Eulogy for Friend :: Eulogies Eulogy

Eulogy for Friend My name is Rick. I live in Carmel, California, a place also known as paradise. I work at the US Naval Postgraduate School, as chairman of one of the largest operations research departments in the country. I completed my PhD degree in OR here at Georgia Tech, in 1975. John White (then new to Tech, now Chancellor of the University of Arkansas) gave me the kernel of an idea and, more importantly, he administered the one stiff kick in the rump that I needed to start my dissertation. From then on, I was nurtured and guided by Donovan Young. The Don – don’t ask me why, but I remember graduate students referring to Professor Young as "the Don" – was in many ways the old fashioned, romantic ideal of a college professor. He was so smart, he was so energetic and entertaining, and he was incredibly attentive to students’ needs and interests. He cared about the currency and applicability of what he taught, preparing new notes for each class, devising extremely inventive homework and test problems, always dreaming up new applications. He cared not only about the students’ learning. He cared about them as people. He had passion and compassion. Let me talk about his intellect. Does anyone remember having a childhood fantasy about spying on your elementary school teachers out of school? Usually, those fantasies involved some role reversal. I’ll confess to a fantasy I imagined as a 24-year-old graduate student. I dreamt that all the professors of Georgia Tech’s Industrial and Systems Engineering department were locked in a classroom taking a comprehensive exam. This exam covered every ISyE subject at a fundamental level, and each problem demanded clever insight and creativity. The rules of engagement were simple: closed-book, no time limit, you can’t leave till every question is answered correctly. Got the picture? Quite a scene. Well, guess who left the room first? Yes, I think Don was that smart. My image of the scene even includes the Don’s exit: can’t you picture that big bear of a man who somehow managed to move with lightness, his eyes sparkling, a big Texas grin on his face, and he’s whistling! Has there ever been another person on this planet who could whistle two tunes at a time, out of both sides of his mouth, harmoniously? You have to admit Don’s physicality was impressive. And that voice! If a big Delta jet was flying over the old ISyE Building and Don was lecturing with the windows open, he would drown out the plane. Eulogy for Friend :: Eulogies Eulogy Eulogy for Friend My name is Rick. I live in Carmel, California, a place also known as paradise. I work at the US Naval Postgraduate School, as chairman of one of the largest operations research departments in the country. I completed my PhD degree in OR here at Georgia Tech, in 1975. John White (then new to Tech, now Chancellor of the University of Arkansas) gave me the kernel of an idea and, more importantly, he administered the one stiff kick in the rump that I needed to start my dissertation. From then on, I was nurtured and guided by Donovan Young. The Don – don’t ask me why, but I remember graduate students referring to Professor Young as "the Don" – was in many ways the old fashioned, romantic ideal of a college professor. He was so smart, he was so energetic and entertaining, and he was incredibly attentive to students’ needs and interests. He cared about the currency and applicability of what he taught, preparing new notes for each class, devising extremely inventive homework and test problems, always dreaming up new applications. He cared not only about the students’ learning. He cared about them as people. He had passion and compassion. Let me talk about his intellect. Does anyone remember having a childhood fantasy about spying on your elementary school teachers out of school? Usually, those fantasies involved some role reversal. I’ll confess to a fantasy I imagined as a 24-year-old graduate student. I dreamt that all the professors of Georgia Tech’s Industrial and Systems Engineering department were locked in a classroom taking a comprehensive exam. This exam covered every ISyE subject at a fundamental level, and each problem demanded clever insight and creativity. The rules of engagement were simple: closed-book, no time limit, you can’t leave till every question is answered correctly. Got the picture? Quite a scene. Well, guess who left the room first? Yes, I think Don was that smart. My image of the scene even includes the Don’s exit: can’t you picture that big bear of a man who somehow managed to move with lightness, his eyes sparkling, a big Texas grin on his face, and he’s whistling! Has there ever been another person on this planet who could whistle two tunes at a time, out of both sides of his mouth, harmoniously? You have to admit Don’s physicality was impressive. And that voice! If a big Delta jet was flying over the old ISyE Building and Don was lecturing with the windows open, he would drown out the plane.

