Atv Design Report

TEAM ID:60000 BAJA SAE INDIA 2012 DESIGN REPORT Copyright  © 2009 SAE International TEAM: THE CONRODS AUTHOR: K. SUBHASH BABU. CO-AUTHOR: KARN JAIN. ABSTRACT The objectives of the mini-Baja competition are to design and manufacture a â€Å"fun to drive†, versatile, safe, durable, and high performance off road vehicle. Team members must ensure that the vehicle satisfies the limits of set rules, while also to generating financial support for the project, and managing their educational responsibilities. This vehicle must be capable of negotiating the most extreme terrain with confidence and ease.The 2012 SRM UNIVERSITY Mini-Baja Team, THE CONRODS met these objectives by dividing the vehicle into its major component subsystems. By examining the 2011 entry, the team was able improve on many design features to better meet the stated requirements. Function Diagram (QFD) to determine which parameters were the most critical. These key parameters ranging from most critical to least cr itical are safety, reliability, low cost, ease of operation and maintenance, and overall performance. TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:ENGINE Type Displacement Compression Ratio Max Power Max Torque DRIVE TRAIN Transmission Gear Shift Mechanism SUSPENSION Front Suspension Rear Suspension Ground Clearance Shocks and Springs Front Susp. Travel Rear Susp. Travel WHEELS Front Tyres Rear Tyres BRAKES Working Fluid Type Pedal Ratio M C Bore Dia W C Bore Dia Brake Disc Dia STEERING Type Mechanism Steering Ratio Lock to lock angle 4 Stroke, OHV,B&S 304 cc 8:1 7. 5 KW @ 3600 rpm 18. 5 Nm @ 2600 rpm Mahindra Champion Alfa (forward Orientation) Sequential Double Wishbone Double Wishbone 11. inches Customized 5 inches 6. 5 inches 22*8-10 22*8-10 Dot-3 Oil All Wheel Disc 4:1 0. 8 inch 1. 6 inch 6 inch Ackermann Rack and Pinion 10. 7:1 400 INTRODUCTION&CONSUMER INFLUENCES THE CONRODS BAJA SAEINDIA vehicle is designed as a prototype for manufacture by an outdoor recreation firm. The ideal vehicle is safe, simple and inexpensive. Additionally, the vehicle is attractive to potential buyers in both its visual appearance and performance. These characteristics are considered in design of the following major vehicle subsystems: frame, suspension, steering, and braking.Before any design could begin, we had to understand exactly who our customers are and their needs. To gain this understanding, we did extensive research that included market survey and interviewing both professional and nonprofessional local off-road enthusiasts. With this research, we determined that our customers are the BAJA SAEINDIA event and non-professional weekend off-road enthusiasts. We felt it necessary to distinguish between the two to ensure that we followed all rules set by SAEINDIA INDIA and to accommodate the weekend off-road enthusiasts in a safe manner within the SAEINDIA rules.With all necessary design parameters determined for each customer base, we were able to combine them for an overall list of design s pecifications that met all SAEINDIA requirements. We used these parameters to create a Qualitative 1|P ag e Turning radius 2. 7 meters CHASSIS/OVERALL DIMENSIONS Chassis Material IS 3074 CDS1 Tubular Frame Overall Length 2100 mm Wheel Base 1490 mm Wheel Track 1143. 2 mm Height of Vehicle 1520. 0 mm WEIGHTS Front Wheel Assembly 10 Kg Rear Wheel Assembly 11. 8 Kg Engine(with engine oil) 23 Kg Transmission(with 17 Kg lubricant) Chassis 55 Kg Dampers 8 Kg Expected Kerb Weight 260 KgTARGET SPECIFICATIONS: Parameters Speed Stopping Distance Acceleration Gradability Turning circle dia. Ground Clearance Emissions Values 40 km/h 7m 11. 6 seconds 82. 2% 5. 4 m 11. 6 inches BS III the planes created by the roll cage and the driver’s helmet. SAEINDIA also require a 3 inch envelope when a straight-edge is applied to any two tubing. Emphasis was placed on creating an easily manufactured roll cage with few parts, minimal welding and yet is still both light and strong, hence the numbers of b ends were kept to a minimum.Roll hoop Overhead members and Forward Bracing Members are one continuous bent tube. Lower Frame Side tubes are straight and are bent inwards to connect to the front suspension mounts. The Side Impact Member is a single tube with a single bend that encompass the car from the Rear Roll Hoop forward. The foot box of the vehicle is shaped by the LFS, SIM and straight tubes welded to the upper side impact tube forming a hexagonal front bulkhead taking into consideration the suspension design and reduction in dead space based on experience from the 2011 entry. A 3-D view of the car is shown below: FRAME DESIGNOBJECTIVE & FRAME CONFIGURATION The objective of the chassis is to encapsulate all Components of the car including a driver efficiently and safely. With a limited amount of power, the focus is primarily on the power to weight ratio of the vehicle. The only means to improve this critical parameter is to reduce the overall vehicle weight. Great care is take n in laying out the chassis. SAEINDIA requires each vehicle conform to a 95percentile male for all ergonomic evaluations of the design. The pertinent information is taken from â€Å"Body-space Anthropometry, Ergonomics and Design† by Stephen Pheasant.Several key safety factors in the design process dictate chassis roll cage layout and foot box design. For the roll cage, SAEINDIA requires 6 inches of clearance measured from the inside of Principal aspects of the chassis focused on during the design and implementation included driver safety, suspension and drive-train integration, structural rigidity, weight, and operator ergonomics. The number one priority in the chassis design was driver Page | 2 safety. With the help of the 2012 Baja SAEINDIA Competition Rules and Finite Element Analysis (FEA), design assurance was able to take place.Rear Impact Next rear, impact analysis was done while assuming 15,000N as the impact force. STRESS: SMX-172. 22 N/mm2 FOS:2. 43 MATERIAL SELECT ION: Two materials were considered for the construction of the chassis: AISI 4130 and IS 3074 CDS 1. IS 3074 CDS 1 steel with an OD of 25. 4 mm and a wall thickness of 3 mm was chosen because it exceeds the bending stiffness and strength requirements of SAEINDIAINDIA which gives increased protection to driver. PROPERTY Tensile strength(N/sq. mm) Yield strength(N/sq. mm) Elongation on 50 mm G. L Density (g/cc) IS 3074 438 376 32% 7. 872 AISI 4130 760 460 27% 7. 5 Side Impact The next step in the analysis was to analyse a side impact with a 5000N load. As a side impact is most likely to occur with the vehicle being hit by another MiniBaja vehicle it was assumed that neither vehicle would be a fixed object. STRESS: 237. 49 N/mm2 FOS: 1. 77 It was found out that the bending stiffness and bending strength of IS 3074 CDS are greater than those of 1018 steel having a circular cross section of 25. 4 mm and 3 mm thickness LOADING ANALYSIS: To properly approximate the loading that the vehicle will encounter, an analysis of the impact loading seen in the various types of impact scenarios was required.To properly model the impact force, the deceleration of the vehicle after impact is generally assumed to be zero. To approximate the worst case scenario that the vehicle will see, research into the forces the human body can endure was completed. It was assumed that this worst case collision would be seen when the vehicle runs into stationary, rigid object. Front Impact The first analysis to be completed was that of a front collision with a stationary object. In this case a deceleration of 20,000N was the assumed loading. STRESS: SMX-177. 81 N/mm2 FOS: 2. 36Rollover Impact The Final step in the analysis was to analyse the stress on the roll cage caused by rollover with a 5000N load on the cage. The Loading was applied to the two upper forward corner of the perimeter hoop with a combination vector sideways and downward. The load was chosen to be on two corners as this would be a worst case scenario rollover. STRESS: 267 N/mm2 FOS:1. 57 FABRICATION To maximize the geometrical consistency of the fabricated chassis, all fixturing and measurements were based on a single fixed coordinate system relative to a rigid table on which the chassis and all components were bolted.Through the use of this table and good fixturing practices, the team was able to best assure that the chassis geometry, especially Page | 3 in critical sections such as the suspension pickup points, correlated closely with the design specifications. In addition, measuring from aFixed location minimized tolerance stack-up due to measurement error and component movement results. We have decided to fabricate the second hub since it has minimum weight and optimized FOS. *Material Used to manufacture the hubs-High Carbon Steel *Hardening Process Done-Cyaniding SPACE IN DRIVER COMPARTMENT:DRIVER EROGONOMICS Driver ergonomics has been our major concern during design of the frame and also during posi tioning of various systems in drivers cabin. Cabin is made spacious for safe and comfortable. All the cables and wires are routed properly so that they would not interfere with driver legs or hands. all the routings are done in design stage itself and ROH is raised to a suitable height so that it would give proper vision to the driver DRIVERS VISION WINDOW: SUSPENSION Objective: A Mini-Baja suspension system must satisfy the following design requirements.Control movement at the wheels during vertical suspension travel and steering, both of which influence handling and stability. Provide sufficient sprung mass vibration isolation to maintain satisfactory ride quality, while maintaining high tire-ground contact rate and low tire vertical load fluctuation rate to improve road holding and handling. Improve jumping performance by limiting sprung mass pitch displacement while the vehicle is airborne. Limit chassis roll during cornering to prevent roll-over, decrease roll camber, and there fore, decrease steering reaction time and slip angle induced drag forces.Prevent excessively high jacking forces by managing static roll center location and roll center migration. Limit lateral tire scrub to maintain straight line stability and minimize horsepower losses at the rear suspension. Control lateral load transfer distribution to influence both steady state and limit of adhesion over steer/under steer handling characteristics. The non-professional weekend off road enthusiast requires a vehicle which exhibits both safe, stable, responsive handling; and a soft, comfortable ride . DRIVERS VIEW OF THE CABIN: Alternatives considered:Several different types of suspension system were considered before selecting the independent unequal arm double wishbone suspension system for both front and rear. Unequal double A-arm: In the design, suspension is supported by triangulated Aarm at the top and bottom of the knuckle. Advantages: *Improved ride quality *Good road holding *Rigid links *More control over geometry *Wheel control is precise *Negative camber gain during vertical suspension travel. Page | 4 FRONT SUSPENSION Setting static roll Centre: A two dimensional sketch was made after estimating the Centre of mass of the vehicle on paper.Various references were taken to make a 2D sketch these include: ? ? ? ? Track width of vehicle Front hub king pin axis inclination, king pin length, ball joint dimension Rim off set(for king pin positioning) Wishbone mounting point lengths rebound. Since we could not find springs that were less stiff than this we decided to go for the Auto springs as it satisfied our ride comfort requirements. A stiffer spring was required in the rear to achieve the coupling effect of suspension so as to convert the pitching motion into a bouncing motion. REAR SUSPENSION:The primary concern in designing the rear suspension was to get the maximum possible travel (jounce and rebound) such that the rear driving wheels were always kept in contact with the ground. The camber change in the rear wheels should be such that there is not much appreciable change in camber throughout the travel of the wheel. The other factor taken into account was that we were having issues with the rear suspension in last year’s design as it was observed that the drive shaft coupling was coming in contact with the lower wishbone in the rebound condition and this issue has been addressed and rectified in this year’s design.The rear suspension wheel rate was fixed such that the natural frequency of the rear suspension is 20% greater than the front suspension thus providing a flat ride over bumps by converting the pitching motion of the vehicle to be converted into bouncing motion. DAMPER SELECTION: Method for selecting springs The process began by selecting an appropriate wheel rate for the front axle. A typical road frequency of 3. 7 Hz may be encountered at the competition. This is based on a vehicle speed of 40Km/h and a road surface with bumps spaced 3m apart. The natural frequency of the suspension should be kept well below 3. Hz in order to avoid any unwanted excitation. A front suspension natural frequency of 1. 20 Hz was deemed to be suitable. The wheel rate required to obtain this natural frequency was established using the following equation (assuming sprung mass of 72kg/wheel) . 2 ? ? We need to calculate the damping ratios for the front and rear suspensions. The design process will commence by iteration only. First we find the ratio for sprung and unsprung with respect to the model. Sprung mass was found to be 71. 456kg the sprung weight was determined while the sprung mass was 288. 54kg. The ratio is 0. 247. The natural frequency of the front suspension is set at 1. 2Hz. Weight on each front wheel is 57. 71 kg. The max force of damping is given by Fcd =2*Msp*wn. Critical damping force for the front suspension system is 1085. 73 Ns/m. For the un-sprung mass natural frequency would be Wn=((Ks+Kt)/Ms)^0. 5 The combined stiffness of tire and wheel is 53. 24N/mm. Amplitude ratios were calculated for a range of damping ratios. These amplitude ratios represent the ratio of applied displacement and the displacement that actually reaches the sprung mass.Amplitude ratios were plotted against the ratio of applied frequency and natural frequency of the sprung mass. This graph shows the ideal damping ratio that should be used. This value as obtained from graph is 0. 7 which gives a damping co-efficient value of 760 Ns/m. In the similar manner the rear suspension has a ride rate of 1. 56Hz. The critical damping force is 1960 Ns/m. The graph of amplitude ratio vs frequency ratio shows an ideal damping ratio of 0. 7 the damping co-efficient is = 0. 7*1960=1372 Ns/m. ? fn ? k wheel msThe ideal wheel rate for the front suspension was calculated to be approximately 40N/mm. The relationship between wheel rate and motion ratio (MR) was used to deduce the location of the shock actuation point on the lower control arm. k wheel ? (MR) 2 ? k spring We need to set the motion ratio according to the wheel travel we require for our suspension. A travel of 50 mm was required and a list of springs were collected and measured for their stiffness characteristics. According to this calculation the motion ratio for auto spring A’s (Ks=58. 