The smarter companies also work closely with local communities, to head off problems early on.

FORBES: Hydroelectric Revolution: A River Runs Through It

Career consultants say there are numerous ways interns can head off these problems at the pass.

FORBES: Careers

Buyers with cash on hand can head off such problems by investing their stash in their supply chain.

FORBES: Written by By Drew Hofler

Mr Kim's best hope may be to use some of the bail-out funds to head off liquidity problems in the non-chaebol part of the economy where four out of five South Koreans work.

ECONOMIST: Kim the peacemaker

In order to head off the worst problems a few decades hence, action will need to be taken straight away.

ECONOMIST: Demographics

Even after appointing former defender Mike Petke as head coach and overhauling the roster during the off-season, the defensive problems persist.

WSJ: Red Bulls Defense: A Work in Progress Without Progress

Still, any success with the measures could head off spectrum crunches while simultaneously preventing any solutions from consolidating too much power and creating their own problems.

ENGADGET: FCC votes in favor of rethinking spectrum holding rules, goading broadcasters into wireless selloffs