Attending Melba Beals Event Essay -- Civil Rights Little Rock Nine

I attended an event commemorating a very heroic woman’s actions. Civil rights activist Melba Beals, author of Warriors Don’t Cry, was one of the Little Rock Nine who helped to integrate an all-white Arkansas public high school in 1957. However, this was not a very easy task. She attended school amidst constant harassment, violence, and threats. Her efforts helped shape the civil rights movement and earned her America’s top civilian honor, the Congressional Gold Medal. I found her to be very inspiring, witty, and brave. The event allowed us to hear her perspective on growing up at such a volatile time, and to learn about her unique and rich past. This event was held in the Illini Union, a building on the University of Illinois’ campus where students and faculty work, study, and relax. Very often events such as this one are held to add a diverse flavor and special treat to the already enriching university. This presentation was held in the ballroom on the second floor. This room is a beautifully decorated large hall where many various events take place from dances to speeches. The fact that the event was held in this room shows the importance of Melba and the seating needed to accommodate such a large-scale event. The event was extremely crowded, and many different nationalities and cultures were represented, which was quite surprising to me. I would have imagined only finding African-Americans and whites at an event like this, but to my surprise almost every culture was represented in the audience. Through careful observation I noticed that the composition of the audience was mainly female, college and middle aged. I did notice that there were many families that came together, which was very nice... .... It made me proud of them and for them. From attending this lecture I have a greater sense of appreciation for all the women of color who have made a difference, because now I know how many obstacles they had to overcome to achieve their goal. After seeing her speak I felt extremely enriched and honored to have had the chance to hear someone like her speak in front of me. I felt a sense of pride for her. It was an odd moment. I felt like I was directly connected to her as well as to everything that she was saying. I could feel her pain, sorrow, triumph, and happiness all at once. It is not everyday that someone attempts to de-segregate their high school at a time when African-American people had no right to do something like this whatsoever. I am very much looking forward to reading her book now. I am very interested in finding more out about her life.

How Does Act One of Hamlet Shape Your Understanding of the Main Concerns of the Play Essay

In the interactions of characters, Shakespeare’s Hamlet examines fundamental characteristics of society which can result in moral ambiguity for both the characters and the audience. In a time of transition between the traditional church led tenets and the emerging Renaissance humanist views, the title character is related to other characters to explore the notions of corruption, loyalty and love. Contrastingly, it is also in the rejection of others and isolation of Hamlet that questions as the nature of life is unravelled. Indeed, whilst the world of Hamlet may appear unfamiliar to a 21st century audience it is the examination of such intrinsic qualities of humans that remains pertinent. Corruption is established as a main thematic concern of Hamlet from the opening and continues throughout the play. On a political level, corruption is explored through the dissolute nature of the Danish court. This reflects the contextual concerns of Shakespeare’s world with the belief in the Divine Right of Kings. This idea believes that a monarch is subject not to earthly authority but derives his right to rule directly from the will of God. Thus, in having a king that has not been given the right from God, but rather took it and is corrupt there would be a corrupt country- as Denmark is established to be from Act One. Through the imagery of nature in a degenerated state such as an â€Å"unweeded garden† the idea of corruption in the kingdom is established. Such imagery continues throughout the play and Denmark becomes synonymous with a state of decay. The Jacobean thoughts suggest that the nation reflects a ‘diseased body’ because a state has the wrong king and thus the natural order is unbalanced. Further, moral corruptION is set up in Act One through the character of Claudius and establishes the theme for the later exploration for the moral corruptness of Hamlet. That is, in Act One, the catalyst for Hamlet to become morally corrupt occurs. Moral corruption is most obviously seen in Act One through Claudius. His first speech gives the impression that HE Claudius is a good man, upset by his brother’s death. However, it is soon discovered that he is corrupt and has wrongfully taken the throne from Hamlet. In this first speech Claudius is very controlled and uses poetic language to make the marriage seem normal despite the fact that Denmark has only recently been unbalanced by the death of their king. The use of â€Å"our† as the royal plural eans that he has adopted the language of kingship but because he has taken its wrongfully, a sense of corruption is immediately established. For a Jacobean audience, the wrongful king would make them question their own monarchy, where a very didactic Elizabeth sat on the throne. When corruption presents itself, tensions arise between a tragic individual who condemns it and their society. It is in the interaction with Claudius, as the embodiment of such corruption, that H amlet becomes disillusioned with his state. In Hamlet’s first line â€Å"a little more than kin/a little less than kind† the pun directly attacks Claudius’ facade of benevolence, utilising a pun to highlight his awareness of the deceptive appearances with the court. Moreover, Hamlet rallies against the superficial merriment of the court in his â€Å"O, that this too too solid flesh would melt† soliloquy comparing his father as a ‘Hyperion’ to Claudius as ‘a satyr. ’ Claudius tries desperately to maintain a weak and unnatural court in the balance between the supposed sorrow he feels for the king’s death and the joy he must feel for marrying his dead brother’s wife. This is supported in his inconsistency of â€Å"through yet of Hamlet our late brother’s death the memory be green†, whereby the idea of death and decay is fused with imagery of greenery, growth and renewal. Such actions lead Hamlet to question the way in which corruption can grapple his entire state, likening it to â€Å"all things rank and gross in nature. † This isolates him, despite his clearly identified place in Denmark. His â€Å"inky cloak† becomes a metaphor for both his physical and mental isolation – a result of Claudius corrupt action.

