Tropical Rainforests Of The World Essays (5486 words) -

Tropical Rainforests Of The World The Tropical Rainforests of the World In this term paper, I will explain the great importance of the tropical Rainforests around the world and discuss the effects of the tragedy of rainforest destruction and the effect that it is having on the earth. I will talk about the efforts being made to help curb the rate of rainforest destruction and the peoples of the rainforest, and I will explore a new topic in the fight to save the rainforest, habitat fragmentation. Another topic being discussed is the many different types of rainforest species and their uniqueness from the rest of the world. First, I will discuss the many species of rare and exotic animals, Native to the Rainforest. Tropical Rainforests are home to many of the strangest looking and most beautiful, largest and smallest, most dangerous and least frightening, loudest and quietest animals on earth. There are many types of animals that make their homes in the rainforest some of them include: jaguars, toucans, parrots, gorillas, and tarantulas. There are so many fascinating animals in tropical rainforest that millions have not even identified yet. In fact, about half of the worlds species have not even been identified yet. But sadly, an average of 35 species of rainforest animals are becoming extinct every day. So many species of animals live in the rainforest than any other parts of the world because rainforests are believed to be the oldest ecosystem on earth. Some forests in southeast Asia have been around for at least 100 million years, ever since the dinosaurs have roamed the earth. During the ice ages, the last of which occurred about 10,000 years ago, the frozen areas of the North and South Poles spread over much of the earth, causing huge numbers of extinctions. But the giant freeze did not reach many tropical rainforests. Therefore, these plants and animals could continue to evolve, developing into the most diverse and complex ecosystems on earth. The nearly perfect conditions for life also help contribute to the great number of species. With temperatures constant at about 75-80 degrees Fahrenheit the whole year, the animals dont have to worry about freezing during the cold winters or finding hot shade in the summers. They rarely have to search for water, as rain falls almost every day in tropical rainforests. Some rainforest species have populations that number in the millions. Other species consist of only a few dozen individuals. Living in limited areas, most of these species are found nowhere else on earth. For example, the maues marmoset, a species of monkey, wasnt discovered until recently. Its entire tiny population lives within a few square miles in the Amazon rainforest. This species of monkey is so small that it could fit into a persons hand! In a rainforest, it is difficult to see many things other than the millions of insects creeping and crawling around in every layer of the forest. Scientists estimate that there are more than 50 million different species of invertebrates living in rainforests. A biologist researching the rainforest found 50 different of ants on a single tree in Peru! A few hours of poking around in a rainforest would produce several insects unknown to science. The constant search for food , water, sunlight and space is a 24-hour pushing and shoving match. With this fierce competition, it is amazing that that so many species of animals can all live together. But this is actually the cause of the huge number of the different species. The main secret lies in the ability of many animals to adapt to eating a specific plant or animal, which few other species are able to eat. An example of such adaptations would be the big beaks of the toucans and parrots. Their beaks give them a great advantage over other birds with smaller beaks. The fruits and nuts from many trees have evolved with a tough shell to protect them from predators. In turn toucans and parrots developed large, strong beaks, which serves as a nutcracker and provides them with many tasty meals. Many animal species have developed relationships with each other that benefit both species. Birds and mammal species love to eat the tasty fruits provided by trees. Even fish living in the Amazon River rely on the fruits dropped from forest trees. In turn, the fruit trees depend upon these animals to eat their fruit, which helps them to spread their seeds to far - off parts of the forest. In some cases both species are so

10 Easy Ways for Students to Save Money

10 Easy Ways for Students to Save Money While you are in school, and maybe even right after you graduate, you are going to be on a tight budget. Looking for little ways that you can save money will prove to be very important during your school years and beyond. Lets explore 10 easy ways for students to save money. Stop Buying on Impulse Impulse shopping can be very tempting while out and about. The problem with this is that you end up blowing money on stuff you dont really need, and sometimes on stuff you dont really want. Before making a purchase, make sure it is truly necessary.   