Health And Safety In Metal Workshops Environmental Sciences Essay

Health And Safety In Metal Workshops Environmental Sciences Essay According to the ILO, some 2.3 million workers around the world die due to work-related accidents or diseases every year. That is an average of around 6000 deaths daily. There are also around 340 million cases of occupational accidents and 160 million victims of work-related illnesses each year and frequent estimates have show an increase of accidents and ill health. 1.1 Health and safety in metal workshops Metal works has proved to be a necessity in the manufacturing, construction and other such industries. Since prehistoric times till this modern era, metalwork has evolved into a massive industry and gained a large influence on the global economy. Metals are used in a huge range of products in this modern time. Their use is largely dependent on their properties. For example aluminium is used in manufacturing of automobiles, whereas iron is used in the construction sector. In this modern world, no one can say that he does not have a piece of metal at home or has never been in need for some metal work at any occasion. Metal consumption in the world, as the other resources is rising rapidly. This is due to the growth in population and rising wealth (Norgate T.E and Rankin W.J, 2002). This increase in demand has led to an increase in the number of metal workshops around the globe. Its effect can also be felt in Mauritius. Metal workshops have grown up like mushrooms all around the island, to meet the demand of the market for more metal works. How many people have ever wondered how and in what conditions metal work is being performed? Most formal enterprises abide by the current legislations governing the health and safety in Mauritius, the Occupational Safety and Health Act 2005 also known as the OSHA-2005 and its other relevant regulations. The employers make use of good safety and health practices and this has been proved to be an enriching experience. The has been considerable decrease in the number of absenteeism and number of accidents, resulting in less money loss in terms of non-payment of injury leaves, compensation, work days lost and any other legal suits. In Mauritius, there are many small metal workshops. Those are operated by people having little or no concept of health and safety at work. The workers are often working alone and in some cases students are employed to work during school holidays. The people working therein are more concerned about having their salary at the end of the month with giving much attention to their personal safety, but what would happen if the latter is injured or if they become so ill due to exposure to any substance that become bed ridden or even die? What would be the impact on the latters family? 1.2 Wastes in metal workshops During machining in a metal workshop waste is generated. Most of the waste is from the raw material which is the metal being fabricated. The metal wastes that are generated vary greatly in form. They have different shapes and sizes ranging from large unusable pieces of metal to dust particles. Other sources of wastes are used oil, grease, wood, chemicals, paint containers, grinding discs, used electrodes (from arc-welding), solvents and other office products such as paper. Accumulation of these may pose as a hazard to health and safety of the workers present in the workshop and also affect the environment. 1.3 Problem statement: The alarming rise in the number of accidents in working environment shows some lacking in the management of health and safety at the workplace. A metal workshop is a place full of hazards and if precautionary measures are not taken, these may result in incidents or accidents. Also if wastes are not being managed properly, it may cause harm to the environment and for the enterprise itself it is money lost in terms of unused material and it requires a place to be disposed of. Some employers have no idea about how to dispose of the materials and in informal sectors some enterprises dump all the wastes that are not taken by the municipal waste carriers. 1.4 Aims: The study will firstly provide an analysis of how health and safety is being managed in metal workshops and will provide remedial measures so as to decrease the number of accidents. The second purpose of the study is to give an understanding of how wastes from metal workshops are being managed and to provide recommendations so as to improve the efficiency in the waste management practices. It will focus mainly on the wastes generated in the metal workshops only. 1.5 Objectives: Identify the sources of health and safety hazards, wastes Identify the impacts of health and safety hazards on the employees and, waste on the environment Identify how the health and safety and, wastes are being managed Assess the level of awareness related to Health and safety, and Waste management Evaluation of health and safety management and, waste management Provide recommendation on better ways to manage health and safety and, waste management Chapter two 2.0 Literature review 2.1 What is health and safety? Health and safety is basically the provision and maintenance of a safe and sound working environment. 2.2 Health and safety in the informal sector For this study, safety and health in metal workshops can be classified as part of the informal sector. The ILO introduced the concept of informal sector around 25 years ago. In 1972, an ILO employment mission report in Kenya found that migration from countryside to cities resulted in urban unemployment. This is the reason why rural migrants and urban dwellers find employment in the small scale and micro-level production and distribution of goods and services. These largely unrecognised, unrecorded and unregulated small-scale activities constitute the informal sector. According to the ILO, the informal can be characterised as a range of economic units in the urban areas, which are mainly operated and owned either in partnership with members of the same family or by individuals alone. It employs one or more employees on a continuous basis in addition to unpaid family worker and/or casual workers. The employer-employee relationship is often not in written and informal with no or little appreciation of workers rights industrial relations. The works performed are mainly labour intensive and require low-level skills. Typically they operate on a small-scale with no or very little level of organisation. They are engaged in the production and distribution of goods and services with main objective of generating employment and basic income. In Mauritius, all organisations that are known and registered as forming part of the formal sector, have to comply with the norms and procedures established for them by the different authorities. They are subjected to regular inspections by the various institutes to monitor their level of compliance and in case of abnormalities; they may subjected to fines and other types of penalties. On the other hand, unregistered organisations form part of the informal sector. So, you can imagine that the small metal workshop at the corner of the street where you live forms part of the informal sector and its existence may not even be known to the authorities. Have you ever thought about how many such workshops are in Mauritius? The number of persons working therein and the level of safety? 2.3 The norms Section 5 of the OSHA-2005 stipulates that an employer has the responsibility to ensure so far as is reasonably practicable the safety, health and welfare at work of all his employees. It also includes the following; The employer shall provide and maintain a working environment and any plant or system of work and ensure that any place of work is under his control, including access and egress therein. He should ensure the safety and health of the workers during use, handling, storage or transportation or materials and substances. He should provide and maintain facilities and arrangements for the welfare at work of his employees. He should ensure the provision of information, instruction, training and supervision as required for the safety and health of the employees. He shall also ensure that any person not in his employment is not exposed to any risk to his safety and health. Section 13 of the OSHA-2005 stipulates that any self-employed person shall conduct his work in such a way so as to ensure the health and safety of his workers and any other persons who may be affected. 2.4 Compliance with the norms The creation of a safe working environment starts by oneself. Health and safety is present in Mauritius but was not paid a heed few years ago because many persons were not even aware of its existence. It is now that people are becoming more aware about it. Non-compliance with OSHA-2005 means contravention and is an offence which is punishable by Law. According to the Act, any offence under the Act may be punished by a fine of not more than Rs.75, 000 and an imprisonment of not more than one year. Although the terms of the Act are set out in simple English, it is very difficult to implement it as requires heavy investments and the employer become less willing to invest because they find it annoying and not profitable to abide by set standards. The registered enterprises are frequently visited by relevant authorities that see to it that the norms are being respected. 