Weekly Journal Public Administration

Introduction Public administration focuses on the functioning of public service and its relations with people. Numerous theorists analyzed different facets of public administration and contributed greatly to the development of the discipline. Thus, Wilson, Goodnow, Addams and Taylor are some of the most influential theorists who made a profound contribution to the development of the public administration.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on Weekly Journal: Public Administration specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Major Theorists Woodrow Wilson is one of the most influential theorists in public administration. He believed it was crucial to divide administration from politics (Shafritz Hyde, 2012). Wilson stressed that people who were elected were often incompetent in many spheres and they could not govern the country properly; and the theorist noted that only people competent in specific areas can make sure l aws are implemented effectively (Shafritz Hyde, 2012). This approach had an immense impact on development of public administration. It is possible to state that the field obtained the necessary from and particular issues were identified. Frank Goodnow shared Wilson’s views and stressed that the dichotomy of the US government should be addresses by dividing politics and administration. Goodnow stressed that the government consisted of the judicial, executive and administrative branches (Shafritz Hyde, 2012). The theorist noted that the administrative branch should be free from political influences of the executive branch (Shafritz Hyde, 2012). Goodnow claimed that the administrative branch should carry out particular, ‘commercial’ activities and he also stressed that administrative branch could ensure adequate implementation of laws, if the administrators were not influenced by specific political views (Shafritz Hyde, 2012). Therefore, the theorist unveiled th e dichotomy of the US government and developed the approach. Remarkably, the approach has shaped the development of public administration. Frederick Taylor also contributed greatly to the development of the public administration (Cox, Buck Morgan, 2010). The theorist introduced the idea of scientific management. This concept focused on structuring and organizing efficient work of the government as well as organizations. Taylor focused on the structure and functioning of the administrative branch. The theorist claimed that the administrative branch is also an organization where employees should be chosen accurately to be able to fulfill particular tasks (Cox, Buck Morgan, 2010). According to Taylor, the organization could function effectively if each employee understood his/her functions and carried out activities assigned properly (Cox, Buck Morgan, 2010). This approach had a profound effect on the development of the theory as it revealed imperfections of the then-government.Adve rtising Looking for critical writing on public administration? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Notably, Jane Addams had a totally different view on public administration. Addams argued that the focus on efficiency of the structure and functions of the administrative branch was, ironically, ineffective (Shafritz Hyde, 2012). The theorist claimed that empathy is central to effective public administration as administrators had to serve people; therefore, they had to know their needs, fears and aspirations. Jane Addams believed that public administration should be based on principles used in communities and even homes (Shafritz Hyde, 2012). This approach had an immense impact on the development of the theory of public administration in the long run as people understood that perfect structure does not guarantee proper government. Conclusion On balance, it is possible to note that numerous theorists have contributed to the develop ment of the field of public administration. The theorists mentioned above put questions which revealed really serious issues. Solving the issues enabled the researchers to develop the theory of public administration and to describe the structure and major functions of the government. It is also necessary to note that the development has not stopped as there are lots of areas to develop and improve. Reference List Cox, R.W., Buck, S.J., Morgan, B.N. (2010). Public administration in theory and practice. New York, NY: Longman Publishing Group. Shafritz, J.M., Hyde, A.C. (2012). Classics of public administration. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning. This critical writing on Weekly Journal: Public Administration was written and submitted by user Jed1d1ah to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Tips on Writing an Analytical Essay

Tips on Writing an Analytical EssayA GRE sample analytical essay is a short essay, written to be submitted to the pre-test essay exam. The essay is being used as a practice test for those that want to improve their writing skills so that they are able to pass the GRE practice test.If you want to write an essay, especially one that will not be plagiarized or copied by other students, the best thing to do is not worry about writing it first. All it really takes is a few minutes and your eyes will be glazing over before you even get started. So let's get started...The early part of the essay will be about your learning as a person. As I am sure you know, the GRE is a test based on your background. It asks about your knowledge and experience in areas such as geography, humanities, mathematics, social sciences, and a few others. Make sure you get all of this covered in your essay.Another great way to get this information is to use the internet. I am sure that there are already hundreds of online databases that will help you find information about subjects such as the GRE, test taking strategies, and sample essays.After you have picked out a sample essay that you feel is worth writing, the next step is to write it. Like I mentioned before, do not worry about the writing until you have taken the time to make sure that everything is correct. This will save you time and effort.Once you have written your essay, you can now move onto the proofreading. This should be done by someone that has at least a college-level education. If you have any questions about the accuracy of your essay, don't hesitate to ask. The best way to do this is to contact the essay editor at the college or university that you are attending.You will also want to contact a professional proofreader if you feel that the essay is not up to par. Remember, the GRE is a test that will determine if you will receive a job offer, scholarship, or admission into a school. If your essay does not seem to reflect y our knowledge, then the person who graded it will not only be wrong, but they may also take time away from you in the process.