Dont Use Credit Cards Credit card companies love giving cards to young people. Many students give into the temptation to buy now and pay later. Unfortunately, these spending habits can come back to bite you. If you find that you cant use credit cards responsibly, hide the plastic until you learn a little restraint. Give Up Your Worst Habit Everyone has at least one bad habit. Maybe you smoke, drink Cosmos like no tomorrow, or buy expensive coffee before class. Whatever it is, cut it out. Youll be surprised at how much money you save. Dont Try to Keep Up With People Who Are Richer Than You Just because your roommate or your pals down the hall have a seemingly endless allowance, it doesnt mean you do too. Try to avoid keeping up with the people you hang out with and stay true to your budget.   Bargain Hunt Every Time You Shop When shopping, look for clearance items or two-for-one bargains, buy used books instead of new, and order the special instead of something off the menu. If you can find a bargain every time you have to buy something, the savings will add up.  Ã‚   Buy Machine Washable Clothes Youre in college. You dont need a dry cleaning bill! Buy clothes that you can wash yourself.  If you must buy dry clean only clothes, try to limit how often you wear them and find ways to cut dry cleaning costs.   Take Hand-Me-Downs Whether it is a used book or previously worn clothes, there is no shame in taking hand-me-downs. If somebody offers you something and you can use it, take it gratefully. When youre making more money, you may be able to someday do the same thing for someone else who will be just as grateful. Stay Home While it can be nice to get out of the dorm every now and then, staying at home is much cheaper. Instead of going out for the night, invite a few friends over for movies, games, gossip, or snacks. You might also want to give staycations a try.   See a Matinee Movie watching is a big part of American culture, but going to the movies with a few friends can be an expensive outing. Instead of going at night, try catching a matinee. Daytime shows are usually half the price of their nighttime counterparts and can be just as much fun.   Use the Library Most libraries offer you the chance to check out DVDs, CDs, and other forms of entertainment free of charge. Taking advantage of this resource, you can eliminate the money you spend on buying CDs and renting movies. Here are 12 ways to save money at the library.

Vertical and Vertiginous

Vertical and Vertiginous Vertical and Vertiginous Vertical and Vertiginous By Simon Kewin A steep climb up a mountain is sometimes described as â€Å"vertiginous†, as in the following quotation from a description of a hike up the Inca Trail: You have time to make the vertiginous climb to its summit for dramatic views of the city spread out below. You might be excused for thinking that â€Å"vertiginous† is related to â€Å"vertical†, perhaps with the additional implication of being precarious and dangerous. In fact, the two words are from different roots and have quite distinct meanings. Vertical, which is the adjective form of the English noun vertex, comes originally from the identical Latin word vertex, meaning an eddy or a summit. A line is vertical if it rises to a vertex, perpendicular to the horizon. So, a vertical cliff is one that goes straight up from the ground. Vertiginous, meanwhile, means dizzying; it’s the adjectival form of the noun vertigo, meaning dizziness or giddiness. It derives from the Latin word vertigo, meaning whirling. So, an ascent would not have to be vertical in order to be vertiginous and, if you weren’t prone to vertigo, it could be vertical and not vertiginous. Some dictionaries suggest that the Latin words vertex and vertigo do share a common root : vertere, meaning to turn. It’s easy to see how vertiginous has evolved from this meaning, with its sense of dizzy whirling. Vertical, meanwhile, presumably derives because something could rotate around a vertical axis. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:100 Words for Facial Expressions50 Idioms About Roads and Paths20 Ways to Cry

Market Entry Strategy of Kraft Foods Group Essay

Market Entry Strategy of Kraft Foods Group - Essay Example Apart from this, the quantity of resources is also extremely high within the region of the country which acts as a catalyst for the nation. This helps the nation in increasing its position and prosperity regarding wines in the global perspectives as compared to others (Levitt, 2007). Along with this, the capital resource of the nation is also quite high that proved effective in increasing its production quantity to increase the reputation and attractiveness in the market. Varieties of wine in Greece:Greece produces a majority of the varieties of grapes such as Macedonia, thrace, Epirus, thessalia, sterea ellada, Peloponnese and many others. These varieties of grapes helps in manufacturing varied types of wines such as red wines, white wines. This is mainly due to the Mediterranean climate and rainy winters that helped in the development of the finest quality of grapes (Porter, 2011). Therefore, the demand and total sale of the product of wine is higher to its excellent taste. 1.1.2 H uman resources: The education level of the citizens in the region of Greece is comparatively higher as compared to its neighboring nations. So, the rate of unemployment is quite lower rather than others (Porter, 2008). Therefore, the literacy rate of the labors within the region of Greece is lower as compared to its adjoining regions and this acted as a boon for the organisation functioning in the section of wine. However, the skill to handle advanced machines is quite lower among the individual of Greece, but it need to be improved in future.

