Unfortunately, that's not the date of the article, but the date on which you visited the site.
I just took a look (at the non-printable version) and the date was (you guessed it) 2005-02-02. I haven't been able to find it on the SBA site (http://sba.gov), but I didn't look at all the hits on a site search for "metric." I suspect it's very old, though. Bill Potts, CMS Roseville, CA http://metric1.org [SI Navigator] >-----Original Message----- >From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] >Behalf Of Brenton >Sent: Tuesday, February 01, 2005 21:09 >To: U.S. Metric Association >Subject: [USMA:32157] IOWA Business Network - Converting to the Metric >System > > >Reference Date: 2005-02-01 >http://www.iabusnet.org/templates/main/articleprint.cfm?ID=178 > >Presented to you by the Iowa Business Network >Converting to the Metric System >U.S. Small Business Administration > >The U.S. government's decision to mandate the metric system as the >preferred >system of weights and measures for procurement contracts will have far >reaching implications for the business community. Metrication will have an >impact on both product-oriented and service-oriented firms. For example, a >retail business currently selling fabric in units of inches and yards will, >after conversion, sell fabric in centimetres and metres. Similarly, a >janitorial firm wanting cleaning contracts will bid on office >space based on >specifications for square and cubic meters. > >Metrication will create a new business language. Despite new opportunities, >some small business owners will resist metrication. You should, however, >convert as quickly as possible. Why? The answer is simple. Those among the >first to convert will improve competitiveness and market access and achieve >standardization savings. Those who are slow to convert will recover little, >if any, of their costs. The conversion process is a procedure owners must >undergo in order to retain their share of federal contracts. Any small >businesses failing to make the transition will not be competitive in metric >markets of the future. > >THE PROCESS > >Metric conversion is not necessarily a complicated process. But, it will >take time and careful planning to make the transition as cost-effective and >as efficient as possible. There are a number of steps you can take to >simplify the process. > >First-Cut >This is the initial stage in metric conversion, where you perform a quick, >rough analysis to determine if conversion is warranted. Questions >you should >address are: > When should you start developing a metric capability? > How fast should you phase-in metric capability? > What is involved in moving in that direction? > >Once you have assessed and answered these questions, you are ready to >analyse the market to assure yourself there is or will be a large enough >market to justify the investment. Also during this stage, prepare a cost >analysis for an estimate of the costs and prepare a preliminary phase-in >plan to identify when to start implementation. Your analysis >should include: > > >Market Analysis > Define goals and objectives > Check metric products' sales trends (foreign and domestic) > Check suppliers, competitors and trade associations for trends > Identify types of product conversions and their impact on servicing work > Project customary vs. metric new business > >Cost Analysis > Add, replace or modify tools and service equipment > Add, replace or modify inspection and test equipment > When necessary, train employees in metric > Maintain, store and handle dual inventories, work to reduce and phase-out >non-metric items > Revise service order forms and other documents > Project total costs for developing metric servicing capability > >Preliminary Metric Phase-in Decision > Review projected sales revenues > Consider alternative phase-in plans for cost reductions > Evaluate non-cost considerations > Make preliminary decision > >By analysing these factors, you will be able to: > Identify new market areas > Determine if your market is saturated with small businesses offering >similar services > Estimate the initial cost > Outline a conversion method > >Planning >Next, start your planning. This process usually focuses on four >major areas: > Demand forecasting > Service planning > Personnel training > Paperwork changes > > >Demand Forecasting > Trends in converting products now serviced to metric > Potential new metric product service work > Sales literature > Customer notification > Continuing metric market research > >Service Planning > Tools and service equipment > Inspection and test equipment > Performance and testing specifications > Metric supply sources > Purchasing specifications > Dual inventory facilities procedures > Scheduling metric servicing phase-in (lead time requirements) > >Personnel Training > Employee notification > Training needs identification > Training materials availability (including shop charts) > Scheduling training > >Paperwork Changes > Service order forms > Testing reports > Parts/tools check-out forms > Accounting records > Scheduling procedural/printing changes > >By working through the areas described above, you now have a comprehensive, >detailed metric servicing plan. But, before you make a final >decision, there >are two additional cost factors to consider. First, consider whether you >will need to borrow money to cover the costs of metrication. Second, >consider the tax implications of your metric phase-in plan. With this >information you will be able to prepare a fairly accurate cost projection, >which can be incorporated into the financial section of your business plan >and used to justify investment costs if you apply for a loan. > >Phase-In >Now you are ready to begin the final stage of the metrication process: >Phase-In. A usual way to begin this stage is to schedule a meeting in which >you affirm your commitment to the metric program. Employee motivation and >support can be enhanced by outlining the importance of the program to the >future of the company and to job security. Also, keeping employees informed >about and identifying their roles in the process will alleviate fears and >make the transition smoother. Remember, your employees are a vital key to >the success or failure of the conversion process. > >As your company changes to metric, it is critically important that you keep >a continuous check on how closely the conversion process correlates with >your plans. Many companies have discovered that the most effective way of >accomplishing this is by having frequent meetings of task leaders to review >the previous week's experience, and by generating a set of special reports >for use by the leaders. The contents of these reports should be >tied closely >to your phase-in plans. > >METRIC INFORMATION >Excellent sources for further information and assistance on metric >conversion and the metric system are available. Make it your business to >know what information is available, where to get it, and how to use it. >Several sources of information include: > >American National Metric Council >1735 North Lynn St., Suite 950 >Arlington, VA 22209 > >National Institute of Standards and Technology >Office of Metric Programs >Gaithersburg, MD 20899 > >American National Standards >1430 Broadway >New York, NY 10018 > >U.S. Metric Assn., Inc. >10245 Andasol Ave. >Northridge, CA 91325 > >U.S. Small Business Administration >409 Third St. SW >Washington, DC 20416 > >Presented to you by the Iowa Business Network. >