What to Believe In the novel Life of Pi

Jeff Ramos English101 Mr. Adams 11-21-2012 What to Believe In the novel Life of Pi, Yann Martel uses the protagonist Pi to demonstrate how faith, ritual and ones will to live save one from the barbaric and carnivorous reality. Pi Patel, lover of faith and various gods and their beliefs loses his family after a shipwreck and drifts on the Pacific Ocean with the zebra, hyena, orangutan and tiger named Richard Parker, each struggling in their own way to survive. In the end, Pi presents two different stories and leaves it up to the reader to decide which version is ultimately true.Personally, I would believe the animal story was made up by Pi because the human story was too much for him to endure. But how do we define truth? Is something true simply because it is believable? Is something untrue because it seems unrealistic? The dictionary defines truth as 1) the true or actual state of a matter; 2) conformity with fact or reality; 3) a verified or indisputable fact, proposition, principl e or the like. The relativity of truth is not emphasized as a major theme until the last part of the novel, when Pi recaps the entire story to the officials from the shipping company who are questioning him.Pi lets them choose the version they prefer, and for them that version becomes truth. In this world, people believe the version of truth that they are most comfortable with. People would rather believe a colorful version of a story, over the gruesome details of the story that actually happened. For example, as Mr. Okamoto and Mr. Chiba were interviewing Pi, he asks them â€Å"So tell me, since it makes no factual difference to you and you can’t prove the question either way, which story do you prefer? Which is the better story, the story with the animals or the story without animals? Mr. Chiba: the story with the animals.Mr. Okomoto: Yes. The story with animals is the better story. † (317). After hearing the two versions of Pi’s horrendous account, the interv iewers agree the story with the animals is the â€Å"better† story, however; never do they say they believe it is true. As humans we tend to think that something is untrue just because it is unbelievable or we just haven’t had an opportunity to experience a certain situation yet. For example, when Pi is describing the atheists and agnostics last words he says â€Å"I can well imagine an atheist’s last words: â€Å"white, white? L-L-Love! My God† – and the deathbed leap of faith.Whereas the agnostic, if he stays true to his reasonable self, if he stays beholden to dry, yeast less factuality, might try to explain the warm light bathing him by saying, â€Å"possibly a f-f-falling oxygenation of the b-b-brain,† and, to the very end, lack imagination and miss the better story. † (64). This shows how the agnostic did not believe in god because he felt that it was untrue and unbelievable. Yet when he or she experiences it, they surely would become a believer. Pi seems to be bothered by the agnostic and their decision to doubt, to lack belief in anything. Another quote from Life of Pi shows that simply because Mr. Chiba and Mr.Okomoto have never actually witnessed a floating banana they automatically believed that it is untrue and believe it would sink. â€Å"â€Å"Bananas don’t float. † â€Å"Yes they do. † â€Å"They are to heavy. † â€Å" No they are not. Here, try for yourself. I have two bananas right here. † †¦ â€Å"They’re in. † â€Å"And? † â€Å"They are floating. † â€Å"What did I tell you? †Ã¢â‚¬  (292-293). Through experience Pi knows that bananas float. Once Pi proves to the interviewers that indeed bananas do float, they believe. How do we decide what to believe? The theory of knowledge can guide us in deciding what to believe, what to ignore, what to question, and what we don’t know.It is different from assumptions, rumo rs and myths. Which version do you believe? Do you think Pi, as a young boy, comes up with the fantastical tale to cope with the ugly truth? Or, is it somehow not the point to decide what actually happened? Maybe the beauty of the first story outweighs the believability of the second? Martel spends so much time developing the first story, and not much on the second. While it might seem totally unlikely, the details are all put into the first story. Ultimately, in Life of Pi, Martel leaves the decision of what to believe up to you.