2.5 Metal fabrication process Metal fabrication processes involve raw materials and range of tools to give shape to desired metal products. These processes can be categorized into cold, warm and hot working based on the temperature they are being processed. Hot working is the process that depends on control heat applied to change the physical properties of the metal piece and cold working is the application of direct physical pressure (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 1995). Metals are present in the daily basic objects such as paper clips, computers, bolts, nails, and automobile parts, parts used for instruments and machinery and numerous other products and to transform metals in these objects, metals pass through a series of manufacturing procedures such as cutting, forming, and finishing, bending, punching, drilling, turning, grinding and threading. (Johnson, 2008) The main procedures in metal fabrication are as follows: 2.5.1 Metal Forming Forging: is the process of working metal with applying force to give shape to the metal, this include the use of forging hammer or drop hammer, press forging, forging machine such as drop hammer, screw press, crank press, hydraulic press. Rolling: is the process whereby compressive force is applied on long metalwork to reduce the thickness its cross section, this cane be done either by hot rolling or cold rolling procedures. Extrusion: is the process where high pressure is used to force a metal block or billet to flow through o die orifice whereby the metal is reduced in cross section. Extrusion is used to give cylindrical shaped or hollow bars of metal. The amount of forced required during the process is huge so metals are generally hot extruded. Bending: is a flexible process to deform metal changing its shape, the metal is stressed beyond the yield force but lesser than its tensile strength which is done by of applying force through hydraulic, pneumatic and electrical machines.   Spinning: is a process that produces rotationally symmetrical hollow parts, hemispheres, cones and cylinders shapes. Generally metal spinning is a cold process done by manual, automated or hydraulic equipment. 2.5.2 Shearing Conventional shearing: is the process used to cut straight lines on flat metal sheet stock. Turret Punching: is a Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC) process use to make hole in metal sheet. This is a cold process where the metal properties are unchanged since they are not exposed to thermal impact. 2.5.3 Material Removal Sawing: is the process whereby a tool with tooth blade is use to cut metal. This is a basic way of cutting metals into desired pieces and with time the simple handsaw has been designed into different saws such as horizontal band saws, vertical band saws, pivot arm band saws, plate/block band saws, steel circular saws, non ferrous circular saws, and power hacksaws. Turning: is the process where the diameter is reduced by removal of the outer part of a rotating metal work piece. Drilling: is the process to pierce hole in metal work piece n accordance to the specification of the desired bore or ream. Milling: is the process where a rotating cutter is use to cut the metal which is fed against the rotating cutter. Grinding: is the process whereby there is removal of metal by abrasion from bar or billet stock surfaces. 2.5.4 Advance Methods Laser cutting: is the process where metal is vaporized in a well defined area; the cutting source is very small which allows small cut widths. The laser beam can be use to cut very hard or abrasive metals and is very cost effective since there is a low operating and maintenance cost. Waterjet Machining: in this process a water jet cutter is used as tool to slice metal with a jet of water under a high velocity and pressure. The cutter is generally place at the nozzle where water will be ejected under high pressure, bombarding the metal cutting it with the high water speed. Electrical Discharge Machining(EMD): is the process which is also known as spark erosion, whereby electrical energy is used to remove metal this result in shapes that cannot be produced by other machining process on thin metal piece. Wire Discharge Machining (WEMD): is a more precise process of cutting metal where electrical energy and a small diameter cooper or brass wire is used. Generally it is a computer numerically controlled (CNC) process. 2.5.5 Welding and Joining Arc Welding: is the process where a welding power is established between an electrode the metal that need to be welded. During welding a shielding gas (inert or semi inert gases) or filler metals are used as a protection. The fusion process takes place to bond the desired parts of metals by high intense heat, whereby the metals melt on heating to mix together and on cooling they solidify to form a metallurgical bond. Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW): in this process a stick welding is used which is coated whit flux that produces the gas shield as protection. Here also the fusion of the metal is done by melting produced by the heat of the arc between the coated electrode and the metal piece. Laser Beam Welding (LBW): is the process whereby metals are radiated by a concentrated beam of coherent light to melt the desired parts. As in arc welding it is protected by inert gases. Gas-metal Arc welding(GMAW)or (MIG) : a process which is mostly known as Metal Inert Gas welding done with the use of a wire and electrode where a an electric arc is generated to melt the wire to feed the weld puddle. A flow of inert gas is use as shield. Fluxed cored Arc welding (FCWA): the process commonly known as fluxed cored uses a long continuous solid wire incorporated in the welding gun. The wire is coated with flux that produces the arc, additives to weld and slag. The shield is a mixture of carbon dioxide and inert gas and large amount of fume is produced. Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW): the process involve the use of tungsten electrode to produce the electric arc. In this process the electrode is not consumed as in (SMAW). The gas shielding is a mixture of argon and helium and no metal filler may be use. Electroslag Welding (ESW): in this process the joining of the metal is done by passing electric current in a molten conductive slag that heat up the filler and metal. This process is generally use to join very thick metal 2.6 Health effects Hazardous materials are likely to be found in a metal fabrication. These can directly or indirectly affect the health of the workers either by contact or absorption in the body. Moreover when assessing the potential health effects with those materials that the workers are exposed to, it is important to understand the difference between toxicity and hazards. 2.6.1 Toxicity: Toxicity is the ability of a particular substance to produce an unwanted effect when the chemical has reached a sufficient concentration at a certain part of the body. 2.6.2 Hazards: Hazards is the possibility that this concentration of the chemical in the body will likely to occur. However, a material can be very dangerous but not hazardous to its exposure. It all depend whether it is properly handled and not contacting with the body. On the other side, a material can be low toxic but very hazardous to health and safety. 2.7 Routes of entry: The four common routes of entry are as follows: Inhalation via respiratory track Skin contact via dermal contact Ingestion through the digestive system Injection 2.7.1 Inhalation via respiratory track: It is a situation where the body is taking materials in the body by breathing. This is the most common mean by which chemical particles enter the body. These contaminants are likely to have both acute and chronic effects. Breathing in of these toxic substances in most cases is likely to cause damage to the mucous membrane of the mouth, throat, lungs and circulatory system. These can happen for example during welding where fumes are generated. 2.7.2 Skin contact via dermal contact: The skin is known to be the largest organ of the human body and provides protection against radiation, heat and abrasion and acts as a barrier to chemicals and bacteria. Skin contact is known as the primary route of entry into the body. Contact with hazardous substances may damage the skin. There are a number of conditions that may be caused by exposure to the different substances ranging from minor irritations to ulceration and cancer. 