http://www.articletrader.com/ Articles at ArticleTrader en-us http://www.articletrader.com/business/management/lease-dont-buy-for-business-savings.html http://www.articletrader.com/business/management/lease-dont-buy-for-business-savings.html Thu, 05 Jul 2007 00:00:00 -0500
For companies that are looking to acquire new equipment without the hassle or upfront costs, equipment leasing could be the answer, allowing businesses to pass on the expense. Equipment leasing works by a third-party funding source (the lessor) purchasing the equipment initially, and then leasing the equipment out to businesses who require it in exchange for a regular payment according to the terms that are agreed upon, such as lease duration, number of leased equipment and so on. Equipment that can be leased can incorporate everything from industry vehicles to IT equipment to fully equipped office space.

Companies can save big by leasing equipment rather than buying, with both immediate and long-term savings to be made. Firstly, instant savings are made as businesses won't need to use their capital or credit so spending tens of thousands of dollars to outfit an office can be condensed into a manageable monthly payment with the same end result. You'll still get everything you need, plus you'll have avoided tying up your credit or cash, which can then be used to cover other parts of your operation. Secondly, long-term savings come in the way of annual tax benefits and interest accrued on the money you didn't have to spend equipping your business.

Equipment leasing also gives you the opportunity to be constantly updating. This means an immediate gain of always having access to the latest technology, as well as a long-term benefit of not having to worry about your equipment becoming outdated. Plus, by using business equipment leasing as a financial tool, you can be updating your technology every couple of years without the need to worry about having to dispose of your out of date, depreciated or obsolete technology.

There are many companies, such as Capquest, that specialise in equipment leasing for a number of business areas, so the next time you're thinking about upgrading your business' equipment it might be a good idea to check out leasing opportunities before you buy.


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Martin McAllister is an online, freelance journalist from Scotland whose hobbies include rock-climbing and skiing.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/finance/debt/consumer-debt-where-did-it-come-from.html http://www.articletrader.com/finance/debt/consumer-debt-where-did-it-come-from.html Thu, 28 Jun 2007 00:00:00 -0500
Yet despite these figures, and the fact that debt levels have risen further since, the consumer love affair with loans, credit cards, store cards and other forms of unsecured credit continues unabashed - while lenders continue to provide the finance that consumers crave. Making applications for finance has become easier and easier, which many industry analysts claim is an important factor in creating the huge levels of debt faced by UK consumers.

Previously, applications for credit usually meant a trip to the bank and a meeting with the manager to discuss your application. Lending criteria was much more stringent than it is today, with the applicant having to provide much more information to support their application than by today's standards. Being stressful affairs, meetings with the bank manager were often avoided unless finance was necessary and many people chose to do without rather than face a grilling over their application.

When banks and other financial companies began to offer telephone applications for loans and credit cards, the application was made easier and more convenient. Furthermore, many financial institutions began to advertise loan offers in newspapers and on TV, but although you still had to talk to someone about your application, the fact that you were apart from the other person made the process of applying for finance much more accessible. With more and more lenders setting up call centres to process loan applications, greater numbers of people began to make applications.

The introduction of the internet as a consumer commodity is reckoned to be the real catalyst for the UK's mounting debt problem. With most major banks, credit card companies and financial institutions beginning to accept finance offers made online, customers were able to make applications for credit from the comfort and convenience of their own home without the need of having to speak to anyone, justify their application or make any additional effort on their part. The availability of internet applications resulted in many people making applications they would normally have thought carefully about previously. Being easily available, people would apply for loans and credit cards simply because they were there for the taking, not because they either needed or wanted them.

Today, the level of consumer debt is a problem that is blighting the UK. However, of equal importance are the rising levels of bad debt, much of which is now in the hands of consumer debt collection agencies, such as Capquest, as lenders sell off their bad debt in an attempt to cut losses generated by the burgeoning levels of consumer debt. These levels of bad debt, whereby a consumer has accumulated more debt than they can afford to repay has seen a huge surge in the number of people seeking advice for debt problems, with the Consumer Credit Counselling Service (CCCS) claiming it had received 33 per cent more calls in the first quarter of 2007 compared with the same period in 2006.


