8 Famous Mexican Revolutionaries

Discussion 2 Example

Essays on Discussion 2 Coursework Can Science Be Sacred al Affiliation) Can Science Be Sacred? Adam Frank uses a previous experience, where he was coming from a Partial Differential Equations (PDEs) class and headed to the student cafeteria to get a cup of coffee, to explain the relationship between science and the sacred. He attributes his experience to the equations and states that solving the equations indicated a connection between science and the sacred. After noticing oscillations on the coffee’s surface from the ice cream freezer’s motor, he explains the theory of hierophany. Frank, (2012) explains that the relationship between science and the sacred lies in focusing on the experience. When the equations are solved practically, the solutions are understood through the experience. It is this experience that Frank describes as, â€Å"hierophany† (Frank 2012). The coffee cup incident was an experience of the sacred. It was from the incident that Frank extracted, â€Å"the connection, and the usefulness, of the sacred to a world saturated with the fruits of science† (Frank 2012). Science is fundamental to technological advancement; hence a path to discovering the sacred. Frank concludes that science is the gateway to the sacred. It is through science that humanity can focus on the experience that differentiates a religion from the sacred. Frank provides insight to what ought to be considered as religion and as sacred. The article develops an understanding that equations attempt to explain the sacred. In addition, the sacred is depicted to mean natural occurrences. For example, the planetary motion is a natural occurrence. However, the motion can be understood using a set of equations to analyze the movement. The article is clear and succinct on explaining the significance of science to experience the sacred. The article also sheds light as to whether the sacred can exist outside a religion. Faith forms the fundamental component of religion whereas experience is th e fundamental component of sacred. Religion is mainly based on the creed and doctrine of spiritual life. On the other hand, the sacred is the natural occurrences that are not influenced by human behavior, and that can be understood through science. Science cannot explain religion as it does explain the sacred. ReferenceFrank, A. (2012, January 20). Can Science Be Sacred? Retrieved January 30, 2015, from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/adam-frank/can-science-besacred_ b_1213082.html

Iso 14000 free essay sample

The British Standards Institution has BS 7750, the Canadian Standards Association has environmental management, auditing, eco-labeling and other standards, the European Union has all of these plus the eco-management and audit regulations, and many other countries (e. g. USA, Germany and Japan) have introduced eco-labeling programs. After the rapid acceptance of ISO 9000, and the increase of environmental standards around the world, ISO assessed the need for international environmental management standards. They formed the Strategic Advisory Group on the Environment (SAGE) in 1991, to consider whether such standards could serve to: | Promote a common approach to environmental management similar to quality management; | | Enhance organizations ability to attain and measure improvements in environmental performance; and | | Facilitate trade and remove trade barriers. | In 1992, SAGEs recommendations created a new committee, TC 207, for international environmental management standards. The committee, and its sub-committees include representatives from industry, standards organizations, government and environmental organizations from many countries. The new series of ISO14000 standards are designed to cover: | environmental management systems | | environmental auditing | | environmental performance evaluation | | environmental labeling | | life-cycle assessment | | environmental aspects in product standards | ISO 14001 standard The standard is not an environmental management system as such and therefore does not dictate absolute environmental performance requirements (National Academy Press 1999), but serves instead as a framework to assist organizations in developing their own environmental management system (RMIT University). We will write a custom essay sample on Iso 14000 or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page ISO 14001 can be integrated with other management functions and assists companies in meeting their environmental and economic goals. ISO 14001, as with other ISO 14000 standards, is voluntary (IISD 2010), with its main aim to assist companies in continually improving their environmental performance, whilst complying with any applicable legislation. Organizations are responsible for setting their own targets and performance measures, with the standard serving to assist them in meeting objectives and goals and the subsequent monitoring and measurement of these (IISD 2010). This means that two organizations that have completely different measures and standards of environmental performance, can both comply with ISO 14001 requirements (Federal Facilities Council Report 1999). The fundamental principle and overall goal of the ISO 14001 standard, is the concept of continual improvement (Federal Facilities Council Report 1999). ISO 14001 is based on the Plan-Do-Check-Act methodology (Standards Australia/Standards New Zealand 2004) which has been expanded to include 17 elements, grouped into five phases that relate to Plan-Do-Check-Act; Environmental Policy, Planning, Implementation Operation, Checking Corrective Action and lastly Management Review (Martin 1998). Plan – establish objectives and processes required Do – implement the processes Check – measure and monitor the processes and report results Act – take action to improve performance of EMS based on results Continual Improvement Process Benefits ISO 14001 was developed primarily to assist companies in reducing their environmental impact, but in addition to an improvement in environmental standards and performance, organizations can reap a number of economic benefits including higher conformance with legislative and regulatory requirements (Sheldon 1997) by utilizing the ISO standard. Firstly by minimizing the risk of regulatory and environmental liability fines and improving an organization’s efficiency (Delmas 2001), leading to a reduction in waste and consumption of resources, operating costs can be reduced (ISO14001. com. au 2010). Secondly, as an internationally recognized standard, businesses operating in multiple locations across the globe can register as ISO 14001 compliant, eliminating the need for multiple registrations or certifications (Hutchens 2010). Thirdly there has been a push in the last decade by consumers, for companies to adopt stricter environmental regulations, making the incorporation of ISO 14001 a greater necessity for the long term viability of businesses (Delmas Montiel 2009) and providing them with a competitive advantage against companies that do not adopt the standard (Potoki Prakash, 2005). This in turn can have a positive impact on a company’s asset value (Van der Deldt, 1997) and can lead to improved public perceptions of the business, placing them in a better position to operate in the international marketplace (Potoki Prakash 1997; Sheldon 1997). Finally it can serve to reduce trade barriers between registered businesses (Van der Deldt, 1997). Organizations can significantly benefit from EMS implementation through the identification of large cleaner production projects (e. g. which can drastically cut electricity costs in manufacturing industries). ISO 14001 can be a very effective tool to identify these cost savings opportunities for some organizations. Some other organizations can falter in its planning, lack of senior management commitment and poor understanding of how it should be implemented and find themselves managing an ineffective EMS. Improvements that organizations can make include adequately planning their structure and allocating adequate resources, providing training, creating forums for discussion, setting measurable targets and working according to the philosophy of continuous improvement (Burden, 2010). Conformity Assessment ISO 14001 can be used in whole or in part to help an organization, for profit or not-for-profit, better manage its relationship with the environment.