2.7.3 Ingestion through the digestive system: This is the least common type of exposure in occupational environment, but can happen as a due to carelessness or poor personal hygiene i.e. when the workers eat or drink in the workplace or without washing their hands. In metal workshops the workers are likely to ingest the metal particles that can be found on their hands or deposited on their food. 2.7.4 Injection: This occurs when substances are absorbed directly through cuts or injury with contaminated sharp objects. In metal workshops cuts and bruises are most likely to happen during handling of the materials. In most cases, these small incidents are normally not taken into consideration due to its nature as the works are not affected by it, but the danger is that by not taking care of it, an infection may occur having significant impact on the workers health, hence affecting work as well. 2.8 Physical hazards 2.8.1 Noise Sound is a vibration that can be perceived by ear similarly noise is perceived by the ear but as an unwanted sound. A more appropriate definition noise is any disturbance produced within a range of frequency (NIOSH, 1991). Noise arises during most activity done by human, when measuring the impact on human health noise is categorized under occupational noise or environmental noise (WHO, 2004). Noise is generated by almost every equipment, machine or tool used in metal fabrication industry example motors, gears, belts and pulleys, point of operation during cutting, welding and vibrations of footing and equipments or piece of metal being worked. Noise can be controlled by being in line to the hierarchy of control, in first instance by good maintenance of machines, equipments and tools and by applying engineering controlled such as isolation, stabilizing and damping. To further reduce noise segregation control may be opted so that a minimum number of employees may be affected, the equipments may be enclosed so as much of noise is absorbed or reflected within barriers. Hearing protection equipment may be provided to employees depending on the nature of the operations such as protection for metal grinder, welding and sheet metal fabrication. Last but not the least it is the management responsibility to ensure and implement an effective hearing conservation program. ( AmTrust Fi nancial, n.d) 2.8.2 Heat stress Heat stress is said to be a serious type of physical hazard that should be considered in metal workshops especially during summer seasons. It occurs when workers do some operations in high air temperatures, high humidity or when they are having physical contact with hot objects. While working in these conditions, workers have to wear protective clothing which is likely to cause heat stress. (Reese, C.D, 2001) 2.8.3 Cold stress According to NIOSH, cold stress arises when workers who are expose to cold or working in a cold environment. When temperature goes down, thus the body maintains its temperature by reducing blood flow through the skin. The most extreme effect that the workers may get is on the extremities (fingers, toes, earlobes and nose).when fingers become cold they become numb and insensitive and this may increased the possibility of having accidents in the workplace.(Reese,C.D,2001) 2.8.4 Radiation Radiation can be classified according to the effects that it produced to the matter. There two types of radiation which are ionizing and non ionizing. (ILO, n.d)Ionizing radiation is produced by high voltage devices which can be present in metal workshops which can affect the workers. (NIOSH.n.d). Non ionizing radiation is a form of electromagnetic radiation that can have various effect on the body, which depend on the on the particular wavelength of the radiation being involved. (Reese, C.D, 2001) 2.8.5Vibration Vibrating tools and the equipment that are being used at frequencies between 40 and 90 hertz can cause damage to the circulatory and the nervous systems. One of the most common Cumulative Trauma Disorders (CTDs) results from vibration is the Raynauds Syndrome. It is the most common symptoms leading to numbness and tingling in the finger that is the skin turns pale, ashen and cold, and thus this leads to eventual loss of sensation and the control in the fingers and hands. (Reese, C.D, 2001) 2.8.6 Confine space In 1979, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) published a Criteria Document providing recommendations for working in confined spaces where it defines confine space as a space where the design has limited openings for the entry as well as for the exit. The examples of confine space are tunnel, manhole, utility vaults, storage tanks and silos. There are different fatalities that may occur in a confine space where death may occur from different causes such as asphyxiation, the inhalation of toxic gases or vapors, drowning, falling, from explosions, or contact with either mechanical or electrical energy. 2.9 Ergonomic hazards Working posture is very important when workers are doing their jobs in a workplace. Poor working posture is said to be an ergonomic hazards as it can cause fatigue, discomfort and injury risk in the working environment when workers are doing repetitive work, the use of force and also the duration of the work. Some examples are outstretched arms, twisting, and fixed postures. (HSE, n.d). 2.10 Biological hazards Biological hazards include vermin, insects, molds, fungi, viruses, and bacterial contaminants. Workers may get infections and parasitic diseases when they are exposed to insects or by drinking contaminated water. Dusts present in the metal workshops may contain many kinds of allergenic materials that can affect their health. (Reese, C.D, 2001) 2.11 Chemical hazards Chemical hazards arise from the excessive airborne concentrations of mists, vapors, gases or solids that are present in the form of dusts and fumes. These can be source of danger to the body for example these materials may act as skin irritants or may be toxic by absorption through the skin.(Reese,C.D,2001) In metal workshops there are metal fluids that are used for some kind of processes. There are different kinds of oil product which are used in metal workshops. 2.12 Other types of hazards 2.12.1 Electrical hazards Electricity has long been recognized as a serious workplace hazard, exposing employees to electric shock, electrocution, burns, fires, and explosions. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the United States, in 1999, 278 workers died from electrocutions at work, which accounts for almost 5 percent of all on-the-job fatalities that year. Thus, they relate that most of these fatalities could have been easily avoided. 2.12.2 Mechanical hazards Mechanical hazards are created by the powered operation of apparatus or tools. The applied power which is applied can be of either electrical or human.( Holt, Rinehart and Winston, n.d) Machinery, its parts, tools, objects and materials processed or used in the work process are often said to be a source of mechanical hazards leading to severe injuries. Machinery, along with power supply systems, can also create electrical hazards, leading to severe or fatal accidents. 2.13 Hierarchy of control The occupational safety and health administration requires employers to protect their employees from workplace hazards such as machines, work procedures, and hazardous substances that can cause injury or illnesses. There are different ways that are used to control hazards. 2.13.1 Elimination Elimination of the hazard is the most effective means to control the hazard in the workplace. Thus, in the workplace it is important to remove the dangerous machines to ensure a proper working environment for the workers. (Work Cover NSW, 2010) 2.13.2 Substitution It is the second most effective way to control the hazard present in the workplace by replacing the dangerous equipment with a safer one. If there is an existing process, major changes in equipment and procedures may be required to eliminate or substitute for a hazard. (NIOSH, n.d) 2.13.3 Engineering control Engineering controls are used to remove a hazard present in the workplace or place a barrier between the worker and the hazard. (NIOSH, n.d).There is safety guards that are present to protect the workers while using dangerous machines. (Work Cover NSW, 2010) 2.13.4 Administrative control It is used to control the hazard through the administrative directives. (Reese C.D, 2001). In the workplace the workers are trained how to use the machines safely and precautions need to be taken when operating dangerous machinery. 2.13.4 Personal protective equipment Personal protective equipment (PPE) is the last resort that can be used in the workplace. There are variety of devices and garments that are used to protect the workers from injuries. There are PPE that are designed to protect the eyes, face, head, ears, feet, hands ,arms and the whole body.(Reese,C.D,2001) 3.0 What is waste? According to the Basel Convention, waste is any substance or material that is disposed or which is intended or required to be disposed of. The material in itself is of no use for the generator. Wastes may be produced during extraction and processing of raw materials into final products and also during the use of the final products and other human activities. (United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD), n.d) Hence from the above definitions we can say that materials which are of no use to us can be considered as being waste. 