Law and Macro Environment Essays

Law and Macro Environment Essays Law and Macro Environment Paper Law and Macro Environment Paper Political Political macro environment factors include things like tax policies, government-issued safety regulations, the availability of government contracts, and even shifts in the controlling political party. International laws, such as trade agreements and tariffs, may affect the supply and demand chains and available markets for many different companies as well. Economic A market boom, recession, or growing inflation problem can all change the way an organization plans for the future and operates in the present. Economic factors are often difficult to assess, since economic forecasts and analyses vary widely between experts. Unemployment levels, comparative foreign exchange rates, and the state of the global economy can all help or hurt a business ability to get needed components and maintain a stable refit. Social The mood and demographics of the population make up the social area of macro environment factors. For example, a society that places an emphasis on self-guided jobs with room for creativity may cause organizations to redefine job descriptions and adapt the model of the workplace to attract workers. Social trends, such as a preference for on-demand mobile media devices, can also influence which products a company manufacturers and where it chooses to spend advertising dollars. Technological Technological macro environment factors can influence how an organization does business. A new type of machinery, computer chip, or product created through research and development can help a company stay modernized and ahead of the market curve. Owners must be able to accurately identify which new developments will be truly useful, and which are just fads. Environmental Environmental concerns are important to businesses both in the short and long term. In the short-term, things like natural disasters can disrupt production and supply operations, or even destroy company assets. Programs such as environmental risk assessment can help companies prepare to handle many of the most likely short-term crises. In the long view, over, businesses may have an interest in ensuring that their supply chains are not destroyed by unsustainable practices. Legal Legal factors can limit or change how a business operates. For example, they may have to hire additional supervisory staff or purchase safety equipment after a new health and safety law is passed. Child labor laws Often limit the hours a minor can work and require set break periods. If an organization employs several minors, it may have to hire additional help to cover the hours when the minors cannot legally work. Legal factors are determined by both legislations and regional and national laws. In some cases, companies that do business internationally are also affected by international laws. Hedging Against the Macro Environment Generally, businesses have little to no control over their macro environment. They can, however, prepare for the unexpected by using a PEST or PESTLE analysis. For example, if a business has a manufacturing plant in an area prone to hurricanes, they could hedge against the possible loss by developing an action plan to relocate employees or supplies if threatened by a hurricane. Many organizations conduct regular analyses of the macro environment actors Macro environment factors are uncontrollable external forces that affect how a business operates. They are largely out of the control of the business, and often require changes in operating, management, production, and marketing. Analysts often categorize them using the acronyms PEST or PESTLE. Broken down, PEST stands for political, economic, social, and technological concerns. PESTLE also includes environmental and legal factors. Political ahead of the market curve. Owners must be able to accurately identity, which gal factors can limit or change how a business operates. For example, they equipment after a new health and safety law is passed.