Competition and markets Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Competition and markets - Essay Example Factors determining the elasticity of demand are market demand elasticity, the number of businesses in the market in addition, the firm’s interaction in the market. In monopolistic situation, the demand curve is always downward sloping and the industry demand curve is the firm’s demand curve. The marginal revenue of a monopolistic firm is always below its price and the marginal revenue usually changes with the changes in output but not equal to price. The marginal revenue decreases with increase in output since the monopolist can only sell more units by reducing prices. Average Revenue curve is the demand curve and the average revenue is similar to price, however, Marginal revenue must always be less than the Average Revenue even as output increases with fall in prices (Mankiw 2011). Firms in competitive markets sell absolutely similar or homogenous products and are referred to as price takers. Perfectly competitive market comprises of many suppliers who cannot single h andedly influence either the market price and the total market output hence each supplier can only control a small part of the total market demand. The suppliers output is greatly controlled by the market forces and the price in which the suppliers must sell their products is at prevailing equilibrium price such that any increase in prices may invite another supplier who may be willing and able to supply at the equilibrium price. The inability of producing more goods than the market demand and the incapability of raising prices results into a horizontal or perfectly elastic demand curve. As much as a supplier may be able to reduce product’s prices, it may result into a loss hence the need to embark on the market price (Mankiw 2011). 2. There are various characteristics associated with the perfectly competitive markets such as the large number of firms in the market, assumption of non-existence of externalities, minimal government regulation, homogeneity in the units of input, production of homogenous goods, non-existence of barriers to entry, and the availability of perfect knowledge. In perfect competition, different firms produce goods that are perfect substitute and whose prices cannot be easily changed by a single firm. Automobile may be produced under the market conditions similar to perfectly competitive market because of the fact that motor vehicles manufactured have very close substitutes. In addition, there is no barrier to entry and the suppliers cannot increase the vehicle prices abnormally. In case an automobile company reduces prices of its products, they may run at a loss. Moreover, the automobile firms can only manage and control a few customers in the larger market making it hard for them to determine the quantity of the automobiles to be manufactured and their prices (Mankiw 2011). Beer production also fits perfect competition conditions since beer product produced by one firm may as well be produced by another firm with may be very sli ght content changes. The fact that beer is manufactured by using almost similar product makes it challenging to differentiate the beer products. Furthermore, as a characteristic of perfect competition, there are many beer consumers as well as numerous beer manufactures. The beer consumers are always very loyal but highly sensitive to price changes thus any slight change in price upwards, may hinder the consumers from using one particular product. In

A Worn Path Essay -- Character analysis, Phoenix

Ambiguity in â€Å"A Worn Path† has a significant impact on the story's presentation . The story does not know the trip's purpose until the end, when Phoenix herself remembers. This ambiguity of purpose impacts atmosphere and believability and creates a more direct experience of Phoenix's trip. If the journey's purpose was clear from the start, the story would either feel different or need adjustments in writing. The ambiguity impacts how information is interpreted, the choice of narration, and the expressive result of the work. Several details are given throughout Phoenix's trip without relevance to her destination. Every detail stands out because it is not known why Phoenix is traveling. This can lead to premature conclusions about Phoenix's goal. For example, she has concerns about her dress being torn, she has need to go under a barbed wire fence, and after the fence she sees â€Å"Big dead trees, like black men with one arm, were standing in the purple stalks of the withered cotton field† (1286). These details could lead to speculation that Phoenix is in the antebellum South, and is trying to return to the plantation hastily and subtly. A torn dress may reveal her night activities and the fence may be around the plantation itself. The image of one-armed black men standing in cotton fields invokes the antebellum South because of the association of cotton fields with slavery and the potential of amputation as a sort of punishment. It is not immediately known whether these images are related to Ph oenix's past, present, or neither. The story came out in 1941, so if she is around 90 and the story takes places in 1941, she could reasonably have memories of slavery. However, the fact that when she encounters a white man she is not questio... ...that her forgetfulness caused his death, either with the lye incident itself or afterwards. This is ambiguous, which emphasizes Phoenix's language and her personality instead of plot. The effect of her descriptions of him has more impact on the understanding of Phoenix and her relation with the world than on plot and closure. The ambiguity in â€Å"A Worn Path† impacts the story in several ways. It changes how the details are approached, discarding expectations. It helps the story become more immersive. It shifts the emphasis of the story from plot to the trip itself, Phoenix's personality, and the environment. It probably impacted decisions regarding the narrator. It emphasizes Phoenix's state and casts doubt on the grandson's status. Ultimately, the ambiguity in â€Å"A Worn Path† impacts how it is read, the expressive impact of the story, and the technical aspects of it.