3.1 Waste management in metal workshop In metal workshops, as in the other industries, waste is likely to be produced. Improper management of these wastes may result in problems. According to the Environment Protection Act 2002, all metal workshops need to have a Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) license which clearly states the processes being undertaken and the direct and indirect impact on the environment and any action which they propose to minimize, mitigate or control the impacts. Once they have obtained the license, the workshop is visited on a regular basis by the relevant authority to ensure compliance with the terms in the EIA license. As mentioned earlier in this study, there are various sources of waste in metal workshops. The most considerable waste is from the material being used for processing, which is the metal itself. In Mauritius, all waste except the metals are sent in the municipal solid waste management system. The metal are collected by scrap metal carriers and sent for recycling. The sad part is that this is not the case for all the metal workshops. The formal sector abides by this practice but the informal sector sometimes indulges in dumping activities to dispose of the metal waste. Metal is a natural resource which is undergoing heavy extraction. The Club Report and other energy crisis have lead to the fear of not being able to cope with the need in worlds metal demand (Radezki, 1975). It is important to make a distinction between resource and reserve. A resource is a naturally occurring material in the earths crust whereas a reserve is the part of an identified resource which can be extracted or produced at the time of determination. World reserves of aluminium and iron are estimated at 3,910 and 65,000 Mt respectively, while the world resources of these metals are estimated at 11,000 and 230,000 Mt respectively (Norgate T.E and Rankin W.J, 2002 cited Dzioubinski and Chipman, 1999; US Bureau of Mines, 1995). According to the World Bank document, the reserves for iron ore would last for around 50 years and for copper and bauxite 29 years (Dr. Diederen A.M, 2009;Radetzki, 1975). This has led to an increasing concern for resource conservation and also environmental protection as the waste tends to pollute the environment. Thus, the concept of recyclability of materials is used to recycle the metal. It is to be noted that no study has been carried out so far to evaluate how waste is being managed in metal workshops in Mauritius. Hence, we dont have much information available in this field; this is among one of the reasons why we chose this study. This research can also be used as a foundation for other people conducting research in the same field. CHAPTER 4 Methodology Research methods are the different modus-operandi that is used in a research. (Rajasekar et al, 2006). They include theoretical procedures and experimental studies among many others. Choosing and applying a proper research method is vital as it will help to evaluate and use the research results which can be valuable to local or international organisation or countries as well as its the method chosen that will help us to meet with our objectives and consequently come up with vital discussions which may improve things. Research Approach and Design: According to Burns and Grove (1993: 777), a quantitative research can be defined as a formal and systematic process to describe the test relationships and examine cause and their interactions on variables. Furthermore, a survey is used to collect data from a large populat

Organizational Culture In Strategic Management

Organizational Culture In Strategic Management Culture plays an important part in our society. It refers to beliefs and codes of practice that makes a community what it is. It also plays the same role in organizations. A strong organizational culture will provide stability to an organization as it has significant influence on the attitudes and behaviours of organizations members. Most of companys top managers have a strong awareness that the culture of a company is crucial to everything they do and plays irreplaceable part in their success. However, not many companies can admit that they can describe their culture and fully understand how important it is in the success of their businesses. Therefore, this paper will give a deeper insight about how an organizations culture can have a great influence on its strategic management processes. What is Organization Culture ? There are various explanations and elements to define organizational culture. For some, it means top management beliefs and values about how they should manage the organization and conduct the business (Lorsch 1986). For some, it is an evolutionary process relating to people that creates unique characters for the organization (Hatch 1993). However, in general, organizational culture has been defined as the pattern of fundamental assumptions or beliefs that a specific group has developed through learning to deal with its problems of internal assimilation and external adaptation, and that have been approved to work effectively, and therefore it can be taught to new members as the correct way to perceive, feel and behave in relation to those problems (Schein 2009). The Importance of Organizational Culture in Strategic Management : Considering the importance of organizational culture and its impacts in strategic management is very essential. As organizational culture and strategies are both social processes, many strategists argue that culture and strategies are connected. According to Alvesson (2002), cultural dimension plays a vital role in all aspects of an organization. It is so impacting that it can determine the success and failure of an organization. In leadership concept, organizational culture has been identified as one the important components that strategic leaders can use to develop dynamic organization. Culture reflects the way in which people in an organization set objectives, manage their resources and perform their tasks. Culture also affects people behaviour unconsciously. Even in those organizations where the ideal of organizational culture do not receive much explicit attention, how people think, feel, value, believe and behave in a company are generally influenced by ideas, beliefs and perce ption of a cultural nature. According to Schein (2010), organizational leaders achieve success by constantly sending clear signals about their priorities, beliefs and values. Once culture is established and accepted, they become a strong management tool for leaders to communicate and energize their members with beliefs and values to do their jobs in a strategy supportive manner. When leaders succeed in promotion ethical culture in the organization, they will also become successful in organizational growth and consequently are competitive to their rivals. Therefore, it is very important to develop a strong culture in the organization as well as strategies that are suitable to the culture in order to be strengthened by it. If a particular strategy does not match with the organization culture, it could be almost impossible to accomplish expected outcome from the planned strategy. Organizational Culture, Vision and Mission in Strategic Management : One of the perspective to look at how organizational culture supports strategic management is through its influence on organizations missions and visions. Missions and visions play an important part in companys strategic management. According to Harrison and John (2010), a written mission statement is one of the most common way that managements use to communicate with their staffs about strategic direction. Generally, missions and visions state the companys purpose and values which provides ideals and direction for the company as it interacts with the marketplace. This will not only give a sense of purpose to internal and external stakeholders but also help them in resource allocation decisions which is very for carrying out companys strategy management. However, in order to have an effective missions and visions, managements need to connect them to organizational culture. In fact, one of the way to see an organizations culture through its reflection in core values (Schein 2010). Acc ording to Tocquigny and Butcher (2012), core values are the set of belief or ideology by which an organization operates. They are the foundation of organizational culture. In this fast paced era when everything is changing, core values are still constant. The organization may develop new strategies, policies or even significantly restructure; however, the fundamental identity of the company still remains intact. These values are the essential, foundational principles that will guide the organizations vision, mission and strategies as well as define and differentiating the organization from its competitors (Senske 2003). They create a foundation of attitudes and practices that every members have to agree to follow in order to support the vision and long term success of the organization. They also provide reference points and goals which allows organization to shape and strengthen its business. As internalized perception and beliefs can motivate staffs performance to exceptional level s, an effective strategic leaders need to understand and develop