Should You Prep for the PSAT 3 Reasons Why

Should You Prep for the PSAT 3 Reasons Why SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Even if prepping for the SAT or ACT isn't the most enjoyable of activities, it's easy to see why it's important to do well on these tests. Depending on your point of view, SAT and ACT scores are either tools that colleges use to help figure out if you're a good match for them and if you'll succeed at their schools...or are admissions gatekeepers that you have to conquer if you want to attend most American colleges*. By contrast, PSAT scores are never seen by colleges. Even if you get a perfect score on the PSAT, it's really only useful for helping you qualify for a National Merit Scholarship- something that only US citizens and permanent residents are eligible for. So why prep for the PSAT, and what do you need to know about PSAT prep if you're interested in trying it out? Keep reading to find out more about the pros and cons of focused PSAT prep (rather than joint PSAT/SAT prep) and what our PSAT prep recommendations are. *exceptions include test-optional schools and Hampshire. Why Take the PSAT? While the SAT (or ACT) is far, far more helpful to college applications than the PSAT, there still are good reasons to take the PSAT. We'll start with the most important reason: if taking the PSAT is required by your high school. If The PSAT Is Mandatory in Your School In some high schools (particularly public high schools), the PSAT is mandatory for all students. Sometimes, this just means that you'll have to take the PSAT NMSQT the fall of your junior year. Depending on your school, however, you may also have to take the PSAT NMSQT or PSAT 10 sophomore year, and indeed some students start taking PSAT-like-exams (PSATLE?) as early as 8th grade with the PSAT 8/9. Dealing with all these extra standardized tests is kind of a pain as a student, but from the high school's point of view, the PSAT is a good way to see if students are on track for college applications. No matter what point of view you look at it from, though, if it's mandatory to take the PSAT at your school, then you'll have to take the PSAT. What if, though, you don't fall into this category? Perhaps you could take the PSAT but you'd have to go to a different school to take it, or your school offers the PSAT but doesn't require students take it- should you take it anyway? In these cases, the PSAT is still worth taking for the following two reasons. Taking the PSAT Is Mandatory to Qualify for National Merit You may know that another name for the PSAT students take in the fall of 11th (and sometimes 10th) grade is the PSAT NMSQT (or National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test). That's because the only way to qualify for a National Merit Scholarship is through taking the PSAT NMSQT as a high school junior. National Merit Scholarships are merit-based (rather than need-based) awards given to students who have (through testing and other factors) qualified as National Merit Finalists. The competition for National Merit is open to high school students who: are enrolled and progressing normally towards graduation (basically, you plan to graduate high school in four years, not more or less) plan to enroll full time in college the fall after high school (no gap years!) are US citizens or US lawful permanent residents planning to become citizens We'll discuss the different kinds of scholarships you can win by becoming a National Merit Finalist (and what steps beyond the PSAT you need to take to become one), but for now, just know that if you want to win a National Merit Scholarship, you must take the PSAT NMSQT in your junior year and do extremely well. The PSAT Is Great Practice for the SAT Taking the PSAT can be a great low-stakes way to see what taking a college entrance exam will be like. You can treat it as an extra chance to get used to standardized testing without having to worry about the scores affecting your college acceptance. Learning how you react to extended periods of focus on a test, how stressed you feel doing a math test without a calculator, what the time pressure is like- you can gather tons of different data points for future SAT/ACT prep by taking the PSAT. There are fewer and fewer schools these days, even among top-tier colleges and universities, that require all SAT scores sent (notable exceptions include Yale, Georgetown, UC Berkeley and Carnegie Mellon), so if you have the time and money, you can take the real SAT just to see what it's like and not worry about your scores. However, in most public high schools, taking the PSAT is free- or at least significantly cheaper than the SAT- and its administration is built into the school day (no need to waste half a Saturday). Bottom line: the PSAT is a fine way to dip your toe into the waters of college entrance tests at low cost but under realistic conditions. Dip your toe into the water of college entrance exams with the PSAT and the sands of standardized test experience will follow. PSAT Prep vs. SAT Prep: What's the Difference? While there's a lot that remains the same between the PSAT and the SAT (including the subject areas covered and test structure), there are a few major differences between the tests that lead to differences in PSAT prep compared to SAT prep. The most important difference between the two tests is that PSAT scores are not looked at by colleges, whereas SAT scores are very much an important factor in college admissions. It's possible to argue that colleges might consider your being a National Merit Semi-Finalist when looking at your application, which indirectly relates to your PSAT score, but the SAT vastly outweighs the PSAT in importance when it comes to college admission. Because of this, PSAT prep is lower stakes than SAT prep. Another key difference between the PSAT and SAT is that the PSAT has no essay section. While the SAT essay section is optional, and more and more schools are making it optional to send SAT essay scores, there are still a number of schools (mostly highly selective colleges) that do require you to take the SAT with the essay. Therefore, students prepping for the SAT and aiming for a high score to