Students who attend private schools can be more academically challenged, exposed to clearer value systems, given greater access to teachers, and may simply feel safer than local public school options. If you do decide to pursue private schooling for your child, start the research process early. Admission to private schools can be competitive, and finding a school that is a perfect fit for your child where he or she will be also be accepted, may take some time.

A Higher Bar:

A major advantage to private education is that your child will likely be challenged to a higher academic standard. Private schools can be more academically rigorous than public schools, and private school students may have to meet more criteria to keep up their grade point averages. According to The Condition of Education 2001, from the National Center for Education Statistics, Private high schools typically have more demanding graduation requirements than do public high schools.

Compared with public schools, private schools required more coursework (in 4-year high school programs). More can be expected of private school students in terms of quality of work, course workload, and special requirements such as community service or Arts participation. In some schools, what would normally be considered extracurricular activities, are prerequisites for graduation, which ultimately round out students’ high school experience. The push to meet this higher standard often results in a greater level of student performance. In a recent NAEP report it was found that, ‘Students in private schools scored significantly above the national average in grades four, eight, and twelve.

As the report put it, ‘Performance results in 2002 show that, at all three grades, students who attended nonpublic schools had higher average writing scores than students who attended public schools.’ In general, a student given the opportunity to attend a private school will most likely reach a higher level of academic achievement.

Student Teacher Ratio:

Private schools also tend to focus on controlling their class sizes. The NCES Schools and Staffing Survey found that, ‘Private high schools on average are less than half the size of public schools. In central cities, for example, the average size of a private high school is 398, compared to 1,083 for a public school.’ Students of private schools may have more opportunities to form relationships with their teachers, which can lead them to greater academic success. In such cases, a student is given help for his or her specific academic problems, which can allow the issue to be resolved quickly and correctly.

Once any issues inhibiting a student’s progress have been addressed, the child can go on to achieve at his or her highest level. In The Condition of Education 2002, it was found that, ‘Placing students in small groups tends to foster close working relationships between teachers and students, thus enhancing learning, particularly among at-risk students and those in the early grades.’

Also, small classes allow the teachers to have a better sense of who your child is, and what his or her specific strengths and weaknesses are. Your child will also have more opportunities to speak up and participate in class discussions. In addition, students may be offered office hours during which the teacher will be available. Students who have worked closely with their teachers are less likely to feel intimidated about using such time to actively seek help from their teachers directly.

Exposure to the Arts:

Private schools have the ability to create their own curriculum. Although, they must ultimately prepare students with the same basic course as any other school, private schools also have the option to add various elements to their programs. Private school administrators often develop programs that emphasize the Arts, perhaps more so than local public schooling options.

Schools may choose to produce elaborate plays and musicals, giving students unique opportunities to explore their talents and express themselves. Government regulations on public schools prevent them from spending more than a certain percentage of school funds on the Arts. Private schools, however, are not subject to the same regulations, and they have more freedom to develop and expand these programs as they wish. Some private schools may even offer filmmaking or video production courses which are opportunities normally reserved for college students.

Potentially More Funds:

The tuition that you and the other parents of a private school contribute often will go toward developing and funding special programs that would be restricted in public schools. The school may be able to offer other activities such as special field trips that reinforce the school’s curriculum. Such trips can give your child opportunities to form close friendships and build independence. The school may have more funds available to provide supplies to student-run clubs. The school also may create programs that better tie the arts or sciences into the overall general curriculum.

A Push Towards College:

Private high schools can instill their students with the expectation of attending college. Data from the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988, ‘Fourth Follow-up’ (NELS: 1988/2000) show that, ‘Students who had attended private school in 8th grade were twice as likely as those who had attended public school to have completed a bachelor’s or higher degree by their mid-20s (52 versus 26 percent) and far less likely to have had no postsecondary education.’

With college as a focus, students can be more goal oriented, and often elements of the schools curriculum will be specifically aimed at preparing your child for college. Many private schools are even referred to as ‘college preparatory.’ Private schools often encourage their students to take an active role in their own college admission process. Students may be given more access to information about college options, and they may be made more aware of the requirements they must fulfill to qualify for a specific school.