57N/mm) wheel rate (Kw=41N/mm) the motion ratio was 0. 8366. Travel of spring per unit wheel travel)The travel obtained by this spring was lesser than was required we could only obtain 26mm of travel in Page | 5 STEERING DESIGN: Objective of steering system in Baja vehicle ? ? ? To provide easy maneuverability of the vehicle over the undulating terrain. It must be durable to sustain the harsh off–road racing course. Less bump steer and return ability in steering Customer requirement: DESIGN OF WHEEL HUBS Our wheel hubs have been designed and fabricated after an extensive research. Effort has been made for minimum scrub radius and obtains the best possible wheel geometry.Adams and Ansys have been used to Simulate and analyse the behavior of these hubs respectively. We have two major design concepts: 1. 2. 3. 4. Optimum sensitivity Low turning radius Minimum feedback Low cost and easy maintenance Basis of our design: We have decided to opt for a 400 degree lock to lock rack and pinion steering with Ackerman geometry. Helical cut teeth will be used for the rack and pinion due to the following advantages over spur gears: ? ? ? ? They take higher loads. They are quieter and smoother. HUB 1 SCRUB RADIUS FACTOR OF SAFETY HUB 2 8 mm 4. 6 1460gm. 15 mm 5. 2 2506gmRulebook Constraints: All vehicles must be equipped with positive wheel lock? to? lock stops and adjustable tie rod ends must be constrained with a jam nut to prevent loosening Tie rod of vehicle should be secured by bumper in front or any other safety device in rear in order to avoid damage of tie rod during collision. WEIGHT Hence taking various factors in to consider ation HUB 2 is considerd for fabrication and stress analysis is done on it. ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED: STRESS DEFORMATION Rack and Pinion Good High Low Light 1. Extermely Simple 2. Gives good driving feel Recirculating ball screw Very High Low High Very High 1.Very Low free play 2. Non-selfreturn ability Worm and sector High Low Very High Comparatively Heavy 1. High free play 2. Non-selfreturn ability FRONT HUB Efficiency Compactness Cost Weight Comments REAR HUB Calculations: Distance between King Pins (c) Using the formulae: = 1117. 6mm FORMULAS FOR STEERING ANGLES ? ? ? cot O – cot ? =c/b sin ? =(c-d)/2r sin(? + ? ) +sin(? – O) =2sin ? Page | 6 ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? BOBLLIER CONSTRUCTION FOR RACK POSITIONING turning radius = (track/2) + (wheelbase/sin(average steer angle) here O=? o =outer wheel angle ? =? I = inner wheel angle Then ? steering arm angle r = length of the steering arm c= kingpin to kingpin distance d=length of the track rod b=wheelbase CALCULAT IONS wheel base (b)=1532mm kingpin to kingpin distance(c) = 1117. 6 steering arm angle ? =30 degrees on substitution an comparing two results we get ? =40 degrees O=27 degres turning radius was calculated to be 2. 9m Clevis joint is used in rack to reduce the bump steer . The below picture shows the clevis joint used Rack and Pinion design Rack displacement calculation RACK ANALYSIS FOS: 8. 5 deformation stress From above formula we get rack displacement =40+40=80mmThe picture of the complete rack assembly Page | 7 Values No. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Item Symbol Formula Spur Gear 2 20 ° 11 zm/2 + H zm D cos? 35 22 Db 20. 67 23 24 Rack Module Pressure angle Number of teeth Height of Pitch Line Centre Distance Pitch Diameter Base Diameter M ? Z H Ax D Adams results : CALCULATION OF FORCES ON RACK AND PINION R=steering wheel radius = 165mm r=pinion pitch-circle radius t=number of pinion teeth = 6 p=linear or circular pitch =22mm E=input steering-wheel effort = 2 * 20N W=output rack load If the pinion makes one revolution; input steering wheel movement Xi = 2? Output rack movement Xo = 2? R = txp = 82. 86mm Therefore; Movement ratio (MR) = Xi/Xo=2? R/2? r=2? R/tp=R/r= 165/11=15 15= W/E, w=600N force is to be applied on to the pinion to move the rack. ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Ft = Transmitted force Fn = Normal force. Fr = Resultant force ? = pressure angle Fn = Ft tan ? Fr = Ft/Cos ? Here ? =20 degrees therefore Fn=194. 95NFr=630N Opposite wheel travel Fig 3: Graph 1: camber angle vs wheel travel Graph 2: roll centre height vs wheel travel Graph 3: wheel rate vs wheel travel Fig1:Shows the single wheel travel vs toe change and scrub radiusPage | 8 POWERTRAIN DESIGN ? ? Engine and transmission are the loudest systems of the vehicle. Since the engine provided could not be touched in any way, the only noise reduction technique that could be adopted was through the use of proper mufflers. Various mufflers were tested on the engine but the stock muffler provided the least noise le vels . It also provided the best fuel efficiency . So it was decided to use the stock mufflers considering the â€Å"Go Green† theme. The gearbox and CV joints should always be kept properly lubricated to minimize noise due to friction.To reduce vibrations transferred to the chassis from the engine, it is mounted on rubber bushes. The drive shafts are welded properly so that they are inline and no vibrations occur during rotation. The gearbox is mounted firmly in such a way that there is a minimum contact between gearbox and chassis which means minimum transfer of vibration to chassis. The fuel tank capacity is 4 litres. ? ? ? Fig2: Shows roll steer vs wheel travel ? ? ? ? Driveline Power is transmitted from the engine to the wheels in the following way Engine Stub Axle Chain Drive Wheels Gearbox DriveshaftOpposite wheel travel fig 4: Graph 1:roll centre vs roll angle Graph 2: camber vs roll angle Graph 3: roll stiffness vs roll angle The Driveshaft consists of dowel pin on t he gearbox side and rzeppa joint on wheel side . This design ensures transmission of power with minimal losses and allows transmission at longer wheel travel Page | 9 Design Methodologies A customer expects the following things from the transmission system of a Baja vehicle: Forward Orientation Gear Final Gear Ratio 31. 48 18. 70 11. 40 7. 35 55. 08 ? ? ? ? Max. Vehicle Speed (Km/hr) 12. 04 20. 27 33. 26 51. 59 6. 88 Max. Tractive Effort (N) 2240. 7 1348. 28 821. 93 485 3971 Reverse Orientation Final Gear Ratio 55. 08 32. 72 19. 95 13. 40 31. 48 Max. Vehicle Speed (Km/hr) 8. 17 13. 68 22. 19 32. 14 12. 75 Max. Tractive Effort (N) 2990 1776. 23 Reverse engine orientation resulted in problem with weight distribution and increased vehicle length. Using the transmission in forward helped to shift the center of gravity towards vehicle’s center. Due to decreased reduction it also results in increased vehicle speed. It also provides faster acceleration and higher top speed due to th is reason we decided to use the transmission in forward orientation.To calculate vehicle speed at different engine speeds in different gears, we used the formula V= (2*3. 14*engine speed*radius of wheel/Gear ratio)*(60/1000) km/hr. The gear ratios obtained are: Chain Drive gear ratio = 28/28 =1 1083 818. 36 1708. 91 The following graph is obtained: Tractive effort is calculated by formula F=Engine torque*Gear efficiency/wheel radius The curves obtained are: ratio*transmission First Gear Second Gear Third Gear Fourth Gear Reverse Gear High speed for acceleration and speed trials. High torque for towing and hill climbing events.It should be reliable and light weight. It should transmit power in any driving conditions. ? The gearbox operation should be smooth and easy for driving comfort. The engine used has low power to weight ratio, so its necessary to transmit power with minimal loss through drive train. It should be such that it can be easily couple with the engine. Alternatives co nsidered: We had three options while deciding the transmission system a) b) c) A cvt mated with Mahindra gearbox. A custom made manual gearbox. Use of Mahindra champion gearbox coupled with chain drive. 3000 2000 1000 0 0 2000 4000 ractive effort in 1st gear tractive effort in 2nd gear The maximum Tractive effort obtained is 2240N at 2600rpm in 1st gear. Providing an acceleration of 5. 6 m/s^2. The variation of full throttle power with road speed is shown below with different gear ratio Our previous experience with cvt had problem of belt slipping at high torque conditions. Also it resulted in increased weight. So we decided against using this. As we already had 2 champion Alfa gearboxes, we decided on using this gearbox alongwith a chain drive due to the following reasons: 1) 2) 3) 4) Reduced chassis width.Can be easily coupled with the engine. Equal drive shaft lengths; increased ground clearance. Minimum rear overhang; better vehicle dynamics. 60 2nd gear 40 1st gear 20 0 0 2000 4000 3rd gear We had 2 options for the orientation of gearbox: A) Forward engine with engine in the front rear axle. B) Reverse engine orientation with engine behind of the rear axle. Total resistance of the vehicle at 3600rpm is found out by the formula R=k AW^2+KW+WsinO. Where k= coefficient of air resistance N-m^2. Page | 10 A=frontal area of the car, m^2. V= vehicle speed, km/hr. K=constant of rolling resistance.W= weight of car,N O=gradient angle, degrees. The value of resistance comes out to be R=442. 64+2452 sinO. We put this value in formula RV/3600nt=power of engine By solving the above equation for o, we get o=33 degree at 2600 rpm in 1st gear. Stopping Distance Braking Efficiency Parameters Master Cylinder Diameter Caliper Diameter Brake pad height Diameter of the disc Co-efficient of friction of the brake pad Force generated by both the brake pads per wheel Braking Torque per wheel Weight of vehicle(with the driver) Wheelbase Height of COG Dynamic front axle load Dynamic rear axle load 0. 11 m 56% Magnitude/value 19. 05 mm 32 mm 27 mm 162 mm 0. 38 3431 N 1040 N 360 Kg 1397 mm 601. 3 mm 1780 N 1650 N 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 0 2000 4000 gradabilit y in 1st gear Gradabilit y in 2nd gear Gradabilit y in 3rd gear BRAKING DISTANCE VS SPEED: This shows that the vehicle is capable of climbing a 30 degree slope in 1st gear. This is more than enough for heavy off-road conditions. BRAKES: The criterion of designing the brake system, as stated by the rule book is that, all the wheels must lock simultaneously as the driver presses the brake pedal.Our ATV consists of disc in all the four wheels, as disc brakes are safer, reliable and more effective than drum brakes. Brake circuit used is Independent in order to ensure safety We are using rotors of the same diameter for all the four wheels. Special ATV rotors and wheel calipers have been imported from Taiwan and Tandem Master Cylinder of Maruti 800 is being used. Brass linings and Rubber (flexible) brake hoses are being used in the circuit. A Pro-E model of the brake circuit in the vehicle Brake specifications Force of the driver on the pedal Average circuit pressure Pedal ratio Deceleration 400 N 5. 16 N/sqmm 4:1 5. 5m/sqsec Page | 11 BODY PANELS: The criteria for selecting the material for body panels firewall and belly pan was as follows: ? ? ? ? ? ? Safety of the driver Rulebook constraints Weight of the panels Recyclability of the material used Cost of the material Serviceability of the vehicle INNOVATION: Solenoid Operated Fire Extinguisher The body panels are divided into three parts: Side panels, front bumper and rear panels. For increasing the serviceability of the vehicle, the panels and front bumper have been mounted using easily detachable clips.The materials used for the firewall and belly pan are 1. 5mm thick aluminium alloy sheets, which are both lightweight and 100% recyclable. For body panels, 0. 2mm thick sheet metal is used. It is also 100% recyclable. We have decided to i ncorporate following safety features in our vehicle: 1. All disc brakes with cross circuit. 2. Corrosion resistant stainless steel bolts with nylon lock nuts for all fastenings. 3. 2 fire extinguishers 4. First aid kit 5. Spill guard and splash shield for fuel tank 6. Four point harness seat belts. 7. Wide open throttle stop at the pedal. . Reverse alarm and brake lights. 9. Two 01-171 Ski-Doo kill switches. 10. Steering stop at the wheels. 11. Rear view mirrors. 12. Ignition switch for engine, apart from pull start. 13. Electronic operated fire extinguisher. 14. Seat belt engine kill system 15. Driver emergency communication system This novel kind of fire extinguisher arrangement is operated electronically through a solenoid valve. In case of fire the valve is opened by a manually operated button and a jet of CO2 is released in the engine compartment through various angles.This effectively extinguishes fire in the engine compartment and stops it’s further propagation. Seat B elt Engine Kill System: This system is designed such that the driver will not be able to start the car until he engages his seat belt. The seat belt acts as a switch to operate the relay connected to the engine kill wire. When the seat belt is disconnected, the engine kill wire is grounded. Thus, the car cannot be started. As the seat belt is engaged, relay operates, and the engine kill wire circuit is now open enabling the driver to start the COMMUNICATION SYSTEMPURPOSE: †¢ This is a two way communication system wherein messages and signals can be transmitted from the pit to the driver and vice versa. FEATURES: †¢ The system uses two microcontroller based Arduino boards fitted with an ZIGbee communication module. Page | 12 †¢ It is a transceiver. The signals are sent and received with the help of color coded Push Buttons and LEDs. The actual tested system arrangement is shown in figure. †¢ BILL OF MATERIALS: All the parts of the ATV are classified into eleven bl ocks and are given a unique ten digit part number.The cost of procurement of the part or the material is mentioned and all the machining operations are stated clearly. The spread sheet calculates the cost of machining also. Finally, the sub total of the procurement cost and the machining cost is obtained which helps in grand total of the costs. The BOM gives the level of hierarchy to each part. Sub-Division Engine Transmission Brakes Steering Suspension Wheels Electricals Body Chassis Fasteners Safety Grand Total Cost(in INR) 17000. 00 16800. 00 6928. 00 4457. 00 29954. 00 40308. 00 7940. 00 5340. 00 16240. 00 1346. 00 8272. 00 154585. 00 Page | 13ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND REFERENCES ? ? BAJA SAEINDIAINDIA Rulebook. ASIA 2010 Gillespie, Thomas D. , Fundamental of vehicle dynamics, SAEINDIAINDIA publication ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Body-space Anthropometry, Ergonomics and Design† by Stephen Pheasant. Automotive Engineering Fundamentals by â€Å"Richard Stone and Jeffery K. Ball† Th e Multi body Systems Approach to Vehicle Dynamics by â€Å"Mike Blundell and Demian Harty† Theory of Machines by â€Å"S S Ratan† Automobile Mechanics by â€Å"N. K. Giri† Machine Design by â€Å"R. S. Khurmi† Strength of Material by â€Å"R. K. Rajput† Google. com Howstuffworks. com Wikipedia. org Page | 14

