Information About Auto Rickshaw Engineering Essay

Information About Auto Rickshaw Engineering Essay In many Asian countries rickshaw were used as a human powered mode of transport. The cycle rickshaw in which a cart is attached to a bicycle is operated by a driver. These kind of rickshaws can still be found in cities like Kolkata. A European missionary been to Japan invented the rickshaw in Japan at the end of nineteenth century, the name rickshaw was derive from the Japanese expression Ji Riki Shaw which literally means vehicle propelled by man Around 1880 the first rickshaw appeared in India on the avenues of Simla. Some 20 years later some Chinese traders who used the rickshaw to transport goods imported few of these rickshaws to Kolkata. The same Chinese people in 1914 applied for permission to use the rickshaw to carry people and in no time all over in many south East Asian metropolis rickshaws were found. Rickshaw offered a means of earning a living for peasants migrating to the big cities. No one knows exactly how many rickshaws are on the streets of Kolkata, over a million people look to the rickshaw for their daily bowl of rice. Economists have calculated that the economic value of rickshaws and their pulling is $6 million a quarter of the budget of the whole urban transport system of a city like Paris. In 1940s Vespasan auto rickshaw or the rickshaw made out of an iron body resting on three small wheels, two on the rear and one in the front, a seating for three at the rear and a small cabin in the front for the driver, were seen. These rickshaws were fitted with a 2-stroke engine and a handle for steering like a scooter instead of a steering wheel. As the man pulled rickshaw started to work on motor it was known as auto rickshaw instead of rickshaw. The auto rickshaw had become so popular as a vehicle for hire that it became one of the chief modes of transport in India, Srilanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Egypt, Indonesia, Laos, Philippines, Thailand and many parts of Asia and Africa. But the former version of the rickshaw is still not extinct. Considering their capacity the auto rickshaw are extremely light weight , it requires only two or three person to fully lift it of the ground and it can be pushed by one person when it breaks down. The auto rickshaw has many types of models in many different countries. The older version of auto rickshaw in India had a engine designed by lambretta which consumed too much of petrol hence they were phased out and engines designed by vespa took over, the most common auto rickshaws found today in India are the Bajaj auto rickshaws. At the beginning the engine was under the seat of the driver which made the auto rickshaw very uncomfortable for the passengers as it was very noisy and it vibrated a lot. Later on the engines were modified and placed at the rear of the auto rickshaw making it less noisy, hence making the ride much more comfortable for the passengers. These auto rickshaws are mainly seen as a passenger taxi vehicle in many different cities of India having a different colour for different cities, example. In Mumbai the colours of the auto rickshaw is black for the body and yellow near the windscreen and in cities like Delhi, Chennai, Hyderabad its yellow for the whole vehicle. It also had a larger version which is a seven seater, which had a diesel engine but compared to the smaller three seater petrol engine auto rickshaws these larger version seven seater auto rickshaws were much more noisier and they vibrated a lot, in spite of this , these seven seater were a complete success in several towns and rural areas of India as it carried more passengers and the cost of running was low compared to the petrol engine. These auto rickshaws were also modified from a passenger taxi vehicle to a goods carrier vehicle to transport small amounts of goods within the city or to small distances. These goods carrier auto rickshaws came in both petrol and diesel engines and it also came in different models with different engine power. The passenger 2-stroke petrol engine was changed to a 4-stroke engine which was a very successful model, and later on it was changed to a CNG (compressed natural gas) engine. 1.2 : CURRENT SYSTEM There were three types of engine model in the auto rickshaw, the belt drive (BD), rear axle (RA) and the rear engine (RE) The belt drive: in the belt drive model two belts ran down the side of the auto rickshaw which made the rear wheel move, in this model the wheels were not connected by an axle, in which if one of the belt snapped out that wheel was no longer driven. The rear axle: in the rear axle model the auto rickshaw has a rear axle driven by a perpendicular cam-shaft extending from underneath the drivers seat which was very noisy and vibrated a lot. The rear engine: in the rear engine model the engine is located at the rear of the auto rickshaw over the rare axle, assessable from a rear hatch, these models are much quieter and less bumpy. All of these three models were 2-stroke engines and lacked in the fuel department. The fuel tank was not sealed with a gas pump nozzle as the thank was unpressurized, hence the gas would flow faster when the tank is