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Capquest Group is UK-based business and consumer debt collection agency specialising purchase, management and collection of both performing and sub-performing consumer debt.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/business/networking/why-observing-foreign-culture-can-lead-to-business-success.html http://www.articletrader.com/business/networking/why-observing-foreign-culture-can-lead-to-business-success.html Fri, 22 Jun 2007 00:00:00 -0500
When conducting international business, it is extremely important for business representatives to be aware of different cultural beliefs and behaviour. After all, behaviour which might be considered normal in a UK boardroom could be radically different to behaviour expected in Saudi Arabia or China. As a result, failure to understand foreign business practices and customs can create insurmountable barriers to successful business relations. Conversely, taking a little time to learn these cultural differences can reap rewards and help build strong business relationships.

The age-old saying "When in Rome, do as the Romans do" is sometimes a wise adage to bear in mind when conducting business with foreign clients. In the UK, for example, meetings are often business-like and tend to follow a rigid time-based structure where points are debated at given times. However, in Japan and other Asian countries, there is great importance attached to courtesy and hospitality which can cause delays and prevent keeping to a strict schedule.

Certainly, in many parts of Asia, forming a personal relationship in your business dealings is very important. Although it can take time to build, once a relationship has been developed, it tends to last for a very long time and can be advantageous over the more 'shallow' relationships found in Europe and the United States. In some business cultures, establishing friendships can be a potent business tool, so it is important to take the time to establish such relationships with prospective clients.

Another important cultural difference to observe is the difference in greeting business counterparts. In the UK, a firm hand-shake is considered polite as is making brief eye-contact. In China, bowing or nodding is the common greeting, and although shaking hands is becoming a popular form of greeting, this should be initiated by the host.

Personal space should also be observed according to the dominant culture. In the UK and Europe, personal space is valued and an acceptable distance should be kept. However, in some southern European countries and Asia, personal space is much decreased so that what could be perceived as intimate in the north is akin to normal conversational distance in the south.

Regardless of the location of business meetings, whether in the boardroom of a London Company or the restaurant of a business hotel in Dubai, it is important to be aware of the many cultural differences that exist between east and west, north and south. While some traits are worldwide, such as ensuring punctuality at the start of a meeting, other traits are much more subtle. Taking the time to understand those traits and the differences in cultural and business etiquette can mean the difference between business success and an unsigned contract.


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Adam Singleton is an online, freelance journalist and keen amateur photographer. His portfolio, called Capquest Photography is available to view online.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/technology/the-growing-role-of-space-in-earth-observation-and-navigation.html http://www.articletrader.com/technology/the-growing-role-of-space-in-earth-observation-and-navigation.html Thu, 21 Jun 2007 00:00:00 -0500
Looking under the covers of both programmes reveals that similar challenges have arisen mainly from complexity, demand for products and funding of the development programme, and for the first time, both ESA and the EC have set up satellite programmes designed to compete on the commercial market and have been looking to the private sector to co-fund them.

GMES and Galileo are the first two European space programmes where commercial considerations have been taken into account from the outset. Both can be viewed as systems of systems that require the development of a business case, a feasible implementation plan based on a thorough understanding of the underlying complexity and an optimisation of the investment – finally translating technical excellence into real-world benefits to serve a growing market.

Both aim at providing Europe with independent access to information, and are important assets for global co-operation and partnership – either as part of a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) or within the frame of a Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS). Both are engines for European innovation and economic growth and need to be successful to assure the long-term success in European industrial, economic and social endeavour.

So, how could these programmes be approached in order to maximise their effectiveness? The Galileo and GMES programmes both produce “interim products”, designed to be passed on to specialist companies who add value to them to derive operational products and services for end-users. It is these end-users - the real customers - that drive the whole supply chain. Without them, there is no point in launching the satellites in the first place.

These specialist companies will typically have their own product strategy and good knowledge of the commercial and competitive landscape around them. They need to establish the value of being involved in such a programme and must be confident of the technical and commercial path ahead of them. To do this they have generally planned their developments through road maps, which show how the proposed new products and services fit into their own corporate plans and to meet the evolving demands of a wider market.