Opportunity Cost

Introduction Conventionally, human wants far exceed the available resources to satisfy them. Resources are always scarce in an economy and in order to satisfy human needs, it becomes imperative to make choices concerning which needs are to be satisfies first and the one’s to be deferred or forgone.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Opportunity Cost specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This brings in the concept of opportunity cost to show the value of the needs that need to be satisfied first and those that need to be postponed to a further date. This study will analyze the concept of opportunity cost and how individual consumers, firms, and governments utilize it to allocate scarce resources in the economy. Opportunity cost By definition, opportunity cost is simply the cost of foregone alternatives. It is the cost of the best alternative, which has been sacrificed in order to spend the available resources on a certain need. Individual consumers, firms and governments use this concept to ensure that the available resources are used efficiently. It measures the cost of what has been foregone in financial or monetary terms. According to Frederick, Novemsky, Wang, Dhar and Nowlis, consumers always face the issue of opportunity cost when making purchasing decision (553). For example, a student may be in need of two textbooks; business and economics text book which cost $20 each yet his/her parent gives him only $ 20 to buy the textbooks. Given this scenario, the students cannot afford to buy the two textbooks simultaneously since the amount of money s/he has can only purchase one textbook. The student therefore has to make a prioritized choice on which textbook to buy first and which one to defer to a future date. S/he has to apply the concept of scarcity and choice since s/he has more than one need to satisfy with just a few resources ($20). If s/he chooses to buy a business textbook, th e opportunity cost will be economics textbook, which s/he will do without for the time being. If s/he happens to buy economic textbook, the opportunity cost will be business textbook that s/he has to sacrifice in order to buy the economics textbook. Therefore, the student has no option other than to forego one of his/her needs in order to satisfy the other. The concept of opportunity cost also applies in government activities where government is faced with so many public needs yet the available resources to satisfy the needs are limited. For instance, a government may need to finance free university education and at the same to provide cheap and quality health care services.Advertising Looking for term paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The government is required to finance these two public needs yet the funds to meet the two expenses simultaneously are not available. The government is therefore requ ired to postpone one of the needs in order to finance the other. Thus, opportunity cost will be the cost of the public needs that has to be postponed in order to satisfy the other. According to Devadoss and Wongun, firms also have limited factors of production, which need to be allocated efficiently to maximize the profit (729). From the above analyses, the concept of opportunity cost is very important when individual consumers, firms, and governments are making decision on how to allocate scarce resources at their disposal in order to fulfill their endless needs (Victoravich 85). Since production resources do not increase with increase in the number of needs that need to be satisfied, increased spending in one area means decreased spending in another area. This allocation of limited resources is well illustrated by production possibility curve that shows how limited resources are allocated to varying needs in the economy. Production possibility curve (PPC) Production possibility cu rve is a curve or a graph that shows how limited factors of production can be allocated between two commodities. The curve illustrates efficient production level of two commodities using a fixed factor of production. For example, governments can use PPC curve to know the most efficient way to allocate limited inputs (capital and labor) in the production of two types of commodities like maize and motor vehicles. PPC will show what will happen to the other commodity if the government increases production of one commodity (Dalal 958). For instance, if the government increases production of motor vehicle, the PPC will show what will happen to the production maize. Therefore, PPC will help the government to know the most efficient level of production. Conclusion The concept of opportunity cost is therefore very important while making microeconomic policies. Economic resources are always scarce and human needs are ever increasing such that, individual consumers, firms, and governments hav e no option but to make choices on how to allocate the available limited resources more efficiently. Policy makers have to sacrifice or forego some needs to fulfill the most pressing ones. Governments have to consider and prioritize all its public expenditures in order to ensure that the scarce resources are allocated in the most maximizing way to the economy. The same concept will also apply to all firms that need to allocate inputs in the most efficient way in order to maximize profits. Works Cited Dalal, Ardeshir. â€Å"The Production Possibility Frontier as a Maximum Value Function: Concavity and Non-increasing Returns to Scale.† Review of International Economics 14.5 (2006): 958-967.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Opportunity Cost specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Devadoss, Stephen, and Wongun, Song. â€Å"Factor Market Oligopsony and the Production Possibility Frontier.† Review of Intern ational Economics 11. 4 (2003): 729-744. Frederick, Shane, Novemsky, Nathan, Wang, Jing, Dhar, Ravi and Nowlis, Stephen. â€Å"Opportunity Cost Neglect.† Journal of Consumer Research 36.4 (2009): 553-561. Victoravich, Lisa Marie. â€Å"When Do Opportunity Costs Count? The Impact of Vagueness, Project Completion Stage, and Management Accounting.† Behavioral Research in Accounting, 22.1 (2010): 85-108. This term paper on Opportunity Cost was written and submitted by user Sebastian Berg to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.