full than when it was half full later on a small value was located on the gas tube to adjust the gas flow. The driver also had to mix oil with the fuel as the engine was a 2-stroke engine. There was no energy storage system in the belt drive and rear axle model auto rickshaw, hence the headlight, brake lights and the signals lights had to run through a generator directly off the engine, in which the bulbs fused very often. But the rear engine model had a 12V electronics system including a battery allowing steady lights. All the models of the auto rickshaw did not have an electric starter hence the driver had to kick start the vehicle. The kick was located on the left side of the driver as a hand lever. (www.conspirators.net/armadillo/autorickshaw.html) Out of the three models the RE model was the most successful one as its engine was at the rear of the auto rickshaw making the auto rickshaw much quieter and less bumpy than the other two models, and it also had a battery allowing steady lights. Later on the 2-stroke engine was modified and replaced with 4-stroke petrol engine fitted with a electric starter. This 4-stroke engine model was very successful as compared to the 2-stroke engine. By this time the auto rickshaw also had diesel engine which made the cost of running very low and it was used as both passenger as well as a good carrier vehicle. There were many models of the petrol as well as the diesel engines with different engine capacity as shown. Bajaj 4-stroke: Bajaj Autorickshaw 4 stroke Specifications Engine 4 stroke Cooling Type Forced Air Cooled Displacement 173cc No. of Cylinders 1 Compression Ratio MaxPower 8.17bhp Max Power RPM 5000rpm Max Torque 11.5Nm Max Torque RPM 4000rpm Ignition Type DC Carburettor Keihin M10 A Transmission Type 4 forward and one reverse Clutch Type Wet multidisc type Electrical System 12V DC Head Light 35/35 W Horn 12V DC Chassis Type Pressed steel sheets and sections Front Suspension Helical coil spring and hydraulic double acting shock absorber Rear Suspension Helical coil spring and hydraulic double acting shock absorber Front Tyre Size (4.00 8).4PR Rear Tyre Size (4.00 8).4PR Brakes Drum Fuel Tank Capacity 8 litres Reserve Capacity 1 litres Wheel Base 2000mm Ground Clearance 200mm Saddle Height 780mm Minimum Turning Radius 2.88m Curb Weight 295kg Maximum Payload 335kg Fuel Efficiency (Ideal) 33kmpl Fuel Efficiency (Highway) 32 to 35kmpl Fuel Efficiency (City) 28 to 32kmpl Max Speed 55kmph * (The above model is available in Petrol, Diesel, CNG and LPG version.) Bajaj GC 1000 : Bajaj Goods Carrier Specifications Type Four Stroke, Single Cylinder, IDI, Compression Ignition    Cooling Type Forced Air Cooled Displacement 416 cc Max Power 8.5 bhp( 5.9 kW) @ 3600 rpm Max Torque 20 Nm @ 2400 rpm Ignition Type Electric start Transmission Type 4 forward 1 reverse gear Clutch Type Single plate, dry friction type, foot operated Maximum Payload 775 Kgs. Electrical System System System 12V DC Chassis Chassis Type Semi Monologue Suspension Front Suspension Antidive leading link with helical compression spring shock absorber Rear Suspension Independent suspension with spring shock absorber Tyres Front Tyre Size 4.510,8PR Rear Tyre Size 4.510,8PR Brakes Front Brakes Hydraulic brakes with auto adjuster Rear Brakes Hydraulic brakes with auto adjuster Fuel Tank Fuel Tank Capacity 8 litres Dimensions Overall length 2960 mm Overall width 1375 mm Overall height 1810 mm Wheel Base 2025 mm Ground Clearance 170 mm Minimum Turning Radius 2.75 m GVW 990 kg Loading Tray Length (Pick up) 1500 mm Width (Pick up) 1325 mm Height (Pick up) 250 mm Length (HiDec) 1500 mm Width (HiDec) 1325 mm Height (HiDec) 1050 mm *Because of our ongoing efforts to make Bajaj vehicles even better, specifications are subject to change without prior notice * (The above model is available in Petrol, Diesel, CNG and LPG version.) Later on the petrol and diesel engines were replaced by CNG (compressed natural gas) engines having all the same features. And till today all the auto rickshaws in India run on CNG engine. 1.3 : PROBLEMS AND AIM. 1.3.1 : PROBLEMS CAUSE DUE TO AUTO RICKSHAW As we are aware that an  auto rickshaw  or  a three-wheeler  (tuk-tuk) is a small three-wheeled operated by a single individual. They are cheap and common means of public transport in urban India and other parts of Asian countries as well as in some parts of Egypt, Ethiopia, Sudan, Peru and Gautamela. Autos run on: CNG (Compressed Natural Gas), Petrol Diesel Though Autos are cheap and common means of transport it has its own disadvantages too: 1. Traffic issues/ overcrowding Auto rickshaws have a top-speed of around 50  km/h much slower than the automobiles they share the road with. The triangular form of the vehicle makes maneuvering easy, with the single front wheel negotiating the available gap, and the rear two wheels forcing a larger space. The MMW Tuk Tuk has a top speed of around 70  mph. (Ref: MMW Tuk Tuk). Being a cheap means of transport people prefer them to taxis and other means of transport. Traffic authorities in big cities try to implement mechanisms to reduce the resulting traffic slowing, but none have proven effective due to overcrowding of Autos. 