get into top-tier schools will need to spend some of that prep time learning how to write a high-scoring SAT essay. By contrast, students studying for the PSAT don't need to bother with essay prep. Overall, the PSAT is also a little easier than the SAT, both in terms of timing and content covered. With the exception of the Writing and Language section (which has the same number of questions and is the same length on the PSAT as on the SAT), there are fewer questions per section on the PSAT than the SAT. While you have the same time per question on PSAT Reading as on SAT Reading, there are fewer questions on each passage; and both PSAT Math sections give you more time per question while asking fewer questions than the SAT Math sections do. The cumulative result of these timing differences is that you need slightly less endurance to take the PSAT than the SAT- you only have to concentrate for an hour and 45 minutes instead of two full hours. Combined with having more time to answer each Math question, these timing differences between the PSAT and SAT mean that when prepping for the PSAT, you don't have to get as good at time management as you do for the SAT. Finally, there are subtle differences between the content covered on the PSAT and SAT. As we mention in this article comparing the PSAT and SAT, there may be slightly fewer big picture and inference questions and more detail-finding questions on the PSAT than on the SAT. In addition, the PSAT Math sections contain proportionally fewer questions that require geometric and trigonometric knowledge than do the SAT Math sections. Instead, PSAT Math includes more questions (compared to SAT Math questions) on the Passport to Advanced Math topic areas, like functions and linear and nonlinear systems of equations. Your PSAT prep will reflect this difference- instead of having to cover the SAT's harder topics (that you may not have yet learned in school as an 11th grader), you can spend more time perfecting a smaller number of skills. Now that we've discussed why you should take the PSAT at all and the differences between prepping for the PSAT and the SAT, we'll move on to the debate of whether or not to prep for the PSAT. Why Do PSAT Prep? With the College Board offering free SAT prep through Khan Academy and ACT, Inc. offering paid ACT prep, it's become pretty clear that even the testing companies themselves admit that prepping for the SAT and ACT will help you get a higher score. Because the PSAT is just a slightly easier, slightly shorter version of the SAT, it makes sense that you can prep for the PSAT and increase your score the same way you can with the SAT. Since PSAT scores aren't used in college applications, however, it can be harder to figure out whether or not it makes sense for you to prep for the PSAT. To help you decide, we've laid out the arguments for the three most compelling reasons to spend time prepping for the PSAT: qualifying for National Merit, focusing on one thing at a time, and getting ready for SAT prep. Reason 1: Qualifying for the National Merit Scholarship The number one reason students take the PSAT is to qualify for the National Merit Scholarship. We have a more detailed breakdown of how the National Merit Scholarship process works in this article, but basically what happens is that you take the PSAT NMSQT in the fall of your junior year to see if you can score well enough to become a National Merit Semifinalist (which is the first step on the road to becoming a National Merit Finalist and getting a National Merit Scholarship). As a National Merit Finalist, you can win a National Merit scholarship, a scholarship from your college, or a corporate scholarship. For more info on how to get each type of scholarships, read this article explaining how you can qualify for and win a National Merit scholarship. Let's now go back to the first step of the process, which happens when you take the PSAT NMSQT in the fall (usually October or early November) of your junior year. Your PSAT score qualifies you for National Merit depending on whether your score passes the cutoff for your state. The cutoff isn't announced officially by the College Board, but it can be inferred from students receiving notification that they have or haven't become a national merit semifinalist. You can find out what your state's National Merit cutoff score was last year here. By taking an official PSAT practice test or by comparing your sophomore year score on the PSAT to the cutoff score for your state, you can get a good idea of how much prep you'll need to score high enough to pass your state's cutoff score and become a National Merit Semi-Finalist. Aiming for a National Merit Scholarship but worried your score won't qualify? If you're not sure you can self-study your way to a qualifying PSAT score, you'll love our PSAT prep program, PrepScholar. We designed our program to learn your strengths and weaknesses through advanced statistics and customize your prep to be as effective as possible for you. When you start with PrepScholar, you’ll take a diagnostic that will determine your weaknesses in over forty PSAT skills. PrepScholar then creates a study program specifically customized for you. To improve each skill, you’ll take focused lessons dedicated to each skill, with over 20 practice questions per skill. This will train you for your specific area weaknesses, so your time is always spent most effectively to raise your score. We also force you to focus on understanding your mistakes and learning from them. If you make the same mistake over and over again, we'll call you out on it. There’s no other prep system out there that does it this way, which is why we get better score results than any other program on the market. Check it out today with a 5-day free trial: Reason 2: Focusing on One Test at a Time Because PSAT prep and SAT prep are so similar, many students who are aiming for National Merit either go straight to studying for the SAT as prep for the PSAT or try to study for both tests at once. Whether or not this is effective really depends on the individual student. Some students thrive by multitasking. Whether it's doing homework while listening to music and eating dinner