Nursing Socialization Essay

Abstract In this paper you will learn about socialization of nursing and the important role that it plays in staff retention. The goal of business’s that employee nurses are to not only retain staff but to keep them happy and satisfied as well. I have included several examples of how to do this. I have also included examples of the attitudes and values of a well socialized nurse and how this affects not only the nurse herself but her coworkers as well. The importance of a well trained, encouraging preceptor and the role this person plays in staff retention is also discussed. Without the preceptor and her positive role it can be very difficult to retain staff. Employers are constantly looking for new ways to keep staff happy, that is discussed in detail in this paper. New nurse’s often feel overwhelmed and it is the duty of senior nurses to help them feel comfortable and â€Å"part of the family†. Socialization into Nursing Socialization into nursing is a concept that is discussed throughout nursing journals, textbooks, colleges, and amongst nurse’s themselves. It is often discussed in nursing classes and is a concern with each new class of graduates coming out of nursing school in the next phase of their careers. The first year of employment is the most critical for all new graduates. It is exciting and new but can also be intimidating and overwhelming as well. This is a time when new nurses will depend on their senior coworkers more than ever. Socialization to professional nursing is an interactive process that begins in the educational setting and continues throughout one’s nursing career. (Creasia & Friberg, 2011, p. 44) Socialization is defined as the process of making someone ready for a particular societal role. It is described as â€Å"a person acquiring values, skills, behaviors, and norms appropriate to nursing practice†. (Creasia & Friberg, 2011, p. 44) Nurses have to adapt to their changing roles within an organization. Nurses can make choices from a multitude of positions within the nursing profession ranging from jobs at the bedside to research to management. Success is most often achieved when nurses feel competent and are accepted as team members by their colleagues. It is of the utmost importance that the healthcare organization has an organized and effective orientation and preceptor program. It is not only important for the new graduate to be competent, but also to be included amongst the other members of the team. The preceptor should be available to the new nurse to answer questions, guide, and to help the new nurse to integrate herself with the current staff. It is important for the preceptor to be â€Å"nurturing† to the new nurse so they can begin to feel comfortable on the unit (Reising, 2009, p. 22). The preceptor is here to help the new nurse become accepted by others, provide confidence, teach and build confi dence. As a clinical coordinator on a busy oncology unit, I have experienced the difficulty associated with a lack of socialization with new graduate nurses. At times the new nurse feels uncomfortable and excluded. With the new staffing grid (showing a higher patient to nurse ratio) senior staff often feel overwhelmed and â€Å"too busy† to preceptor properly. The preceptor needs to have the time to cultivate and socialize the new nurse into his/her career. If this does not happen the nurse begins to feel unsupported and unwelcome as part of the team. These employees never become included and look for new employment in a short period of time. Socialization can commence with something as simple as checking blood with another nurse or helping the nurse start an IV. It is important for the new nurse to feel that his/her opinion is being heard and matters. All nurses, senior or new, desire to be a valued member of the team. The average new nurse on the Oncology unit is overwhelmed with the demands of caring for a patient that is often in pain, nauseated, needs blood and has numerous other needs. It is important for the new nurse to be supported when learning how to delegate to others. It is vital to the new nurse that the patient care team is ready to assist and offer encouragement. Lack of support can discourage open communication and can cause patient care to suffer. If the work environment does not encourage socialization of the nurse it can lead to high nurse turnover, poor patient outcomes, and excessive cost to the organization to hire and train for vacancies. Retaining new Registered Nurses can be particularly cost effective if preceptor properly and can save an organization from $82,000 to $88,000 per RN (Pellico, Kovner, & Brewer, 2009, para. 3). Socialization is a lifelong process that continues throughout the career of a nurse. As the new nurse progresses they begin to function more independently and reflect upon the changes they feel with their coworkers and preceptor. (Reising, 2009, p. 23) In each different role the socialization of the nurse is a little different. As a bedside nurse, it is important to learn basic tasks and time management, it is vital to focus on patient safety and work as a team member. If the nurse grows and moves up the ranks and assumes a leadership position he/she will try to gain support of peers and subordinates. The nurse leader will work to earn respect and learn to engage employees. Each nurse will be socialized based on his/her present job description. As a nurse for over 5 years now and working at the bedside and as a clinical coordinator I have experienced many different levels of socialization. From the first day of nursing school I reached different milestones that prepared me for the culture in healthcare organizations. Orientation prepared me for the interpersonal relationships I would develop and as I gained experience those relationships strengthened. As I grew into my new profession and tried new roles, I began to use my strengths to excel and my confidence increased. I knew what questions to ask and how to answer questions that were asked of me. I began to feel comfortable in my surrounding and knew who I could count on to help me clinically and to lend support. I pride myself in now offering my knowledge to new nurses, to assisting them in feeling welcome and comfortable. I know that I cannot do what I do every day alone. I need coworkers that are willing to work together and know that it is the responsibility of every nurse to embrace the new nurse and give her the support she needs to love her profession. I also remember what I feared as a new nurse and I hope that I can help alleviate those fears as I take an inexperienced caregiver under my wing. Nobody knows what the future holds for your career as an RN. The new nurse that you may have mentored and taught may be teaching you a thing or two in the future. That is the great thing about nursing. Nurses grow and the profession changes. Always be kind to those that need you because chances are you will need them too! References Creasia, J. L., & Friberg, E. E. (2011). Conceptual Foundations (5th ed.). St. Louis, MI: Elsevier Mosby. Pellico, L. H., Kovner, C. T., & Brewer, C. S. (2009, November 2). Moving On, Up, or Out: Changing Work Needs of New RNs at Different Stages of Their Beginning Nursing Practice. The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing. Retrieved from www.nursingworld.org/mainmenucategories/anamarketplace/anaperidocials/OJIN Reising, D. L. (2009). Early Socialization of New Critical Care Nurses. American Journal of Critical Care, 11, 19-26. Retrieved from ajcc.aacnjournals.org

Areas of Specialization in Psychology

Areas of Specialization Number |Subjects of study in psychology |Areas of specialization in |Definition and key points of this |Rationale (reason why you matched |Possible research method of | | | |psychology (match with below |specialization (be sure to use |this subject of study with this |study (experimental, | | | |options) |professional sources) |specialization in psychology) |correlational, observational, | | | | | | |case study, interview) and why | | | | | | |this one may fit the best | |1 |Studying the causes of aggression in |Social |Study of how people behave in |Social Psychology would help |I would say experimental, | | |reaction to others in their environment. | |social environments, study how |explain why someone would become |because it is a preferred way to| | | | |friendships develop, what causes |aggressive in their environment. |study behavior. | | | | |aggression and how prejudices are | | | | | | |formed. Argosy University, 2013) | | | |2 |Studying the pe riod when a newborn child |Developmental |Study of human development. |When a child recognizes their |Naturalistic method because | | |recognizes his or her parent. | |Study factors that shape human |parent would be considered a |really the only way to see when | | | | |behavior from birth to |developmental behavior. |a newborn recognizes their | | | | |death. (Argosy University, 2013) | |parent is to observe them. |3 |Sharing some research about the best |Industrial and organizational |Study of factors that affect |Work place stress would affect |Questionnaire because it can | | |strategies to manage work place stress. | |people in organizations. Identify |performance at the work place, |handle and works well for any | | | | |factors that affect performance. |which would fall under this |large group of people. | | | | |Development of employee skills. |category. | | | | |Job analysis. (Argosy University, | | | | | | |2013) | | | |4 |Determining which chemical or |Neuropsycholo gy |Attempt to study the human brain |Seeing what neurotransmitter |Experimental will help show | | |neurotransmitter might be activated when | |and its impact on human behavior. coffee would affect would have to |cause and effect between | | |people use coffee as a memory or | |Would try to figure out what |do with studying the brain and the|variables | | |performance â€Å"enhancer†. | |chemicals or neurotransmitters |effects of certain chemicals on | | | | | |were responsible for our emotions |chemicals or neurotransmitters | | | | | |or something like anxiety. (Argosy | | | | | |University, 2013) | | | |5 |Reviewing the thought process of someone |Cognitive |Study and work with how each |Seeing how someone has come to |Experimental because it can show| | |who has difficulties remembering things | |individual stores, transforms, |have difficulties long-term would |the cause and effect which may | | |long-term. | |uses and communicates information. |fall under the catego ry of |be beneficial. | | | | |Works with how we remember things |communicating or storing | | | | | |, and how we decide(Argosy |information. | | | | |University, 2013) | | | |6 |Methods to gain possible diagnoses in |Clinical |Work on diagnosis, understanding, |In order to understand and help |Case study because one could | | |efforts to understand emotional problems. | |and treatment of severe emotional |diagnose emotional problems one |gather a lot of information on a| | | | |problems, mental problems, and |would need to study emotional |case to case basis that would | | | | |behavioral problems but have no |problems. aid in understanding emotional | | | | |medical degree. Don’t rely on | |problems based on people’s | | | | |medicine. | |individual experiences | Use these as the possible specializations to use in the above chart: Clinical psychology or Clinical Psychologists Health psychology Biological psychology or Neuropsychologists Developmental psycholo gy Social and personality Cognitive psychology

N Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

N - Assignment Example Like any company, a hospital with medical practitioners operating in a team, can systematically organize their approaches in relating with their patients. In the hospital where I am working, there is yet so much to do to improve the relations of clinical teams and in bridging the healthcare professional’s divide. The hospital also needs to improve its medical facilities, technologies and communication system to achieve integration of its systems. While it can be inferred that the hospital are financially capable of meeting all these needed facilities but an integrated medical services truly require transformational management that can facilitate organizational reforms and improve relations among workers. As practitioners are considered as healthcare team or clinical microsystem teams, thus, they function on their role as to meet the needs of the patient in exchange for values. As such, they work as small staff with shared goal but fundamentally meant to address a patient conce rns. They must therefore be group in a more reasonable fashion instead of grouping them rapidly or in an unplanned manner for an emergent purpose. This is however relatively experienced because in other hospitals, those team that are group rapidly consist of expert or highly trained professional doctors, although they rarely work together. These are medical professionals who are needed in critical events as contingency team. With regard to ‘silos’ status, the hospital where am working has relatively attained that level although not yet completely. True, the hospital has its own pharmacy, laboratory, rehabilitation clinic, ambulatory clinic, maternal delivery and children’s section, but not all of these operate independently from the other. Perhaps, the physicians may have independently hold its office within the hospital as resident physicians; the

Macroeconomics- comparing classical economic theories and keynesian Essay

Macroeconomics- comparing classical economic theories and keynesian economic theories - Essay Example ion, 1930s and General Theory of Employment, Interest & Money, published in 1936 is acknowledged as the best one of his life time efforts (Skousen, 2001). This essay makes an attempt to compare the classical economic theories and Keynesian economic theories. The essay takes a descriptive approach where economic theories of two different periods are compared and contrasted from three angles, namely beliefs, theories and policies. Firstly on the basis of beliefs-Malthus, one of the classical economists believed that, if increase in population was not enough to depress the rate of long term growth it would affect the diminishing returns. And also believed that to ensure growth the government should adopt laissez faire approach which included free trade and free markets. In addition to this, Adam Smith, the Father of Economics who introduced the notion of invisible hand supported the economic activity and led to optimum equilibrium (Stoft, 2002). They also viewed if there is disequilibrium between leakages and injections then the price would adjust to restore equilibrium. In spite of these beliefs they were not much happy in the initial periods but later they had confident with them that their approaches will lead to success in the market. But all this beliefs were strongly opposed by John Maynard Keynes in his Keynesian theory. He argued that the market will not reach to equilibrium at full employment but woul d reach at any level of unemployment. And also argued that need for government was not essential to interfere in the market to manage level of demand and it was the level of output restored the equilibrium and made the leakages and injections equal through his multiplier effect. Secondly on the basis of theories-the classical economist views that free trades and free markets should be adopted to encourage growth in the market. And the government should handle the situation if there is any imperfection that prevented free workings in the market by using supply

Should Human Embryonic Stem Cells be used in Scientific Research Essay

Should Human Embryonic Stem Cells be used in Scientific Research - Essay Example More than 20 years ago, scientists discovered how to derive stem cells from mouse embryos (NIH 2005), but more recently the potential for using human stem cells has been realized. The use of stem cells in medical research hinges on the fact that stem cells have the potential to differentiate into any of the cell types within the body in response to chemical signals. Theoretically they are able to divide limitlessly until they do become differentiated. Extensive research is being carried out in various parts of the world to determine the specific combination of chemical signals that will induce stem cells to differentiate into brain and nerve tissue as well as an array of organ tissue, including heart, pancreas, and liver. Stem cells are a potential source of an unlimited supply of replacement cells and tissues which can be used in treatments and cures for human diseases, as well as to explore the causes of diseases. For example, stem cells could be induced to differentiate into insulin-producing pancreatic cells which could be used to treat diabetes. This year, a team of researchers at Johns Hopkins University derived embryonic stem cells from mouse embryos, and transplanted these into paralyzed rats (JHMI, June 20, 2006). With the application of a surprisingly small number of cells, the paralysis was entirely cured, and the rats were able to walk again. It goes without saying that regenerating nerve tissue is a remarkable achievement. This research has the potential to be developed into treatments which could substantially increase the quality of life for millions of people suffering from a diverse range of illnesses. According to Douglas Kerr, the neurologist who led the research team, treatments b ased on this research could one day repair the damage done by Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's disease), multiple sclerosis, or traumatic spinal injury. With small adjustments, this approach could effectively treat Parkinson's disease and Huntington's disease. The human embryos used in the first successful attempts to isolate stem cells for laboratory use were derived from unneeded in vitro fertilization procedures (NIH 2005), and were used with the informed consent of the donor. However, as stem cell research has become more popular and the potential for it has been more fully realized, the need for consistent sources of cells has become more apparent, and this need has become a hotly-debated source of contention. In the United States, for example, there has been considerable debate over the past five years as to whether the government should fund research using frozen human embryos which are stored by in vitro fertilization clinics. Embryos used in such research would be approximately five days old (Associated Press, 2006) and would be destroyed in the research process. Opposition to the use of Human Embryonic Stem Cells on Religious Grounds Opposition of the use of human embryonic stem ce

Childlink Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Childlink - Essay Example Yet, sometime despite our best efforts, children and even the parents fall further into social problems with crime, substance abuse, and destructive behavior. This creates questions of how to moderate social crisis in families, and relates to the professional development of my career in counseling and social work. Findings, or discussion: The basis for most foster care placements are deterioration of the family structure through crime, substance abuse, domestic violence, and poverty as they combine to create a situation where a child may be taken from his or her birth family to a safer environment under the auspices of Child Protection Services, a court order, or a recommendation from social welfare. The psychological effects of these family traumas may affect all involved in a profound, life-changing manner, hurting the children the worst in learning how to process emotions born out of abusive or abnormal patterns of family behavior. Because of this, I decided to do a literature rev iew of academic sources in psychology and sociology relating to the foster care experience as it is reported from all of the different perspectives in the relationship, including: the child, the birth family, the foster family, the counselor, social services, and the legal or judicial aspects of the process. In reading the academic literature related to psychology, for example, I became interested in child development stages and also the patterns or reactions of the children as they developed through different responses to the alienating situation. I began to realize that some of the children naturally reacted passively to the situation, and that they were apt to close up emotionally more often when confronted with confusion or emotionally charged situations. Conversely, others were always active and aggressive and more apt to resist violently or irrationally when confronted with conflict. The recognitions of patterns of introversion and extroversion led me to the conclusion that di fferent approaches should be prepared in advance to address the needs of the children uniquely, for example introducing activities to calm or moderate the behavior of the active children while attempting to stimulate a more positive response from the withdrawn children. I feel that further research on this topic can lead to a better understanding of what a counselor needs to do in order to recognize signs in individuals and introduce treatment through unique diagnosis of the psychological issues and personality types underlying the individual cases. The same approach can also be taken with regard to family members who are displaying outward signs of substance abuse, or alcoholism. These two combined are the usual gateway to family destruction, especially when intersecting with the prison justice system. The roots of substance abuse in theory are important to academic research for my work at Childlink and also for further progress in the field of social work and counseling. Substance abuse and alcoholism are the most common problems that lead to the further domestic violence, criminal behavior, and deterioration of the family structure that tragically results in foster care. The question of treatment and recovery for those suffering from long term or chronic alcoholism and drug abuse is an important part of my research at Childlink, as they relate as a key cause to the social and personal breakdowns that create the family

The Methods of Anthropological Demography Assignment

The Methods of Anthropological Demography - Assignment Example On that note, the morning hours were most convenient. This implied that the study was to be performed during the morning session, from around eight o’clock to around one o’clock. The identification of this study period was based on the study patterns exhibited by the population. The students preferred to perform their study during the morning session and take a break by midday as they head for their midday meals. The senior populations also exhibited a preference of performing their study either in the morning or by the course of the day, especially from ten o’clock to twelve o’clock. The flow of traffic into the library facility offered a convenient opportunity to observe elements such as dress codes of the visiting members while a visit in the facility assisted in the identification of the rest of the behaviour. The evening session also provided an opportunity to study the behavioural patterns of the same population in the non-formal hours. WhoThe observ ation was based on the behaviours of the learning population who spend a significant proportion of their time in the facility. The observation focused on their mode of dressing of all the attendants of the facility. A comparison on the anticipated contrasts can be fetched from the variation of the population that will be visiting the facility. This ranges from the staff to the library attendants. Subsequently, the staff will vary from the staff assigned to ensure efficient flow of information across the facility and the staff assigned to ensure.... exhibited a preference of performing their study either in the morning or by the course of the day, especially from ten o’clock to twelve o’clock. The flow of traffic into the library facility offered a convenient opportunity to observe elements such as dress codes of the visiting members while a visit in the facility assisted in the identification of the rest of the behaviour. The evening session also provided an opportunity to study the behavioural patterns of the same population in the non-formal hours. Who The observation was based on the behaviours of the learning population who spend a significant proportion of their time in the facility. The observation focused on their mode of dressing of all the attendants of the facility. A comparison on the anticipated contrasts can be fetched from the variation of the population that will be visiting the facility. This ranges from the staff to the library attendants. Subsequently, the staff will vary from the staff assigned to ensure efficient flow of information across the facility and the staff assigned to ensure there exists a convenient platform for studies. Others will include, the staff who are assigned with the maintenance of the resources in the facility, as well as supplementary services. In a simplified model, these differences can be categorized as being exhibited between the employees and visitors of the facilities. With respect to the dressing code for the visitors, aspects such as a mode of logistic would be utilized to ensure their presence or access to the facility will contribute to their dressing. Those who walked would rarely compare to those who drove to the facility. Subsequently, the nature of the task that they intend to perform at the facility will determine the load that they will carry. This

Hewlett packered Strategic Choices mgt 499 Essay

Hewlett packered Strategic Choices mgt 499 - Essay Example This report aims at understanding and analysing what changes Hurd has made to organisation and how it fits in with his vision for the company (HP, 2008). When Hurd was elected as the CEO of the Hewlett Packard, he also brought about a new vision for the company. He did not concentrate on the competition that the company faces. Hurd has a strong belief which he said out in one of the meeting, where he mentioned that it is important to understand how long it might take for a company to ensure the work is done. He has always believed that HP has a very high potential to improve a lot and that a few changes will help the company grow to higher levels of success. This he has been able to achieve and show in the results. Once Mark was appointed it was within five months that the company started showing improvements. He emphasised on the no ‘Drama’ nonsense and it was felt through out the organisation. Hurd brought in a strict environment of ‘No – nonsense’ which has created a strong impact over the entire organisation. Hurd has shown the importance he gives to the company performance and has been a person who believes in numbers, spreadsheets and mainly execution. He has proved in his traits that he would not tolerate any nonsense and did not believe in pitching high visions for the company. Hurd has during the first five months of his tenure tried to calm things down in the company. The company has had an idea where the company has some earthshaking event once every 15 minutes. Hurd has tried to ensure this is firstly settled as it is not clear where this idea has been developed from. Hurd believes in executing and does not bother about what is being spoken or said. Hurd has worked really hard to ensure there is complete accountability for every employee within the organisation. Hurd emphasised that the company is in no way the same old pre – Fiorina HP. Hurd as mentioned earlier is very results