Historical Overview of South Africa’s Industrial Relations

1. INRODUCTION South Africa reflects a diverse country, rich in history and encourages â€Å"ubuntu†. This philosophy encompasses the spirit of community which summarises the extent to which everyone is connected to one another. However controversial issues were prevalent during South Africa’s industrial relations history. Issues which stood out were Apartheid; which segregated the South African society by race and class, as well as political and labour conflict were also highly controversial issues during the past. South Africa’s industrial relations history and workers rights is complex.Therefore it is necessary to view South Africa’s industrial relations in terms of an industrial evolution and economic overview in order to fully grasp it effectively. As understanding South Africa’s industrial historical significance is crucial as it ultimately shaped the labour laws which currently exist. This essay will investigate the historical overview of Sou th Africa’s industrial relations highlighting the most significant events which occurred within South Africa’s industrial history, in particular, the hey-day of the Apartheid era (1949-1973).The focus on this particular period will demonstrate the significance and impact it had on labour legislation and the industrial relations system in South Africa at that time. The National Party (NP), a new party within the South African government in 1948, institutionalised Apartheid as a central plank of South African government policy(Van Den Bergh& van Niekerk, 2009:55). Yet in the same year the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was formed by the United Nations General Assembly.Even though South Africa was a United Nations member they continued to pursue their newly institutionalised government policy, Apartheid. The international community made efforts to persuade the South African government to adhere to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights but their efforts were ign ored. During the Apartheid era the National Party used its repressive legislation to legally enforce racial segregation. This was an attempt to protect the minority which existed in South Africa, white South Africans. Government had to find ways to handle the conflict.Hence the use of labour laws as controls mechanisms by government. 2. HISTORICAL OVERVIEW OF INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS IN SOUTH AFRICA There were key events which occurred during the hey-day of the Apartheid era (1949-1973) which were highly significant. Labour laws, a popular control mechanism during Apartheid were heavily influenced by the events which took place during this period. These key events include the following: 2. 1 BOTHA COMMISSION OF 1953 Soon after the National Party came into power, the Botha Commission was introduced.The purpose of the Botha Commission was to investigate existing labour legislation at that time. The Commission was introduced with the intension that it would outline the establishment of Apa rtheid in the working environment and continue the suppression of black people (van den Bergh& van Niekerk, 2009:64). 2. 1. 1 The significance the Botha Commission of 1953 The Botha Commission was a significant as it purely focused on labour relations matters in South Africa at that time. This was crucial as South Africa was experiencing harsh economic conditions.During the early days of Apartheid there was generally dissatisfaction among South Africans of all races. This was mainly due to the fact that jobs were scarce, and there was a high influx of black people in urban areas which caused unrest in the townships (Bendix, 2010:68). Therefore the Commission argued that if black people were able to have party representation it would ultimately lead to equality amongst races within South Africa. However this went completely against what the government believed. If government followed through with what the commission recommended it would be putting the white superiority at risk. . 1. 2 The impact the Botha Commission had on labour legislation in South Africa The government ignored the Botha Commissions recommendations which included freedom of association and trade union rights. Therefore government passed two labour legislations to give effect to the Botha Commission. Firstly, to reinforce the governments Apartheid policy the Industrial Conciliation Act was passed. The Act was the final part to the government’s racially exclusive industrial system. The Act established racial divisions amongst workers which meant that there could not be trade unions which represented a variety of races.In addition trade unions with a variety of races had to divide their members by race then locate them in different trade unions according to their race. Furthermore certain work was reserved exclusively for workers of a particular race. This was known as job reservation. This meant labour market was being manipulated in such as a way that advanced white people in order to m aintain their supremacy. Secondly, government went against the recommendation that stated that black workers should be allowed regulation of rights. Government believed that this would encourage black trade unions.Therefore they implemented the Native Labour of disputes Act No. 48 of 1953. Later the Act was name changed to the Bantu Labour of Disputes Act. This Act ultimately aimed at prohibiting strike action by black workers. It repealed the War Measure 145; which banned black workers from taking part in strike action. In this way black workers had no way to resist the demands laid down by employers. 