Community Service and a Sense of Values:

Private schools often put a major emphasis on personal values. When choosing a private school for your child, it is possible to find a school that incorporates a great deal of your own values into its everyday curriculum. Private schools often have honor codes and stricter behavioral standards that help students develop into mature adults.

According to The Condition of Education 2001 from the National Center for Education Statistics, ‘At private schools, a greater percentage of children had parents who were very satisfied with order and discipline than with the school or teachers in 1999.’ Parents are often given greater say in school policies at private schools.

Many private schools require that their students complete a mandatory number of community service hours. This not only provides the obvious benefit of instilling a sense of respect for the community and the importance of making a contribution to society, but it also happens to be something colleges especially favor. Students may also find possible career options while fulfilling this service requirement such as political involvement to aid the community or counseling for endangered teens. Community service experiences teach students that education goes beyond the walls of the school, and that it sometimes requires action and initiative.

Discipline and Safety:

Beyond the fact that smaller classrooms are by their very nature easier to control, most private schools put special emphasis on discipline. Even if your child does not have discipline problems, disruptive peers could take away from your child’s valuable learning time. The Condition of Education 2002 states that, ‘Private school teachers were more likely than public school teachers to say that they had a lot of influence on setting student performance standards (63 versus 38 percent) and on student discipline policy (48 versus 30 percent).’

The push for discipline in private schools teaches children self control, which will ultimately be a requirement in college where the student will be far more responsible for his or her own attendance, and achievement. Also, stricter disciplinary policies mean that any major problems will be handled and eradicated quickly. Typical crimes that plague public schools are less common at private schools. The School Crime and Safety Report found that, ‘Students in public schools (37.3 percent) were more apt to see hate-related graffiti at school than their counterparts in private schools (16.8 percent).’

A Word About Teachers:

Because teachers at private schools are not required to earn the same certifications as public school teachers, some parents worry that the teachers are not as qualified. This is not necessarily true. Private schools must maintain their reputations and create positive word of mouth to survive. Toward this end, private schools are generally very selective about who they place in front of their students, and they choose educators with training specific to the subject they will be teaching.

A Community in Itself:

When you decide to enroll your child in a private school, your family becomes part of a network of families with the same goals. Parents at private schools are more involved in the lives of the students and various school events. As a parent, you may have the opportunity to connect with other parents to discuss the lives of your children. Such relationships allow parents to learn from each other and support each other.

The students also benefit from the community atmosphere of private schools. The very specific personalities of private schools often lead the students to have a strong sense of pride and loyalty to the school and its community. The student may also benefit from affiliation to the school far beyond graduation day. Many private schools have alumni mentoring programs that connect older alumni with newer ones. Recent graduates may find internship opportunities with alumni who have been working in their field of interest.

Every Family is Different:

Despite the numerous benefits of private schooling, it must be said that private school is not for every child. Some children would benefit from the diversity a public school can offer. Some parents would prefer their children to be more focused on the core subjects rather than the arts and extracurricular interests. And, of course, the financial burden that a private school brings is considerable. No student is exactly the same as another, and only a parent can know what the best option is for his or her child. Any child, whether in private or public school, will need the active participation of his or her parents in order to achieve true success.

School Choice:

The major advantage of private schooling is choice. Rather than sending your child to a public school that is required based on geography, now you have opened up a selection of several schools that may have very different educational styles and emphases, simply because you are deciding on private education. Every private school has a unique personality, and with a little research, certain schools will emerge from the pool as having more features than that will benefit your child.

Perhaps the school is affiliated with your family’s religious faith, and your child can be given a religious education along with his or her core studies. Perhaps the school emphasizes writing, or it pushes self-expression. With the vast variety of private schools available, it is easy to select a school that will help your child to shine and develop the values you find most important.

Conclusion:

No choice can guarantee that your child’s formative years will go smoothly. Parents should always remain highly active participants in the education of their children. Still, in the interest of giving a student the most advantages and opportunities possible private school can be an attractive option.

Private schools can reduce worries about safety, increase a child’s exposure to discipline, offer reduced class sizes, and offer a good environment for high academic achievement. In many cases, a private school can prove to be much more than that, providing a community environment for your family and special opportunities that your child would not have otherwise.

