In that connection, the Federal Reserve has sought to maintain a sufficient number and quality of supervisory personnel to conduct BIS Review 93/1997  -2-  examinations with appropriate frequency and depth. That approach appears to have provided us with some consistent success.
As conditions within the industry have substantially improved, the Board has been mindful of the cost of conducting its supervisory activities and has worked to contain those costs in the face of increased responsibilities. Throughout this period we have recognized the need to maintain stability in our work force, and have sought to avoid excessive build-ups or periods of disruptive retrenchment.