Saturday, January 3, 2009

Disadvantages of Outsourcing

Outsourcing is becoming increasingly popular. Many different types of companies use outsourcing services as a means to improve their overall business model. While there are many advantages to this practice there are disadvantages of outsourcing, as well.

One of the biggest disadvantages of outsourcing is undesirable results. This is especially true when a company hires a third-party vendor to mass produce a product. In the event that the finished products do not meet quality standards, the manufacturing process must be repeated by a different vendor.

Not only is this a waste of time and materials, it can also be very costly for the company who outsourced the project. They are essentially paying twice for the same job. In addition there is always the possibility that the company may lose sales, during this same period because of the lack of available product.

Another disadvantage of outsourcing is a loss of jobs. Many times work is outsourced simply as a means to save money. Outsourcing to a foreign country typically saves a company a great deal in wages. So, the choice is made to reduce their local workforce, at the expense of the laid-off employees.

In turn, it can cause community uproar and even a decrease in business and profits. This happens when local consumers make the decision to shop elsewhere, as a way to voice their disdain.

Outsourcing customer service jobs, to foreign countries, is on the rise. Many large corporations including credit card companies, shopping networks and computer manufacturers are making this change.

The problem with this is a lack of communication. It can be very frustrating for a consumer who is calling in with a customer service issue. When this individual cannot understand the customer service representative they are speaking with, it just causes more frustration and does little to solve the problem.

Advantages of Telecommuting:

  • Save Time – When you work from home, you won't have to spend time traveling back and forth to work every day. If your position doesn't require you to meet face to face with coworkers or clients, you can also save the time that it takes to get dressed for the office every day. Many telecommuting workers get their jobs done in t-shirts and jeans, or even their pajamas, rather than having to dress in traditional business attire.
  • Save Money – When you don't have to commute to an office on a regular basis, you can save a significant amount of money in fuel expenses. Many people who begin working from home also find that they save money on clothing purchases, dry cleaning bills, morning coffee, restaurant and fast food lunches, and more.
  • Schedule Flexibility – Many telecommuting jobs provide workers with the opportunity to work flexible hours, planning job-related activities around family and other responsibilities. Often, telecommuting workers are able to work any time of the day or night, from home or other locations. Even those positions that require set schedules still allow workers to choose the work times that work best for them.
  • Earning Potential – Many telecommuting positions offer performance based compensation rather than traditional hourly pay system. Workers who have jobs that pay in this manner often receive piece rates or productivity based pay. This means that skilled workers who are efficient can often earn better wages than in positions where they are paid by the hour.
  • Tax Advantages – Telecommuting workers can enjoy the tax write-off advantages that go along with having a home-based office, assuming that they do not have an employer provided workspace.

Online Home Based businesses

Online Home Based businesses are becoming more and more attractive, particularly to working women as they continue to face rising Fuel & Day Care costs, not to mention the time wasted in commuting. More people are looking for ways to create extra income streams than ever before. Val Howard has found the answer ...

Val Howard has been a successful business woman and Entrepreneur for close to 20 years and involved in her own Home Based Business since 2001.

Having run a successful home business in the Direct Selling industry for over 7 years, and being an avid reader and student of Personal Development for even longer, it was a natural transition for Val to expand her business into the area of Personal Development.

Why all the commotion about Personal Development?

"Australians invest more money into Personal Development per capita, than any other country in the world. When I did my own research, and understood the size of the industry ($11Billion last year and continuing to grow), I realized I had the perfect platform to teach a lot of people how to capitalize on this booming industry" said Val.

"The Personal Development marketplace is growing faster than ever, with record growth of more than 50% since the year 2001" Val shared. "Not since the days of the rocketing Internet has there been an opportunity to create wealth so quickly. In a time when people are tired of struggling and 'settling for average', this is a business that empowers people and is Recession Proof".

Val believes an essential ingredient to success is to assist people from all walks of life to get what they truly want and deserve. "I love assisting people to realize their dreams, to re-design and live life on their terms. Those dreams are often related to achieving more time freedom, financial freedom, better health or creating extra income streams from the comfort of their own home".

How Chefs Create Winning Recipes:

"Gourmet cooking" and "fine cuisine" are not just fancy phrases describing food. They are in fact reserved for the best of the best, the food that deserves the highest praise for being the absolute cream of the crop.

Not every chef has the ability to create fine cuisine, but many executive chefs aspire to this by creating interesting and wonderful chef recipes. Chef recipes are created from a fusion of flavors and tastes that a head chef decides to try together in a meal. Gourmet cooking is all about mixing together unique ingredients in an interesting way and also presenting it in an interesting way that catches the eye.

Chef recipes are not always successful and sometimes even the best executive chef will make a mistake or two, but these mistakes allow the outstanding chefs to be born as they learn from the errors and perfect each and every chef recipe that they start working on. Gourmet cooking is an art form and is constantly worked at and perfected. A head chef with a special skill will be able to turn simple ingredients into award winning dishes fit for royalty. Getting any chef jobs you can under a great master chef will help you become a great chef, as you can learn all the tips from the master. Their secret could be a specially made ingredient or a secret sauce that they use, or they might just have a knack for adding the perfect amount and blends of spices and herbs to their dishes.

Every great chef has their own special flair that leads them from simple assistant chef jobs to becoming a super first class executive chef in the finest hotels or restaurant in the world. To become a success in your chef jobs you must always follow your instincts and stick to the perfected recipes of others to learn more. You must experiment in your own time to find your special talent and make your own unique chef recipes that you work on for years to perfect, just as Leonardo da Vinci took 4 years to complete the Mona Lisa. If cooking is your art, then you should not worry about becoming a head chef or executive chef of a top hotel or restaurant right away. Learning as much as you can from the professional head chefs you work under, will go a long way to helping you achieve greatness further along down the line. The added pressure of becoming a head chef can also hinder some people, so creating your stunning dishes while you are still a commis chef, chef de partie or sous chef is a much better idea.

The chef recipes that you create should be filled with flavor and texture as well as balance of color, ingenious use of ingredients and be cooked to perfection. You can choose to specialize in a number of areas such as meats and main dishes, vegetable dishes, soups and starters, puddings, and fish among others. The mark of a great chef, however, is the ability to create expert chef recipes for any kind of meal, with any ingredients. When you start out in the gourmet cooking industry and start working with fine cuisine, you must get as much experience as you can with any dishes are not normally comfortable with. If you usually create wonderful meat dishes and don't really turn out amazing puddings, then now is the time to work on your puddings to perfect them.