For typically small and specialised companies, to build an investment case needs a good view of the market, confidence in sustainable demand and where time-to-market is relatively long, a source of interim funding to support their activity. Having enjoyed a 30-year heritage in the design and operation of space programmes, VEGA is a company who has been closely involved with the specification and delivery of the interim products, and work on Galileo and GMES has led to an ever-closer involvement with the end-user suppliers - the so-called “downstream” market. As a result of their involvement, the company believes that there are three important steps that the institutional bodies should consider in order to make Galileo and GMES successful.

Firstly, there should be a sustainable demand pattern. The EC and national governments are important users of end-products for the implementation of their policies. They can help to create a framework in which a sustainable market can emerge by federating their own demand. If they can consolidate their requirements, make them clear to industry, and give a clear indication of the volumes required and the amount they are prepared to pay, it will be much easier for industry to plan investment and capacity building.

Secondly, cash-flow during the early stages of a programme is vital to long-term success. The institutions can provide interim funding in the form of R&D programmes, or more directly in the form of contracts for products and services as early as possible. This would follow the example of the US who is placing a number of contracts for earth observation data.

Finally, since a space-based response to the end-users’ requirements may not be the only approach, a professional communication and marketing campaign should be put in place in order to build awareness and acceptance through managed brand identities for Europe’s space programmes. This campaign would target both application developers and end-users.

This is a tough challenge on the institutions, and in return, industry must work hard to prove the benefits of what space has to offer. The opportunities are great and only matched by the intellect and ambition of the European industrial players. If the commercial environment is secure, the intellect of our scientists and technicians can achieve great things. When a partnership of this breadth and depth emerges, the Galileo and GMES programmes can both be viewed as major contributors to environmental protection and economic well-being within a secure Europe. The European space industry has a highly successful track record of building and operating satellites, spanning nearly 40 years. In recent years, the strategy has evolved to create larger programmes with greater ambitions than was possible before. This trend has suffered some difficulties, so why are collaborations like Galileo and GMES proving difficult? Looking under the covers of both programmes reveals that similar challenges have arisen mainly from complexity, demand for products and funding of the development programme, and for the first time, ESA and the EC have set up satellite programmes designed to compete on the commercial market and have been looking to the private sector to co-fund them.

GMES and Galileo are the first two European space programmes where commercial considerations have been taken into account from the outset. Both can be viewed as systems of systems that require the development of a business case, a feasible implementation plan based on a thorough understanding of the underlying complexity and an optimisation of the investment – finally translating technical excellence into real-world benefits to serve a growing market.

Both aim at providing Europe with independent access to information, and are important assets for global co-operation and partnership – either as part of a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) or within the frame of a Global Earth Observation of Systems (GEOSS). Both are engines for European innovation and economic growth and need to be successful to guarantee the long-term success in European industrial, economic and social endeavour.

So, how could the Galileo and GMES programmes be approached in order to maximise their effectiveness? Both produce ‚interim products’ designed to be passed on to specialist companies who add value to them to derive operational products and services for end-users. It is these end-users, the real customers, that drive the whole supply chain. Without them, there is no point in launching the satellites in the first place.

These specialist companies will typically have their own product strategy and good knowledge of the commercial and competitive landscape around them. They need to establish the value of being involved in such a programme and must be confident of the technical and commercial path ahead. To do this, they have generally planned their developments through road maps, which show how the proposed new products and services fit into their own corporate plans and meet the evolving demands of a wider market.

For typically small and specialised companies, to build an investment case needs a good view of the market, confidence in sustainable demand and, where time-to-market is relatively long, a source of interim funding to support their activity. Having enjoyed a 30-year heritage in the design and operation of space programmes, VEGA is a company who has been closely involved with the specification and delivery of the interim products and work on Galileo and GMES has led to an ever-closer involvement with the end-user suppliers, the so-called “downstream” market. As a result of their involvement, the company believes that there are three important steps that the institutional bodies should consider in order to make Galileo and GMES successful.