2. 1. 2 The role players to the labour relationship and their respective roles The specific role players who played a part in the Botha Commission included the following: 2. 1. 2. 1 The StateThe State is referred to as a self-governing political entity. In this case the South African State consisted of the National Party. The State facilitates the employment relationship between emplo yers and employees. The state is also regarded as the employer. In this case the state had to improve the economy as job was scarce. The government had to use the recommendations of the Botha Commission to improve the labour relations situation at that time. The Commission’s recommended that if black workers were granted representation of black workers in trade unions equality amongst races would take place.Government did not agree with this. However the Commission recommended separate bargaining councils for black workers, but made it clear that recognition of black trade unions should be under strict conditions. 2. 1. 2. 2 Employers The employers in this case the employers of concern was those who employed black workers. The employers lately had the attitude that if workers obeyed the rule and their demands they would take care of them appropriately. 2. 1. 2. 3 Employees Black workers were the employees of concern during the establishment of the Botha Commission.Due to stri ct conditions on trade unions and the banning of strikes employees had to obey and abide with what the employers wanted from them. 2. 1. 3 The approaches used in the employment relationship The approach used by the role players in the labour relationship determines the way in which the labour relationship takes place. 2. 1. 3. 1 Unitary Approach During the time period of the conception of the Botha Commission trade unions were viewed as trouble makers by government and employers. Therefore trade unions were limited in the way in which they could represent workers.As employers wanted employers to just abide to their demands and employees believed they had no rights they went along with what managers expected. Jobs was also scarce therefore going against employers could of led to their dismissal. Therefore trade unions involvement was seen as unnecessary. 2. 2 SHARPEVILLE MASSACRE 1960 On the 21 March 1960 masses of black people gathered at local police station, without their passes. Passes were compulsory for black people during this time and failure to carrying it was considered illegal. Protesters chanted and challenged neither police to arrest them for nor carrying their passes.The purpose of the protest was to demonstrate against pass laws. The march was coordinated by Pac. The protest was planned to be a non-violent protest that was planned to last five days starting from the 21st of March 1960. However the events on that day led to police firing on the crowd, killing 69 unarmed protesters and injuring hundreds. 2. 2. 1 The significance of Sharpeville Massacre 1960 The event sparked a major turning point in South Africa history. The Sharpeville Massacre as this day is known as received international coverage and the world was left shocked. There the world condemned the happenings in South Africa at that time.South Africa’s exclusion from the British Commonwealth 1961 marked the first diplomatic defeat against the Apartheid government. The government justified their actions by the possibility of black violence that could have sparked. South Africa was later sanctioned. The event was the reason public meetings were banned after that dreadful day, the 24th March 1960. On the 8th of April 1960 the ANC and PAC was banned and a State of Emergency was declared. 2. 1. 2 The impact Sharpeville Massacre had on labour legislation in South Africa The Suppression Act passed in the 1950’s was replaced by the Internal Security Act No. 4. The act defined communism as any policie aimed at brings about political, industrial, social and economical change in a union. It was evident that the Act was very broad. In 1960 the Unlawful Act No. 24 resulted in the ANC being banned. THE Suppression Act was then as a result of the happenings of the Sharpeville Massacre tightened. The Bantu Regulations Act No. 61 banned black workers from looking for employment in towns. Employers were also banned from hiring black workers unless they were employed through the State. 2. 2. 2 The role players to the labour relationship and their respective roles 2. . 2. 1 State The State in this case was the NP government. The State was responsible for the employer-employee relations. The government continued to further disadvantage black workers. This caused much tension as employers were being heavily controlled. 2. 2. 2. 2 Employers The employers had to adhere to the changes made by government. Therefore they had to adapt to the policies and labour legislations this caused tension between the private sector and public sector. 