220px-Rishshaw_stand_ A typical auto stand in Goa (Wikipedia) 2. Outlook: The modern cities and roads are designed for sleeker looking public vehicles for commuting these auto rickshaws look outdated and drab and looks inferiors in front of other modern road transport vehicles. Modern city planners are looking to phase out such vehicles or promoting them to be used only in villages /outskirts of cities ANd9GcSbTNytJUyOcggJ9NdIRpcmDfmYv3ZDobxZXMFc8gxuS_jheOn6_eS3QKcH ANd9GcSJLKenN3fLi3vbPlnvwMfaNIwdJQsxKzzYKer9OGtS2qCYKqX3fg Picture: Rickshawchalleng.com ANd9GcTkCINnKj7V2mW451StC07p2wMURq9m3UvR7DC5hZvLSXKlYo9CfsygYj37KA ANd9GcTJVF153b5V1fQ81M3SsBtQimfwGjLVVsQQ5KtlyxHq3Ux_ivxpyA Ref: Cepolina.com 3. Air / Noise Pollution: Though CNG run autos are more eco- friendlier than petrol and diesel autos. However, one fact was completely ignored that is noise pollution due to gas engine. With running of so many autos on concrete road surface, because of rigidity it creates more noise. The Noise level on the road during night is much more than the specified by the The Noise Pollution Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000 India. Carbon monoxide, hydrocarbon and nitrous oxide is emitted out is in abundance causing health issues. Besides Carbon, huge dust particles remains suspended in the air due to the constant movement of autos which is leading to breathlessness and various other health problems. (Ref: The Cityfix) To assess the impact caused by nearly 1, 00,000 auto rickshaws, the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) monitored the atmospheric quality, at two areas in the City Railway Station and S G Halli, on the day of auto strike and the day before the strike. Central Bus Stand Majestic area has the most dense auto traffic, at any time of day, due to the presence of the railway station and KSRTC bus stand. Roughly between 30% to 40% of the Citys auto rickshaws ply here. This area has reported a steep reduction in oxides of Nitrogen, upto 58.8%, on the strike day. Impressive isnt it? A clear reduction in levels of Sulphur di oxide (SO2) and Respiratory Particulate Matter (RSPM) too were reported in both areas. Oxides of Carbon reduced by 33.3% at Majestic. It is known that most of the autos in City, roughly 65,000, are two-stroke ones and with incomplete combustion in them causes pollution. These autos are the ones which are 40% air polluters in Bangalore, according to KSPCB. (Ref: moneymint.in) 1.3.2 : Aim of the project The aim of the project is to run the auto rickshaw on a electrical motor with the help of solar energy. 1.4 : objective To review the current system To replace the current system Chapter 2 : START CURREENT SYSTEM OF AUTORICKSHAW JOURNALS ARTICLES RESEARCH PARAMETRIC DESIGN INTERNET DRAFT 3D MODEL CFD FEA VALIDATE CONCLUSION END Chapter 3: LITERATURE REVIEW. 3.1: journal on solar panels on vehicles Solar panels have photovoltaic cells (PVC) which are used in solar vehicles, the suns energy is converted into electricity we can use by the help of these photovoltaic cell. Solar panels can cost upto 400$ each which is a very expensive technology. The price of the solar panels varies from panel to panel depending on how fast the panel can capture and convert the energy. In 2006 the Venturi Eclectic was presented at the paris auto show. This car used solar and wind energy but could onlt travel upto 30 miles per hour. There are many benefits of a solar vehicle, there is no noise pollution as the panels panels work silently, the energy one gets is free and has zero percent emission. The Toyota prius has a new solar roof that can power the car for at least 20 miles longer. (www.aboutmyplanet.com/alternative-energy/solar/facts-solar-powered/) Working of a solar vehicle: Solar vehicle completely depends on the energy of the sun. Unlike any other solar device the solar panels on a solar vehicle has to harness the energy from the sun. These solar panels consist of hundreds or thousands of solar cell arranged neatly ultra pure mono crystalline silicon and reach efficiencies up to 20 % ie . this percentage is converted into electricity from the total solar energy falling on the panels. The electrons are charged by the photons (light particles) when sunlight hits the solar panels, this makes the electron to move one later of the solar cell to another. Thus electrical current is produced due to the energetic movements of the electrons between the layers of the solar cell. This electric current is transferred to the battery pack when the electric motor is switched off. When the conditions are not sunny the power from the battery is used. The technology of the battery pack is similar to teh cell which powers our i-pods and cell phone made up of lithium ion c ells. Using a 220V power outlet the battery pack can be fully charged in 3 hours or a day of using only solar panels. Compared to the normal vehicles the solar vehicles have a different transmission system. Power the motor is controlled by two components called Motor controllers and Power trackers. The job of the motor controller s are to convert the DC power from the batteries or solar panels to AC electricity for the motor. By simply setting the frequency of the AC output one