596 Technology: Engineering Our World Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. The break-even point is the point at which the income from items sold equals total expenses. After your company reaches the break-even point, the company begins to make a profi t from the income. Strategies to Minimize Costs To stay within budget, most companies plan strategies to minimize their costs. For your school business, an example of minimizing costs is to get permission to use school facilities instead of renting space. You can also minimize costs by buying supplies in bulk. However, be careful not to buy more than you need. Plan your manufacturing methods to reduce waste as much as possible. Waste is expensive! Hiring and Training The next task is to hire and train the staff. In your school-based company, the staff will consist of members of your class. First, identify the specifi c tasks that need to be done to run the company and make and sell the product. For each task your class identifi es, you will need a task group, or department. The function of each department will vary depending on the product being made. Figure 20-16 outlines the tasks performed by various departments in a typical company. Team Member Roles To decide who will play which role in your school-based company, have each class member complete a form. Class members should state which group they would like to work in and why. They should also list their skills and qualifi cations for the position. As a class, and based on these forms, decide who will belong to each group. Department Typical Roles Purchasing Determining what needs to be purchased Completing paperwork Ordering items Receiving orders from vendors Inventory Maintaining a current count of supplies and products Notifying Purchasing when more supplies are needed Management Setting targets and specific goals with deadlines Motivating employees to do their jobs well Solving problems Keeping the business on target and within budget Financial Completing daily and monthly cash records Keeping a log of all sales and expenses Personnel Ensuring that each member of the team fulfills their work requirements Evaluating work schedules Information Technology Maintaining computers and computerized equipment in good working order Installing and maintaining any software used by the business Maintaining the company website Customer Service Work with customers before, during, and after sales to ensure customer satisfaction Goodheart-Willcox Publisher Figure 20-16. Typical departmental roles within a company.