2. 2. 3 The approaches used in the employment relationship 2. 2. 3. 1 RadicalismConflict could not be resolved during this period by bargaining. Drastic measures were taken by international countries as they tried to stop the Apartheid regime. The Apartheid Government was exploiting the black workers and black people in general. The incidents that took place at Sharpeville were an example of how crimes against humanity were being made. The changes government made regarding who the employers can hire and where employers could work demonstrated the drastic steps taken by the government to keep their power and continue racial segregation. 2. 3 NATAL STRIKES 1973In 1973 bodies were being established which aimed for promotion of black workers interests. However the momentum towards dispention was mainly due to the Natal Strikes 1973. During 1973 an estimated 61 000 African and Indian workers in Natal took it upon themselves to go on strike. The strike took place in various industries and ultimately the industry was brought to a standstill. The strike began at the Coronation Brick which spread to the textile industry and later other industries as well as the Durban municipality. The strikes were purely coordinated by the workers themselves and not by any formal organisations.The workers were generally unsatisfied with their wages. This was mainly due to the fact that inflation was rapidly increasing at that time. 2. 3. 1 The significance of the Natal strikes 1973 The strikes were significant as it marked the first time workers embarked on such a large scale strike without the coordination of any formal organisations. Therefore this event demonstrated the actual power the workers possessed as a united force. This power meant that they could apply pressure on government on labour issues, such as employer-employee relations and minimum wages.Once the strikes ended black workers organised themselves into trade unions. These unions were separate from the trade unions which existed at the time. The trade unions which existed were mainly dominated by white workers. Therefore the newly formed black unions were referred to as â€Å"independent trade unions†. Although the strikes were illegal according to the labour legislation at the time, there were no arrests made. The large number of workers that participated in the strike action made it difficult for employers as well as the pol ice to punish them for their illegal strikes. . 3. 2 The impact the Natal strikes had on labour legislation in South Africa Due to the Natal strikes black workers new found power led to them being recognised as a force to be reckoned with. Therefore government responded by passing the Bantu Regulations Act of 1973. The Act was passed to regulate the procedures for establishing labour committees and disputes amongst employers and employees. This was crucial for government as the joint power of the workers put pressure on government and employers to accommodate them.The Act did not foster development of black unionism which was evident as black workers were assembled into committees created by employers and lacked bargaining power. The provisions of the Act excluded black worker in agriculture, gold and mining as well as government services. 2. 3. 2 The role players to the labour relationship and their respective roles The specific role players who played a part in the Natal strikes 1 973 were the following: 2. 3. 2. 1 Employees Employees are regarded as someone who works for someone else and in exchange receives remuneration.In this case the employees were the employees of Coronation Brick, textile industry and Durban municipality. Their roles consisted of the following: * Obedience and abiding decisions made by employer- Even though striking was illegal according to the labour legislation and they could face dismissal. These employees disregarded the law and their employer’s authority and decisions not to strike. * The assistance in the production of products- Strikes put these factories at financial risk as production was brought to a standstill. Without the employees assistance production could not take place. Participate in decision making of the organisation- Employees sought to have an opinion in matters that concerned the organisation. Yet they were refused by employers to have their say. The workers unexpected strike was the result of workers who made it known to employers and government that they are not satisfied with their wages and that they require an increase. 2. 3. 2. 2 Employers In this case the employers are the owners and management Coronation Brick and the companies that formed part of the textile industry such as Smith and Nephew Textile. Responsibility for the conduction of a successful organisation- As the factories aimed at making large profits they paid employees low wages. However the cheap labour resulted in short-term profitability. The large companies could not compete internationally as sanctions were put on South Africa and investor’s pulling out. * Coming up with strategies to deal with the Natal strikes- Various employers reacted in different ways to employees involved in the Natal strikes. These included the following: * Threatened dismissal Granted wage increases * Attempted to talk to workers and resolve the matter * Some made no attempts * Ensure growth- The industries were at a standstill which meant no production but there were still expenses. Therefore there was no growth. 