Perhaps the most outstanding symptom of colitis is the consciousness of having a “stomach,” as the entire abdomen is poetically referred to by the average person. This consciousness may vary from a sensation of having “butterflies” in the stomach to severe abdominal pain.

Usually the abdominal pain is most intense in the left lower portion of the abdomen, however, it may be generalized that is, it can occur in any portion of the abdomen or diffusely over the abdomen. As a rule, it is not a sharp, stinging pain, but more of an ache. At times this is supplemented by a feeling of colic, or sharp pain.

Not infrequently the pain occurs right after a meal. In this instance, confusion may occur in establishing a diagnosis, since there are other things, such as ulcers, which also give rise to pain at a varying length of time after meals. In many cases, there is also an associated feeling of heartburn which leads the patient, and sometimes his doctor, erroneously to suspect stomach ulcer.

Of course, it is entirely possible that both conditions exist at the same time, in fact, in some cases of long continued colitis, this does occur. After all, the colon is part of the same tube, of which the stomach and small intestines are a part, and reflexly a disturbance in its function will bring about a disturbance in the function of the upper parts of this same tube. Fortunately, however, this does not occur in more than one out of ten cases, a fact which emphasizes the logic of correcting the colonic disorder before other reflex disturbances result.

Perhaps the first thing noticed by a person suffering from a form of colitis, aside from pain and discomfort, is that his bowel movements have become smaller in size and that, not infrequently, pain occurs at the time of the bowel movement. This pain lingers sometimes for hours after the actual movement. It is very often accompanied by a sense of extreme exhaustion.

These later symptoms are due largely to the intense spasm which occurs along the whole lower portion of the colon. Indeed, this spasm may become so intense and prolonged that it is possible to feel the tube-like structure of the colon right through the abdominal wall. I do not recommend this as an experiment for curious laymen, but merely to explain what your doctor is looking for when he palpates or feels the abdomen.

Of course the stools themselves change both in character and in frequency. Mucus, varying in amount, is found with most stools; indeed, in many cases the entire stool is just one mass of mucus. Sometimes this mucus coagulates along the walls of the colon and comes away all in one piece in what is known as a “cast.”

This is an alarming feature to most persons, since they feel that part of their colon has been shed. However, it is not nearly so serious as it appears to be to one unfamiliar with these matters. It merely represents tangible evidence of the extent to which the character of the secretions of the colon is being altered by the process of inflammation.

A highly sought after position, traveling nurse jobs attract large numbers of applicants each year. With the benefits of travel, good wages, and a chance to experience new job places, it’s no wonder experienced nurses look to traveling nurse jobs as a way to enliven their career.

After working many years cooped up in a hospital or a doctor’s office, the prospect of traveling is an exciting concept to many RNs. It offers the chance to see new places and meet new people while adding to the list of credentials on a nurse’s resume.

With a lot of opportunities available it is important for a nurse to consider their interests and whether they are likely to be satisfied in the regular changes of venue and assignment that is a part of the traveling nurse’s job.

Most traveling nurse jobs have a duration of 3-4 months. This keeps the traveling nurse on the move several times a year. This can be difficult for those who have a family or friends that they are closely attached to and want to be around.

Often the agency in charge of hiring traveling nurses encourage the applicants to choose the locality that most interests them when selecting a job. Other agencies do not have this option and send the nurses out to whichever place is most in need. If you have specific places you are interested in visiting make sure the agency you apply to offers you some choice.

Specialized nurses have the best chance of finding a traveling nurse position. Pediatric, psychiatric and pre-natal nurses are particularly in high demand.

Due to the nature of the positions, most traveling nurse jobs offer higher wages than those found in long-term placements.

Traveling nurses also get excellent benefit packages. They can expect to receive generous medical, dental and life insurance coverage as a part of their jobs.

When a nurse is relocated for a traveling position, suitable housing must be found. Agencies often are a part of this process, offering a living allowance or even supplying apartments for the traveling nurse.

Most agencies have staff on duty 24 hours a day to offer assistance to the nurses in their employ. While the nurses are living far away from home, there is support available to them at all times. Reputable agencies work hard to keep their RNs happy. Traveling nurse jobs can be a great way to add some spice to a career that can become stagnant.