Some chef jobs you apply for will not be specific in the types of food you will be making, and some food establishments that serve gourmet cuisine do not have sectioned kitchens, which means that to get the best chef jobs, you need to know how to cook and create chef recipes for everything. Practice makes perfect, so keep working on new recipes all the time.

MARKETING IN CHENNAI:

There is a significant shift today. 15-20 years ago, it was a Seller's market. Customers had to buy what was available. There was absolutely no choice. But today, it is entirely different. It is a Buyer's market. There is plenty of choice, both in terms of brands and the items. It has helped in widening the product base of consumer durables. Also, technological changes have helped the boom in the industry.

Chennai is known as the Retail King of India. In 1977, Viveks started a novel scheme in the country. They launched the first New Year sale. By this Viveks wanted to show its gratitude to the customer. This concept was unique. Now this has spread to other parts of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

The retail market is heavily concentrated in Chennai. As far as the retail market for consumer durables is concerned all changes take off from Chennai. It has emerged as the main hub for entire South India. The Chennai market is not at all conservative as is often perceived. Customers here take informed decisions. They do a lot of survey and analysis before buying a product.

What is the over-riding criteria for selection? Is it time saving, money saving, convenience or power saving?

As far as the customer in Chennai is the concerned, it is only the purchasing price that matters. Awareness exists as far as time saving and energy saving devices are concerned. The money the customer pays is the determining factor in the consumer durable market. Over a period of time the priorities might change.

How good is after sales service and customer service in Chennai?

Yes! This is an area which calls for improvement. The Consumer durable market in Chennai is nowhere near the standards of the one-stop shops for groceries and garments in Chennai. The margins offered in the consumer durable market is less. Customer service exists, but it will be better in the years to come.

How current is the consumer durable market in Chennai?

All the major international brands are launched in Chennai in less than six months.

SALES AND Account Management:

* Accounts List ViewTrack all accounts and related contacts, opportunities, cases, and other details from a common repository

* Specify parent-child relationships between accounts and their subsidiaries or other divisions

* Generate quotes, sales orders, and invoices for the accounts

* Track purchase history of the customers and analyze opportunities for up-selling and cross-selling in future

* Identify referrals from accounts and contacts for promoting new products and services

* Store account and contact-related notes and documents in the account history

* Export accounts to spreadsheet software to analyze the buying patterns of a customers and set up loyalty programs

* Mass Email ContactsTrack all contacts and related opportunities, cases, activities, and other details from a common repository

* Manage hierarchy of contacts within your customer company to have a better coordination while dealing with customers

* Import contacts from external sources CRM and other business applications

* Set up contact assignment rules to automatically assign contacts to the sales force in your organization

* Export contacts to spreadsheet software for further data analysis

* Synchronize contacts between Zoho CRM and Microsoft® Outlook® using the Zoho CRM Outlook Plug-in

Accountancy jobs

We aim to be the number one specialist for accountancy recruitment in your local market and currently operate from a number of locations covering the North West, Yorkshire and the Midlands.

We recruit for permanent and temporary positions, from clerical staff to newly qualified accountants.

Established in 1996, we have built up close links with many companies in your area, ranging from independent businesses to multi-national blue chips, giving you the widest and best possible choice of roles.

Our specialist consultants each focus on a specific level and location, so you can be sure that you are talking to a real expert in your particular market.

We are proud that most of our work comes from repeat business and referrals from satisfied clients and happy candidates. In fact, over 70% of our clients and 98% of our candidates say that they will use RK Accountancy as their first choice in the future.

So, whether you are looking to develop your career or need to recruit first-class talent, make use of our extensive experience and specialised knowledge. we look forward to working with you!

Jobs for mechanical engineers:

The candidate shall have experience in the Planning, design, Co-ordination and Project Management of oil-field or petrochemical or heavy industry Mechanical installations and power plant design projects.
The candidate will share and apply best practices, and provide Mechanical Engineering support for projects and plant changes.

Duties and Responsibilities will be:

Engineering services required to carry out Mechanical projects involving rotating equipment for power generation, gas turbines, motors, pumps, compressors, plant piping systems and storage tanks.
Designing support for projects across different sites, particularly in power plant projects
Design and Engineering of new projects including preparation of detailed scope and tender proposals, cost analysis and project reports.

Undertaking studies and analysis related to mechanical installations and equipment and make appropriate reports and recommendations.
Design of overall facilities and selection of equipment to be purchased.
Technical advice on Mechanical projects and checking contractors work to ensure compliance with specifications and engineering standards.

Interface with other departments and outside suppliers and contractors.
Undertaking bid evaluations.
Site investigations on special operational issues and recommend solutions.
Preparing and reviewing specifications for Mechanical equipment.
Estimating or providing input to estimating for plant changes and projects.

Requirements:

The candidate shall have a BSc. Degree in Mechanical engineering or its equivalent from an accredited University, a detailed understanding of the subject and proven evidence of technical capabilities.
Ideally, should have satisfied the training requirements for Chartered Engineer status or the equivalent, and have experience of mechanical engineering in the Petrochemical/Oil & Gas Industry, with strong background in Consulting Engineering and Design.

The candidate shall have experience in the Planning, design, Co-ordination and Project Management of oil-field or petrochemical or heavy industry Mechanical installations and power plant design projects.
The candidate will share and apply best practices, and provide Mechanical Engineering support for projects and plant changes.

Firefighter Recruitment

Our recruitment section of the site contains a vast amount of information which is a must for anyone who wants to join the Fire and Rescue Service as a firefighter. You will find a wide range of advice topics: How to fill in the application form correctly; help on how to pass the physical and mental tests; advice on how to prepare for that all important interview. A real must-see for a prospective firefighter.

Read MoreAs a firefighter, you will be called upon to tackle various emergency situations where your problem solving skills and initiative will be vital to resolve issues quickly and calmly. Incidents vary from tackling fires and rescuing people from burning buildings to dealing with chemical spillages and Road Traffic Collisions (RTCs). A sensitive approach will be required when dealing with members of the public who may be distressed and confused.

Today's firefighter also works closely with the community to increase their level of awareness and so prevent incidents from occurring in the first place.

Being able to communicate effectively to schools, community groups, voluntary organisations and others is important, as is treating people with dignity and respect regardless of their background or culture.