Explain the Skills Needed to Communicate with Children and Young People Essay

You have been elected to be communication champion for your school. At the next staff meeting you are asked to explain the skills that staff need in order to communicate effectively with children and young people. Use the table below to record your thoughts and consider what each skill means in practice. Skill needed to communicate effectively with children and young peopleIn practice this means†¦. †¢Find opportunities to speak to children. †¢Give eye contact and actively listen. †¢Use body language and facial expressions, and be approachable. †¢React and comment on what they are saying. †¢Be interested, responding and questioning to maintain conversation.†¢Give children suï ¬Æ'cient opportunities to talk and express themselves as they may lack confidence when speaking to adults. †¢Often children feel that you are not listening if you do not give them eye contact, make sure that if they are talking you give them your attention. †¢When speaking to small children get down to their level, smile nod and make appreciative noises to assure them that you are interested in what they have to say. †¢Repeat back to the child to ensure your understanding, this way you can correct incorrect language without them feeling like they are wrong. Also comment on their statement so they feel you are interested in what they have said. †¢It is important for children to experience the norms of holding a conversation so they can build up their understanding of how it works. Encourage them to ask questions and suggest ideas.

The Scarlet Letter Study Guide

Transcendentalism was a religious and philosophical movement of the early nineteenth century that was dedicated to the belief that divinity manifests itself everywhere, particularly in the natural world. It also advocated a personalized, direct relationship with the divine in place of formalized, structured religion. This second transcendental idea is privileged in The Scarlet Letter. After marrying fellow transcendentalist Sophia Peabody in 1842, Hawthorne left Brook Farm and moved into the Old Manse, a home in Concord where Emerson had once lived.In 1846 he published Mosses from an Old Manse, a collection of essays and stories, many of which are about early America. Mosses from an Old Manse earned Hawthorne the attention of the literary establishment because America was trying to establish a cultural independence to complement its political independence, and Hawthorn's collection of stories displayed both a stylistic freshness and an interest in American subject matter. Herman Melv ille, among others, hailed Hawthorne as the â€Å"American Shakespeare. † In 1845 Hawthorne again went to work as a customs surveyor, this time, like the orator of The Scarlet Letter, at a post in Salem.In 1850, after having lost the Job, he published The Scarlet Letter to enthusiastic, if not widespread, acclaim. His other major novels include The House of the Seven Gables (1851), The Blithered Romance (1852), and The Marble Faun (1860). In 1853 Hawthorn's college friend Franklin Pierce, for whom he had written a campaign biography and who had since become president, appointed Hawthorne a United States consul. The writer spent the next six years in Europe. He died in 1864, a few years after returning to America.The majority of Hawthorn's work takes America's Puritan past as its subject, but The Scarlet Letter uses the material to greatest effect. The Puritans were a group of religious reformers who arrived in Massachusetts in the sass under the leadership of John Winthrop (w hose death is recounted in the novel). The religious sect was known for its intolerance of dissenting ideas and lifestyles. In The Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne uses the repressive, authoritarian Puritan society as an analogue for humankind in general. The Puritan setting also enables him to portray the human OLL under extreme pressures.Hester, Timescale, and Chlorinating, while unquestionably part of the Puritan society in which they live, also reflect universal experiences. Hawthorne speaks specifically to American issues, but he circumvents the aesthetic and thematic limitations that might accompany such a focus. His universality and his dramatic flair have ensured his place in the literary canon. MORE HELP Read No Fear The Scarlet Letter Buy the print The Scarlet Letter Soapstone on BAN. Com Buy the eBook of this Soapstone on BAN. Com Download the PDF of this Soapstone on BAN. Com

