s experience, including one’s relations to other people. It organises past experiences and plays an important role in assisting us to recognise and interpret relevant stimuli in the social environment (Hewstone, Stroebe & Jonas, 2008). Nonetheless, self-concept can also be clarified as simple as a statement where Fromm (1956) describe as â€Å"life being aware of itself.† After understanding the notion self-concept, we then can proceed to use different approaches to search a suitable answer to the question of â€Å"Why do we ‘see’ ourselves in the way that we do?†. In an experiment done by Montemayor and Eisen (1977), children were studied and questioned for their existence. When the children in the experiment were asked â€Å"Who am I?†, the most common answer given are descriptive and are usually about their appearance. For example, â€Å"I have brown eyes, I have brown hair and et cetera†. Children tend to mainly focus on the description of physical features of their body, address, procession and play activities; kids’ self-concept is more concrete as well as less abstract. In comparison, teenagers were observed and were asked the same question. As teenagers with wider knowledge of their existence, they will probably come up with more profound words and not only focus on the physical parts of body but somehow personal beliefs, motivation and interpersonal characteristics. For example, â€Å"I am a human being. I am a moody person, etc†. Consequently, adolescence’s answers seem to be more abstract but less c oncrete. By asking this question to both childhood and adolescence, significant increase can be seen in self-conceptions and categorised in followings: occupational rule; existential, individuating; ideological and belief reference; the sense of self- determination; the sense of unity; interpersonal style; and physical style (Montemayor & Eisen, 1977). The experiment has proven that aging does massively affect the way of seeing ourselves in everyone.

Fashion: Color and Type Your Response

Components of Fashion The Lesson Activity will help you meet these educational goals: Content Knowledge? You will define the key components of fashion: the elements of design and the principles of design. Inquiry? You will conduct online research, in which you will collect information and communicate your results in written form. 21st Century Skills ? You will apply creativity and innovation. Directions You will evaluate these activities yourself.Please save this document before ginning the lesson and keep the document open for reference during the lesson. Type your answers directly in this document for all activities. Self-checked Activities Read the instructions for the following activities and type in your responses. At the end of the lesson, click the link to open the Student Answer Sheet. Use the answers or sample responses to evaluate your own work. Color Wheel a. Use watercolors or water-based gels for this activity.First, take the three primary lord and mix them to make the s econdary colors. Then, mix the primary and the secondary colors to get the tertiary colors. From among the primary, secondary, and tertiary colors, list four warm colors and four cool colors. Apply a few strokes of the mixed colors on paper and scan the paper for submission. Type your response here: On back b. Choose one of the primary colors and use it to make shades and tints. C.Using the shades and tints created in part b, submit sketches or images of two armaments with the shades for bottom wear and the tints for top wear. The garments should have a focal point, vertical lines, and curved lines. Also, name the silhouettes used in each garment. How did you do? Check a box below. Nailed included all of the same ideas as the model response on the Student Answer Sheet. Halfway There?I included most of the ideas in the model response on the Student Not Great?I did not include any of the ideas in the model response on the Student

Hr590 Compensation Decisions Essay - 1161 Words

HR590: Compensation Decisions Your job now is to pull together all the information you’ve completed so far in class and make salary decisions for your team. You have completed Cathy’s evaluation and received assignment feedback. This is the first year that you’ve made salary decisions for this team. Be sure to carefully review the information provided. You may simply type in the cells as the text will automatically wrap. You are required to: 1. Enter Cathy’s appraisal rating (she is last on the list); 2. Within your budget dollars, make your salary decisions based on performance for your team taking into consideration their Salary Grade and the Pay Ranges identified for the Salary Grades (fill in the Salary Decision†¦show more content†¦Alice is a good worker. She has a lot of potential, which netted her the higher rating. She needs some more skills and experience at this level though. | A4 | $22,500 | 80.4% | 3 | $1,350 | $800 | Substantiation and Risk Analysis: Aliceà ¢â‚¬â„¢s potential warrants her a salary and bonus for this year. She is fairly new at the rating but we are hoping that this quick boost allows her to focus on working to better her skills. | Calvin, 28YO black male with 9 months service. Calvin is a real go getter. He hasn’t been with the company long enough to earn a higher rating, but his work is outstanding, high skill set and is looking to stay with our company for a career. | A4 | $26,500 | 94.6% | 4 | $1,000 | $1,000 | Substantiation and Risk Analysis: Calvin’s high skill set and loyalty are being rewarded. He has a short term of service but the bonus and raise should help to keep him motivated. | Jane is a 32YO white female with 12 years’ service. Jane joined the company as an A3. Her work is satisfactory, nothing to brag about, but she’s been with the company awhile and can be dependable. | A3 | $19,100 | 86.8% | 3 | $500 | $300 | Substantiation and Risk Analysis: Jane was given a $500 rai se for her satisfactory work and a $300 bonus. These benefits are more of a reward for tenure rather than performance. We want to ensure that Jane wants to improve as that would be beneficial for her and the company. We hope this serves as motivation. | Beth is aShow MoreRelatedHuman Resource Management : Literature Review1719 Words   |  7 Pages Week 7 Literature review HR590 Human Resource Management Literature Review - Introduction In the intensely competitive and global environments that companies of today operate in, it is very critical that a company is able to attract and select employees with the right talents and also is able to ensure that they have the skills, knowledge and abilities for effectively doing the job they have been hired for. It is essential to invest time and effort in a recruitment process to