The attributes required

There are certain personal attributes you will need to help you fulfil your role as a firefighter. These include confidence, resilience, adaptability, ability to communicate effectivley, integrity and have a commitment to diversity.

The role of the firefighter is continually changing as new techniques and equipment are introduced. As well as responding to emergencies, you will also be expected to work closely with the community:

  • To prevent fire and accidents from starting in the first place.
  • Educating the community by visiting schools, community centres and people in their own homes.
  • Advising people about planning escape routes within their own homes in case of a fire.
  • Actively seeking to understand and to value diverse individuals and groups.

Training and development

As a firefighter you will be expected to undertake a continuous training programme by attending lectures, exercises, practical training sessions and other forms of training to maintain competence levels.

You will be expected to take responsibility for developing your own skills and ensuring that your fitness levels are maintained as the work can be demanding, both physically and mentally.

Retained firefighters

Retained firefighters are an essential part of the Fire & Rescue Service. They serve rural communities, responding to pagers when an emergency call is received.A retained firefighter must live or work within five minutes of the fire station. Clearly, flexibility is key and you will need to be either self-employed or have an employer who is supportive and willing for you to leave work at a moments notice to attend an emergency.

If you are interested in becoming a retained firefighter, contact your nearest retained station and speak to the Station Commander to discuss your availability and to determine your suitability.

Age discrimination

Teenagers, like all groups of people, have some advantages and some disadvantages that affect your ability to find a job. A potential employer will view your energy and willingness to learn as reasons to hire you for a part-time or summer job.

However, your young age also raises certain challenges that you should know about as you look for a job.Laws exist that regulate when you can work and the type of work you can do. Non-agricultural jobs require you to be at least 14 years of age.

Fourteen- and 15-year-olds may not work more than three hours a day and 18 hours a week during the school year. During the summer and on school holidays, you can work eight hours a day and 40 hours a week, but there are time limits. You may not work later than 7 p.m. during the school year and no later than 9 p.m. between June 1 and Labor Day.If you are 16 or 17, you have no limits on the hours you can work. But the U.S. Labor Department considers some jobs hazardous for workers under age 18, so check them out before beginning your job search.

Some states require Employment/Age Certificates(also known as “working papers”) for teenagers under 18. Ask your school guidance office if they have the forms to fill out.

You can also check with your state’s labor department.It’s a good idea to conduct your own background check on any company that has made you a job offer, especially if it is unfamiliar to you or your family. Check with the Better Business Bureau to see if any complaints have been registered about the company. Find out if the company is complying with all federal and state labor laws concerning teenage workers.

Landing your first job

Landing your first job can be tricky. How do you gain experience if an employer won’t hire you due to lack of experience? Should you settle for a low-paying job just to get a foot in the door? How high should you set your expectations for a first-time job?

The following job tips will help you find the best possible first-time job given your age and lack of work experience:

Know what you’re getting into

Whether you're looking for teen jobs, high school jobs or college jobs, it’s important to have realistic expectations about your first job. After all, you are just entering a job market in which many others have been operating for quite some time. Don’t get discouraged, but know what to expect. Talk with a school guidance counselor, your parents or others who have been there. They can provide valuable insight into the reality of the working world. Be prepared with a list of questions so you get the kind of information you need to find your first job.

Be prepared

Before looking for a job, learn everything you can about the job search process. SnagAJob.com has lots of job articles to help you. The Internet is a treasure-trove of information about job hunting, labor laws for teenagers and information about companies. You can often get a feel for companies by visiting their websites. We've broken down some of the more popular jobs for teens in our JobBuddies section where we provide information about teen jobs.

Spread the word

Many jobs come through referrals from people you know, so it’s important to let everyone know you’re looking for a job. This is where your parents and their friends, teachers, coaches and other adults can be a great resource. Be sure to mention the kind of work you’d like to do, but don’t turn down an opportunity just because it’s not the perfect job. It might lead to the job you really want.

Work for the experience

Sometimes a job might not be exactly what you’re looking for, but it puts you in contact with people or organizations that might help you in the future. For example, working as an office clerk might not be the most exciting first job, but it might enable you to shadow someone in a job that interests you. Also, don’t be too quick to turn down a volunteer position as your first job. Sometimes the best compensation is experience or access – and future employers look at any work experience as valuable.

Consider your options

Don’t limit yourself to your dream job or to the first job that comes along. Broaden your thinking to include as many options as possible. Start with your interests and consider all the possibilities. If you like working with animals, jobs might include working at a zoo, an animal shelter or a veterinarian. But what about providing a dog-walking service or taking care of pets while their owners are on vacation? If you like working with computers, you might not get hands-on experience in your first job, but what about a position that gives you access to IT professionals or helps you learn the latest software?

Stick with it

Don’t give up if you can’t find a job right away. A job search takes persistence and patience. It’s important to keep trying; a potential employer will notice if you have the determination and the drive to find a job.

Telecommuting Disadvantages:

  • Time Management Challenges – When you work from home, it can sometimes become difficult to separate work time from home responsibilities. There's often a temptation to divide attention between household duties and work activities, resulting in insufficient attention being paid to both. Working from home requires a great deal of self control and discipline. Telecommuters have to learn to set limits for themselves as well as for the other members of their household in order to prevent the problems that might arise when work and the activities of daily living overlap too much.

  • Perception of Friends and Family – It can sometimes be difficult for friends and relatives to understand that the fact that you are working at home does not mean that you are available to chat, run errands, go shopping, etc. When you begin telecommuting, don't fall into the trap of letting people pull you away from what you need to accomplish during the time you have set aside to work. You will likely have to spend some time explaining your new role to the people in your life, making it clear that when you are working from home, you must focus on accomplishing work related tasks.

  • Lack of Social Interaction – When you are accustomed to working in an office environment, you have an opportunity to interact with co-workers on a regular basis. Even though dealing with your coworkers may be challenging at sometimes, interacting with others helps meet the important social needs that everyone has. Those who telecommute often find the lack of contact with coworkers to be a surprising drawback.

Facts About Smoking:

Cigarette, cigar, and pipe-smoking are so debilitating that the immediate cessation of the habit is always the first step of any program to improve one's health - even more important than vitamins, diet, or exercise.

stained teeth, fingers, and hair;
increased frequency of colds, particularly chest colds and bronchitis;
asthma;
neuralgia;

Two to four cigarettes in a row increase blood fats 200 to 400%. The average smoker (30 cigarettes per day) has 4 to 6 times the chance of having heart disease if he's in the 45-54 year age group.