Louis Zhang, nursevacanciesinc dot com

Victims of chronic Sinus Congestion may have the following symptoms for 12 weeks or more: facial pain/pressure, facial congestion/fullness, nasal obstruction/blockage, thick nasal discharge/discolored post-nasal drainage, pus in the nasal cavity, and at times, fever. They may also have headache, bad breath, and fatigue. Typically this condition is the result of several causes combined. While you can’t necessarily eliminate the causes, you can be proactive about natural sinus relief solutions and take a few preventative measures that will decrease the occurrence of sinus congestion.

However, allergies can cause sinus congestion, which can lead to headache pain. If you have allergies, the treatment for your allergy will not relieve your headache pain. Some sinus congestion is caused by food allergies. Milk and wheat are both common sinus offenders that cause allergic reactions and boost mucus production. Generally, a sinusitis condition causes nasal congestion and facial pain and pressure, will last more than ten days, and could also cause a thick yellow green mucus discharge, requiring sinus infection treatment.

Many people seek natural sinus relief because they react poorly to the ingredients in decongestant and antihistamine medications. Why? Because usually decongestant nasal sprays should only be used for short periods of time, or they can make congestion worse. Using decongestants when you have an upper respiratory infection may reduce your risk of developing sinusitis.

Antihistamines can be effective for treatment of allergy but when it comes to sinus drainage, the medication actually thicken the mucus, hampering sinus drainage and could lead to an infection.

Sinus congestion is harmful but if you take care of it in a proper manner you can easily get rid of it. One of the simple natural sinus relief without any side effects that you can do at home is using a steam inhalation. You should inhale steam vapors periodically. It is very helpful to steep some eucalyptus in a large pot of boiling water and use as an inhalant to unblock nasal passages. Add a few drops of eucalyptus essential oil at the bottom of a large bowl and carefully fill it with steaming hot water at least three to four times a day for 2-3 minutes. Quickly put a towel over your head and carefully lean over the bowl to breathe in the vapors.

There are numerous reasons why you should combine steam inhalation and eucalyptus ingredients to treat sinus problems naturally. Eucalyptus essential oil is probably the most effective of all sinus infection remedies. Researchers also discovered the highly concentrated extract of eucalyptus called Cineole is a powerful antiseptic properties. This convenient remedy will break up mucus congestion and improve drainage, thus eliminating the block and relieving pressure. This will also soothe inflammation, which will ease sinus pain and provide effective natural sinus relief.

There really is no such thing as cheap liposuction. The average person can’t afford it. It’s not as if you can hit your nearest dollar store and pick up a liposuction package. The surgery isn’t covered by health insurance plans, because it’s deemed a cosmetic surgery and not really needed.

Cheap liposuction prices can also be misleading. Cheaper isn’t always better, especially when you’re about to undergo surgery. Cheaper liposuction costs may be a thin way of covering up the inexperience of the surgeon. This could ultimately lead to injury during the procedure or scarring that you might not have had, if you’d gone to a more experienced doctor.

While there is no such thing as cheap liposuction, there is such a thing as cheaper liposuction. Liposuction prices depend on a number of factors. For example, doctor fees are different for each doctor. The more experienced the doctor, the higher the costs are apt to be. The amount of fat you have to have removed is a big factor when considering the cost. Operating room costs, lab work, recovery garb and anesthetic fees will all play a role in the cost of your particular operation.

The cost of liposuction surgery is also determined by which part of your body you plan on having the procedure on. Larger, harder to reach places are more expensive than smaller and easily reached body parts. Below you will see a rough estimate of how much you could expect to pay by body part.

Upper and Lower Abdomen-$3000-$7500

Arms-$1500-$5000

Back-$1500-$4000

Breasts-$3000-$7500

Buttocks-$1500-$4500

Neck and Face Area-$2000-$4500

Thighs or Knees-$2000-$5000

Waist-$1500-$5000

As you can see from the list above, there really is no such thing as cheap liposuction. However, depending on the placement and different fee structures that vary from doctor to doctor, you can pay varying amounts. There is a big difference between paying $1500 and paying $7500.

Unlike shopping for better prices in electronic equipment, liposuction costs should not play a huge role in your decision. If your stereo were to break down, you may be inconvenienced for a while. If your liposuction surgery goes wrong, you could have permanent scarring or worse. It’s far better to spend the extra dollars a qualified, certified and experienced doctor would charge, rather than go to the doctor who is just starting out and has very little experience.