their intended implemented strategies that are suitable to organizational culture in order to pursue the vision of organizations leaders. Until organization decides what those cultural values are, and how they will interact with each other, ità ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s very difficult to do anything else, whether setting goals, establishing measurements, solving problems or even making decision effectively. One example about how organizational culture can support companys vision and mission is Facebook. Facebook is described as a cutting edge technology that constantly taking on new challenges in the worlds of milliseconds and terabyte. Their vision for the company is to create a fast changing and innovative company. They do not aim for perfection that requires a long time in order to launch the product but they weigh heavily on being able to make and ship products quickly, get customers feedback and continue to innovate it. In order to encourage creativity and innovation within the company, Facebooks culture created by Zuckerberg is a relaxed, unstructured and open culture. Employees can come and go as they please, with no standard work schedules which results in more employee freedom. If employees need to chill out, they can play video or table-top games. Collaboration and teamwork are encouraged to be in an informal communication and atmosphere. They also constantly encourage people to keeping things fresh, innovative and interesting, to be bold in experimenting new ideas, without any meddling from above. All of these have fostered for a fun-loving, casual and creative working environment which makes their staffs satisfied while achieving their goal to be a rapid innovative technology company (Robbins and Judge 2011). Organizational Culture as Competitive Advantage in Strategic Management : Another reason that makes culture become a determinant of business success or failure is due to its contribution in organizations competitive advantage. Creating and sustaining competitive advantage in a particular industry is always the major concern in organizations strategic management. This is because competitive advantage will help the organization to differentiate itself from its competitors while strengthening its position in the market place. According to McDonald and Gandz (1992), culture can contribute positively to the competitive advantage of companies. It can be a great tool for organization to increase their level of performance which makes it become more competitive in market place. Fernandez and Hogan (2003) have stated that culture is the underlying attitudes and beliefs that can strongly influence individual and group behaviour. When members in an organization share the same beliefs and values, they can understand what kind of attitudes they expect themselves and ot her people to show in working place as well as how they need to behave and react in particular situation in order cooperate well with each other. As they understand what the company is trying to accomplish, it will motivate them to work for a higher purpose which in turn helps to set an organization apart from the competition (Gilmartin 1999). Managements can also use organizational culture as an effective tool to dictate, control and manage employee behaviours in their strategic management (Sinha 2008). In fact, this is a more powerful way of managing employee than companys rules and regulations. Leaders in the company can use culture to influence, educate and shape their staff s mindset and attitude to gain their support in following the companys plan and procedure while reducing resistance in the organization. Having a strong, positive and strategy-supportive culture will affect the energy, enthusiasm, working habits and operating practices of employees which will not only booste r the efficiency and effectiveness in the department but also attract many people to work in the organization while reducing their staff turnover, hiring and training cost which results in yielding a competitive advantage. Not only contribute to companys competitive advantage , organizational culture also sustains the companys competitive advantage. As a company starts to experience the superior financial performance, its competitors will also starts to seek to copy what they believe is the source of competitive advantage that generates the success of the company. After examining the relationship between culture and superior financial performance, Barney (1986) concluded that culture is the factor that can help companies to generate sustained competitive advantage. He strongly believes that a strong and valuable organizational culture is one of the most sustainable competitive advantages a company can have. This is because a valuable and rare cultures is very difficult to imitate. Giving enough time and money, competitors can duplicate almost everything what an has done. They can hire away some of the companys best people. They can reverse engineer the companys processes. However, when it comes to orga nizational culture, they canà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢t duplicate the organizations culture. It is very hard for people to define culture clearly, especially in respect of its contribution to value of companys product and service. Another reason for this is that culture is usually related to historical aspects of company development as well as to the vision, beliefs and inspiration from particular strategic leaders. Organizational culture is the uniqueness and the identity of an organization that will differentiate the company from its competitors. If companies know how to make use of culture in their strategic management, it will be a powerful tool for them to sustain their competitiveness and consistence in the market while helping them to achieve success in their strategy implementation. Even when rivals try to apply the firms cultural attributes, there will be no guarantee that they can produce the same culture or obtain superior financial performance just like what the company has achieved. A good example to illustrate this point is Zappos company. Knowing that customers nowadays not only focus on good products but they also demand excellent service from the outlets, Zapposs strategic plan is to build a long term brand that not just about shoes, clothing or online retailing but to be about the best customer service and the best customer experience. To be able to achieve this goal, Zappos believes that organizational culture is the only answer. They believe that if they can get the culture right, most of other stuffs such as great customer service, or passionate employees, or building great long term brand will naturally happen on its own. In order to make employees to deliver an excellent service, instead of just using rules and procedures like other companies to educate staffs, the managements in here have shaped their staffs mindset and attitude by using culture to transmit their message to their staffs. Zappos have created a culture that encourages employees to wow e ach other by being yourself, as crazy or weird as possible, showing your care and love for other people, and just having fun in the workplace. As the employees start to be wowed by their colleagues, they will automatically want to do the same thing for other people, especially for their customers. This culture not only makes employees to be happy in their workplace but it also encourages staffs to be creative and enthusiastic in wowing their customers which results in increase in their repeated customers and their sale performance. This culture is something unique that people usually do not find in other companies which makes it attractive to their staffs as well as to other people to work in Zappos. It becomes a competitive advantage of Zappos which cannot be copied by other competitors. It makes Zappos become more competitive and differentiate themselves from their rivals in the market place (Hsieh 2010). Organizational Culture and Strategic Decision Making : Another perspective for managements to consider about the importance of their organizational culture in strategic management is its impact on their strategic decision making. As it has been mentioned above, culture is the organization s identity, values, beliefs that influences how people, from managements to employees, behave in the organization. Therefore, Thompson and Martin (2005) have concluded that organizational culture is the heart of all strategy creation and implementation. Organizational culture provides the framework for the organization, which affects nearly all the organizational activities, from the execution of strategy to the acceptance and implementation of new processes (Soyer, kabak and Asan 2007; Hill 2009; Cumming and Worley 2009). For managements, culture affects their behaviour unconsciously. It affects the choice, incidence and application of the modes of strategy creation, which reflects the values and preferences of the strategic leader. Managements do thin g in particular ways because it is implicitly expected behaviour influenced by organizational culture. Culture also influences