If the mother smoked during pregnancy, her baby will average 6 ounces less and its pulse will be 30% faster than a non-smoker's baby, and there'll be withdrawal symptoms in the baby after birth. Premature birth has been related to smoking by the mother. There is a direct link between parents' smoking and children's respiratory disease.

The non-smoker has no need to spend money to buy cigarettes, matches, lighters, holders, ashtrays, or to spend a dime a mile for that special trip to the store. Just the cigarettes alone amount to an average of $250 per year, after taxes - wasted. Add another $250 if the spouse smokes. This is hard-earned, after-tax, money of yours, used to pay for the above smoking paraphernalia - plus tax!

The overall bad health of the smoker results, on average, in a decrease of 8.3 years in his life expectancy, or about 12 to 14 minutes per cigarette. Just in lost social security income alone, this amounts to about a 5 a cigarette. The actual cost of each cigarette when you include extra medical expenses, lost pay, etc., is of the order of 25 per cigarette (1971 figures).

Notice how many of your friends have quit smoking in the last 5 years. They're the smart ones (and you know it). Lower intelligence has been related to smoking. In fact, smoking is both a cause and an effect of lower intelligence, just as smoking is both a cause and effect of lower income. The (smoking)-(lower-intelligence)-(lower-income)-(more smoking) vicious circle can unknowingly spiral a brainwashed young person down and down into the depths of poverty and despair. He'll not be as physically or mentally able to cope with life's challenges. Our successful capitalistic system is based on competition, and the physically-mentally handicapped smoker inevitably ends up at the bottom of the heap. So get smart, today, now, and join the happy, healthy ranks of the non-smokers.

Quit Smoking Aids

As you've probably already discovered, there are many different quit smoking aids, each with their own success claims. We've already discussed the advantages and disadvantages of these on our Ways To Quit Smoking page. The purpose of the current page is to explain the various aids so you can make an intelligent decision whether you wish to use any. We've also included links to any manufacturer's descriptions and sources to purchase these aids so you won't put off your decision to quit. This is It's part of our Tips To Quit Smoking pages, including 20 Reasons To Quit Smoking Quit Smoking Effects, and Ways To Quit Smoking. As we've mentioned before, as long as you have a strong reason to quit, any method will work. So, let's get started quitting:

Quit Smoking Aids Drugs:

These aids pacify you while you quit smoking by providing you with nicotine or other drug to reduce cravings for cigarettes, so you can stop smoking without missing the addictive drug. Then, we expect, you withdraw from the drug. There are several types of quit smoking drug aids:

1. Nicotine Patch provides the drug slowly through a trans-dermal patch.
2. Quit Smoking Lozenge helps you through the withdrawal but does not use nicotine.
Other quit smoking aids drugs include pills, injections and anti-depressant drug therapy, all provided through your doctor. Be careful when using drugs as quit smoking aids because you can get hooked on the drugs instead of, or in addition to the smoking.

Herbal Quit Smoking Aids:

These aids pacify you while you quit smoking by introducing relaxation herbs to reduce the effects of nicotine withdrawal. As you may guess, there are many different types with various claims of success:
1. Respiratory Enzymes claim to improve breathing and detoxify the body from smoking chemicals.

Quit Smoking Aids Gadgets:

These items aid you in managing your quit smoking program. There are many different styles and methods, again, with many claims of success. Use your head!
1. Electronic Quit Smoking Aid helps you manage your smoking and slowly taper it down until you have quit.
2. Inhaler Quit Smoking Aids help you quit by pacifying you with a smoke-free inhaler.

To do what I did, you could use an herbal lozenge, gum or inhaler as a pacifier for the psychological habit and one of the electronic taper-down counters.

Finally, sometimes we need more help to quit smoking than information, aids and methods provide. Smoking is an addiction. Like any other addiction, sometimes it requires healing the underlying cause before we can end the addiction. Addiction is caused by an emptiness or low self-esteem that causes us to use substances to try and fill the void. The only One who can fill this void in us is God. If you want help from God to quit smoking,

Advantages and Disadvantages of smoking

Are you feeling that you would like to start smoking cigarettes? Here are 12 steps to follow to help you decide whether or not to be a smoker.

1. Make a list of the people you know who are smokers.

Don't put anyone on the list who has not been smoking at least one year.

Be sure to ask non-smokers too. They may be former smokers. If so, you can add them to the list.

2. Ask each person on your list if they mind being interviewed.

Tell them that you are doing this because you want to learn from them. Specifically, you want to know what they have learned from being a smoker.

Only if they say "yes" should you proceed with the interview.

3. Ask them why they started smoking.

Everyone has their story to tell. Some stories will be similar but no two stories will be exactly the same.

4. Ask them if they have ever regretted having starting smoking.

Give them room to answer this question in any way that they see fit. Different smokers will feel very differently about smoking.

5. Ask them what they most enjoy about smoking.

If they no longer enjoy smoking, let them say so. If they really enjoy having a cigarette after a meal, let that be their answer.

6. Ask them what they least enjoy about smoking.

If they feel that they get more colds because of smoking, let that be their answer. If they can't think of anything about smoking that they dislike, let their answer stand as it is.

7. Write down all the answers that people give you and keep careful records of these answers.

If you learn from the experiences of others, you save wear and tear on yourself.

Saving yourself from unnecessary experiences by learning from the experiences of others is experience that you get for free. It doesn't cost you anything and is the key to a graceful and happy future.

8. Ask the people how long they've been smoking.

This is so that you can tally up the total number of years that all your respondents as a group have smoked. If you talk to 100 people who have been smoking for 1 year each, you will have recorded 100 years of smoking experience.

Likewise, if you talk to 4 people who have been smoking for 25 years each, you will have recorded 100 years of smoking experience.

If you add the two groups together, you will have recorded 200 years of human experience smoking tobacco.

9. Don't stop recording people's experiences with smoking until you've recorded over 200 years of human experience.

This is important! You don't want the opinions of just a few people. Otherwise, you might end up with an unbalanced view of smoking.

Financial Analysis

•Possesses advanced knowledge to interpret financial analysis and determine implications of financial data

•Demonstrates ability to perform financial analysis and creates key financial statements used by the organization

•Identifies, analyzes, and provides solutions to correct issues and develop processes to avoid recurrence

•Interprets the major types of financial statements issued by the organization

•Demonstrates proficiency in utilizing tools used for quantitative and techniques

Budget Management

•Assists the Controller in the collection and preparation of required budget information.