2. 3. 2. 3 State The State is referred to as a self-governing political entity. In this case South African State consisted of the NP government. Their role was to regulate the employee-employer relationship as unemployment was high and wage disputes were rife. The government was to keep the economy stable.Yet inflation was increasing at a rapid pace. Government was not using labour legislation to improve the labour relations in the country at the time. Employees were not given increases even though inflation was high which further economically disadvantage black. 2. 3. 3 The approaches used in the employment relationship 2. 3. 3. 1 Radicalism Employers embarked on an unexpected illegal strike. This was a great risk as they could have been arrested. The circumstances which they were faced with led to this dramatic, unexpected decision to go on strike.Black workers were being exploited economically as they were paid extremely low wages without increase, even though inflation was rapidly on the high. Before the 1973 strikes attempts were made to solve wage issue. However this was not seen as a great priority to government. 3. CONCLUSION South Africa’s industrial relations history most significant period was the Apartheid era. It has and still influences today’s labour relations. Hence the importance of being well acquainted with the events which shaped the society we live in today.During the Apartheid era the National Party government used repressive legislation to legally enforce racial segregation. This was an attempt to protect the minority which existed in South Africa, white South Africans. There were key events during Apartheid such as the establishment of the Botha Commission, Sharpeville Massacre and the Natal strikes of 1973. Within the time periods these key events occurred white workers prospered under the rule of the National Party government whereas non-white workers were excluded. The government used the labour force to further racially divide South Africans.Therefore equality amongst the races did not exist which was their aim. However tension escalated within the country. As a result, strike action and protests soon persisted and government had to find ways to handle the conflict. Hence the use of labour laws as controls mechanisms by government. As Apartheid reached its boiling point the economy suffered and the government had to start considering the inevitable, democracy. 4. PERSONAL LEARNING REFLECTION Conducting research into South Africa labour history was a great learning experience as a Human Resource Management student and employee as well as a South African.Researching the labour history made it abundantly clear that clear that there needs to be understanding of the country’s history, in particular the labour history, not for hatred, but to avoid repetition of the imbalances of the Apartheid era. In contrast with the Apartheid government, the present government has made large strides in creating a country which exudes freedom, equality and non-discrimination. The research conducted not only gave me the opportunity to broaden my knowledge of labour history and improving my researching skills, but it gave me a new appreciation for the county’s government, laws and labour legislations.Sometimes it is easy to criticise the government, yet no thought is spared for those political figures, leaders and employees that fought for what ultimately exist today, in particular the labour laws which aim at protecting the employee. Focusing on the Apartheid era (1949-1973) I have come to understand that the labour market had fallen prey to the Apartheid government, and that we are still experiencing the effects of the Apartheid government’s actions. Labour legislations in today’s time are aimed at eradicating the imbalances of the past.Therefore as a potential Human Resource Manag er understanding the realities of what occurred and how it impacted the labour market in the past remains of curial importance. The National Party wanted supremacy yet they did not realise their actions would have major consequences. I view this as an example of how power used for greed and personal gain has tremendous consequences for all parties involved. Therefore as I have learnt these mistakes made in the past demonstrates how it can be used constructively as a point of reference when dealing with labour legislations to avoid the mistakes which were previously made by the Apartheid government.Although we do not face the same repressive laws as in Apartheid we should always aim Researching the past has made it clear that our diversity needs to be embraced, not frowned upon because we need to be united and not divided as we were in the Apartheid era. Although we do not face the same repressive laws as in Apartheid we should always make sure our diversity is represented in our lab our laws. Most importantly not being able to understand our past labour history we will not fully understand why they exist.