Peace and Conflict Essay Example for Free

Peace and Conflict Essay While the term conflict generally is associated with negative encounters, conflict itself is neither inherently good nor inherently bad. In fact, engaging in conflict can have positive effects on relationships and organizations. Conflict among people, institutions, organizations, nations and in all relationships are a normal, natural and inevitable part of life. In itself, it is to a great extent a necessary tool that enhances development and can be regarded as normal and a prerequisite under certain conditions. In view if this, this paper will labor to clearly examine the conditions in which peace is said to be a normal phenomenon. The term conflict will exhaustively be defined from different school of thoughts and its kinds or types outlined, followed by cited conditions that advocate for the presence of conflict as being normal. Thereafter, a comprehensive conclusion will be drawn from the entire discussion. Conflict can be defined in many ways and can be considered as an expression of hostility, negative attitudes, antagonism, aggression rivalry and misunderstanding. It is associated with situation that involve contradictory or irreconcilable interests between two opposing groups. The term conflict is derived from a Latin word that means to clash or engage in a fight. It is a confrontation between one or more parties aspiring towards incompatible means or ends, Miller (2005). ‘’Conflict is a multi-dimensional social phenomenon which is an integral feature of human existence, essential to the ongoing processes of history, to social change, and transformation,’’ International Alert et al. 1996, 3). Swanstrom and Weissmann (2005) define conflict as being the result of opposing interests involving scarce resources, goal divergence and frustration. This is outside the traditional military sphere and is based on behavioral dimensions. The process begins when one party perceives that another party has negatively affected, or is about to negatively affect, something that the first party holds in great esteem or importance. In the same sense three forms of conflict have been identified. This implies that it has levels to influence namely; Interstate, which is the disputes between nation-states or the violation of the state systems of alliance; Internal conflict, is type of dispute that happens within a given society or part of the given society such as territorial disputes, and civil and ethnic wars; and State-formation, this is the battles over control of government. These are internationally recognized as challenges, which to some extent have been classified as a normal phenomenon as people are heterogeneous in their interests and desires, Wallensteen (2002). Differences in interpretation of the conflict result from different orientations in an effort to resolve and overcome conflicts. One thing that different approaches agree on is that conflicts are essentially clashes among people. These clashes arise from differences of values and interests of opposing parties, those parties being individuals, groups or entire organizations, (Adler, 2002). Conflict also has a positive dimension as normal forms of social interaction which may contribute to the maintenance, development, change and overall stability of social entities. Many social scientists hold that periods of change, be it economic growth or decline, political transitions, or social innovation are associated with conflict. A Dutch scholar by the name of Bonger, believed that theirs is a causal link between conflict and economic and social conditions. Existing institutions come under pressure and may be unable to control or integrate new forces, demands, and collective actors. Change is likely to be uneven and to create a sense of relative deprivation, injustice, and threat among the losers. A recent example is the pressure mounted on the government of Chad in ensuring there is proper accounting procedures in the management of the country’s oil revenue. The activities of these organizations have been both positive and negative. From the positive side, they have been able to curb some of the excesses of governments in many developing countries, (African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes [ACCORD], 2008). Traditional human rights theories seldom took conflict theories to exam the conflicts between different rights and social movements. Under conditions that human rights are violated or a particular class in society feels their rights are not fully being exercised, conflict can be seen as a normal phenomenon. In 1997, the Taiwan feminism movement was separated by the sex worker’s issue. The major feminism groups denied sex could be seen as a right to work, but more tended to see it as a product by exploitation. To those support sex workers, they addressed sex workers have their rights to use sex or body as a work, and even further claimed that sex work is a radical sexual movement, (Ho, 2005). In such a situation, conflict is normal and beneficial as it acts as a podium of debate and its advantages of fostering an awareness of problems that exist and leading to better solutions is clearly seen. Above all the norms of society are readjusted. The more diversified and heterogeneous a society becomes, the greater the probability of more frequent conflict as subgroups who live by their own rules break the rules of other groups (Best, 2004). Conflict is a natural part of relationships. While relationships are sometimes calm and predictable, at other times events and circumstances generate tensions and instability. This phrase suggests that life gives us conflict, and that conflict is a natural part of human experience and relationships. Rather than viewing conflict as a threat, the transformative view sees conflict as a valuable opportunity to grow and increases our understanding of others and ourselves. Conflict helps us stop, assess and take notice. South Africa for example has a multiracial and multiethnic population. â€Å"Blacks constitute 77% of which the Zulu make up 22. % of the overall population,† (ACCORD, 2008, 15). The liberation struggle during the years of white minority rule cemented the Blacks, Asians and coloured people together. The unity forged by the blacks, Asians and colored people under white oppression collapsed when state power was to be competed for by all groups. The conflict of power here is seen as a means of uniting these different groups for the purpose of achieving a common goal, (ibid, 2008). Furthermore, conflicts with some groups bring about fraternity. It maintains and revises the balance of power among antagonists. When conflict breaks out, the former accommodation between the parties involved is rejected, the relative war of each group is tested and a new equilibrium can be established. Such arrangements in the balance of power thwart any one group from being dominant over other groups. As long as their power is continually challenged, members of the ruling group will be blocked from exclusive control of the social system. In most African states where the fight for independence was intense, most ethnic groups worked together to secure independence. Conflict continually creates new norms and modifies old ones. It bringing about situations to which the usual rules do not apply, conflict stimulates the establishment of appropriate guides to action. Moreover, the threat of attack, preparation for war or any hostile challenge from outside can strengthen a group’s solidarity and cohesiveness (Galtung, 1990). Conflict within and between social groups disturbs habits of thought and behavior and creates an atmosphere for innovation and creativity. This is another positive attribute of conflict that can be regarded as normal is that it facilitates the ovement or flow of one generation to the next. This is achieved in that society evolves over a period of time as values and norms of people continue to class and oppose each other within society. The changes may be positive hence benefiting humanity at large though in most cases these benefits are unanticipated and long-term. Finally, Weber contended that it will always exist, regardless of the social, economic, or political nature of society, and that it was functional because of its role in bringing disputes into the open for public debate. Even though individuals and groups enjoying great wealth, prestige, and power have the resources necessary to impose their values on others with fewer resources, Weber viewed the various class divisions in society as normal, inevitable, and acceptable (Curran Renzetti, 2001). However, it must be noted that if conflict is not managed, it pauses a great danger to humanity. If conflict is to be accepted as a normal phenomenon, it has to be managed or resolved quicker and more efficiently than letting it fester. For Mial and Wood House (2001), by conflict resolution, it is expected that the deep rooted sources of conflict are addressed and resolved, and behavior is no longer violent, nor are attitude hostile any longer, while structure of the conflict has been changed. Desmond Tutu, the Anglican Archbishop emeritus of South Africa, is reported to have commented from within the situation of social revolution in South Africa that â€Å"without reconciliation, there is no future† (Wustenberg, 1998, 5). It is therefore now right to conclude that peace is a normal phenomenon but not when it is poorly managed or resolved. Issues such as the rearrangement of the balance of power, readjustment of group norms and the maintenance of group unity have been examined as the product of conflict even though conflict can be destructive in nature. Contemporary understanding of conflict represents a belief that conflict is not only a positive force of one group, but it is also absolutely essential for achievement of the efficiency of the group.

Theories Of Planned Change Management Essay

Theories Of Planned Change Management Essay Most companies today are facing the problem of globalization. An organizational change, refers to the planned change in theory, while Organizational Development (OD), refers to a long-term effort undertaken to improve problem solving capabilities and adapting to changes of the external environment. At a Government Business Conference held in 2007, Jeffrey Lucy AM, Chairman of Australian Securities and Investment Commission gave a speech. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦So, if we were on par with other organizations, well funded to continue doing our job, and our people were committed to our agency goals, one might therefore reasonably ask: Why change anything? In my view, this would be a dangerous way of leading our agency and, while continuing to strive for improvements can be challenging, I believe that our staff agree we must never rest on our past achievementsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. (ASIC 2007) From the above abstract, Chairman Jeffrey is putting forth the message that in order for an organization to attain long-term sustainability, changes and improvements have to be made continuously. THEORIES OF PLANNED CHANGE There are three major organizational change theories being used to help organization members manage change: Lewins change model provides a general framework for understanding organizational change. This involves increasing forces pushing for change while decreasing forces maintaining the current state, producing less tension and resistance to change. Action research model depends on information gathered about the organization to guide subsequent actions. Results are then being evaluated and decided whether new actions are needed. Contemporary approaches to change is adapted from action research model, with the difference being there is a higher level of member involvement in the change process. This involves organization members to learn about their organizations and how to change it. In actual practice, steps in planned change have to be modified or adjusted to suit the different organizations needs and goals. Planned change can be used to solve problems, improve organizations performance, adapt to external changes especially when coping with unplanned changes and also influence future changes. It is of utmost importance to bring about more effective organizations. FORCES FOR CHANGE Two major forces affects change in an organization. First, external forces comprising of changing market trends, new competitive entrants and improved technologies. Next, internal forces comprising of change of leadership beliefs and culture. These two forces will cause an organization to change in order for the organization to remain competitive. CHANGE LEADERS In order for an organization to implement changes, Organizational Development (OD) practitioners, also known as change agents, have to be hired or trained. OD practitioners refer to at least three kinds of people. First, people who may be internal or external consultants offering professional and specialized services to organization clients. This group of people specializes in OD as a profession. Second, OD practitioner refers to people who do not have specialized training related to OD. These professionals gain competence in OD from working with OD professionals, and applying in their own respective specialized fields of work. Third, OD practitioner refers to managers or administrators who have gained OD competence by working with OD professionals in actual change programs. In organizations, OD professionals who have been selected and empowered to make changes are known as change leaders for the organization. These leaders are further divided into internal consultants, people who are members of the organization, and external consultants, people who are not members of the client organization. EFFECTS ON DIFFERENT STAGES OF CHANGE Organizations hire both internal and external change leaders for their different expertise, specialization and influences at the different levels of change. Further elaboration would be done below at stage levels to understand their roles and impact. First, at the entering stage, internal change leaders have an advantage as they have access to ready clients and relationships of clients have been built. They know the organizations goals and problems faced, and have direct access to different information of the organization. This allows more efficient and smoother entry. Whereas external change leaders would need to spend more time obtaining data and information of the organization. Second, at the contracting stage, internal change leaders have informal contracts and have lesser worry about expenses, but they must complete projects assigned to them. Whereas external change leaders have formal contracts and they can choose whether their skills and specialties matches the organizations goals and needs before agreeing to undertake the assignment. Third, at the diagnosis stage, internal change leaders tend to enjoy a basic level of trust and rapport with most organization members. Whereas external change leaders have to spend more time interacting with the organizations member. But external change leaders enjoy higher status compared to internal change leaders which allows them to investigate more difficult issues and assess the organization more objectively. Fourth, at the intervention stage, both types of change leaders must rely on valid information, making informed decisions, and having commitment internally to ensure success. However, an internal change leader would be overly cautious when making these decisions due to strong ties to the organization and someone with higher authority or power would be able to affect the decisions made. Whereas internal forces would have minimal or no effect on an external change leader. Lastly, at the evaluating stage, internal change leaders can see change being implemented and take form. This allows them to make minor adjustments along the way as they have worked alongside professional OD practitioners and gained needed experience as mentioned in the beginning of change leaders. Whereas external change leaders seldom see long term results, meaning if adjustments need to be made along the way while the change is taking place, they are usually no longer available. CASE STUDY The following case highlights the need for external change leaders and their expertise: The Blue Group, founded in 2002, by Ruby Lampard and Robin Sinclair, helps clients develop and maintain long-term profitable relationships through up selling and retention strategies. When Ruby and Robin first started, they did not have any idea regarding the types of clients they wanted to work with and the type of work they wanted to do. This led to random projects being accepted, resulting in long working hours clocked with minimal returns. After a year and a half, Ruby and Robin decided to seek help with an external consultant, who led them to plan and work for larger clients with long-term potential. Even though both Ruby and Robin were creative people, they still need the expertise of an external consultant. The external change leader understands the external environment better regarding market shifts, different competitors and technologies available. Whereas Ruby and Robin were able to act as internal change leaders regarding the planning, organizing and controlling side for the change to take place. The external and internal change leaders were then able to come up with a strategy and structure for the organization. This resulted in a change of values with how Ruby and Robin worked. They were able to reap better rewards and management practices and structures were changed allowing them to hire workers which they didnt dared to in the beginning. CONCLUSION Therefore, an organization cannot rely solely on an internal or external change leader to reinforce and implement changes. A mixture of both would be needed to bring about changes as they each possess different types of knowledge and skills, forming an internal-external consulting team. Internal change leaders can provide inside knowledge regarding the organization and allow external change leaders to be accepted easily. Internal change leaders would also be able to maintain in constant contact with clients. Whereas external change leaders would be able to combine their special expertise, vast experiences and objectivity with internal change leaders. External change leaders can also help train organizations and their counterparts, hence transferring OD knowledge and skills to the organization. A balance needs to be struck in everything done. Since the opportunities an organization faces is huge and business markets are vast, organizations need to rely on not individual, but groups of people who are able to complement each other with their knowledge, continuous feedbacks and commitment to learn from one another, hence making it more effective than individuals working alone. If internal and external change leaders are not able to work together, they would be less effective than consultants working alone.