or preparing to take multiple SAT subject tests on one day, these students get good results when they maximize their time by doing multiple things at once. For other students, however, having to prep for multiple things at once (particularly if they're academic or test-related things like the PSAT and SAT) is so stressful that it leads to poorer performance on everything. As an example: during college, I had multiple assignments I had to hand in at the end of each finals period. Rather than work a little on each assignment each day, I found it more effective for me to focus on one project at a time and get it out of the way before going on to the next. Similarly, depending on what kind of student you are, you may find that it's more helpful to start out by focusing just on the PSAT, getting that over and done with, and then moving on to study for the SAT. This "one thing at a time" strategy works well for students who have some time during sophomore year or the summer before junior year to set aside specifically for PSAT study. CAUTION: If you're just starting to study the fall of your junior year and your prep time is limited, you're better off going straight to SAT prep. If you have to choose between PSAT prep and SAT prep, the clear choice is SAT prep. It's only if you have the time to do both that you should consider prepping for the PSAT and SAT separately. If you're feeling overwhelmed by everything you have to do for college applications, it can be helpful to prep for one test at a time. Reason 3: Getting in Gear for SAT Prep One other benefit to prepping for the PSAT is that it put you in a good place for SAT prep. As we discuss in detail in this article comparing the PSAT and SAT, there are very few content differences between the PSAT and SAT (the main difference being in the math concepts covered and the increased length of the SAT). By prepping for the PSAT, you'll be more than 75% of the way there for the SAT. You won't be able to get away without doing any SAT-specific prep (particularly for those math topics that aren't on the PSAT), but the amount of work that you'll have to do is way less than those starting on SAT prep from scratch. If the "doing more prep now means less hard prep later" argument isn't convincing, think about it in non-test prep terms. Imagine that you want to learn how to play the piano by the end of junior year of high school. You have the option of learning how to play an electric keyboard first or just starting straight on the piano. Also, for some reason there's an electric keyboard competition the fall of your junior year that could lead to you winning money; it's only open to people playing the electric keyboard, though (not people playing the piano). Because the electric keyboard and piano are so similar, if you do start out by just teaching yourself to play the electric keyboard (what the notes are, how to read music, how to do different things with your right and left hands at once, etc), you'll be most of the way there to learning the piano; all you'll have to get used to is the bigger range and using the pedals. Or in test-prep terms, if you prep for the PSAT, you'll just need to learn any pre-calc math you hadn't learned when you took the PSAT and work on time management and endurance in order to prepare for the SAT. What if you're already studying for the SAT, or don't have the time to first study for the PSAT and then for the SAT? Going back to the analogy, if you already know how to play the piano, then you don't need to do intensive prep to teach yourself how to play the electric keyboard- you just need to do a practice test to make sure you get used to playing on a simpler instrument. Or in the case of the PSAT/SAT, if you've already studied for the SAT, you just need to take a PSAT practice test to make sure you're all set for that. Basically, if you prep for the PSAT, it'll help you prep for the SAT; if you're already prepping for the SAT, that will also prep you for the PSAT. While we've gone over some of the reasons students might want to prep for the PSAT, there are also cases in which PSAT prep is unnecessary and pointless. We'll get into these cases in the next section. When PSAT Prep is Unnecessary As we mentioned above, the main reason to take the PSAT (other than your school forcing you to take it) is to qualify to apply for a National Merit Scholarship. If you're not interested in qualifying (or are ineligible) for that National Merit Scholarship, then there is no point in doing pure PSAT prep. That doesn't mean you can't prep at all- you just should jump right into prepping for the SAT (or ACT) You can still treat the PSAT as a chance to take an official standardized test and get used to what sitting and concentrating for that long at once feels like, but there's no need to prep for the PSAT in particular. Another important point that we touched on earlier is that prepping for the SAT will help you with the PSAT. If you start to prep for the SAT before your junior year (when you'd take the PSAT NMSQT), any SAT prep you do will also prepare you for the PSAT. Of course, if you're not prepping for the SAT effectively, then you won't prep for the PSAT any more effectively. But, assuming you're putting in time and effort in the right way, if you're already prepping for the SAT, there's no need to do additional PSAT prep. Summary: Is PSAT Prep Right for You? Whether or not it makes sense for you to prep for the PSAT specifically (instead of just prepping for the SAT) depends on a few different factors. We've put these factors into a checklist you can go through below to see if prepping for the PSAT is the right call for you. Should You Study for the PSAT? YES, if... NO, if... You're hoping to qualify for National Merit You don't care about National Merit You work better when focusing on prepping for one test at a time You're already prepping for the SAT anyway You want to get a head start on prepping for the SAT but don't want to prep for the SAT because you haven't learned all the math you need to know for it yet You don't have the time and just want to focus on SAT prep If you checked off all "No" answers, there's no need to do any PSAT-specific prep; instead, you