can manipulate the speed of the motor. The job of the power trackers is to maintain a suitable level by correcting the current when the energy is used to charge the batteries, it boost the voltage. Changes in sunlight, temperature and assorted factor makes the power output in solar panels to vary, in which necessary continuous calibration and adjustment is required, this done by the power tracker. A solar vehicles body is designed to cover three benefits to maximize energy It should be lightweight. It should have good aerodynamics. And large flat surface area for maximum number of solar panels. (www.aboutmyplanet.com/environment/solar-work/) 3.2 Articles on auto rickshaws 3.2.1 Without chargers, solar rickshaws gather dust In Chandigarh the administration provided a public transport system in the form of solar rickshaws has fallen flat. These lot of first 10 eco friendly vehicles provided by the administration are now in the municipal corporation gathering dust upon them. Later on by random selection these vehicles were given to some rickshaw drivers. At various location in the city charging points were to be provided by the municipal corporation for charging these rickshaws which were not done. Disappointed by the municipal corporation these vehicles were returned back to the municipal corporation. These green rickshaws weighted about 210 kg and had a speed of 15 to 20 km per hour and had a solar battery that lasted for 6 hours or 70 km on which these rickshaws were operated. It took about 5 hours to charge these batteries with the help of charging units which had to be connected to solar panels. In order to make this scheme successful the municipal corporation has to set up charging units at different location in the city. People would also prefer these green rickshaws to some extend compared to the diesel or petrol version of the rickshaws as it addressed environment concerns. (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/without-chargers-solar-rickshaws-gather-dust/articleshow/6766082.cms) 3.2.2 Solar rickshaws find no takers BANGALORE: Indias Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) launched a solar rickshaw with great fanfare two years ago had found no takers yet. While is causing concern a engineer from Pune claimed that his design was copied by CSIR. Solecksaw which is three wheeled, in principle can use electricity to drive the motor by converting sunlight with the help of solar panels. It was promoted as a green rickshaw as it did not contribute to global warming as it emits no gases, and was developed by a unit of CSIR which is know as Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute (CMERI) which is Durgapur, West Bengal. But the solecksaw has not caught on in spite of its high voltage publicity. Till now in the markets these rickshaws have not been sold on commercial basis, said the head of the manufacturing technology group at CMERI Mr. Amit Banerjee In Delhi, Durgapur, Kolkata, Jaipur, Chandigarh, Dhanbad, and Ahmedabad, around 30 soleckshaws which were fabricated at CMERI were deployed initially for demonstration said senior adviser Mr. Himadri Maiti . He also admitted that they are not in operation currently due to various local management and administrative problems. The Central Electronics Limited did set-up some charging stations at few places but these stations are not been used to charge the soleckshaws batteries as the vehicle in those location are not operating said Mr. Himadri Maiti. At least 1000 solecksaws were to be deployed in the common wealth games village in Delhi was the plan of CSIR which was abandoned as the Games Organising Committee backed out on the proposal, on the plea of security issues, to which they had agreed initially. Mr. Himadi Maiti also said the proposal by CSIR to operate at least 10 solecksaws for delivering post under a pilot project And the CSIRs proposal to operate at least 10 soleckshaws for postal delivery under a pilot project in Rajashtans Ajmer district is still pending with the postal department, he said. 3.2.3 Web messenger drives civic campaigns for noble cause BANGALORE: Vivan Philips a post graduate student of psychology is the common mans messenger who take the common mans problems to the government by collating peoples votes on small yet crucial issues. Last year around June he launched a website www.consciousevolutionmovement.com where people can file their petitions with a big banner he was at Cubbon park for two issues ensuring wall climbers on metro rail pillars and urging manufactures to produce non-polluting auto rickshaw asking for votes. Vivian is still on the same campaign this year having some interesting observations: A majority of volunteers and voters he got for these issues are student. The wall climbers campaign got the maximum response and the introduction of non-polluting auto rickshaw or immediately even replacing them this issue was supported by many college students. Two other issues were recently added by him following the public demands, which included raising enough funds to educate every under- privileged child and mass production of solar panels by the government. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/Web-messenger-drives-civic-campaigns-for-noble-cause/articleshow/5761342.cms . 3.3 Information on solar panels A solar panel is a device that collects photons of sunlight, which are very small packets of electromagnetic radiation energy, and converts them into electrical current that can be used to power electrical loads. The use of solar energy started more than 100 years back, at the beginning solar power was just used to produce steam to run some machinery. This was until the discovery by Henri Becquerel of photovoltaic effect allowed to convert solar energy (sunlight) into electrical energy. Becquerels discovery then led Charles Fritts to invent the first genuine solar cell in 1893 which was made by coating sheets of selenium with a thin layer of gold, from this arised the device we know today a solar panel. An American inventor named Russel Ohl patented the worlds first silicon solar cell in 1941. Ohls invention led to the production of the first solar panelin 1954. These new solar panels were first used in space satellites, but today solar panels and complete solar panel systems are used to power a wide variety of applications. How does an solar panel work?Solar Photovoltaic Power System Diagram Solar panels collect sunlight which is a clean renewable source of energy and convert it into electricity. This electricity can be use to run electrical loads. Solar panels are made up of many individual solar cell which are composed of layers of silicon, boron (which provides the positive charge) and phosphorous (which provides the negative charge). The photons are absorbed by the solar panels and in doing so an electric current is initiated. The resulting energy is produced from photons striking the solar panel surface which allow electrons to be knocked out of their atomic orbits and released into the electric field generated by the solar cell which then pull these free electrons into a directional current. This entire process is know as the photovoltaic effect. An average home can produce enough electricity using solar panels for all of its electrical load, as it has enough roof area for number of solar panels. As solar panels produce direct current (DC) it cannot be used to support electrical load, but with the help of an invertor that converts direct current into alternating current (AC), one can use the electricity to support electrical loads, different size of solar panel arrays meet different demanding electrical loads. The direct current produced by a solar panel which can converted into alternating current by the help of invertors can be used to power different loads in a commercial building or a house, it can also be used to power remote traffic controls, boat, vehicles, telecommunication equipments and many such machinery. Benefits of solar panels: Producing electricity using solar panels is a very practical way for many applications. This is very beneficial to people who live off-grid, off- grid means living in a location where there is no electrical supply from the main electric utility grid. Many homes and cabins in a remote areas benefits using a solar panel system, as compared to the huge fees for installing a electric utility poles from the main grid access point, solar power system is less expensive and if maintained properly can provide power for nearly three decades. The greatest benefits one can enjoy by using solar power is that it is a clean and renewable source of energy, as global climate change is the biggest problem we face today it is very important to reduce the pressure on the atmosphere from the emission of greenhouse gases. Solar panels require very less maintenances as it has no moving parts and if properly maintained can last for decades. Once the installation cost is been paid of a solar power system the electricity it produce is absolutely free for the rest of the systems lifespan that could be upto 15 20 years depending on the quality of the system, due to this one can eliminate the monthly electric bills and it can also be an additional income, because if one uses less power than the total power produced by the solar system the excess power can be sold to the electric utility company. (http://www.mrsolar.com/content/what-is-a-solar-panel.php)

Transmission of Livestock Diseases to Humans Essay -- Health Science P

Transmission of Livestock Diseases to Humans For decades now, death and disease have driven the progress of technology. Through the advancements of science, many diseases have been made obsolete and many more are drawing closer and closer to being conquered. However, with all the diseases that we have defeated, more and more keep appearing. And old diseases that we thought we were protected against have made comebacks. An example of this is Foot and Mouth Disease. "Since 1930 the United States of America has prohibited the importation of livestock and fresh, chilled, or frozen meat from countries in which rinderpest or foot-and-mouth disease exist," (Publication 1343, 49). The United States is considered a Foot and Mouth Disease Free country. However, that does not mean that we have not been active in trying to get rid of FMD in other countries. There was an Argentine-United States Joint commission on FMD