Waiting for Godot and The House of Bernarda Alba Essay -- Waiting For

In the plays Waiting for Godot and The House of Bernarda Alba, life and death are significant concepts. Life is meaningless in Godot as they merely wait until death, whilst Bernarda Alba depicts futility of life without passion, love or freedom. The House of Bernarda Alba, through Adela’s rebellious spirit signifies living a life that is passionate, while in Waiting for Godot Beckett seems to imply that life is meaningless. Whilst Waiting for Godot focuses more on the metaphorical aspect of death, The House of Bernarda Alba takes on the literal death through Adela’s suicide. As playwrights, Lorca and Beckett convey their views on life and death through their works. Beckett portrays a cyclical, boring existence in Waiting for Godot, whilst dramatic action is explicitly evident in Lorca’s The House of Bernarda Alba. Just as their views on life are contrasting, the two playwrights have different views on death as well. This is caused by the major cultural differenc es between the two playwrights. Lorca’s work is set in the Spanish Culture and the Civil War’s social repression, while the views expressed in Beckett's absurdist play is significantly affected by WWII existentialism. Both Beckett and Lorca agree that death is an inevitable occurrence, however they have different views on its significance. Through the characterization of their main characters, the playwrights illuminate their contrasting views on life and death. Through depicting their main characters significant life events, Lorca and Beckett convey their contrasting view on life. Waiting for Godot indicates no purpose for our actions and existence. Reiterating the purposelessness of life, the lives of the character are a repetitive cycle of meaningless conversation an... ...kett conveys his belief that life is merely a waiting period for one's death, in The House of Bernarda Alba, Lorca through Adele's fiery spirit, shows a passionate life. Thus, through the lives of Vladimir, Estragon and Adela the two playwrights' respective views on life were portrayed. The playwrights’ view of death however, is similar, as both view death as a source of change and insignificant event in society. Life and death is a significant theme explored in both Waiting for Godot and The House of Bernarda Alba, and through these plays, the audience inevitably gains new perceptions for life and death. Works Cited Beckett, Samuel. Waiting For Godot. 3rd ed. N.p.: CPI Group, 2006. Print. Vol. 1 of Samuel Beckett: The Complete Dramatic Works. 4 vols Lorca, Federico Garcia. La Casa de Bernarda Alba, Manchester University Press, 1984. Print

Winston Churchill Essay -- essays research papers fc

Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Winston Churchill was one of the most influential people in this century. He held many offices, jobs, and positions that greatly affected the life of the British, and the history of the world. In Blenheim Palace at Woodstock on November 30th, 1874, Winston Churchill was born.1 He grew up as the first child of Lord Randolph Churchill.2 Lord Randolph Churchill held a seat as a member of Parliament and was considered a notable politician.3 Churchill's mother, the former Miss Jennie Jerome, was an American, whose father was a newspaper proprietor.4 Being in politics, Lord Randolph and his family traveled much, and bonded rarely. Winston Churchill was a disappointment to his father in many ways. For these reasons, Winston and his father were never close.5 Since Winston did not spend much time with his parents, a nanny was hired to take care of him and his younger brother.6 Her name was Mrs. Everest and she lived with the Churchill family for many years.7 Winston turned to her for many things and always felt her important role, by showing him affection throughout his life.8 Throughout his childhood, Churchill was described as an untidy, mischievous child. He was sent to boarding school, where he was constantly doing badly in his schoolwork, and also getting into trouble. Even though Churchill did badly in many areas of school, it was noted that he had a phenomenal memory. When he was thirteen he won a prize for reciting 1,200 lines from Macauley's Last Days of Ancient Rome, without a mistake.9 Winston Churchill was an individualist. He disliked team games such as cricket or football. He did however, excel in fencing, which earned him a silver medal in a school competition.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After finishing school, Winston went on to fight in the British Army. He loved head-to-head combat, but rarely saw much of it at this time. He served in many places and with many regimens, but his love for active service never decreased. Throughout his war career Churchill went through many things, such as being captured by Rebel forces in Cuba. Churchill was sent to a POW camp, but after four weeks he managed to succeed in his goal of escaping the prison.10   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  While on duty Churchill sent articles to Newspapers and magazines. To earn money he wrote for the 'Morning Post'... ...sp;  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Microsoft Encarta 98 Encyclopedia 8.)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Bailey, Eva, Churchill ( Landsdowne Place, 1981.)Pg. 8 9.) Bailey, Eva, Churchill ( Landsdowne Place, 1981.)Pg.10 10.) Donovan, Frank. Famous Twentieth Century Leaders (Dodd, Mead & Company. New York, 1964) Pg. 116 11.) Carter, Violet Bonham. Winston Churchill: An Intimate Portrait. Harcourt, Brace & World INC., New York, 1965. 12.) Bailey, Eva, Churchill ( Landsdowne Place, 1981.)Pg.16 13.) Bailey, Eva, Churchill ( Landsdowne Place, 1981.)Pg. 19 14.) 'Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill.'; http://tceplus.com/churchill.htm 15.) Bailey, Eva, Churchill ( Landsdowne Place, 1981.)Pg. 26 16.) Bailey, Eva, Churchill ( Landsdowne Place, 1981.)Pg. 31 17.) Bailey, Eva, Churchill ( Landsdowne Place, 1981.)Pg. 40 18.) Bailey, Eva, Churchill ( Landsdowne Place, 1981.)Pg. 43 Churchill 'talking about what to come in the future'; 19.) Bailey, Eva, Churchill ( Landsdowne Place, 1981.)Pg. 62 20.) Bailey, Eva, Churchill ( Landsdowne Place, 1981.)Pg. 62 21.) Microsoft Encarta 98 Encyclopedia 22.) Bailey, Eva, Churchill ( Landsdowne Place, 1981.)Pg. 65 General de Gaulle, on the death of Churchill.