Firstly, there should be a sustainable demand pattern. The EC and national governments are important users of end-products for the implementation of their policies. They can help to create a framework in which a sustainable market can emerge by federating their own demand. If they can consolidate their requirements, make them clear to industry, and give a clear indication of the volumes required and the amount they are prepared to pay, it will be much easier for industry to plan investment and capacity building.

Secondly, cash-flow during the early stages of a programme is vital to long-term success. The institutions can provide interim funding in the form of R&D programmes, or more directly in the form of contracts for products and services as early as possible. This would follow the example of the US which is placing several contracts for earth observation data.

Finally, since a space-based response to the end-users’ requirements may not be the only approach, a professional communication and marketing campaign should be put in place in order to build awareness and acceptance through managed brand identities for Europe’s space programmes. This campaign would target both application developers and end-users.

This is a tough challenge on the institutions, and in return, industry must work hard to prove the benefits of what space has to offer. The opportunities are great and only matched by the intellect and ambition of the European industrial players. If the commercial environment is secure, the intellect of our scientists and technicians can achieve great things. When a partnership of this breadth and depth emerges, the Galileo and GMES programmes can both be viewed as major contributors to environmental protection and economic well-being within a secure Europe.


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Martin McAllister is an online freelance journalist and space enthusiast.


Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/technology/pushing-the-boundaries-of-space-in-the-21st-century.html http://www.articletrader.com/technology/pushing-the-boundaries-of-space-in-the-21st-century.html Tue, 05 Jun 2007 00:00:00 -0500
What was once science fiction is becoming reality. Many around the globe expected the 21st century to be one of space travel and planetary exploitation. However, the political and economical drivers needed to nurture and drive such advancements have been lacking since the end of the Apollo programme, shifting the focus of space endeavours from interplanetary to Earth bound and allowing for developments in Earth observation, telecommunication and navigation.

In the past decade, several national and international space programmes have been showing increased interest in space exploration. The United States, Europe, Japan, China, Russia and India have been planning and/or executing a number of robotic planetary missions. In addition, the United States has announced its plans to return to the Moon, and Europe has endorsed the Aurora programme with the ultimate goal of a manned mission to Mars by 2033.

Despite this renewed drive behind space exploration, the contrast with respect to the Apollo era is that the space organisations and nations involved are aiming to achieve their goals within limited financial budgets and at carefully calculated risks. This results in a ‘step by step’ approach allowing for the required technologies to be tested and demonstrated during programmes that include several technology demonstrating missions. The European Aurora programme is a good example of this approach, where each of its missions builds on proven technologies and aims to demonstrate new ones. Its first mission, ExoMars, builds on ESA’s experience gained on Mars Express, and focuses on demonstrating advanced rover technology, aided by the experience gained by NASA during the Mars Exploration Rover (MER) missions.

The above example also demonstrates another feature of today’s exploration programmes: International Cooperation. Driven by the need for cost effectiveness and risk reduction, national and international space agencies are seeking cooperation and enabling the exchange of knowledge, expertise and resources. NASA’s Mars lander mission, Phoenix, will be assisted during its descent and entry by ESA’s Mars Express orbiter for data relay, while ESA’s ExoMars mission baseline relies on NASA’s MRO for data relay. Such cooperation also extends to the scientific output of the various missions.

One aerospace consultancy, VEGA, believes that ensuring cost effectiveness, risk reduction and seeking international cooperation, are the key factors in maintaining the momentum of the space exploration programmes and their success. This requires advanced technologies to be implemented, not only on the space segments, but also on the ground segments, allowing for reduction of costs during the design, test and validation, and operational phases of the missions. Risk reduction and cooperation are assisted by standardisation, efficient interfaces and knowledge management, and effective training.

Recently, training solutions have been instrumental for some of ESA’s most challenging missions; with the implementation of a programme of sustained development to ensure they continue to meet the requirements for all forthcoming challenging exploration missions.