•Effectively uses tools uses tools for preparing and maintaining budget

•Participates in developing and monitoring budget for a specific work groups and departments

•Interprets budget variances and partners with department representatives to analyze the variances

•Implements and communicates the organization’s budget cycle and processes

•Demonstrates proficiency in utilizing tools used for quantitative and techniques

Financial Forecasting and Modeling

•Is knowledgeable and applies concepts of financial forecasting

•Demonstrates ability to collect, review, and interpret data for the purpose of accounting program evaluation

Financial Reporting:

•Demonstrates advance knowledge of the purpose, impact, value, and interdependency of financial reports

•Develops and implements organizational standards for financial report writing

•Utilizes and practices guidelines in compliance with United Way of America, Generally Accepted Accounting Principles and federal regulations

Communication:

•Communicate ideas clearly and effectively.

•Demonstrates strong interpersonal skills, and ability to lead discussions and participate in group team meetings

•Has the ability to adapt to changing environments and manage multiple priorities, organize, interpret and communicate data

•Effectively writes reports and/or business correspondence

•Articulates information and responds to questions from staff to senior executive levels in a professional manner

•Effectively presents information to top management, public groups, and/or boards of directors

ONLINE HOTAL MARKETING:

Engineer the Hotel’s Online Presence. Don’t just monitor it – take proactive steps to make it appealing to as many customer types as possible. Change it often and incorporate pictures of people enjoying various amenities of the hotel – this speaks to the ‘experience’. Ask the web master to insert a piece of code on the site so that the hotel can make changes to parts of the web site and not have to wait for them. If there is any part of the hotel that is not worthy to be seen in a picture or video on Trip Advisor .

- Create your own review site and/or blog. Draw the customer to you with a blog about the hotel—not a blatant advertisement or a rant about your dog! Write blog posts that give customers information about events in the area or things going on at the hotel. For example, a client has discovered that fishermen are attracted to the property in the off season. They are fishing for a certain kind of fish, in this case steelheads On the blog, are posts about other fisherman’s success, conditions on the river, etc his is stimulates that market with information that ‘attracts’ them to the hotel. Create a review site where customers can speak directly about their experiences at the property—good, bad or indifferent. Respond to those reviews as you would to those on Trip Advisor.

- Converting Online RFPs into Revenue. This is Web 2.0 in action – exposing the hotel to new customers and markets. Don’t just wait for RFPs to arrive in the Inbox, be present on those platforms that deliver those RFPs. Make sure that the hotel profile is constantly updated and consider ads on the RFP platform’s web site so that you are at the top of a planners mind when they select hotels to include in their RFP requests. Respond within hours – even if you are declining the RFP.

- The ‘shift’ in Social Groups to Online Sourcing. Social groups represent a huge opportunity – and despite the economy, ‘affinity’ groups will still travel although they will become more and more value conscious. Make it easy for them to find and book the hotel – if the franchise doesn’t provide an interface for these groups to locate and book a hotel, provide an easy way for them to locate the hotel and initiate a booking inquiry especially for them on the hotel web site. Provide a community page that the group can use to communicate to other members of the group with a link so that reservations can be made directly with the hotel.

- The Changing Nature of Relationships. Recall the Lending Tree commercial where the customer goes into the bank and the bank manager, obviously glad to see the long term customer, asks if he is there about his mortgage. The customer replies that he is using Lending Tree so that a number of banks can compete for his business. The manager is dismayed and states “… but we have been your bank for years!” The customer responds that this bank is in the running to compete for his business and that he is ‘pulling’ for them. Web 2.0 in action! Do not count on a relationship with a planner to assume that you will get their next meeting – they are under increasing pressure to assure their stakeholders that they have bid the business and are getting the best value. Just think how much money you will save on site inspections and taking them to lunch!

bpo jobs

Affinity Express: Embroidered success

PUNE: Voyager Emblem (India) is a BPO with a difference. Unlike the run of the mill BPOs that include call centres, technical help desks, financial analysis-knowledge process outsourcing, Voyager is engaged in the development of digitised embroidery designs.

A Pune-based company, Voyager, was among the first BPOs to offer the service of digitising embroidery designs. Affinity Express was begun in 1992 as Voyager Emblem (India), when the Canadian-US family owned Voyager Emblem, chose to look towards India.

Today, in a global market estimated to be worth $20-25bn for digitised embroidery design, Champion Voyager Design’s India unit is a 500 strong entity, serving over 3,000 big and small customers. Voyager Emblem US used to embroider and digitise the design for mass or limited manufacture, all according to customer requirements. This was offshored to India, its captive BPO, which since ’02 has become a one-stop graphics shop.

The India operations, headed by executive VP Ram V Ramchandran, began in 1992 as a joint venture between Champion, a division of the Sara Lee Corp and Voyager, and were called Champion Voyager (CV) Designs.

Now, in line with the global parent’s move, the name of the Indian operations has been changed to Affinity Express Digital Services. “We believe we are the largest in the world as an outsourced graphics design shop, with 550 people working three shifts in two locations in Pune. From ’02, we entered the business of content editing and creation,” said Vinita Iyer Ram, VP-operations, Affinity Express.

For Affinity Express, the new business means that it must convert the customer’s idea into a visual document. Here, time is of essence and Ms Ram said when the work was being done in the US, it would take between five days to 72 hours. However, off-shoring has meant a substantial reduction in time.

Mr Ramachandran added that both business segments are abstract and competition in both segments comes from in-house operations of clients. He added that originally, the graphics design shop was set up as a 25:75 JV between himself and David Grant. After the induction of two venture capital funds, none of the original promoters hold more than 10%.

GANDHIJI

Introduction

Gandhiji’s life was dedicated to the ideals of Truth, Non-violence and Love. 'The Bhagavad Gita is my mother,' he once said; and the name of Sri Rama was his shield. He was the architect of India's freedom and one of the greatest men of this century.