the selection of people for particular jobs, which results in affecting the way in which tasks are carried out and decisions are made. In addition, it influences the ability of a leader to deliver his or her ideal and vision to other members of the organization as well as gaining their support and commitment when it comes to applying new strategy in the organization. In order to have a successful strategy implementation, it requires the right attitude, approach and commitment from employees which can only be influenced by culture. When a strategy match with companys culture, the culture will become a valuable ally in strategy implementation and execution. When it is not a part of the change strategy, management will usually find it difficult to implement the strategy successfully as well as achieving their target (Lawson and Ventriss 1992). Berry (1983) also believes that it may be a wiser choice for managements to select a business or strategy that will fit their companys organizational culture well in order to shift the firm toward a new strategy instead of accomplishing cultural change, which can be very difficult to achieve. Therefore, it is very important to identify the existing cultural dimensions of the organization in order to achieve successful strategy implementation. Organizational culture can be a powerful source to support companys strategy but at the same time, it can also become a great barrier to leaders if they do not consider it carefully. By understanding the elements of organizational culture and its impact on peoples behaviour, I believes that strategic leaders will be better equipped to make wise decision in making and implementing strategies to their organization. One example about how culture influences strategic decision is Walmart. In Walmart, their philosophy is to offer customers a lower price than they can get in anywhere else. Its culture is based on low cost end of every transaction in order to make profit, not from the pricing end. With the principle of saving is important as pricing, the plan has always been to drive costs out of the system in the stores, from the manufacturers profit margins, and from merchandise brokers and other middlemen, all in the service of driving down prices at the retail level, in order for Walmart to sell more, increasing the amount of business with the vendor. In order to keep their expense low, Walmart limits its store locations to rural communities with a maximum population of 10,000. This will not only hold down real estate costs but also protect the company from heavy competition in metropolitan areas. They also try to find healthy suppliers that can provide timely deliveries at low prices. Management s in here also constantly check their competitors price to make sure that Walmart offer the best drive. All of these strategic decisions support the main principle and target which is saving costs as much as possible in order to offer lowest prices in the market (Refrigerated Transporter 2002). Conclusion : In conclusion, I firmly believe that there is a strong connection between organizational culture and strategic management. Every organization has its own unique culture. It is not only the organizations identity but also the philosophy, principles that every member in organization believe and value, which affects not only peoples attitude in the organization but also the strategic decision making and management in the company. If vision and mission of organizations leaders is the goal that the company is aiming, then I believe that culture will be the compass that leads company to achieve that goal. Without the support from organizational culture, it may be impossible for companies to achieve their intended result. Culture also plays an important role in companys competitive advantage. It is a vital element that will helps organization to protect and sustain their competitive advantage from their competitors. As organization keeps building, treasuring their culture as well as careful ly considering and applying it to their strategic management, I believe that the company will be able to accomplish their goal and their leaders vision.

Ancient Roman Government :: essays research papers

The city of Rome is located on the Tiber River in Italy. It has nearby volcanoes that spread ash across the city, promoting the arable land. Rome began about 1,000 B.C., and was founded by Romulus and Remus. The Etruscans were a people who conquered the early Romans in 616 B.C., and ruled over them for the next 100 years. Around 550 B.C., the Romans finally kicked the Etruscans out and began to rule themselves again. They came up with a new type of government called a republic. An Athenian democracy had one leader at the top and was elected by the citizens. After the election, all the citizens helped run the city because everybody voted. This is the type of government Rome had before the Etruscans conquered it. After that, there was a Roman Republic. The Roman Republic had a group at the top and was elected by the citizens as well. After the election, voters did not do much in terms of running the city. In the Roman Republic there were two consuls, or leaders elected by the voters. The citizens had representatives that voted for them. There was a senate, or a part of the government, which was made up of the representatives of the upper class. These representatives were called senators and the upper class was called patricians. There was also an assembly, or a part of the government that was made up of representatives of the common people. These representatives were called tribunes and the lower class was called plebeians. In addition to these, there was a forum. It was originally the main downtown area of Rome, but it later became the center of Rome?s government, religion, and arts. By 264 B.C., Rome was having problems with Carthage, the capital city of the Phoenician Empire. It was directly across from Rome in North Africa and both wanted control of Corsica and Sardinia. In 261 B.C., there was the first Punic war. Twenty years later, the Romans won, but they were losing the first ten years. Then they gained new ships and began to win. They gained control of Corsica, Sardinia, and Sicily. In 221 B.C., the second Punic war was started when Hannibal, a Carthaginian general, wanted revenge on the Romans because his father was killed in the first Punic war. In 202 B.C., there was the Battle of Zama when the Roman general Scipio went up against Hannibal.

Music Censorship is Not Needed Essay -- Argumentative Persuasive Essay

Music Censorship is Not Needed    Marilyn Manson. Eminem. Limp Bizkit. Rammstein. All of these musical artists have been under fire in the past few years by government officials, the media, and activist groups. Supposedly, their music conveys too violent of a message. The sounds and words these artists have so carefully crafted have been targeted as the cause for violent acts, especially by young people. For example, Columbine shooters Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold idolized German industrial bands such as Rammstein and KMFDM, as well as American shock rocker, Marilyn Manson. The public has been quick to blame these musicians for violence in the United States. People are calling for government regulations in the form of ratings, warnings, edited material, and even bans on such allegedly offensive music. But how far is too far? Should the government regulate what should rightfully be the responsibility - and the right - of parents or guardians?    It cannot be denied that there is an excess of violence in today's music. Eminem raps about spousal abuse and murder sprees, Marilyn Manson sings of anarchy, drugs, and atheism, and Limp Bizkit urges fans to "break stuff." Some critics argue that fans will take these words seriously, and act out on the urging of their beloved artists. However, if listeners aren't mature enough to know the difference between the fictional world these lyrics invoke, and the reality that they personally live in, perhaps they aren't mature enough to listen to it. If a young person seriously believes in the message he or she hears, perhaps it is because the parents have not done a sound job of teaching the difference between fiction and reality, between right and wrong. Too man... ...or what it is - entertainment, and not be taken so seriously as people try to make it. Music, be it rap, alternative, country, or bubble gum pop, is merely another form of expression. If you don't like what you hear, don't want your children exposed to it, or are offended by it, just turn it off. Thousands of people have attended concerts by the most hated artists in America. Millions watch Marilyn Manson prance about in music videos. Yet, the general majority of the population is not inspired to murder innocent people. Teens that are depressed, troubled, or rejected and taunted by their peers need to get help before they let their warped sense of fantasy and reality mix too far. Don't deprive more mature listeners all because it's something that frightens you. Music may be a huge influence, but it cannot be blamed for all of society's problems.      