In addition to NASA’s vision to return to the moon, ESA’s Aurora programme, the European national lunar mission studies (Germany, UK, Italy, France), and the exploration activities of Japan, China, Russia and India, there are several entrepreneurial activities developing technologies to enable access to space for mankind. Almost four decades since the first landing on the moon, today we seem to be reminded of Tsiolkovsky’s words again: “The Earth is the cradle of humanity, but mankind cannot stay in the cradle forever.“


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Martin McAllister is an online, freelance journalist.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/society/weddings/marriage-with-a-difference-the-world-of-wacky-weddings.html http://www.articletrader.com/society/weddings/marriage-with-a-difference-the-world-of-wacky-weddings.html Fri, 04 May 2007 00:00:00 -0500
Instead of walking down the isle, why not try free-falling in love by saying your vows at 14,000 feet above sea level? It may sound extreme, but this is the wedding of choice for highflying sky divers, who get a huge rush of adrenaline from leaping out of planes on a regular basis. This type of wedding requires you to be a qualified skydiver and is obviously not the best choice for those with a fear of heights!

Or, if you’re more of a water baby than a bird, then why not try tying the knot 30 leagues under the sea with a scuba wedding? This type of wedding is possible in several tropical holiday destinations such as Hawaii and Bali, and with a scuba wedding package deal you get the services of a PADI certified vicar who will make it official under the ocean waves. For this type of ceremony the wedding couple and any underwater attendees must be certified divers.

Perhaps you’d prefer not to get wet on your wedding day, so if you’re a snow addict who loves the mountain environment, then why not get hitched with a pair of skis attached to your feet? Many ski resorts offer wedding services which give couples the chance to ski, snowboard, snowmobile or even ride on a horse-drawn sleigh to their wedding location. Packages will typically include a certified minister, a photographer and ski lift passes if required. Your ceremony will be performed atop a beautiful mountain, after which you will schuss back down the slopes where your reception party awaits.

Alternatively, if you love horses and romantic rides, then a horseback wedding could be for you. You and your wedding party can take a scenic horseback trail to a secluded natural location, before dismounting and performing the ceremony and then galloping back to the stables as husband and wife.

Though memorable, wacky weddings certainly aren’t for everyone. So, if you prefer to just get hitched in the more usual manner, then perhaps a traditional ceremony in a luxury wedding venue will be more suitable. Many hotel venues offer complete wedding packages for the happy couple - ensuring that the big day will be just as memorable!


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Andrew Regan is a freelance online journalist who lists travel and rugby among his list of interests.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/choose-carefully-when-you-search-for-property-in-london.html http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/choose-carefully-when-you-search-for-property-in-london.html Fri, 04 May 2007 00:00:00 -0500
First and foremost, you'll need to determine how much you can actually afford to spend as this can really affect your search. Typically, property in Central London is the most expensive, with the price of a single bedroom flat often in excess of £200,000. However, as you move further away from the city centre, London properties tend to become less expensive, with property in East London typically costing less than properties for sale in North London (although the 2012 Olympics may alter this pattern). So, if staying within your budget is your primary concern, then excluding central London from your thoughts should help narrow your search.

However, while location is of considerable importance, it's also crucial to figure out what you're looking for when it comes to your ideal home, and to make these desires fit in realistically within your property search. After all, there's no point looking at property if it doesn't fulfil any of your requirements!

Even if your individual budget is quite restricted, you'll be able to find a city centre property that meets your requirements and suits your finances if you're able to pool resources. If you're buying with your spouse or partner, for example, a one-bedroom property in Chelsea may become more affordable.

What's more, if you feel the need to live where the action is, why not opt for a house in East London where property prices still remain lower than many other areas of the city. With the 2012 Olympics looming near, the area is soon to be the hub of regeneration and will be the area to which all eyes will turn come the Olympic tournament. As a result, investing in an East London property today may reap a number of benefits in the future.

On the other hand, if one of your chief desires when searching for a property in London is a garden, or a multiple-bedroom property to house your large family, then searching for a house further outside the city centre is a more realistic expectation.
Where ever you choose to look for your ideal home in London, make sure you keep your budget in mind without compromising on your desires and requirements.

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Andrew Regan is a freelance online journalist who enjoys travelling and rugby.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/technology/realising-the-operational-benefits-of-virtual-maintenance-training-systems.html http://www.articletrader.com/technology/realising-the-operational-benefits-of-virtual-maintenance-training-systems.html Thu, 03 May 2007 00:00:00 -0500
New high performance, fast jet, aircraft systems, such as EFA Typhoon and Joint Strike Fighter (JSF), are defined as half jet, half computer. The maintenance crews of these aircraft will be working with sophisticated computer systems unheard of with today’s legacy aircraft. This, by its very nature, redefines the required maintenance skills and offers new opportunities in the way knowledge is acquired.