Acne is an embarrassing condition that causes millions of young people to feel self-conscious about their skin. Acne scarring is almost as embarrassing as actual pimples. Acne scarring is more likely to occur if you pick at your acne, irritating it and tearing the skin. Acne scars usually last for 4-12 months and then fade away as the old skin cells are sloshed off and new skin forms. This is not always the case however. Sometimes acne scars leave the skin indented or leave behind embarrassing red marks that won’t fade. If this is the case, then you should consider seeking out acne scar solutions.

It is a good idea to wait the recommended 4-12 months before seeking out solutions for your scars because during this time your skin will be changing and trying to repair itself. Also, before you seek out acne scar solutions you should also try to get a handle on your current acne breakouts. If you continue to have acne then you continue to have acne scarring, therefore by first eliminating acne breakouts you will help to decrease the chance of more acne scarring.

There are various solutions out there for reducing or eliminating the appearance of acne scarring. One such treatment is a chemical peel. This acne scar solution works best with minor acne scarring as it peels away the outer layer of skin by using a combination of chemicals. While traditionally a dermatologist has performed this treatment, there are now at home chemical peel kits that you can do yourself. The at home versions are not quite as effective so for every one chemical peel with a dermatologist, plan on needing three at home treatments for comparable results.

Another solution for acne scarring is laser resurfacing. Unlike a chemical peel, a dermatologist must perform laser resurfacing. Instead of only removing the first layer of skin it removes several layers with the help of a high-energy light. This gives the skin a smoother appearance. This acne scar solution works great for more prominent acne scars and indentations in the skin.

If your acne scars are too deeply pitted, laser resurfacing may not do the job. Instead you should opt for a treatment known as punch excision or grafting. With this procedure the pits are removed with a surgical instrument called a punch. It closes the pit and then grafts the top layers of skin together for a smooth appearance. A chemical peel usually follows this procedure for those who also have embarrassing red marks that cannot be treated by the punch.

If your acne scars are only a few depressed regions throughout the face another possible acne scar solution is collagen injections. The collagen would be injected underneath the depressed area of the skin causing it to plump up to the level of the rest of your skin.

If you have embarrassing acne scars then don’t hesitate, visit your dermatologist today to discuss acne scar solutions that may be right for you. If your acne scars are mild enough you may be able to treat your skin yourself with the help of a chemical peel.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Acne Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Russell

In reviewing the top ladies luxury watches I have come to this conclusion: All the watchmakers I have listed below keep up with the latest fashion trends and design their watches accordingly. Ladies luxury watches are all about style and elegance, classic timepieces designed for the discerning woman.

Ladies fashion watches come in all styles, shapes and even prices. You will find some of them suited for the rugged outdoors yet appealing enough to also wear to a formal event. You will find exquisite ladies gold and diamond watches that will turn heads in amazement. I have listed the top watch makers below along with a brief statement on what I think they represent.

Cartier is considered a dynasty of elegance, style, and ultimate craftsmanship. The designers have focused on creating watches that are small and accurate, while making a firm statement of style and functionality.

Citizen is a company that makes watches affordable without compromising quality - stylish designs with cutting edge innovations and technology.

Concord creates all of its ladies luxury watches with great attention to detail, performance and originality.

Ebel represents precision and accuracy, style and elegance. They offer some exquisite ladies watches.

Genève is currently focusing on its tradition and fine quality and have introduced some very attractive retro-design watches.

Guess has come to be known for their eye-catching designs introducing gold, silver and diamonds into their collections.

Invicta is known for their high quality and beautifully designed watches at an affordable price.

Movado is one of the world’s most recognized watch brands. They possess and reflect the best in precision technology.

Swiss-made ladies Omega watches are designed with beauty and technology in mind. Each comes with its own distinct look and feel.

Rolex is the the most recognized name in ladies luxury watches. What’s unique is Rolex’s production is limited to about 650,000 watches a year, based on industry estimates. This is below market demand, but it allows the company to maintain its high standards in quality control.

Ladies TAG Heuer watches combine sports with fashion. These ladies luxury watches can be worn with any attire and for any occasion.