White Paper on the film Henry V Free Essay Example, 1000 words

Crispian’s speech in this study. In fact, the very use of the rhetoric, like King Henry V’s speech testified one of the referred descriptions of charismatic leadership. Lee cited that charismatic leaders create a compelling vision. In order to present to people being governed a leader’s compelling vision, a certain means of transmission will be needed. Speech or rhetoric to address the people is one of those (Nelson, Megill, and McCloskey, 1987). King Henry V used a persuasive rhetoric in his St. Crispian’s Day speech. Lee also cited the expected effect from the people being governed by a leader. These effects are responses, change of attitudes, and methodologies within the organization (Lee, 2008). Apparently, after the speech were given, the cited expected effect of such act manifested towards King Henry V’s people. He declared that certain day to be the St. Crispian’s Day, illustrating before his people his compelling vision for that day. He declared: This day is called the feast of Crispian. He that shall live this day, and see old age Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbors, And say ‘Tomorrow is St. We will write a custom essay sample on White Paper on the film Henry V or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/pageorder now Crispian. ’ Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars, And say ‘these wounds I had on Crispian’s day’ Old men forget; yet all shall be forgot, But he’ll remember, with advantages, What feats he did that day. Then shall our names, Such proof of King HenryV’s success to move his people with his vision was attested by Brian P. Rice (1998) in his own study regarding its history. He stated that the speech â€Å"is evocative of the spirit with which Henry--and all strong medieval kings--ruled through the strength of their convictions and by force of their personality. † (Rice, 1998). Another description of a charismatic leader is that one is able to challenge the certain people’s status quo (Lee, 2008). In his speech, King Henry V did the same when he questioned the bravery of some of his people who were doubtful of the battle, specifically his cousin Westmoreland. Rather proclaim it, Westmoreland, through my host That he which hath no stomach to this fight, Let him depart; his passport shall be made And crowns for convoy to put into his pure; We would not die in that man’s company, That fears his fellowship to die with us. To enable others to act is another of the description of the trait. King Henry V undoubtedly made his people to act. With his persuasive and compelling speech, he made courageous army from his people. Establishing shared values is another description.