The Twilight Saga 4: Breaking Dawn 36. Bloodlust

They came with pageantry, with a kind of beauty. They came in a rigid, formal formation. They moved together, but it was not a march; they flowed in perfect synchronicity from the trees – a dark, unbroken shape that seemed to hover a few inches above the white snow, so smooth was the advance. The outer perimeter was gray; the color darkened with each line of bodies until the heart of the formation was deepest black. Every face was cowled, shadowed. The faint brushing sound of their feet was so regular it was like music, a complicated beat that never faltered. At some sign I did not see – or perhaps there was no sign, only millennia of practice – the configuration folded outward. The motion was too stiff, too square to resemble the opening of a flower, though the color suggested that; it was the opening of a fan, graceful but very angular. The gray-cloaked figures spread to the flanks while the darker forms surged precisely forward in the center, each movement closely controlled. Their progress was slow but deliberate, with no hurry, no tension, no anxiety. It was the pace of the invincible. This was almost my old nightmare. The only thing lacking was the gloating desire I'd seen on the faces in my dream – the smiles of vindictive joy. Thus far, the Volturi were too disciplined to show any emotion at all. They also showed no surprise or dismay at the collection of vampires that waited for them here – a collection that looked suddenly disorganized and unprepared in comparison. They showed no surprise at the giant wolf that stood in our midst. I couldn't help counting. There were thirty-two of them. Even if you did not count the two drifting, waifish black-cloaked figures in the very back, who I took to be the wives – their protected position suggesting that they would not be involved in the attack – we were still outnumbered. There were just nineteen of us who would fight, and then seven more to watch as we were destroyed. Even counting the ten wolves, they had us. â€Å"The redcoats are coming, the redcoats are coming,† Garrett muttered mysteriously to himself and then chuckled once. He slid one step closer to Kate. â€Å"They did come,† Vladimir whispered to Stefan. ‘The wives,† Stefan hissed back. ‘The entire guard. All of them together. It's well we didn't try Volterra.† And then, as if their numbers were not enough, while the Volturi slowly and majestically advanced, more vampires began entering the clearing behind them. The faces in this seemingly endless influx of vampires were the antithesis to the Volturi's expressionless discipline – they wore a kaleidoscope of emotions. At first there was the shock and even some anxiety as they saw the unexpected force awaiting them. But that concern passed quickly; they were secure in their overwhelming numbers, secure in their position behind the unstoppable Volturi force. Their features returned to the expression they'd worn before we'd surprised them. It was easy enough to understand their mindset – the faces were that explicit. This was an angry mob, whipped to a frenzy and slavering for justice. I did not fully realize the vampire world's feeling toward the immortal children before I read these faces. It was clear that this motley, disorganized horde – more than forty vampires altogether – was the Volturi's own kind of witness. When we were dead, they would spread the word that the criminals had been eradicated, that the Volturi had acted with nothing but impartiality. Most looked like they hoped for more than just an opportunity to witness – they wanted to help tear and burn. We didn't have a prayer. Even if we could somehow neutralize the Volturi's advantages, they could still bury us in bodies. Even if we killed Demetri, Jacob would not be able to outrun this. I could feel it as the same comprehension sunk in around me. Despair weighted the air, pushing me down with more pressure than before. One vampire in the opposing force did not seem to belong to either party; I recognized Irina as she hesitated in between the two companies, her expression unique among the others. Irina's horrified gaze was locked on Tanya's position in the front line. Edward snarled, a very low but fervent sound. â€Å"Alistairwas right,† he murmured to Carlisle. I watched Carlisle glance at Edward questioningly. â€Å"Alistair was right?† Tanya whispered. ‘They – Caius and Aro – come to destroy and acquire,† Edward breathed almost silently back; only our side could hear. â€Å"They have many layers of strategy already in place. If Irina's accusation had somehow proven to be false, they were committed to find another reason to take offense. But they can see Renesmee now, so they are perfectly sanguine about their course. We could still attempt to defend against their other contrived charges, but first they have to stop, to hear the truth about Renesmee.† Then, even lower. â€Å"Which they have no intention of doing.† Jacob gave a strange little huff. And then, unexpectedly, two seconds later, the procession did halt. The low music of perfectly synchronized movements turned to silence. The flawless discipline remained unbroken; the Volturi froze into absolute stillness as one. They stood about a hundred yards away from us. Behind me, to the sides, I heard the beating of large hearts, closer than before. I risked glances to the left and the right from the corners of my eyes to see what had stopped the Volturi advance. The wolves had joined us. On either side of our uneven line, the wolves branched out in long, bordering arms. I only spared a fraction of a second to note that there were more than ten wolves, to recognize the wolves I knew and the ones I'd never seen before. There were sixteen of them spaced evenly around us – seventeen total, counting Jacob. It was clear from their heights and oversized paws that the newcomers all were very, very young. I supposed I should have foreseen this. With so many vampires encamped in the neighborhood, a werewolf population explosion was inevitable. More children dying. I wondered why Sam had allowed this, and then I realized he had no other choice. If any of the wolves stood with us, the Volturi would be sure to search out the rest. They had gambled their entire species on this stand. And we were going to lose. Abruptly, I was furious. Beyond furious, I was murderously enraged. My hopeless despair vanished entirely. A faint reddish glow highlighted the dark figures in front of me, and all I wanted in that moment was the chance to sink my teeth into them, to rip their limbs from their bodies and pile them for burning. I was so maddened I could have danced around the pyre where they roasted alive; I would have laughed while their ashes smoldered. My lips curved back automatically, and a low, fierce snarl tore up my throat from the pit of my stomach. I realized the corners of my mouth were turned up in a smile. Beside me, Zafrina and Senna echoed my hushed growl. Edward squeezed the hand he still held, cautioning me. The shadowed Volturi faces were still expressionless for the most part. Only two sets of eyes betrayed any emotion at all. In the very center, touching hands, Aro and Caius had paused to evaluate, and the entire guard had paused with them, waiting for the order to kill. The two did not look at each other, but it was obvious that they were communicating. Marcus, though touching Aro's other hand, did not seem part of the conversation. His expression was not as mindless as the guards', but it was nearly as blank. Like the one other time I'd seen him, he appeared to be utterly bored. The bodies of the VolturFs witnesses leaned toward us, their eyes fixed furiously on Renesmee and me, but they stayed near the fringe of the forest, leaving a wide berth between themselves and the Volturi soldiers. Only Irina hovered close behind the Volturi, just a few paces away from the ancient females – both fair-haired with powdery skin and filmed eyes – and their two massive bodyguards. There was a woman in one of the darker gray cloaks just behind Aro. I couldn't be sure, but it looked like she might actually be touching his back. Was this the other shield, Renata? I wondered, as Eleazar had, if she would be able to repel me. But I would not waste my life trying to get to Caius or Aro. I had more vital targets. I searched the line for them now and had no difficulty picking out the two petite, deep gray cloaks near the heart of the arrangement. Alec and Jane, easily the smallest members of the guard, stood just to Marcus's side, flanked by Demetri on the other. Their lovely faces were smooth, giving nothing away; they wore the darkest cloaks beside the pure black of the ancients. The witch twins, Vladimir had called them. Their powers were the cornerstone of the Volturi offensive. The jewels in Aro's collection. My muscles flexed, and venom welled in my mouth. Aro's and Caius's clouded red eyes flickered across our line. I read disappointment in Aro's face as his gaze roved over our faces again and again, looking for one that was missing. Chagrin tightened his lips. In that moment, I was nothing but grateful that Alice had run. As the pause lengthened, I heard Edward's breath speed. â€Å"Edward?† Carlisle asked, low and anxious. ‘They're not sure how to proceed. They're weighing options, choosing key targets – me, of course, you, Eleazar, Tanya. Marcus is reading the strength of our ties to each other, looking for weak points. The Romanians' presence irritates them. They're worried about the faces they don't recognize – Zafrina and Senna in particular – and the wolves, naturally. They've never been outnumbered before. That's what stopped them.† â€Å"Outnumbered?† Tanya whispered incredulously. â€Å"They don't count their witnesses,† Edward breathed. â€Å"They are nonentities, meaningless to the guard. Aro just enjoys an audience.† â€Å"Should I speak?† Carlisle asked. Edward hesitated, then nodded. â€Å"This is the only chance you'll get.† Carlisle squared his shoulders and paced several steps ahead of our defensive line. I hated to see him alone, unprotected. He spread his arms, holding his palms up as if in greeting. â€Å"Aro, my old friend. It's been centuries.† The white clearing was dead silent for a long moment. I could feel the tension rolling off Edward as he listened to Aro's assessment of Carlisle's words. The strain mounted as the seconds ticked by. And then Aro stepped forward out of the center of the Volturi formation. The shield, Renata, moved with him as if the tips of her fingers were sewn to his robe. For the first time, the Volturi ranks reacted. A muttered grumble rolled through the line, eyebrows lowered into scowls, lips curled back from teeth. A few of the guard leaned forward into a crouch. Aro held one hand up toward them. â€Å"Peace.† He walked just a few paces more, then cocked his head to one side. His milky eyes glinted with curiosity. â€Å"Fair words, Carlisle,† he breathed in his thin, wispy voice. â€Å"They seem out of place, considering the army you've assembled to kill me, and to kill my dear ones.† Carlisle shook his head and stretched his right hand forward as if there were not still almost a hundred yards between them. â€Å"You have but to touch my hand to know that was never my intent.† Aro's shrewd eyes narrowed. â€Å"But how can your intent possibly matter, dear Carlisle, in the face of what you have done?† He frowned, and a shadow of sadness crossed his features – whether it was genuine or not, I could not tell. â€Å"I have not committed the crime you are here to punish me for.† â€Å"Then step aside and let us punish those responsible. Truly, Carlisle, nothing would please me more than to preserve your life today.† â€Å"No one has broken the law, Aro. Let me explain.† Again, Carlisle offered his hand. Before Aro could answer, Caius drifted swiftly forward to Aro's side. â€Å"So many pointless rules, so many unnecessary laws you create for yourself, Carlisle,† the white-haired ancient hissed. â€Å"How is it possible that you defend the breaking of one that truly matters?† â€Å"The law is not broken. If you would listen – â€Å" â€Å"We see the child, Carlisle,† Caius snarled. â€Å"Do not treat us as fools.† â€Å"She is not an immortal. She is not a vampire. I can easily prove this with just a few moments – â€Å" Caius cut him off. â€Å"If she is not one of the forbidden, then why have you massed a battalion to protect her?† â€Å"Witnesses, Caius, just as you have brought.† Carlisle gestured to the angry horde at the edge of the woods; some of them growled in response. â€Å"Any one of these friends can tell you the truth about the child. Or you could just look at her, Caius. See the flush of human blood in her cheeks.† â€Å"Artifice!† Caius snapped. â€Å"Where is the informer? Let her come forward!† He craned his neck around until he spotted Irina lingering behind the wives. â€Å"You! Come!† Irina stared at him uncomprehendingly, her face like that of someone who has not entirely awakened from a hideous nightmare. Impatiently, Caius snapped his fingers. One of the wives' huge bodyguards moved to Irina's side and prodded her roughly in the back. Irina blinked twice and then walked slowly toward Caius in a daze. She stopped several yards short, her eyes still on her sisters. Caius closed the distance between them and slapped her across the face. It couldn't have hurt, but there was something terribly degrading about the action. It was like watching someone kick a dog. Tanya and Kate hissed in synchronization. Irina's body went rigid and her eyes finally focused on Caius. He pointed one clawed finger at Renesmee, where she clung to my back, her fingers still tangled in Jacob's fur. Caius turned entirely red in my furious view. A growl rumbled through Jacob's chest. â€Å"This is the child you saw?† Caius demanded. â€Å"The one that was obviously more than human?† Irina peered at us, examining Renesmee for the first time since entering the clearing. Her head tilted to the side, confusion crossed her features. â€Å"Well?† Caius snarled. â€Å"I†¦ I'm not sure,† she said, her tone perplexed. Caius's hand twitched as if he wanted to slap her again. â€Å"What do you mean?† he said in a steely whisper. â€Å"She's not the same, but I think it's the same child. What I mean is, she's changed. This child is bigger than the one I saw, but – â€Å" Caius's furious gasp crackled through his suddenly bared teeth, and Irina broke off without finishing. Aro flitted to Caius's side and put a restraining hand on his shoulder. â€Å"Be composed, brother. We have time to sort this out. No need to be hasty.† With a sullen expression, Caius turned his back on Irina. â€Å"Now, sweetling,† Aro said in a warm, sugary murmur. â€Å"Show me what you're trying to say.† He held his hand out to the bewildered vampire. Uncertainly, Irina took his hand. He held hers for only five seconds. â€Å"You see, Caius?† he said. â€Å"It's a simple matter to get what we need.† Caius didn't answer him. From the corner of his eye, Aro glanced once at his audience, his mob, and then turned back to Carlisle. â€Å"And so we have a mystery on our hands, it seems. It would appear the child has grown. Yet Irina's first memory was clearly that of an immortal child. Curious.† â€Å"That's exactly what I'm trying to explain,† Carlisle said, and from the change in his voice, I could guess at his relief. This was the pause we had pinned all our nebulous hopeson. I feltno relief. I waited, almost numb with rage, for the layers of strategy Edward had promised. Carlisle held out his hand again. Aro hesitated for a moment. â€Å"I would rather have the explanation from someone more central to the story, my friend. Am I wrong to assume that this breach was not of your making?† â€Å"Therewas no breach.† â€Å"Be that as it may, I will have every facet of the truth.† Aro's feathery voice hardened. â€Å"And the best way to get that is to have the evidence directly from your talented son.† He inclined his head in Edward's direction. â€Å"As the child clings to his newborn mate, I'm assuming Edward is involved.