held in 1966. In a report on this meeting it was stated that, "The conditions under which the virus of foot-and-mou th disease (FMD) survives in animal tissues have long been matters of fundamental interest to all officials concerned with the prevention and control of the disease," (Publication 1343, 3). There was a CENTO Seminar on Viral Diseases held in Istanbul, Turkey on June 12-17, 1972. This seminar had a special emphasis on FMD and rinderpest-like diseases. A discussion of disease-free zones and the regulations for these zones was brought up (Girard 93). Some of the stated regulations included complete control of domestic livestock movement, traffic of persons to and from an area that has been quarantined should be restricted and if an outbreak would occur, no animals can be exported, all the animals in... ...ases. Vol. 7, Issue 4. Jul/Aug 2001. Petersen, Lyle R. & John T. Roehrig, Guest Editors. â€Å"West Nile Virus: A Reemerging Global Pathogen.† Emerging Infectious Diseases. Vol. 7, Issue 4. Jul/Aug 2001. Sibbald, Barbara. "Quebec Clear Way for Use of Aerial Pesticides to Combat West Nile Virus." CMAJ: Canadian Medical Association Journal. Vol. 165, Issue 4. 8/21/2001, p. 463. Tyler, Kenneth L., M.D. â€Å"West Nile Virus Encephalitis in America.† The New England Journal of Medicine. Vol. 344, No. 24. June 14, 2001. Weir, Erica. â€Å"Foot and Mouth Disease in Animals and Humans.† Canadian Medical Association Journal. Vol. 164, Issue 9. 5/1/01 Yang, Joo-Sung, et al. â€Å"Induction of Potent Th1-Type Immune Responses from a Novel DNA Vaccine for West Nile Virus New York Isolate (WNV-NY1999).† The Journal of Infectious Diseases. Vol. 184, 2001.

Virtual teams

Any team whose members are not all physically under the same roof can be considered to be virtual, as long as the participants have complementary skills and knowledge that produce greater value when they work together than if they worked separately. A virtual team can be local, national, or global, with members from one firm or many. Teams can be made up of full-time, in-house practitioners or full- or part-time contractors.They are enabled by technology, which allows members to work from anywhere in the world with phone, Internet, and wireless access as long as hey produce work that meets the firm's and the client's standards of quality, and the client's deadlines. Social changes in the workforce are leading more and more employees to demand more and more control over how, when, and where they work. The result, which is gaining increasing traction, is a rise in lifestyle-driven virtual teams. 2417? Running to Gate 9? Who needs them.Especially when forward-looking employers can accom modate the needs and wants of talented, ambitious employees by creating lifestyle-driven virtual teams. This author describes how professional services firms hat can make this approach work will make them employers of choice. In recent years, professional services firms have watched as more and more senior talent, especially women with children, have left their employ. Many of these valued practitioners are not Jumping to other companies or starting up competing agencies.Rather, they are walking away from their careers (and in many cases high salaries) because their employers are unwilling or unable to provide them with the flexibility they need to balance their work and family lives. The decision is rarely an easy one, nd many women would have welcomed the opportunity to remain in the workforce if truly flexible options had been available. To stem the exodus, keep top talent, and remain competitive, professional services today must meet an imperative: They must create new arrangeme nts to accommodate talented practitioners who need more choice when it comes to how, when, and where they work.They must consider ways to ensure that working parents (especially women) do not have to work long hours or travel extensively, but instead have the flexibility they need to raise a family or care for aging parents. And with Canada expected to experience a labor shortage that could begin affecting employers as soon as 2020, having these new work arrangements in place will become increasingly essential to the delivery of high- quality professional services. This article will examine how adopting a virtual-team model can help organizations attract and retain that top talent.The article will first define virtual teams and explain why they are on the rise. It will then outline the various benefits of virtual teams (for both employers and employees) and look at some of their unique challenges. Finally, the article will outline best practices for esigning and implementing new wor k arrangements. VIRTUAL TEAMS DEFINED VIRTUAL TEAMS ARE ON THE RISE The popularity of virtual teams is being driven by social change. Women now constitute nearly one-half of the North American workforce, and in nearly one-half of households, all adults are working.As well, more working adults are pursuing educational opportunities to advance their careers; they therefore need the flexibility that a virtual arrangement provides. [l] When I was in the process of building my PR agency in 2008, I witnessed this social change first-hand and realized many