How Can One Help the Homeless Essay - 1130 Words

How Can One Help the Homeless? The most common thing that comes to mind when someone mentions living in the United States is the â€Å"American Dream†. This dream including a family living in a house with a white picket fence around it. The grass is nice and green and everything seems simple and dandy; however, this is rarely seen. In cities there are often people on the street corners holding up signs that say â€Å"will work for food†, or something along those lines. The people holding these signs are apart of the growing population of homeless. Shelters that help the homeless are full and running out of resources. This may seem like a simple matter, at first glance, but it is actually quite complex. Communities are continuously struggling with†¦show more content†¦However, housing in the United States is still becoming very limited with time; a growing population with nowhere to go is causing overcrowding and lack of housing. However, this is not a problem new to the U.S., housing has be en disappear since the early ‘90s. The availability of rental housing decreased significantly between 1993 and 1995, according to Robert Hess (Hess). A solution to this issue may be to take buildings that are being constructed into condos and apartments and make them into affordable housing; affordable meaning, basing the prices of rent on the net income of families. If the price is based on net income the family will not have to worry about paying taxes along with other costs. Although the diminishing available house contributes to homelessness, it is not the complete cause; it’s the lack of affordable housing. New houses can always be built after purchasing and clearing land, therefore it’s not that difficult for people with money to obtain housing. But what about those that work minimum wage jobs trying to support a family? That’s when it gets tricky. The minimum wage in North Carolina in 2014 is $7.25 an hour (Mejeur). Assume that a mother and father each work forty hours a week; that puts them at making $2,320 a month, before taxes. Monthly housing for the Charlotte, on average, costs $793 a month. That number does not include health care, taxes, and food. With those cost added in the costShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Jonathan Kozol s Untouchables 879 Words   |  4 PagesWhen you see the homeless what do you think about? Do you see them and feel disgust or are you someone who wonders how and why they are where they are, or maybe, you are one of the few who want to help and who are able to. In the U.S., more than 3.5 million people experience homelessness each year and that number is growing. They are families with little children, people who are trying to escape domestic violence, people with mental illness, veterans who have served our country, and many more. FromRead MoreShould Homelessness Be Criminalized?1747 Words   |  7 PagesShould Homelessness Be Criminalized One of the most discussed topics around the world is homelessness. Each and everyday more and more people become homeless. People around the world have tried numerous times to resolve this dilemma. This situation is growing and it s starting to spiral out of control. One solution that s getting popular the more we let this situation grow is that criminalizing the homeless is good. People cannot criminalize the homeless. Homeless people should not be criminalizedRead MoreTaylor s Campaign : The Homeless1690 Words   |  7 PagesThe Homeless Kristal Lopez California State University, Fullerton Sociology 371 Section 02 Abstract Homeless are people who do not have the basic necessities to survive which leads them to living on the streets. In places like Santa Monica there are many homeless and rather than the city addressing the problem they are just making it like it doesn’t exist. Forcing the homeless to fix the situation when they are not able to get through. Middle class Santa Monica residents see the homeless as aRead MoreThe Problem Of A Program1465 Words   |  6 PagesChina is one of the most common known countries to have homelessness as an issue. China has more than 200 million people that are homeless, which is including the recorded 1 million children as well. This is an obvious issue because there is no need for there to be homeless when there are available resources to help them. They have programs put in place to help out the homeless, but it is not working because they do not have the resources to do everything that needs to be done.. We need to createRead MoreHomelessness Discursive 1420 Words   |  6 Pagesviews about the homeless and from the homeless. Also, let us examine some initiatives that may help or solve the problem of homelessness. After extensive research, it can be seen that there are many reasons for becoming homeless such as: family problems, debt, drink and drug abuse and arguments in a family. Some people who become homeless are homeless because of debt. This happens when people do not have enough money and have to borrow loans which they cannot pay back. This can lead to homelessnessRead MoreKelsey Bradley. Kendra Gallos. English Iii Honors. 6 April1619 Words   |  7 Pageslinger from other homeless people sleeping close by is nauseating but soon goes away because it becomes a way of life. Hunger has set in and begging people for food is the only option. People in society tend to label the homeless as alcoholics or drug abusers. The homeless people who choose to do such things set a bad example for homeless individuals who truly need help. 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All they want in life is to live the American Dream, a dream full of opportunity and wealth. In 2013, Veteran Affairs had an estimation of 610,042 homeless people recorded in the United States, and over 394,698 of those homeless people were living in shelter homes. This means that 215,344 homeless people wereRead MoreHomelessness : America s Resources For The Homeless Are Scarce1452 Words   |  6 PagesResources for the Homeless are Scarce in America Justin Hooks Fayetteville State University 2/27/2015 Abstract In this study, I will take the time out and investigate the effects that every day citizens have on homeless citizens and how we can play a big role in helping homelessness decrease. Over the past years many citizens haven’t established safe and stable places to live. I will then elaborate on how you can be sheltered and unsheltered and still be considered homeless. My main objectiveRead MoreThe Effects of Homelessness on Children1654 Words   |  7 PagesIndividuals who are homeless are faced with physical, emotional, and psychological challenges each day. It is common for people who are homeless to have had a life riddled with traumatic experiences like physical and mental abuse and drug use. Homelessness gained public attention in the late 1970s because homelessness became more visible when it began to include women and children. Today homelessness can be linked to various other problems. It is estimated that 200,000 thousand Canadians have lived