In conclusion, the watch manufacturers I just mentioned are extremely innovative and are at the top of their field. Beauty, style and a sense of fashion-design play a major role in producing the very best watches in the world. Can you afford one of these luxury timepieces? Of course you can. There are deals to be had on the world wide web and through a little searching, patience, and perseverance, I am sure you’ll find that perfect timepiece at a reasonable price. I have got the perfect starting place for you with a lot more information on the above companies and the different designs and styles. Go to Ladys Luxury Watches and browse a bit. Have a great day!

Domestic telesales call centers are designed with an energized elevator pitch to engage a potential buyer to make a transactional sale. Amidst the frustration many businesses have with the onslaught of these call center inquiries, lies an underlying truth: A majority of buyers of business products/services are inefficient at their job, not able to buy competitively, lack the technology to create visibility in their supply chains or provide tools for enhancing their own deliverable value in distribution and sales.

On the street sales forces are a dying breed, falling victim to commoditized offerings, inefficient territories, high salaries, benefits, car expenses and effectiveness. Manufacturers/distributors are realizing that they must engage a business process outsource for those functions that are not a core competency. The business of moving products use to be considered a necessary evil, with a transportation industry that regulated rates, full of unique jargon and process complexities. The average business has 3-5% in transportation costs so targeting for savings has been a low priority. This has changed as an attainable 30% savings impact in trans spend equates to 1% profit improvement in the balance sheet. This can longer be ignored. 

Today’s executive suite understand the critical links of raw material purchasing, inventory velocity, modal flexibility in distribution of goods for internal as well as external client needs makes for a competitively advantaged supply chain. This requires an expertise that they cannot afford to leverage on their own. Since the majority of Fortune 500 companies have already outsourced their transportation management to third party concerns, one wonders why small to mid size companies have been slow to react when they buy so poorly and are so competitively challenged. 

Transportation third parties, usually through a brokerage arm, have developed centralized telesales call centers to leverage competitive transportation options with technology and dedicated support that the majority of distributors can only dream of attaining on there own. 

Effective call centers for transportation brokerage have the following qualities: 

-Visibility of measurable guaranteed savings, web based technology and dedicated support teams.

-Employees with ongoing training in product knowledge value and addressing client needs.

-Sales leadership, not management. No multiple layers of number chasers or cronies.

-Focus on employee development, from overcoming objections, openness to ideas and suggestions to increasing deliverable value and meeting client needs.

-A call center culture of collaboration and development, with mentors rather than task master bosses.

-Career pathing that includes how to move up, or on to other companies and experiences. 

The trend for transportation outsourcing and brokerage for distribution of products will accelerate as more senior leaders understand they are unable to manage transportation on their own. As transportation management brokers mature in developing professional call centers there will be greater efficiencies in transport asset capacity and therefore additional savings. The days of shipping traffic managers and asset based trucking sales representatives are fading. Brokers with the most progressive tele-sale call centers will lead the way for real savings, inventory visibility and supply chains leveraged for real business growth.

Harry Gorden, President, Transportation Management Services, Inc, a transportation management agency with over 35 years sales experience, providing consulting to the equity, capital management and supply chain communities as well as no cost referrals for manufacturers/distributors seeking the right fit transportation management support. Inquiries welcome at: hmgorden@comcast.net. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Harry_Gorden

Industrial pumps, providers of turnkey material handling and packaging systems, are using decentralized control methods for rapid implementation projects with flexibility.

The decentralized control method uses a variety of field and supplier networks for specific solutions. Choosing the correct conveyor belt depends mainly on the issues that are moved or transferred. The products of weight, size, stability, consistency and lower surface affect the way it is transmitted. The following are common system that we use.

Solutions are designed to the point where all items, including security technologies, which are typical of the machinery on the ground.

The decentralized design translates into modules of equipment and complete all the projects that are being tested workshop with all elements of control in the transportation, industrial manufacturing site.

Often, the speed on the market is a critical factor when making decisions on projects of material handling equipment and new partners. Therefore, the use of fully decentralized in the execution of its industrial projects are being carried forward to the next level requested by the companies handling bulk.

By combining the electrical design and manufacture the mechanical design and manufacturing processes, equipment design is to improve and complete the time the equipment is very small.