Cost Analysis

Table of content Introduction: Financing decisions and investment decisions are considered to be two of the most vital decisions that corporations have to take. Cost analysis is one of the factors that should be taken into consideration while evaluating financial and investment decisions. This paper reviews the concept of cost analysis, how it is used in decision making, and how firms usually involve cost analysis in evaluating different projects. Furthermore, the paper discusses some of the main concepts that are derived from cost analysis such as cost allocation, cost-effectiveness analysis, and cost-benefit analysis. In addition, some of the advantages and disadvantages of cost analysis will be discussed. Moreover, the concept of intangible cost analysis will be introduced. Then, the results and findings of the research paper will be illustrated. Finally, few recommendations that are based on the results and findings will be made. Literature Review: Due to its high importance in the decision making process, cost analysis has been discussed in many books by several authors who illustrated different aspects of cost analysis. In his book â€Å"cost-benefit analysis,† E. J. Mishan discussed in depth the concept of cost-benefit analysis, which is a form of cost analysis. Professor Mishan focused on some of the key concepts that are related to cost-benefit analysis. The author started his book with few examples of cost analysis in order to illustrate to the reader the meaning of cost-benefit analysis. Then, Mr. Mishan illustrated the economical aspect of cost-benefit analysis and showed how opportunity cost could be related to cost-benefit analysis. Furthermore, Mr. Mishan tried to show how cost-benefit analysis is limited and can be used partially in the decision making process. A notable section of Mr. Mishan’s book is certainty equivalence. In this section, the author developed an assumption that â€Å"enables us formally to rank a number of alternative uncertain benefits without first reducing each to a certainty equivalent. In his article â€Å"Ways to Deliver More for Less,† Harry E. Roberts, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer of Boscov’s Department Stores, discussed how cost analysis can be used to reduce IT spending. Mr. Roberts discussed how the IT budgeting has changed over time. The author suggested ways to enable Information Technology, which is a cost center rather than a profit center, to â€Å"deliver more than what is expected and at a lower cost than what was budgeted. † Then, Mr. Roberts suggested that a revision for different costs, such as variable costs, fixed costs, and payroll costs, should be made. The author concluded his research by emphasizing on the fact that â€Å"every dollar invested on a cost item must deliver as much value to the business as its highest-margin product or service. † Cost Analysis: Definition According to The U. S. Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, cost analysis can be defined as â€Å"the process of obtaining cost breakdowns, verifying cost data, evaluating specific elements of costs and examining data to determine necessity, reasonableness, and appropriateness of the costs. Both financing and investment decisions are highly affected by cost analysis as corporations usually pay a great deal of attention to the different types of costs that are involved in the different projects that will be taken into consideration either to raise funds or to invest surplus funds that a corporation has. Sometimes cost analysis is perceived as a tool that is used only to reduce costs. In contrast to this point of view, cost analysis is believe d to be a tool that helps management to choose the best possible solution or project among many different alternatives. In their article â€Å"â€Å"Using Cost Analysis In Evaluation,† Meg Sewell and Mary Marczak believe that cost analysis methods and uses are â€Å"complex, require very sophisticated technical skills and training in methodology and in principles of economics, and should not be taken lightly. † Three Types of Cost Analysis: Three of the main concepts that are derived from cost analysis are cost allocation, cost-effectiveness analysis, and cost-benefit analysis. These three methods are usually used simultaneously in order for corporations to evaluate different decisions or projects. Some of these methods might seem simple and easy to use; however, they should never be ignored or taken slightly as they can be of great benefit in determining the right decisions. Cost Allocation: Cost allocation is the simplest among the three concepts that were mentioned earlier. Sewell and Marczak stated that cost allocation refers to â€Å"setting up budgeting and accounting systems in a way that allows program managers to determine a unit cost or cost per unit of service. Furthermore, Sewell and Marczak illustrated that in many corporations, cost allocation is used to provide â€Å"some of the basic information needed to conduct more