Project Report On Managerial Decisions And Effective Communication

Question: Discuss about the Managerial Decisions And Effective Communication. Answer: Introduction An organization continues to evolve its strategies and approaches in order to handle the issues and challenges that hamper the growth of the organization. The organization invests its resources to seek opportunities so as to build a sustainable framework. The managers of an organization devote their significant time to identify the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. A manager is faced with several workplace issues including interpersonal conflict, discrimination, harassment, communication problems, low motivation and job satisfaction and low performance. Communication issue is one of the major issues of the organization and has a significant impact on the productivity of the organization. The organizations have been striving hard to establish an effective communication system to increase the overall performance of the employees. Communication is the root cause of several issues and therefore, companies invest huge amount of money and manpower to have transparency and accoun tability in their processes (Argenti, 2015). Lack of communication may lead to interpersonal conflict among the employees and foster an unfriendly environment at the workplace. This, further have an impact on the performance of the employees that ultimately lowers the overall productivity of the organization (Thomas, Zolin Hartman, 2009). The paper would make an attempt to identify the issues and challenges at a workplace by evaluating one of the issues that I encountered at my workplace. Problem background would highlight the details of the issue in order to analyse the different aspect of the problem that would help to generate probable solution. Problem background I used to work as a Coordinator with one of the NGOs in Australia. My roles and responsibilities were to handle the events and activities conducted in the NGO. After working for around six months, I could identify the existing challenges of the organization that were affecting the performance of the organization. One of the major issues at the workplace was effective communication that delayed projects and other activities. The manager of our team hired me to assist him in his responsibilities that encompassed various tasks such as checking mails, coordinating meetings and other routine activities. The manager also hired volunteers during the time I was hired for the job. My first month at the organization was invested to understand my roles and responsibilities due to which I could not contribute my best efforts towards the growth of organization. Every day started with some random event that was not planned earlier and as soon as I entered the office, my manager would be looking after me to allocate some new responsibility. One day I entered my managers room after fully preparing for the event that the manager has asked me the day before. I spent all my time to consider the event from each and every aspect so that nothing goes wrong and was very much excited to discuss my plan with the manager. I was just about to demonstrate my plan to the manager that he looked at me and asked me to handle some urgent project that was due next week. I tried to tell him about my plans but he just waved his hand and got too busy with his mobile and files. I was devastated that all my hard work and efforts were for nothing. I realized that there was lack of proper communication within our team due to which volunteers would leave within few months after their joining. The manager was always busy with her own work and he would try so hard to do multiple tasks at one time that would often result in delayed projects. He never gave an attempt to distribute his work with me and volunteers due to which people left the organizat ion out of frustration. Problem definition Communication was the core problem of the organization. During my six months tenure, I was able to recognize the major communication issues at work that affected the performance of the employees. Authority or Hierarchy Problems The employees often faced the challenge of discussing their problems with the team manager. The manager was always occupied with his own projects and deadlines and never bothered to listen to his team members. After investigation and analysis, I construed that it was not managers fault, rather, the fault was of the senior management team and directors who always expected perfection from the manager and overburdened him with too many projects. The manager was often frustrated while struggling hard to meet the project deadlines. Thus, because of intense pressure from management and directors, the manager was not able to effectively utilize his team members (Zaremba, 2015). Undefined Roles and Responsibilities The team was never instructed about the work in advance, rather, they were instructed at the last moment due to which they were always under intense pressure. Further, they did not receive any support from their mentor that misled them from meeting the goals and objectives of the organization (Zaremba, 2015). Lack of Induction Program The new employees were not given any training or induction program and had to struggle for a month to figure out their roles and responsibilities. They were not given any instructions regarding their job roles. They were scolded and mistreated a time for not being able to carry their roles and responsibilities. Job Dissatisfaction Due to ineffective communication system, the entire workforce was dissatisfied with their job roles. The staff was not provided with any coaching and supervision when faced with any challenge. Further, the manager had no time to deal with their issues and challenges that often suppressed their feelings and emotions at work (Ulmer, Sellnow Seeger, 2013). High Attrition Rate Due to dissatisfied employees and ineffective communication, the organization had very high attrition rate (Tofanelli, 2012). The employees were not given any instructions and motivation to carry out their job role. Thus, the employees after consistent criticism for their work used to