A traveler, who came from Europe to India about thirty-five years ago, was asked: ‘What do you wish to see in India?’ His reply was: 'The Himalayas, The Taj Mahal and Mahatma Gandhi.'It was neither wealth nor power that made Gandhiji so famous. He became famous for certain goodquality that he possessed. He always practiced what he taught. He did not do evil to any body; and also, he did not even consider the evil doer as wicked.He wished him well; and wished all well; he wished well to everything,and at all times.He looked upon all with love,and worked all through life to put an end to hatred and to spread love. From ancient times such a man of lovehas been called a 'Mahatma 'in India.

Truthful and Religious Parents

'Gandhi' is a family name. The Gandhi’s had been merchants for many years. They lived in a town called Porbandar. It now belongs to Gujarat State. The town had stone walls around it. As the stones shone in the sun, the town was known as 'Shwetapuri' (the White City).

Uttamchand Gandhi was the grandfather of Gandhiji. He was the Diwan or the Prime

Minister or the Rana (ruler) of Porbandar. His son Karamchand Gandhi was Gandhiji 's father. Gandhiji's full name was Mohan- das Karamchand Gandhi. He was born on October 2, 1869.

Karamchand Gandhi was the Diwan of Porbandar State for some time, and later became the Diwan of Raikot State. Like his father, he too was an honest and a courageous man. His wife's name was Putlibai. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was their youngest son.

Karamchand Gandhi was a very practical man. Gandhiji describes his father in his

autobiography as follows: 'My father was a lover of his clan, truthful, brave and gene- rous.'Often there used to be readings from the Ramayana and the Mahabharatha in his house.There used to be religious dis- cussions also among Jain,Parsi and Muslim scholars. Young Gandhi listened to all this with attention.

Putlibai was in the habit of visiting temples every day. She used to take Gandhi also with her. She used to keep stern vows and fasts. Religious practices were her very life breath. Her influence on the son was great. Many years later,Gandhiji, recollecting his early years, said, 'If there is any purity in me, it is all due to my mother.' The son imbibed from his mother the qualities of service, sacrifice and affection for others.

Smoke Alarms and Detectors

Every year the Fire and Rescue Service is called to over 600,000 fires which result in over 800 deaths and over 17,000 injuries.

About 50,000 (140 a day) of these are in the home and kill nearly 500 and injure over 11,000, many which could have been prevented if people had an early warning and were able to get out in time. In fact you are twice as likely to die in a house fire that has no smoke alarm than a house that does.

Buying a smoke alarm could help save your home and the lives of you and your family.

What are smoke alarms?

Smoke alarms are self contained devices that incorporate a means of detecting a fire (smoke detector) and giving a warning (alarm). They are about the size of a hand and are normally fitted to the ceiling. They can detect fires in their early stages and give you those precious minutes to enable you and your family to leave your house in safety.

What type of smoke alarms are available?

There are three types of smoke alarm currently on the market - ionisation, optical (also described as photo electronic) and combined.

  • Ionisation: These are the cheapest and cost very little to purchase. They are very sensitive to small particles of smoke produced by flaming fires, such as chip pans, and will detect this type of fire before the smoke gets too thick. They are marginally less sensitive to slow burning and smouldering fires which give off larger quantities of smoke before flaming occurs.
  • Optical: These are more expensive but more effective at detecting larger particles of smoke produced by slow-burning fires, such as smouldering foam-filled upholstery and overheated PVC wiring. They are marginally less sensitive to free burning flaming fires.
  • Combined: These detectors are effective at detecting slow-burning as well as flaming fires - which are both common types of fire.

Which smoke alarm should I choose?

When deciding which type of alarm to buy you should consider which type of fire is most likely to occur in your home. Generally, both types of fire are common so the best form of protection would be to choose at least one smoke alarm of each type. Ideally, and to ensure continuity of supply, mains powered alarms with a back up power supply (e.g. battery, rechargeable capacitor) are the best option but simple battery powered alarms of either type will give good minimum protection.

You can buy smoke alarms at DIY stores, hardware and electrical shops, and at some supermarkets. Always buy an alarm which conforms to the British Standard. This means the alarm has achieved a standard acceptable to the British Standards Institution (BSI). Smoke alarms should meet BS 5446 Part 1, and carry the well-known Kite mark.

Where do I fit my smoke alarms?

Smoke alarms are simply screwed into the ceilings and should be fitted as close to the centre of the room as possible, but at least 30 centimetres (12 inches) away from any wall or light fitting. You should always make sure that your alarm is fitted in a place where it can be heard throughout your home - particularly when you are asleep. If your home is on one level, you should fit the alarm in the hallway between the living and sleeping areas. If you have only one smoke alarm and two floors, put it where you can hear it when you're asleep - in the ceiling at the top of the stairs leading to the bedrooms. Although ionisation and optical alarms are equally effective, optical alarms may be preferred in this particular situation as they are especially good at detecting slow-burning or smouldering fires.

Water Safety Advice for Swimmers

Drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury-related death among children ages 14 and under, with children under age 5 at the highest risk. Many drowning's and near drowning's occur when children are left unattended by a pool, pond or in the bath. The majority of all drowning's and near drowning's occur between May and August.

Its also a fact that the drinking of alcohol plays a large part in drowning in adults, and the consumption of alcohol should be avoided at all costs if you intend swimming of any kind.

Adults and children over age 13 should learn infant and child cardiopulmonary resuscitation in the event of a near drowning. Parents and caregivers should also develop and practice an emergency routine.

For many families, visits to the community pool, ponds or beaches are essential rituals of the summer experience. But smooth waters can turn to rough ones when basic water safety precautions, such as constant supervision of children near or around water, are forgotten.

Toddlers and children are attracted to water and love to play in it. Unfortunately, they don't understand the dangers of drowning. Children can drown in as little as one inch of water in a matter of seconds and it can happen in the time it takes a parent to answer the phone.

Water safety at the swimming pool

A pool is 14 times more likely than a motor vehicle to be involved in the unintentional death of children ages 4 and under. Sixty to ninety percent of the drowning's occur in residential pools. To prevent drowning's in swimming pools, abide by the following:

  • Never leave your child alone in or around a swimming pool or a spa.
  • Teach children how to swim. Enrol children in swimming lessons taught by qualified instructors when your child is ready, usually after age 3. But keep in mind that lessons don't make your child 'drown-proof.'
  • Teach children water safety habits. Children should not run, push others under water, jump on others, dive or jump in shallow water or swim during lightning storms or other bad weather.
  • Keep a telephone, emergency phone numbers and rescue equipment at the poolside.
  • Empty inflatable pools and store out of children's reach when not in use.