Testosterones Effects on Biology and Behavior Essay -- Hormones Sexua

Testosterone's Effects on Biology and Behavior Introduction The study of the interaction between hormones and behavior is truly a complex one. It would be simple if it were true that hormones directly cause a behavior. We know the relationship between hormones and behaviors is reciprocal. Higher levels of hormones increase the probability of certain behaviors, and certain behaviors increase the probability of change in hormones. The Biosocial Model was developed to encompass the influences and relationships the social environment, biology, and behavior have with one another, and how they interact to influence one another. Biology affects the type of behavioral response that a person has to the social environment. At the same time, that behavioral response is influencing the physiological reaction the body has to that stimulus. That environmental stimulus induces those behaviors that cause our body’s internal biology to react. Therefore, anyone of the three variables, social environment, behavior, or biology, can cause a change in the others. When applying this model to behavioral endocrinology, the relationship between hormones, behavior, and the social environment is examined. It is important to study these relationships to try and determine to what extent each factor affects the other. How much does testosterone influence aggression, or risk behaviors such as smoking, sexual promiscuity, or alcohol abuse? As researchers become closer to finding these answers, they become closer to finding out how to treat and council people on these types of activities. In this study, several hypotheses are made about the hormone testosterone, and it’s relationships to biology, health and social behaviors. On average, te... ... Also testosterone collections would need to be done in both genders when subjects are not sexually stimulated, while sexually stimulated, such as while watching a sexual video, and after stimulation. In this way the relationship between testosterone and sexual behavior might better be understood. For a study of aggression/antisocial behavior subjects (male and female) should be given a questionnaire pertaining specifically to hostile and rebellious behaviors. Collection of testosterone samples should be taken when subjects are at a baseline (not exposed to stimulation), when faced with a situation that might warrant aggression, such as an argument, and collected after the situation has ended. These types of studies could better equip researchers with an understanding of these relationships, as well as the relationships testosterone has with other behaviors.

My intercultural communication at school Essay

My ESL classes at Heald College took six months and these were necessary requirements so that I could pursue major courses in Architecture. There were other students like me from other countries and it felt good to belong to a group that was being taught the American way of life and culture. It felt good because it gave me the feeling that I was not alone in my hardships. It did not feel so bad and odd being with a group struggling with nuances of the English language and pronunciation and the idiosyncrasies of American culture. While I considered myself an out-group when I was with natural-born Americans, I felt like a member of an in-group when I was with the foreign students. Probably, this feeling springs from the fact that one naturally feels out of place when all others behave and talk in a different way. There is some comfort gained from knowing that one is just like the others. My struggle to fit in was at times frustrating, as I could not be properly understood by the teacher on account of misplaced accents or outright mispronunciations. At first I really felt stupid when the teacher would rephrase my statement and ask if it was what I meant. When I would say it was not what I meant, another classmate would butt in with a genuine intention to help me out but I would end up all the more confused and misunderstood. Realizing the setbacks of my lack of facility with the language, I resolved more than ever to master the English language. My Intercultural Communication at Work Working as a busboy and later, as a waiter in a restaurant gave me the chance to encounter more people and gain more facility with the English language. Finding work was quite an exhilarating experience for me. I felt that I could already communicate my ideas clearly and so I gained more confidence. Of course, there were still some instances when some patrons would fail to understand how I pronounce my words but whenever such a thing happened, I would remember the word and practice saying it correctly when I got home. I had discarded my Dari-English dictionary and I could already carry on a conversation with a native speaker of American English without fumbling for the right word or halting. I once attempted to be friendly with other waiters hoping to generate deeper camaraderie while we were up and about with our tasks. To my horror, I found that Americans seem to be single-minded and so focused when they go about their work that banter is misconstrued as not being serious about work. From then on, I learned to be very business-like while doing my work, bearing in mind that I was not working in an Afghan setting Conclusion This profound reflection on my sojourn in America has made me realize a lot of things that I once took for granted. First, I realized that I possess the resilience and tenacity that is a hallmark of a true Afghan. I used to take for granted the lore and history that due to the Afghan experience of a succession of foreign invasions, Afghans are by nature strong in spirit and character. Indeed, it is no easy task for an 18-year-old boy to force himself to become an adult almost overnight due to peculiar personal circumstances. I realized too that exposure to another culture widens ones horizons and makes one more tolerant of other people. Assimilation into another culture truly begins and is facilitated by an earnest desire to learn the language to a level that one speaks it like one born into the language itself. Together with this is a keen sense of awareness of the seemingly insignificant cultural differences between one’s culture of origin and the host culture. Cultural sensitivity, if I may use the term, enables one to steer clear of problematic situations. Indeed, it is not always wise to act and behave according to one’s cultural orientation when one is in another cultural setting. My intercultural communication with the Peterson family was at first regulated by cues from the reactions of Mr. Peterson. I came to know what he disliked by observing how he reacted. Yet, the sincere sharing of cultural traditions was the factor that truly made our relationship rise up to a higher level. Mutual respect and understanding resulted from the open sharing and this could not have happened by merely observing each other’s reactions. Truly, if one wants to have a meaningful intercultural communication, it must begin with an honest sharing of culture and traditions. It makes it possible to view the other person from their own cultural perspective. The moment I stopped my automatic comparison of Afghan and American values whenever I encountered an unfamiliar cultural practice, I became more accepting of American culture. As Holliday, Hyde and Kullman advise, â€Å"Put aside simplistic notions about what is real and unreal in your perception of another culture, and appreciate that every society is as complex and culturally varied as your own†. (10) The moment I began to have this attitude in my attempt to fully integrate myself into American society, I may have taken the first step towards â€Å"intercultural competence†. Alred and Byram (2002) define intercultural competence as â€Å"the ability to behave appropriately in intercultural situations†¦. the ability to stabilize one’s self-identity while mediating between cultures† (340). I may have taken the first step but I still have a long way to go. All people regardless of culture have the innate need to feel a sense of belongingness. I am sure this is the reason why I felt at ease with my fellow Afghans as I did with other foreign students who were struggling to deal with language difficulties. Yet, once a genuine intercultural communication is initiated, it leads one to learn and marvel at the diversity and richness of all cultures around the world. Works Cited Alred, Geof and Mike Byram. â€Å"Becoming an Intercultural Mediator: A Longitudinal Study of Residence Abroad. † Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development 23. 5 (2002). Retrieved from http://www. multilingual-matters. net/jmmd/023/jmmd0230339.htm on April 25, 2007. Holliday, Adrian, Martin Hyde, and John Kullman. Intercultural Communication: An Advanced Resource Book. New York: Routledge, 2004. Questia. 25 Apr. 2007 . Robson, Barbara, Juliene Lipson with Farid Younos and Mariam Mehdi. â€Å"Afghans Their History and Culture, Cross-Cultural and Adjustment Challenges, published by the Center of Applied Linguistics, The Cultural Orientation Resource Center last updated 6/30/02. Retrieved from http://www. cal. org/co/afghan/acult. html on April 25, 2007.