Additionally, as the military strives to operate within ever tightening defence budgets, there is less likely to be money available to fund additional pieces of equipment for strictly training purposes. All equipment procured must be available for operations, and it is becoming increasingly common for maintenance technicians to only interact with and gain system knowledge when the new equipment is already in service.

To address these issues, the construct of the maintenance classroom is changing. Where students were primarily taught using text books, wiring diagrams and old or out of service physical equipment, today’s computer literate students utilise Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) computer-based training devices that provide a desktop ’virtual system’ that looks, feels and reacts exactly like the real system.

Properly managed and modelled virtual maintenance training systems can recreate any complex system, to any level of detail. This is then dependent on a system creating a truly virtual free-play environment that allows the student to view and interact with the system in any way they want, and be confident that the consequences of their actions replicate precisely any interactions with the real equipment.

The real value of such a virtual free-play environment comes when an instructor has the ability to inject faults, the effects of which propagate through the equipment and result in symptoms which can be observed and then diagnosed by the student. This enables students to learn maintenance tasks such as fault isolation/detection, remove/replace procedures, operational/functional check, and maintenance task rehearsals.

This learning experience can be further enhanced by students’ ability to interface real or modelled equipment, such as test sets and prognostic systems, directly with the virtual system. This furthers the learning experience by allowing the maintenance technicians to learn how to operate the tools that they will go on to use in the operational role.

The main benefits of this approach over using real equipment can be summarised as:

1. Increased student throughput - The system is always available to the student. There is no requirement for the real system to be available, enabling maintenance procedures to be replicated many times on many single ‘virtual’ systems, such as high performance, fast jet aircraft.

2. Lower costs - providing real equipment requires a higher initial cost and incurs a high budget to support the in-service life span in terms of spares and repairs to frequently used equipment.

3. Safe training environment - students can not damage the equipment and can learn a job in a potentially harmful working environment without risk to themselves.

4. Ability to inject more realistic faults - Instructors can inject faults with ease and then immediately reset the system for the next task. The faults include diagnostic procedures that would be hard to replicate on real equipment without causing it serious damage.

5. Ability to aid instructor functionality - Instructors can monitor students as they undertake tasks; demonstrate particularly complex procedures for the students on their PC; record student performance and playback for debrief as well as evaluate and store student progress through an integrated learning management system.

6. Team Training Tasks - Many maintenance training tasks require maintenance technicians to work in teams. The virtual maintenance system allows students on individual computers to interact with each other and simultaneously undertake a team training task.

7. Multi-Configuration Scenarios - The majority of new military equipment now requires simultaneous training on a range of variants. An example of this is the JSF which comprises conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL), short takeoff vertical landing (STOVL) and carrier suitable (CV) variants. Systems such as the JSF are also likely to be in service for at least the next 30 years and there will be a requirement to upgrade component systems of the aircraft as technology continues to advance. Using a virtual maintenance training system, the instructor is able to quickly reconfigure the training simulation to any number of concurrent operational builds.

The economic and operational benefits that virtual maintenance training systems can deliver are well proven. However, some – such as VEGA group - believes it is the extent to which these maintenance training systems are now deployed that will determine the level of improved performance in front line equipment.

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VEGA has over a decade's experience providing integrated training solutions and through life support for major land, air and maritime acquisitions, independently or in partnership with the world's super primes.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/technology/the-future-of-defence-learning.html http://www.articletrader.com/technology/the-future-of-defence-learning.html Wed, 28 Mar 2007 00:00:00 -0500
Each campaign will bring together a dynamic set of assets and information flows. When the campaign begins, it is likely that the staff concerned will not have encountered the same scenario before and will thus have no meaningful references to help them with their decision-making. Flexibility and adaptability will have to become the norm, and rehearsal alone will no longer be sufficient. Coalition Operations compound the problem further.