Water safety for Ponds, Lakes and Rivers

The majority of drowning's among older children occur in open bodies of water. These drowning's happen when an older child overestimates his or her swimming ability or when he or she is swimming in an unsupervised area. To prevent drowning's in natural or open bodies of water, read the following tips.

  • Always watch your child while at the beach, lake or other natural bodies of water.
  • Never let older children swim in unsupervised areas like quarries, canals or ponds. Many times children underestimate the depth of water.
  • Make sure your child wears a personal flotation device when in or near natural bodies of water. Air filled 'swimming aids,' such as 'water wings,' are not considered safety devices and are not substitutes.

Firework Safety Advice

Information for Adults & Children

Having fireworks at home can be great fun, as long as they are used safely. Figures show more children rather than adults get hurt by fireworks. Over the past five years over 350 pre-school children, some only a year old, were treated in hospital for fireworks injuries.

Be safe not sorry

Fireworks are safe if you use them properly. If you're putting on a home display, you should follow some simple steps to make sure that everyone has a good time without getting hurt.

Keep kids safe

We want children to enjoy fireworks but they need to know that they can be dangerous if they are not used properly. Each year, over half of all firework injuries are suffered by children. The Child Accident Prevention Trust have more guidance on keeping kids safe.

Sparkler safely

Did you know that sparklers get five times hotter than cooking oil? Sparklers are not toys and should never be given to a child under five.

Where to buy

Don't cut corners just to save a few quid. Always buy fireworks from a reputable shop to make sure that they conform to British Standards. This means that they should have BS 7114 written on the box.

Sometimes shops open up for a short time before Bonfire Night but these may not be the best places to buy fireworks from. Staff in these shops might not be very knowledgeable about using fireworks safely and their fireworks might not meet British Standards.

Whatever you do, don't buy fireworks from anywhere you're not sure about, such as the back of a van or from a temporary, unlicensed market stall.

What to buy

There are different categories of fireworks. Members of the public can buy and set off most of the fireworks that come under Categories 1 to 3. These are fireworks that include those that you can use indoors, in your garden or at a display. Always read the packet carefully and make sure that the fireworks you buy are suitable for the place where you are going to set them off.

Professional fireworks

Some fireworks can only be bought and used by firework professionals. These include: air bombs; aerial shells, aerial maroons, shells-in-mortar and maroons-in-mortar; all bangers; mini rockets; fireworks with erratic flight; some Category 2 and 3 fireworks which exceed certain size limits; and all Category 4 fireworks.

Setting them off

Only one person should be in charge of fireworks. If that's you, then make sure you take all the necessary precautions. Read the instructions in daylight and don't drink any alcohol until they've all been discharged. Make your preparations in advance, and in daylight. On the night, you will need...

  • A torch.
  • A bucket or two of water.
  • Eye protection and gloves.
  • A bucket of soft earth to put fireworks in.
  • Suitable supports and launchers if you're setting off Catherine wheels or rockets.

Specialized Chef Jobs

When you start out your training to be a chef or cook, you rarely think about specializing in a certain type of cuisine, but there are very successful chefs that just cook certain cuisine, and there is a huge demand for specialized chefs in the hospitality industry. Some chefs will become specialized in food from the country that they are native to and this is a great way to express yourself and cook food that is close to your heart. For example, the Japanese and other Asian chefs love to cook and prepare sushi and you very rarely see a non-Asian making sushi in a restaurant. This is because the traditional dish uses secret recipes and cooking tips that have been passed down through the generations and use ingredients that are native to their country.

If you think about any specialized chef jobs are usually picked up by native chefs, so why not specialize in cooking food that is native to your country or that you have ancestral ties to, such as Italian cuisine, Greek cuisine, South African cuisine, Chinese cuisine, Brazilian cuisine, and more. For Italian cuisine, you will need to have the passion for food that a true Italian does and learn to use the native ingredients in the exact way that they are meant to in Italy.

The Chinese cuisine is mainly rice and noodle dishes with sweet and sour pork, chicken and other vegetables. The Chinese also make special spring rolls and dessert items like bow ties. Cooking Chinese cuisine requires a certain art and technique that many non Chinese chefs will not understand. The same goes for Brazilian cuisine, South African cuisine and Greek cuisine. There are certain dishes that you will not find anywhere else in the world and certain ingredients that you will also not find easily outside of those countries. In South Africa for example, you can get impala and kudu dishes, crocodile, buffalo, and ostrich, with chakalaka sauce and pap. In Greece you will find interesting desserts and baked foods and ingredients like bechamel sauce, bougatsa, loukoumades, and more.

Using the traditional ingredients makes cooking these meals that much harder and if you don't understand the culture and traditional recipes that have been passed down, it can be very hard to specialize in a cuisine that you don't know much about. The best way to get a specialized chef job is to specialize in food that you know from the country that you are from. Specialized chefs are usually in demand in restaurants that have a specific country theme like Italian, Mexican, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Greek, or Brazilian among others. Learning to cook in the specific styles will also require some un-training, as it were, and the following of age old recipes to get the perfect specialized dishes that you require.

Specialized chef jobs are found in every country, so if you are just a specialized chef when it comes to American or British cuisine, then you can find exciting jobs in other countries where your skills can be highly appreciated. You might be able to find a more high-end job overseas where your chef skills are really in demand for the top of the line hotels and international restaurants. JobMonkey has an excellent section on answers.

Sometimes, specialized chef jobs are wanted that ask you to specialize in a few different food styles. For example, there are many restaurants that offer Asian cuisine, which means that you have to be comfortable and talented with Indian, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, and Thai cuisine. Whatever cuisine you specialize in, you can be sure that you will find the perfect chef jobs anywhere in the world. The more you know about other cultures and different cuisines, the better it will be for your career opportunities.

Chef Jobs on Cruise Liners:

One of the most exciting places to work as an executive chef, sous chef, chef de partie, first cook, or cook trainee among other jobs, is on a cruise liner travelling all over the world. Here you will learn more about different cultures and tastes from all over the world and the experience is a one in a million, giving you a more mature palate. There are two sections on board a ship in the galley, and that is the cold galley and the hot galley.

Keep in mind, too, that JobMonkey has a detailed section about that should be missed. It includes dozens of job descriptions and information the cruise line industry.