leave the organization. Solution Generation Communication is the process of transmitting of the information from one source to another source. Effective communication is an essential component of an organization. It ensures transparency and accountability in the organization (Ludden, 2007). The major problem at the workplace was that volunteers and employees found it difficult to share their problems with the manager. This was because the manager was under constant pressure. He was unable to understand that if he takes out some time to allocate the work to the volunteers, he would save a lot of time. Further, he would also be able to meet all his deadlines and increase work productivity by creating harmonious environment. Thus, with the establishment of effective communication within the system, the manager would have been able to handle the activities more efficiently. In order to generate solution of the problem, it is important to focus on the problem and analyse each and every aspect of it. The structure of an organization plays a significant role to facilitate effective communication within an organization (Van Riel Fombrun, 2007). The organizational structure was laid out in such a manner that the manager used to report to the senior management and directors. The manager had a team of 8 members with four volunteers and four permanent staff. The organization was expanding its operational activities due to which the horizon of managers roles and responsibilities also began to expand. The manager was earlier handling only few projects and events. With the expanding of the organization, the senior management overburdened the manager with numerous projects and assignments. Since the manager did not have any prior experience to handle too many tasks at the same time and now he had to handle too many projects with short deadline. The manager tried t o put his best effort to meet the deadline of the projects and at times he was also found juggling with two or three projects at the same time. He was often found shouting at the employees for not delivering their best performance. The senior management also began to question him for not being able to meet the deadline. This also provoked directors as they were also questioned by the sponsors and investors. Thus, the manager must understand his duties and responsibilities as a senior manager. He must realize that he has to work along with the team and cannot just work in isolation. He should also not overlook the fact that he recruited a team of volunteers for one of the crucial projects and cannot afford to waste the useful resources of the company. He has also ignored the fact that volunteers are fresh graduates and do not have any exposure to work and thus, need constant support and motivation from the supervisor. They need to be continuously directed through constant supervision in order to achieve organizations goals and objectives. They need to be introduced to the protocols and policies of the organization through an induction program (Suter, 2009). The manager must also understand that fresh graduates would require some time to get accustomed to the organizational rules and regulations and should therefore, not be pressurized or scolded for their mistakes (Hallahan, 2009). Thus, it is the manager who needs to understand the importance of effective communication within an organization. Instead of simply moving in a haphazard manner he should direct all his energy to motivate his employees by directing them towards a common goal. Solution evaluation If the manager is able to establish effective communication within the organization, he would be able to foster a positive work environment that would increase the productivity of the organization. The induction program would give time to the employees to accustom themselves to the culture of the organization. They would be able to get continuous support from their supervisor to stay directed towards common goal and objectives. This would motivate them to demonstrate better performance to yield better results. This would create job satisfaction among the employees and would ultimately reduce the attrition rate of the organization. Implementation and Action Plan Developing Induction Program An induction program introduces the employee to the organization. The employee is able to imbibe the work culture of the organization in order to align himself with the goals and objectives of the organization (Aguinis Kraiger, 2009). The manager must develop an induction program for the new employees in order to brief them about company policies and their roles and responsibilities. The employee must be able to grasp goals and objectives of the organization so as to handle critical situation effectively. They must be trained on reporting methods to the authorities and the expected results so that they manage their time accordingly. Induction program instills confidence within the employees and give them a direction to pursue their goals and objectives. Defining Roles and Responsibilities The employees must be very clear about their roles and responsibilities in order to avoid any redundancy of work. This gives a clear message to the employees in terms of their job roles and expected performance. The employees are easily able to develop their skills as per the requirement of the organization. Thus, the manager must develop proper job descriptions of the employees. Coaching and Mentoring After the employees have been introduced to the organization and their job has been allocated to them, they are faced with challenges for which they require constant support from their supervisors (DeCenzo, Robbins Verhulst, 2010). Thus, the manager must invest some of his time to coach his employees to yield better results. Conclusion The report has thus, identified the major issues and challenges of a workplace through a case study. Communication is one of the major problems of the organization and often leads to employee dissatisfaction and high turnover of the employees. A workplace must have effective communication in order to increase the overall productivity of the organization. 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