ambitious cost analyses such as cost-benefit analysis or cost-effectiveness analysis. † Therefore, it can be concluded that cost allocation is a prerequisite to both cost-benefit analysis and cost-effectiveness analysis. Example: The following table shows the monthly cost allocation for 3 different projects It is important to note that firm s usually allocate their costs based on previous experience and estimation. However, firms should expect costs to change, which can be due to financial crises, inflation, or other factors, and try to adapt their cost allocation systems in such a way that it will handle the new changes. Based on the costing method that the company uses, such as activity-based costing, a more detailed cost allocation system can be structured in order to determine the unit cost as precisely as possible Once costs have been identified and allocated, more advanced cost analysis methods, such as cost-effectiveness analysis and cost-benefit analysis, are used. Cost-effectiveness Analysis: According to Sewell and Marczak, the concept of cost-effectiveness analysis holds that â€Å"a certain benefit or outcome is desired, and that there are several alternative ways to achieve it. † However, cost-effectiveness analysis should not be used separately during the process of evaluating projects or decisions as it will favor the cheapest option. Instead, cost-effectiveness analysis should be used along with cost allocation and cost-benefit analysis in order to provide more precise and more informative outcomes. It is important to mention that cost-effectiveness is a comparative tool that compares the cost of separate projects and favors the least expensive one. If we only used cost-effectiveness to decide which machine to buy, machine 1 will be favored by cost-effectiveness since it will generate products cheaper than machine 2. However, this is not necessarily the correct decision since cost-effectiveness analysis fails to take into consideration certain criteria such as the time each machine requires to generate the product and the quality of the generated products. Cost-benefit Analysis: According to smbtn. com, cost-benefit analysis can be best described as â€Å"An analysis tool that measures the results or benefits of a decision compared with the required costs. † Cost-benefit analysis is perceived as a powerful tool that management usually use whenever a â€Å"buy-or-build† decision needs to be taken. Buy-or-build decisions are usually taken when a firm faces a situation where it has two options: (1) To buy or outsource a certain part of its business (2) To internally manufacture or perform a certain part of its business. Cost-benefit analysis can assist in taking buy-or-build decisions as it will illustrate the benefits and costs that are expected if buy decision or build decision is taken. Cost-benefit analysis consists of several tools, such as benefit-to-costs ratio, that are used to analyze and compare benefits and costs that are involved in a certain project. According to Sewell and Marczak, benefit-to-costs ratio is â€Å"the total monetary cost of the benefits or outcomes divided by the total monetary costs of obtaining them. Despite the fact the cost-benefit seems to be the most powerful tool to analyze costs and taking cost related decisions, it should be used along with other tools such as cost-effectiveness analysis and cost allocation. Using cost-benefit analysis separately from other tools can result in misleading decisions that can cost management dearly. If the benefits-to-costs ratio is greater than 1, then the project should be analyzed further, compared to other projects and taken into consideration as a potential project that the firm can invest in or use to raise funds. Advantages of Cost Analysis: Cost analysis can be of great help for management as it can be used as a tool in the decision making process. Some of the most important advantages of cost analysis are: Cost analysis can clarify all costs that are involved in a certain project. Cost analysis will draw attention to costs that may not be obvious at first. Consequently, allowing managers to take more precise financing or investment decisions. Cost analysis can help management prioritize tasks and processes when budgets are limited. It is believed that managers can distribute budgets more effectively when all costs are identified; therefore, it will be possible to get the most out of available resources. Disadvantages of cost analysis: On the other hand, cost analysis is not always sufficient by its own for management to make decisions. Some of the facts that cost analysis cannot provide information about are: _As Sewell and Marczak mentioned, cost analysis cannot always tell â€Å"whether the least expensive alternative is always the best alternative. _† Cost analysis by its own is not always enough to determine the best alternative. Usually, other criteria that cannot be determined by cost analysis, such as time, have an effect on the decision making