Electronic Devices: How DVRs Work

An easier, faster, and neater way to record programs or movies is to digitally record them using a DVR instead of using a VHS cassette. For convenience alone, it is absolutely worth it. There are several hassles associated with using VHS as opposed to DVR. For one, there are no supplies needed. You do not have to run to the store and purchase VHS cassettes every other day or risk your cassette being eaten up by your VCR. Second, you can recored as many shows as you want and delete as you want without having to fastforward, rewind, etc. DVR allows you to record multiple programs at the same time whereas VHS only enables the recording of one program at a time per device.

In August 2002, under new management, the decision was made to bring all teams in house in an effort to lower outsourcing costs and create a strong internal force. Many of the dilemmas management faced initially were ways to work cohesively since each were used to acting as “consultants” rather than segments of one large team. Many problems were quickly resolved though many more still exist, even two years later.

One area that deserves particular attention is Senior Management’s concern with the high cost of shipping, express delivery, courier service and office supply purchase. What management is basing its numbers on is the budget and annual cost in such areas during Mission’s early days. When Mission Resources was first formed, the staff consisted of approximately 30 employees, since divisions such as Exploration, Geoscience, Operations and Accounting were outsourced. Because there were not many employees, costs such as courier service, express delivery, office supplies, copy service, etc. were all charged to a one company-wide “General & Administrative (G&A)” account. Costs were minimal and always within budget. Recently, a meeting was held between the Office Administrator and the Chief Accounting Officer to compare last year’s budget to this year’s budget.

In the meeting, the main question was why these particular areas were so significantly over budget. Courier service alone was over budget by 500%! Other areas like express delivery and copying, there was an increase of over 100%. Bringing all teams in-house meant bringing the expenses along with them. It was unbeknownst to the existing managers just how much was spent in these particular areas as those costs were never defined in the invoices from the consulting teams. In the first year as a complete company, there was no way to project just how high these charges would end up being. Since there was no quarterly monitoring in any of these areas, serious research would need to be conducted to find out exactly why increase in these areas was so high. The objective was to look at where the spending occurred, who/what group was responsible for the costs and what those average costs were. They agreed to regroup in a couple of weeks to present their proposed solutions to better budgeting in the future. An easier, faster, and neater way to record programs or movies is to digitally record them using a DVR instead of using a VHS cassette. For convenience alone, it is absolutely worth it. There are several hassles associated with using VHS as opposed to DVR. For one, there are no supplies needed. You do not have to run to the store and purchase VHS cassettes every other day or risk your cassette being eaten up by your VCR. Second, you can recored as many shows as you want and delete as you want without having to fastforward, rewind, etc.