† Of course he wanted Edward. Once he could see into Edward's mind, he would know all our thoughts. Except mine. Edward turned to quickly kiss my forehead and Renesmee's, not meeting my eyes. Then he strode across the snowy field, clapping Carlisle on the shoulder as he passed. I heard a low whimper from behind me – Esme's terror breaking through. The red haze I saw around the Volturi army flamed brighter than before, i could not bear to watch Edward cross the empty white spacealone – but I alsocould not endure to have Renesmee one step closer to our adversaries. The opposing needs tore at me; I was frozen so tightly it felt like my bones might shatter from the pressure of it. I saw Jane smile as Edward crossed the midpoint in the distance between us, when he was closer to them than he was to us. That smug little smile did it. My fury peaked, higher even than the raging bloodlust I'd felt the moment the wolves had committed to this doomed fight. I could taste madness on my tongue – I felt it flow through me like a tidal wave of pure power. My muscles tightened, and I acted automatically. I threw my shield with all the force in my mind, flung it across the impossible expanse of the field – ten times my best distance – like a javelin. My breath rushed out in a huff with the exertion. The shield blew out from me in a bubble of sheer energy, a mushroom cloud of liquid steel. It pulsed like alivingthing – I could feel it, from the apex to the edges. There was no recoil to the elastic fabric now; in that instant of raw force, I saw that the backlash I'd felt before was of my own making – I had been clinging to that invisible part of me in self-defense, subconsciously unwilling to let it go. Now I set it free, and my shield exploded a good fifty yards out from me effortlessly, taking only a fraction of my concentration. I could feel it flex like just another muscle, obedient to my will. I pushed it, shaped it to a long, pointed oval. Everything underneath the flexible iron shield was suddenly a part of me – I could feel the life force of everything it covered like points of bright heat, dazzling sparks of light surrounding me. I thrust the shield forward the length of the clearing, and exhaled in relief when I felt Edward's brilliant light within my protection. I held there, contracting this new muscle so that it closely surrounded Edward, a thin but unbreakable sheet between his body and our enemies. Barely a second had passed. Edward was still walking to Aro. Everything had changed absolutely, but no one had noticed the explosion except for me. A startled laugh burst through my lips. I felt the others glancing at me and saw Jacob's big black eye roll down to stare at me like I'd lost my mind. Edward stopped a few steps away from Aro, and I realized with some chagrin that though I certainly could, I should not prevent this exchange from happening. This was the point of all our preparations: getting Aro to hear our side of the story. It was almost physically painful to do it, but reluctantly I pulled my shield back and left Edward exposed again. The laughing mood had vanished. I focused totally on Edward, ready to shield him instantly if something went wrong. Edward's chin came up arrogantly, and he held his hand out to Aro as if he were conferring a great honor. Aro seemed only delighted with his attitude, but his delight was not universal. Renata fluttered nervously in Aro:s shadow. Caius's scowl was so deep it looked like his papery, translucent skin would crease permanently. Little Jane showed her teeth, and beside her Alec's eyes narrowed in concentration. I guessed that he was ready, like me, to act at a second's notice. Aro closed the distance without pause – and really, what did he have to fear? The hulking shadows of the lighter gray cloaks – the brawny fighters like Felix – were but a few yards away. Jane and her burning gift could throw Edward on the ground, writhing in agony. Alec could blind and deafen him before he could take a step in Aro's direction. No one knew that I had the power to stop them, not even Edward. With an untroubled smile, Aro took Edward's hand. His eyes snapped shut at once, and then his shoulders hunched under the onslaught of information. Every secret thought, every strategy, every insight – everything Edward had heard in the minds around him during the last month – was now Aro's. And further back – every vision of Alice's, every quiet moment with our family, every picture in Renesmee's head, every kiss, every touch between Edward and me†¦ All of that was Aro's now, too. I hissed with frustration, and the shield roiled with my irritation, shifting its shape and contracting around our side. â€Å"Easy, Bella,† Zafrina whispered to me. I clenched my teeth together. Aro continued to concentrate on Edward's memories. Edward's head bowed, too, the muscles in his neck locking tight as he read back again everything that Aro took from him, and Aro's response to it all. This two-way but unequal conversation continued long enough that even the guard grew uneasy. Low murmurs ran through the line until Caius barked a sharp order for silence. Jane was edging forward like she couldn't help herself, and Renata's face was rigid with distress. For a moment, I examined this powerful shield that seemed so panicky and weak; though she was useful to Aro, I could tell she was no warrior. It was not her job to fight but to protect. There was no bloodlust in her. Raw as I was, I knew that if this were between her and me, I would obliterate her. I refocused as Aro straightened, his eyes flashing open, their expression awed and wary. He did not release Edward's hand. Edward's muscles loosened ever so slightly. â€Å"You see?† Edward asked, his velvet voice calm. â€Å"Yes, I see, indeed,† Aro agreed, and amazingly, he sounded almost amused. â€Å"I doubt whether any two among gods or mortals have ever seen quite so clearly.† The disciplined faces of the guard showed the same disbelief I felt. â€Å"You have given me much to ponder, young friend,† Aro continued. â€Å"Much more than I expected.† Still he did not release Edward's hand, and Edward's tense stance was that of one who listens. Edward didn't answer. â€Å"May I meet her?† Aro asked – almost pleaded – with sudden eager interest. â€Å"I never dreamed of the existence of such a thing in all my centuries. What an addition to our histories!† â€Å"What is this about, Aro?† Caius snapped before Edward could answer. Just the question had me pulling Renesmee around into my arms, cradling her protectively against my chest. â€Å"Something you've never dreamed of, my practical friend. Take a moment to ponder, for the justice we intended to deliver no longer applies.† Caius hissed in surprise at his words. â€Å"Peace, brother,† Aro cautioned soothingly. This should have been good news – these were the words we'd been hoping for, the reprieve we'd never really thought possible. Aro had listened to the truth. Aro had admitted that the law had not been broken. But my eyes were riveted on Edward, and I saw the muscles in his back tighten. I replayed in my head Aro's instruction for Caius to ponder, and heard the double meaning. â€Å"Will you introduce me to your daughter?† Aro asked Edward again. Caius was not the only one who hissed at this new revelation. Edward nodded reluctantly. And yet, Renesmee had won over so many others. Aro always seemed the leader of the ancients. If he were on her side, could the others act against us? Aro still gripped Edward's hand, and he now answered a question that the rest of us had not heard. â€Å"I think a compromise on this one point is certainly acceptable, under the circumstance. We will meet in the middle.† Aro released his hand. Edward turned back toward us, and Aro joined him, throwing one arm casually over Edward's shoulder like they were the best of friends – all the while maintaining contact with Edward's skin. They began to cross the field back to our side. The entire guard fell into step behind them. Aro raised a hand negligently without looking at them. â€Å"Hold, my dear ones. Truly, they mean us no harm if we are peaceable.† The guard reacted to this more openly than before, with snarls and hisses of protest, but held their position. Renata, clinging closer to Aro than ever, whimpered in anxiety. â€Å"Master,† she whispered. â€Å"Don't fret, my love,† he responded. â€Å"All is well.† â€Å"Perhaps you should bring a few members of your guard with us,† Edward suggested. â€Å"It will make them more comfortable.† Aro nodded as if this was a wise observation he should have thought of himself. He snapped his fingers twice. â€Å"Felix, Demetri.† The two vampires were at his side instantaneously, looking precisely the same as the last time I'd met them. Both were tall and dark-haired, Demetri hard and lean as the blade of a sword, Felix hulking and menacing as an iron-spiked cudgel. The five of them stopped in the middle of the snowy field. â€Å"Bella,† Edward called. â€Å"Bring Renesmee†¦ and a few friends.† I took a deep breath. My body was tight with opposition. The idea of taking Renesmee into the center of the conflict†¦ But I trusted Edward. He would know if Aro was planning any treachery at this point. Aro had three protectors on his side of the summit, so I would bring two with me. It took me only a second to decide. â€Å"Jacob? Emmett?† I asked quietly. Emmett, because he would be dying to go. Jacob, because he wouldn't be able to bear being left behind. Both nodded. Emmett grinned. I crossed the field with them flanking me. I heard another rumble from the guard as they saw my choices – clearly, they did not trust the werewolf. Aro lifted his hand, waving away their protest again. â€Å"Interesting company you keep,† Demetri murmured to Edward. Edward didn't respond, but a low growl slipped through Jacob's teeth. We stopped a few yards from Aro. Edward ducked under Aro's arm and quickly joined us, taking my hand. For a moment we faced each other in silence. Then Felix greeted me in a low aside. â€Å"Hello again, Bella.† He grinned cockily while still tracking Jacob's every twitch with his peripheral vision. I smiled wryly at the mountainous vampire. â€Å"Hey, Felix.† Felix chuckled. â€Å"You look good. Immortality suits you.† â€Å"Thanks so much.† â€Å"You're welcome. It's too bad †¦Ã¢â‚¬  He let his comment trail off into silence, but I didn't need Edward's gift to imagine the end. It's too bad were going to kill you in a sec. â€Å"Yes, too bad, isn't it?† I murmured. Felix winked. Aro paid no attention to our exchange. He leaned his head to one side, fascinated. â€Å"I hear her strange heart,† he murmured with an almost musical lilt to his words. â€Å"I smell her strange scent.† Then his hazy eyes shifted to me. â€Å"In truth, young Bella, immortality does become you most extraordinarily,† he said. â€Å"It is as if you were designed for this life.† I nodded once in acknowledgment of his flattery. â€Å"You liked my gift?† he asked, eyeing the pendant I wore. â€Å"It's beautiful, and very, very generous of you. Thank you. I probably should have sent a note.† Aro laughed delightedly. â€Å"It's just a little something I had lying around. I thought it might complement your new face, and so it does.† I heard a little hiss from the center of the Volturi line. I glanced over Aro's shoulder. Hmm. It seemed Jane wasn't happy about the fact that Aro had given me a present. Aro cleared his throat to reclaim my attention. â€Å"May I greet your daughter, lovely Bella?† he asked sweetly. This was what we'd hoped for, I reminded myself. Fighting the urge to take Renesmee and run for it, I walked two slow steps forward. My shield rippled out behind me like a cape, protecting the rest of my family while Renesmee was left exposed. It felt wrong, horrible. Aro met us, his face beaming. â€Å"But she's exquisite,† he murmured. â€Å"So like you and Edward.† And then louder, â€Å"Hello, Renesmee.† Renesmee looked at me quickly. I nodded. â€Å"Hello, Aro,† she answered formally in her high, ringing voice. Aro's eyes were bemused. â€Å"What is it?† Caius hissed from behind. He seemed infuriated by the need to ask. â€Å"Half mortal, half immortal,† Aro announced to him and the rest of the guard without turning his enthralled gaze from Renesmee. â€Å"Conceived so, and carried by this newborn while she was still human.† â€Å"Impossible,† Caius scoffed. â€Å"Do you think they've fooled me, then, brother?† Aro's expression was greatly amused, but Caius flinched. â€Å"Is the heartbeat you hear a trickery as well?† Caius scowled, looking as chagrined as if Aro's gentle questions had been blows. â€Å"Calmly and carefully, brother,† Aro cautioned, still smiling at Renesmee. â€Å"I know well how you love your justice, but there is no justice in acting against this unique little one for her parentage. And so much to learn, so much to learn! I know you don't have my enthusiasm for collecting histories, but be tolerant with me, brother, as I add a chapter that stuns me with its improbability. We came expecting only justice and the sadness of false friends, but look what we have gained instead! A new, bright knowledge of ourselves, our possibilities.† He held out his hand to Renesmee in invitation. But this was not what she wanted. She leaned away from me, stretching upward, to touch her fingertips to Aro's face. Aro did not react with shock as almost everyone else had reacted to this performance from Renesmee; he was as used to the flow of thought and memory from other minds as Edward was. His smile widened, and he sighed in satisfaction. â€Å"Brilliant,† he whispered. Renesmee relaxed back into my arms, her little face very serious. â€Å"Please?† she asked him. His smile turned gentle. â€Å"Of course I have no desire to harm your loved ones, precious Renesmee.† Aro's voice was so comforting and affectionate, it took me in for a second. And then I heard Edward's teeth grind together and, far behind us, Maggie's outraged hiss at the lie. â€Å"I wonder,† Aro said thoughtfully, seeming unaware of the reaction to his previous words. His eyes moved unexpectedly to Jacob, and instead of the disgust the other Volturi viewed the giant wolf with, Aro's eyes were filled with a longing that I did not comprehend. â€Å"It doesn't work that way,† Edward said, the careful neutrality gone from his suddenly harsh tone. â€Å"Just an errant thought,† Aro said, appraising Jacob openly, and then his eyes moved slowly across the two lines of werewolves behind us. Whatever Renesmee had shown him, it made the wolves suddenly interesting to him. â€Å"They don't belong to us, Aro. They don't follow our commands that way. They're here because they want to be.† Jacob growled menacingly. â€Å"They seem quite attached to you, though,† Aro said. â€Å"And your young mate and your†¦ family. Loyal† His voice caressed the word softly. â€Å"They're committed to protecting human life, Aro. That makes them able to coexist with us, but hardly with you. Unless you're rethinking your lifestyle.† Aro laughed merrily. â€Å"Just an errant thought,† he repeated. â€Å"You well know how that is. We none of us can entirely control our subconscious desires.† Edward grimaced. â€Å"I do know how that is. And I also know the difference between that kind of thought and the kind with a purpose behind it. It could never work, Aro.† Jacob's vast head turned in Edward's direction, and a faint whine slipped from between his teeth. â€Å"He's intrigued with the idea of†¦ guard dogs,† Edward murmured back. There was one second of dead silence, and then the sound of the furious snarls ripping from the entire pack filled the giant clearing. There was a sharp bark of command – from Sam, I guessed, though I didn't turn to look – and the complaint broke off into ominous quiet. â€Å"I suppose that answers that question,† Aro said, laughing again. â€Å"This lot has picked its side.† Edward hissed and leaned forward. I clutched at his arm, wondering what could be in Aro's thoughts that would make him react so violently, while Felix and Demetri slipped into crouches in synchronization. Aro waved them off again. They all returned to their former posture, Edward included. â€Å"So much to discuss,† Aro said, his tone suddenly that of an inundated businessman. â€Å"So much to decide. If you and your furry protector will excuse me, my dear Cullens, I must confer with my brothers.†