process. Cost analysis is very complex and requires great deal of skills and expertise. Cost analysis requires not only background in finance and accounting, but also economic and decision making skills. It is common nowadays for organizations to outsource cost analysis if it cannot be done effectively in-house. According to _Sewell and Marczak, â€Å"sometimes costs and monetary values are considered less important than other, more intangible values or program outcomes. † Intangible cost analysis: Despite the fact that corporations frequently use cost analysis in evaluating the different decisions that have to be made, intangible cost analysis is not always taken into consideration. In his book â€Å"Intangible Management: Tools for Solving the Accounting and Management Crisis,† Ken Stanfield described intangible cost analysis as set of processes that â€Å"[allow] executives to identify, measure, and reduce costs that the organization has always been aware of, but has not been able to previously measure and control. Intangible cost analysis allows corporations to increase efficiency and productivity as well as decrease costs. According to Stanfield, in contrast to old cost analysis methods where tangible costs were the most important selection criteria, modern cost analysis methods favors alternatives, decisions, or projects â€Å"with the lowest total real cost (tangible costs + intangible costs). † Some of the intangible costs that should be taken into consideration are knowledge costs, time costs, and relationship management costs. Many organizations started to take intangible costs more seriously and established departments that are dedicated to deal with such costs such as knowledge management department. Intangible cost analysis is more complex than tangible cost analysis due to the fact that it depends on estimation skills and past experience. Therefore, possessing intangible cost analysis skills can be considered as a competitive advantage as it will result in better cost management and lower incurred costs. Results and Findings: Cost analysis is one of the most sophisticated concepts in business, and many economists wrote several books about it. The following points illustrate the results and findings of the research paper: Cost analysis consists of multiple tools and techniques that are usually used simultaneously to reach the best decision possible. Cost analysis not only allows firms to find ways to reduce costs, but it also suggests methods that can be applied to turn a cost center into profit center. It is vital for decision makers to be aware that cost analysis consists of tools that can estimate costs, which might differ from costs that will be incurred in reality. Intangible cost analysis should not be taken slightly as it has a great affect on the business of any company, especially on the long run. Cost analysis fails to take into consideration some factors such as time and quality Cost analysis needs advanced skills and is considered to be a competitive advantage for firms that have employees specialized in it. Recommendations and Conclusion: Using multiple cost analysis tools, which is due to the fact that the use of only one or few tools will result in misleading decisions Pay great attention to intangible cost analysis as it can make the difference between success and failure. Take into consideration factors that cannot be quantified and analyzed such as time and quality. Due to the fact that cost analysis has become a vital part of the decision making process, firms have to ensure that they possess the required cost analysis skills or outsource to specialized cost analysis firms. In conclusion, it is vital to emphasize on the fact that cost analysis is just one tool that can be used in the decision making process. Financing decisions and investments decisions are so critical that many tools and selection criteria have to be used while analyzing and evaluating these decisions. Nowadays, the world is facing a financial crisis that is affecting all companies; consequently, firms are starting to analyze costs to determine how best to protect themselves. Bibliography Mishan, E. J. Cost Benefit Analysis: An Informal Introduction, 1982. Ramji, Al-Noor, Linda Reino, Harry E. Roberts, eds. , Inside The Minds: Ways To Reduce It Spending : Leading Executives On Managing Costs, Negotiating Pricing & Reducing Overall Technology Expenditures. United States of America: Aspatore, 2004. Sewell, Meg and Mary Marczak. Using Cost Analysis In Evaluation. The University of Arizona; available from http://ag. arizona. edu/fcs/cyfernet/cyfar/Costben2. htm; Internet; accessed 1 November 2008. Stanfield, Ken. Intangible Management: Tools for Solving the Accounting and Management Crisis. Academic Press; 1st edition (July 1, 2002). The U. S. Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement: Federal Assistance Manual. Washington, D. C. , 1998; available from http://www. osmre. gov/fam/defin. htm; Internet; accessed 16 November 2008.