Executive Chef: The executive chef is the head of the galley and must have extensive restaurants or hotel chef experience. Most cruise liner companies only offer executive chef positions to chefs with more than 8 years in the industry in a subordinate position. The executive chef will be responsible for the entire galley staff, plan the food, and do quality control. You can earn between $ 4,300.00 and $ 5,200.00 per month as an executive chef on board a cruise liner.

Assistant Executive Chef or Sous Chef: The assistant executive chef or sous chef is the person in the galley that looks after the rest of the chefs and galley and also makes sure that the day to day running is smooth. The sous chef or assistant executive chef must have 4 to 5 years of cruise liner or restaurant experience and will also help the executive chef to plan meals, assist with quality control, and with the preparation. An assistant executive chef can expect to earn about $3,500.00 to $4,100.00 per month and the sous chef will also be considered for promotion to executive chef.

Chef de Partie: The chef de partie is also in the position of being promoted to executive chef, and must also having 4 to 5 years of experience in the relevant fields. The chef de partie is in charge of preparing all of the sauces and gourmet cuisine in the galley, and also manages the food displays and buffets in the restaurants.

Cook training

First Cook: As the first cook in the galley of a cruise ship you will oversee the bakers and pastry chefs and also manage the second cook and third cook. You report directly to the executive chef and can be promoted to assistant executive chef. The first cook must have 2 to 3 years of experience on board in a subordinate position. Your monthly salary as first cook will be between $1,900.00 and $2,200.00.

Second Cook and Third Cook: The second cook will be directly under the first cook as will the third cook. You have the responsibility of supervising the bakers and pastry chefs, and you must also take direction from the first cook and executive chef regarding your food preparation and cooking tasks. You will earn between $1,400.00 and $1,600.00 per month and have the opportunity to be promoted to first cook.

Cook Trainee: The cook trainee is the starting position for many chefs to the cruise liner industry and you must have some experience in restaurants or hotels. You will earn about $700.00 per month and can be promoted to third chef or second chef. The cook trainee will take cooking and preparation directions from the first cook.

Baker Jobs: Bakers have various tasks in the galley and you can work as a baker supervisor, assistant baker supervisor, baker, or baker trainee. You are responsible for baking all of the good on board and as the baker supervisor you must have more than 3 years of experience in the hospitality field. The baker supervisor is responsible for the preparation and baking of all foods in the cold galley and will report and take orders from the executive chef. The baker supervisor will earn a salary of around $1,800.00 to $2,300.00 per month, with the other bakers earning from $1,900.00 to $900.00 per month.

Pastry Chefs

The pastry chefs also work in the cold galley preparing and making all of the desserts, pastries and tasty treats for the guests. The pastry chef supervisor is the head of the pastry chef section and will be in charge of the pastry preparation, production, and all pastry staff. The next cruise liner job in the pastry section is the assistant pastry chef supervisor, pastry man, and finally pastry trainee. These jobs will all involve making and preparing the pastries and all pastry staff will report to the pastry chef supervisor. You will make between $1,900.00 and $2,300.00 per month as a pastry chef supervisor and the other pastry chef positions will offer salaries of $2,100.00 to about $800.00 as the pastry trainee.

Crew Cooks: The crew cook makes all the food that is eaten by the crew. There are various crew cook jobs like crew cook, crew cook assistant and crew cook trainee. You will report and take orders from the First Cook and must have at previous hotel or restaurant industry experience. You can earn between $600.00 and $900.00 per month and there are strong possibilities of being promoted to third cook or second cook.

Other Cruise Liner Galley Jobs: There are lots of other galley positions available that require chefs, cooks or people will a food background, knowledge and passion. You can start off in the cruise line as a provision master or storekeeper collecting and keeping tabs on the supplies and ingredients on board. The provision master or storekeeper must have a food and beverage background and will take directions from the executive chef. The provision master or storekeeper must also have accounting knowledge. The crew messman or crew cook utility does not require you to have any experience and is a great place to start if you want to travel the world and also start to gain experience in the kitchen. You will be responsible for cleaning and general maintenance and will be directed by the first cook. You can earn about $600.00 to $900.00 per month.

These are just some of the top chef positions that you can get working as a chef or cook on board a cruise ship. It is a great opportunity to get promoted and gain valuable experience while traveling the world. Some cruise liners have many restaurants on board, which means that there are lots of jobs available all the time. If you are tired of working in a land based restaurant or hotel, and want some adventure, then cruise liner chef jobs are just for you.

PLANNING OBJECTIVES

Decisions about funding choices are critical to the future of the Navy. A dynamic, uncertain, but still-dangerous security environment competes with constrained defense resources to createThe report of the Quadrennial Defense Review challenges and difficult tradeoffs in three major areas that, together, are the cornerstone for the 21st-century Navy:

* Force Readiness

* Force Structure

* Force Transformation

The security environment has changed. And the Navy is drawing upon the vitality and innovation of its people and leveraging new technological opportunities to create a transformation strategy that will ensure tomorrow's Navy can continue to meet its mission requirements and attain higher levels of operational effectiveness. While the recapitalization of resources is one possible solution to current funding concerns, a broader strategic context is essential if we are to avoid undue interim risk. Today's readiness must not suffer as we look to the future. This, alone, will demand the best, most enlightened stewardship of the Navy's fiscal and physical resources.

Navy firefighters

If we are to succeed in meeting tomorrow's challenges, the Navy's programming structure must become more integrated, effective, and proactive. In this light, the Navy will continue to develop new operational concepts that leverage current forces while exploiting our asymmetrical advantages and technological superiority. The Navy will continue to turn to industry and Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) technologies, and will privatize non-core functions when feasible. Additionally, we will pursue solutions with other U.S. Armed Services and our allies and friends.

Within this context of critical trade-offs and innovative solutions, broad planning objectives have been identified to guide our efforts to build the 21st-century Navy:

* Enhance readiness by providing a stable and rewarding quality of life for our people and their families by maintaining adequate pay, medical care, advancement potential, and benefits, and by providing a work environment that supports job satisfaction, including balanced sea-shore rotation

* Ensure that the minimum-essential force structure and core capabilities are preserved for naval, joint and multinational operations - for sustained forward deployed presence, deterrence, prompt and assured crisis response, and warfighting - including fully integrating Navy and Marine Corps Reserve components into a seamless Total Force Submarine underway

* Outsource and privatize non-core functions to industry whenever possible, thus reducing the size and cost of supporting infrastructure

* Leverage scarce resources through joint and international programs

These objectives are examined in more detail in the following sections.