In general, the final delivery and installation time at the customer’s premises was also reduced significantly, such as electrical installation begins with the mechanical installation.Industrial pumps, providers of turnkey material handling and packaging systems, are using decentralized control methods for rapid implementation projects with flexibility.

Decentralized facilities fieldbus also have the advantage of the reduced requirements for field wiring.

The advantage of this is the start of the final system can be realized only a couple of days after the mechanical installation.

Kitting and packaging are integral elements in the typical manufacturing process. In most cases of sourcing in supply chain management, these elements are taken for granted, such that many manufacturers underestimate the myriad advantages to be gained from streamlining these important tasks.

Electronics manufacturers, in particular, stand to benefit from more efficient kitting and packaging systems. These manufacturers are often faced with the unique challenge of having to find ways to effectively ship the most up-to-date products and the latest packaging to retailers. This can be a difficult feat to accomplish in a timely manner due to the frequency with which product upgrades, documentation changes, software updates, and changes in promotional strategies are made by the engineering and marketing departments. Due to the speed with which these elements can change for any given product, manufacturing departments often cannot effectively keep up with these changes in the context of conducting their kitting and shipping procedures.

Here are 5 benefits manufacturers can realize by streamlining their kitting and packaging processes:

1 - Ability to implement special offers and product upgrades with shorter lead time:

In today’s competitive environment, corporate marketing departments need to remain responsive to market needs by offering special promotions in short order. When such promotions are implemented with short lead times, the situation affords the manufacturing department insufficient lead time to reflect those special offers in the packaging. Similarly, the need to upgrade products due to the detection of product defects or the introduction of new technologies puts pressure on the manufacturing department to respond to these changes quickly and efficiently.

When such promotional changes or product upgrades are required, manufacturers who are not streamlined are often forced to unpack and then repackage existing stock before it leaves the warehouse. Or, just as inconveniently, the special offer or product upgrade is not implemented in time for shipments to be made. However, by outsourcing these tasks to a third-party logistics partner who manages the kitting and packaging tasks on site, products can remain unpackaged until just days before they are to be shipped. The result is a much more flexible and responsive manufacturing process.

2 - Ship only the most up-to-date product software and documentation:

Electronics and software manufacturers face the unique challenge of needing to implement product updates much more frequently than do manufacturers of most other types of products. Firmware updates, new specifications, actions by competitors, and other realities of the high tech world force engineers to update product software and documentation within very short time spans - often much more rapidly than manufacturing planners can respond to effectively.

By streamlining the kitting and packaging processes so that they can be performed as closely in time as possible to actual product ship dates, manufacturers can realize a significant savings in terms of avoiding these unpacking and repacking costs.

3 - Improve relationships with retailers:

Retailers do well when their customers are happy, and their customers in turn are happy when they feel they have access to the latest products and services in retail stores. Fortunately, manufacturers stand to improve the relationships they have with their distribution partners and retailers by supplying them with the latest, hottest products in a more timely manner. By being able to react quickly to market changes through better efficiency in packaging, manufacturers can keep retailers (and their customers) pleased.

4 - More effectively target specific customers:

Manufacturers that can flexibly tailor their marketing efforts to specific target segments have a decided advantage in the marketplace today. With the increasing availability and use of sophisticated market segmentation techniques by many companies, they have the ability to more specifically target very well-defined, niche segments. This trends often manifests itself in the diversification of a brand’s product lines, as well necessitating the tailoring of product positioning and messaging for various segments or niches simultaneously.

By remaining as flexible as possible through streamlined packaging, more variation (in terms of both product diversification and product positioning) becomes possible - and better profitability follows.

5 - Saving money on shipping costs:

For companies whose original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) ship their products from overseas locations (e.g., China) to in-country distribution warehouses, shipping costs comprise a significant portion of total cost of goods sold. However, by shipping finished goods to distribution centers in an unpackaged state, companies can ship up to 2-3 times more product per pallet - resulting in significant shipping cost savings.

Taking advantage of recent advances in kitting and packaging can afford significant advantages to electronics manufacturers. These advantages include the ability to avoid the additional cost of relatively last-minute unpacking and repacking, lower shipping costs, and greater responsiveness to making needed product, packaging, or documentation changes due to internal or market demands.