Training the whole network enabled force is therefore vital to meeting these challenges. We need to develop a change programme for the people involved in NEC operations, or we face the risk of failing to take advantage of NEC benefits. This involves genuine recognition that:

- Current training does not increase the learning sufficiently to help commanders derive maximum value from rehearsals,

- Rehearsals alone do not have the breadth, depth or complexity needed to train commanders to the standards likely to be required by the next mission

- The mental models that enable decision-makers to make informed decisions have not been developed through appropriate collective training

The nature of network enabled operations demands that we approach training analysis in a broader collective environment. This adds a layer of complexity through interaction of the individual with colleagues and their roles. Furthermore, in our need to react to a wide range of world events and anticipate evolving capability, we cannot even define fully the environment in which the solution will have to operate.

It can be argued that current training needs analyses fall short of what is required today. This is because they follow a discrete linear process which is centred on the training needs of the individual, inadequately addresses the collective need, is generally carried out early in a system’s life-cycle, and does not facilitate decision-making across a system of systems. As a process, it does not suit the demands of the network enabled environment.

There is a strong connection between this issue and the move to manage the complexity of the international defence community by using complexity-modelling techniques based on standards such as MODAF and DODAF, which characterise the various aspects of each system in a ‘system of systems’ (perhaps an easier way of describing network enabled architecture). In particular, these modelling techniques look at the interaction between the various systems within the overall system – an approach which is also gaining popularity across industry and Government.

Looking ahead, it would appear that the defence community and industry are well positioned to spawn a wider Synthetic Environment community that promises technology that will be reconfigurable and future-proofed from the outset.

Complexity modelling will be a vital tool in understanding the needs of a collective training programme and, in particular, in informing the fidelity debate.

What is now needed is a champion for collective defence training at the highest level of international collaboration. Without it, we are in danger of failing to understand the relationships between our investments, and, as a result, frittering our money away on incoherent and inappropriate systems and activities.


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VEGA Group works with various organisations, advising on all aspects of training, including analysis and requirements setting


Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/finance/mortgage/a-bad-credit-history-neednt-be-a-barrier-to-obtaining-a-mortgage.html http://www.articletrader.com/finance/mortgage/a-bad-credit-history-neednt-be-a-barrier-to-obtaining-a-mortgage.html Tue, 27 Mar 2007 00:00:00 -0500
Unfortunately, people can find themselves with a bad credit history for several reasons: loss of a job, long-term illness and even the breakdown of a marriage can all be cited as reasons for someone having a bad credit rating, and finding financial products to suit can be a difficult task. A recent report claimed that people with bad credit history account for almost 40 percent of the mortgage market, but unfortunately many find that most High-street banks and building societies refuse mortgage applications from people with adverse credit registered against them.

However, if you are one of those people who suffer from a less-than-perfect credit history, it is still possible to obtain a mortgage through a specialist lender. Lenders who operate in this market are commonly known as ‘sub-prime’ and the market for offering this type of mortgage has grown considerably, spear-headed mainly by American financial institutions. It might seem strange to think about, but mortgages are, in fact, one of the easiest forms of finance to arrange for people who have bad credit - due to the fact that your home provides a high level of security for the lender. It is important, therefore, to keep up your repayments otherwise the lender could repossess your home.

Specialist mortgage lenders can accept applications from people who have credit arrears, defaults and CCJs – even those that are owned by debt recovery agencies, such as Capquest. In fact, specialist lenders will consider most circumstances and in some cases, mortgages can even be arranged for discharged bankruptcies.

Approximately 1 in 4 mortgages in the UK today is classed as a sub-prime mortgage, but borrowers should be aware that if they keep up their payments on a sub-prime mortgage, they will be well on their way to generating a good credit history with the result that it might be possible to re-mortgage to a lender offering a lower interest rate.

With an ever-growing choice of mortgage options available to those with bad credit, it is important to research the market carefully in order to find the best deals available on bad credit mortgages. There are a number of price comparison websites which can provide information on the different types of financial products available and help to make an informed decision on the right choice of bad credit mortgage to suit your circumstances.


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Capquest Debt Recovery are members of the Credit Services Association.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]>