Argument for Paying College Athletes Essay

Have you ever heard of a business that made billions of dollars, yet did not pay their employees? Seems pretty remarkable doesn’t it? Well this business is known as the NCAA. According to an article in the New York Times, the NCAA made $770 million from just the three-week Men’s Basketball Tournament, but how much did the athletes who participated in said tournament receive? If you said zero then you would be correct. The athletes that poured their blood, sweat and tears into practice everyday and into the 30 plus game regular season did not see a dime. It is hard to fathom how an industry of this size can make so much money, yet not allow the athletes that help them make that money see any dividends. Being a college athlete myself, I have lived the struggle of trying to maintain grades, while going to practice and games during the week. Imagine trying to keep a job during this hectic schedule. It is hard for college athletes to find extra money to get a pizza or go see a movie. It is especially hard for athletes coming from tough backgrounds. Two out of every five Division I athletes come from single parent homes and athletics are their only opportunity to provide a future for themselves and their families. It is not easy for these students to get jobs because their schedules are already full. For example, many division I football teams practice twice a day. A day for a division I football player could look like this: practice-6 a.m., class-9 a.m., class-11 a.m., and practice-2 a.m. By the time they are done with the second practice of the day their day is practically over. They still have to eat dinner and possibly do homework. This leaves no time to get even a part-time job. It also raises the question of how these athletes obtain extra spending money? If you are an athlete like Johnny Manziel, who comes from a rich oil family, money comes easily and is not a concern. For those who are less fortunate and come from a single parent home or from a poor household the money does not come  easily. So when a coach approaches and says, â€Å"Hey, let me buy you lunch,† many kids do not think twice and accept the $20. This goes against NCAA rules and if found out there is an investigation which could result in a suspension. College athletes can observe while walking to class or on the field students wearing jerseys with their name and number on them. Schools can charge anywhere from $50-$70 for a jersey like that, and where does that money go? It goes directly to the school and the athlete whose jersey is being worn all around campus will not see a dime of it. In the early 90’s while the Fab Five was at the University of Michigan, Chris Webber, Jalen Rose, Juwan Howard, Jimmy King and Ray Jackson started a college basketball revolution. Michigan became the first school to ever start five freshman in a college basketball game. These five wore baggy shorts and black socks. They took the nation by storm and soon Michigan merchandise was flying off the shelf. None of the Fab Five saw any compensation and when they took notice of what was happening they started to question why. It is well documented in the ESPN film The Fab Five; all five wondered why they were not seeing any dividends from all the me rchandise being sold. Jalen Rose came from a rough neighborhood in Detroit, so he fell into the category of the struggling college athlete. He admits during the film to taking money at times to buy pizza. Current Houston Texans running back Arian Foster said he received money on the side while he attended the University of Tennessee. In a recent Sports Illustrated article he said, â€Å" I don’t know if this will throw us into an NCAA investigation—my senior year, I was getting money on the side (Sports Illustrated, 2013).† He went on to say, â€Å"I really didn’t have any money. I had to either pay the rent or buy some food. I remember the feeling of like, ‘Man, be careful.’ But there’s nothing wrong with it. And you’re not going to convince me that there is something wrong with it (SI, 2013).† This is the feeling of many college athletes that were in the same boat or that are currently in the boat. They may not know where their next meal is coming from or how they are going to afford a car payment. Many will take money and not even question it. They know what they are doing is wrong and they  are putting themselves and the school in jeopardy. At the time the reward is worth the risk they are taking. There are many other cases happening across the country that no one knows about. It is interesting how Foster came out and said how he felt that it was not a big deal and that he did not think he was doing anything wrong. He would fall into a large percent of college athletes that feel it is unfair for them to not see anything from all the revenue they bring in. Many will argue that college athletes do not need to be compensated because they are student-athletes; and the key word for them is student. One argument against paying college athletes is that they are basically receiving a free education from a top school. A four-year scholarship will cover everything a student-athlete needs. This includes: tuition, room and board, books, medical coverage and meals. For example, Duke University costs $57,180 to attend (Bleacher Report, 2013). Those on an athletic scholarship at Duke are receiving a high quality education and are paying practically nothing for it. This is the main argument that those against paying student-athletes use. Most college athletes will not turn professional and therefore will need the degree from whatever school they attend to obtain a job after graduation. Those who are talented enough to be drafted into the professional ranks of their sport will sometimes forgo obtaining their degree in favor of the money offered at the professional level. The downside to this is that an injury can end their career before it even starts; and those that did not obtain their degree will struggle to find a source of income if they are forced to quit or retire from their sport. Another argument used is that student-athletes are not really worth anything until they reach the professional ranks (Bleacher Report, 2013). Those who use this argument believe that if a student-athlete is good enough to get paid then they will be compensated when the time is right. However, this overlooks the efforts of athletes who play all throughout college, yet do not make it to the professional level. There are many other arguments used but a common one is paying college athletes will not eliminate scandals. Scandals are not new to college sports. There have been numerous point  shaving scandals and the argument is that even paying college athletes will not stop those scandals from happening. Paying college athletes is a hotly debated topic and will be so for the foreseeable future. There will be well made arguments for both sides; but in the end college athletes need to receive some sort of compensation. With all the revenue they bring the school there needs to be a system in place to give a kickback to the athletes. There are many ideas and plans that can be put in place to give some sort of compensation. Student athletes will not have to worry about where their next meal is coming from. It is up to the NCAA and the schools to come up with a system and stick by it. References Dirlam, Z. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1588301-theres-no-crying-in-college-the-case-against-paying-college-athletes Nocera, J. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/01/magazine/lets-start-paying-college-athletes.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 Remy, D. (2012). Why the New York Times’ Nocera is wrong. NCAA News, 5. Arian Foster admits in documentary he took money at Tennessee – College Football – SI.com. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/college-football/news/20130920/arian-foster-documentary-comments-about-being-paid-at-tennessee/ NCAA won’t budge on paying college athletes – ESPN. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story/_/id/9682086/ncaa-budge-paying-college-athletes