senior omen were caught in an unnecessary and intractable dilemma: how to pursue a fulfilling and meaningful career while meeting the demands of their personal and family lives. I spoke with dozens of senior women in the industry who were torn between the need to put in long, billable hours at their offices and the need to tend to matters at home.Some told me that they sacrificed family time by hiring nannies and placing their children i n daycare. Others made career-limiting moves such as working four days a week or turning down promotions that would mean longer hours. And some of them left the workforce entirely or switched to less demanding careers because they were unable to balance their work and personal lives. Many women also told me they wanted to avoid lengthy, stressful commutes because of the time they took away from time spent their families.They talked about scrambling for childcare when a child was home sick from school or they had to work later than expected, and described missing important school functions and other milestones in their children's lives. Some also said they were frustrated by the traditional approach o â€Å"flex-time,† whereby practitioners work four out of five days, at a reduced annual salary. With this approach, five days' worth of work is often completed in four, which can actually add to workplace stress rather than reduce it.Talent is everything in professional services, and successful firms know that flexible work arrangements make them more attractive to a wider range of professionals. Recent studies have shown that flexibility is a growing trend. A 2011 U. S. study showed that the number of employees who principally work from home grew by 61 per cent between 2005 and 2009. 2] Two years earlier, Aon Consultings Benefits and Talent Survey reported that 97 per cent of organizations either planned to increase or maintain their use of virtual teams. 3] AN EMERGING APPROACH: LIFESTYLE-DRIVEN VIRTUAL TEAMS Once considered a way for companies to reduce overhead, the popularity of virtual teams is now being increasingly driven by employee demand. This is especially true in professional services firms, where both full-time practitioners and part-time associates or consultants are becoming more vocal about their desire to have approach to flexible workplace arrangements – a lifestyle-driven one that rewards esults over face time, so practitioners ca n maximize the time they devote to their personal lives.These lifestyle-driven virtual teams may not be a realistic option for all industries, or even all professional services firms, for example, those consulting firms that require staff to travel or be on site to meet with clients. However, the model can work for most professional services firms because much of their work is knowledge- based and often performed by individuals. As a result, it can easily be transferred to a home office with the right planning, processes and project management in place.When implementing this model, firms must also remove the focus on billable hours, and instead focus on the number of hours each associate wants to work – while planning project resources and compensation accordingly. This differs from the traditional model in which each practitioner must focus on billable-hour targets. For practitioners, there is some risk involved in using the virtual model, as they are not guaranteed a regula r pay cheque. Experience has shown, however, that some part- time practitioners who are compensated hourly actually earn more than they did as alaried employees, even while working significantly fewer hours.This is particularly true of practitioners whose quality work and outstanding client service make them an obvious choice for recurring account management roles and back-to-back projects. VIRTUAL TEAMS BENEFIT EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES EQUALLY In a 2010 study, 80 per cent of respondents said they were part of a team based in various locations, while 63 per cent indicated that nearly half their team members were located outside their home country. 4] Supported by technology, practitioners are able to be as efficient and engaged as they have ever been while keeping far reater control over their work schedules and environments. The traditional billable- hour-driven agency model often requires practitioners to work 60 or more hours a week. However, the lifestyle-driven virtual model per mits practitioners to be selective about their hours and often their projects, naturally making for a happier, more satisfied, and less-stressed practitioner.A company that can offer this kind of flexibility will find itself with better options when it comes to hiring and retaining talent, especially individuals with specialized knowledge and skills. This arrangement, hich encourages true balance, will also create more well-rounded employees who will bring their varied experience to projects and who will be motivated to remain in the workforce. Many practitioners will also find the benefits of this model Just as important as incentives such as paid vacation time, health benefits, and pension contributions.Indeed, it is hard to put a price on this type of flexibility. With the ability to bring on skilled team members when needed, professional services firms are better able to handle peak workloads, project work, and short-term assignments. For any particular project, they can hand-pi ck key team members from their roster of talent, regardless of where the individual is based. This means they can usually offer clients their â€Å"A team,† not whoever happens to be available.With infrastructure in place for teleconferences and other online collaboration, travel and other overhead expenses are reduced, if not eliminated. Margins improve accordingly and, most important, firms are able to offer a more family-friendly structure that attracts top talent who want to add balance to their working lives and still have a fulfilling and erformance is crucial to securing future projects. As a result, everyone is motivated to do their best and to collaborate effectively with other team members to produce quality work and results.ATTRACTING AND RETAINING A MULTIGENERATIONAL WORKFORCE For many practitioners, particularly those who embrace the philosophy that â€Å"work is something you do, not somewhere you go,† the increase in virtual teams is a welcome developmen t. This applies to the future workforce, too. A recent study by Dr. Alison Konrad[5] of the Richard Ivey School of Business found that undergraduate business tudents in her class (most of them women in their early 20s) yearn for a meaningful career that allows them to contribute to business and society while maintaining balance in their lives.In the study, students were asked what an employer could do to make their chosen career more attractive. The most frequent responses were flexible hours, the ability to work from home, no face time, and a family-friendly culture. Surprisingly, these are many of the same characteristics sought out not only by working parents but also by people nearing retirement and wanting to slow down heir schedules. Professor Konrad's study shows that employers who most closely meet the lifestyle demands of a multigenerational workforce are in the best position to attract and retain the most desirable talent.Executives must fully support the virtual structure and be aware of the potential challenges of managing a virtual team. They should consistently monitor the team's progress to ensure deadlines are being met and budgets are on track. 2. Choose the right team members. Individuals should be selected with a view to forming a successful team. Not all practitioners will thrive in a virtual environment. Those who are self-reliant and self-motivated will fare best. 3. Set expectations from the start. Articulate objectives and define team member roles up front to avoid the possibility f overlooking or duplicating aspects of the work.This is especially important given the geographical distance between members of a virtual team. 4. Implement strict protocols. Establishing protocols will ensure that each team member knows when and how quickly to respond to action items, and will determine the steps to take when a team member fails to do so. Team meetings should be run by a strong chair. People should be prompted to give their opinions as oppos ed to volunteering them. Digressions should be discouraged as they tend to disengage other team members. Multitasking during meetings should be prohibited. . Use proven processes.Teams need processes that govern the way they work and how the work will get done, from being aware of individual responsibilities and decision-making procedures to the consequences of poor work or missed deadlines. Virtual teams have little margin for error when it comes to project management, as problems can go unnoticed and grow into major issues. 6. Manage timelines and budgets carefully. Often a project budget will dictate the number of hours that can be charged to a client. Because freelance practitioners are paid according to the time they take, budgets can easily e exceeded if not properly monitored. . Establish meaningful project milestones. Milestones should be implemented to chart a project's progress and act as checkpoints for the timeliness and quality of virtual team work. 8. Encourage interac tion. Leadership must ensure that team members have some mechanism by which to develop strong working relationships. They should also bring team members together by organizing social functions every few months to help them build rapport. 9. Communicate more efficiently. Virtual teams can be connected by various technologies, including phone, email, instant messaging, as well as video and eb conferencing.Use more than one of these options so team members can choose the technology theyre most comfortable with. In addition, more communications do not necessarily mean better communication. Too many emails can lead to convey only relevant information, and to do so clearly and consistently. 10. Minimize team conflict. Although conflict can lead to better ideas and solutions, conflicts within a virtual team should be dealt with immediately, because they can escalate quickly. Virtual teams do not build rapport as easily as other teams, and managers may have to become more involved in confli ct resolution.

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