should turn all your prep energies toward studying for the SAT (or ACT). However, if you checked off any of the "Yes" reasons, then it's worth thinking about doing some prep for the PSAT in particular. What's Next? Doing well on the PSAT is just the first step to winning a National Merit Scholarship. Find out how the whole process works with our complete guide to becoming a National Merit Finalist and winning the scholarship. The PSAT NMSQT is only offered once each year in the fall, but what date is it this year? We tell you when the PSAT is and when you'll get your scores in this article. Curious what the PSAT looks like? Want to try your hand at a practice test? We have a complete list of all the free official practice tests the College Board has released here. Want to improve your PSAT score by 150 points? We have the industry's leading PSAT prep program. Built by Harvard grads and SAT full scorers, the program learns your strengths and weaknesses through advanced statistics, then customizes your prep program to you so that you get the most effective prep possible. Check out our 5-day free trial today:

How can HR management systems and practices in Malaysia businesses be Essay

How can HR management systems and practices in Malaysia businesses be re-designed using KM and OL principles to increase innovat - Essay Example The various HRM practices would give an insight into the functionality of the Malaysian organizations and on the various procedures of conducting operations like training, selection, staffing and recruitment (Barnes 2002, 220-320). Finally, the study will highlight how the inclusion of OL and KM principles would lead to the betterment of the functionality of the organizations. Human Resources Management Practices in Malaysia In Malaysian organizations, the focus is on the integration of HR activities and practices which requires the alignment of the existing personal HR practices with the interests of the employee and personnel (Gelder 2005, 322). The strategic importance and emphasis is given on the integration of activities in the electronic industry of Malaysia. This strategic integration is an important element as it helps in solving the complexities of the problems and also, in assessing the interpretation of the problems (Gill 2000, 23). The HR strategy formulation is also give n its much deserved importance in Malaysian organizations which lay emphasis on the development and implementation of internal consistent polices and practices designed for the accomplishment of objectives (Hashim 2009, 224). The HRM practices in the human resource development process helps in the organizational innovation process. Malaysian organizations concentrate on the importance of the HR business and organizational strategy and also, on the protection of assets. However, it has been observed that the Malaysian organization does not believe in the job rotation facilities and hammers on imparting the operation knowledge (Haslinda and Sarinah 2013, 324). The Malaysian organizations are highly dependent on technological innovations and procedures which need to be re-designed constructively for enhancing the organizational outcome and also, for improving the existing systems. Figure 1: Human Resources in Malaysia (Source: Curtin University of Technology 2005). Redesigning of HR Pr actices using the Knowledge & Organizational Learning Principles Knowledge Management (KM) principles help in the improvement of the existing systems by employing own attributes (Institutional Repository 2006).There are several methods to implement the change management techniques for continuous improvement in the existing systems (Laiken 2001, 23). This is because the KM principles vary according to the situation and help in the improvement of the operational abilities of the organization (Infed 2013). The process is not iterative and relies heavily on the management systems. It aids the amalgamation of the engineering process and systems and also, the analysis of the organizational dynamics (Lee and Ahn 2001, 213). The structuring of organizational dynamics would be required for the integration of activities and systems which would address all the organizational issues and problems. The model is used to hone the skills of the employees, redesign the organizational structure and al so, gain expertise through the exchange of knowledge systems with their colleagues. The Malaysian organization needs to emphasize on their functioning in three important facets of the organization. They are namely, virtual work team, community of practice (COP) and expertise network systems. These three elements stress on the creation and

Cpk Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Cpk - Term Paper Example By so doing, CPK will improve its margins since it will have streamlined the pizza menu alongside other critical issues. With the economy favoring the restaurant chains, CPK has options to weigh, which include selling itself. With such options at sight, the company’s directors have allowed the management to come up with strategic alternatives like changing the capital structure, merging, or acquiring other companies in the same industry. However, investors must be warned that such strategies are not a guarantee for good performance in future. Some few years ago, CPK suffered from low sales because most pizza consumers opted to cook at home. Having realized that, the company launched a call center where customers would call to make orders with free delivery. In addition, the company increased its wine varieties and the catering program. Since it owns most of the pizza restaurants in the US, CPK prefers to lease a huge proportion of its property in places where it is located. Su ch a strategy has assisted it avoid huge debts. As a premium pizza company in the US and around the world, CPK has to categorically select its best positions. Strategies, as discussed above, are an indicator that the company acknowledges the existing competition, changes in customer preferences, global issues, and environmental changes. Through such attributes, the company has adopted some strategies to accommodate customer preferences for instance launching a call centre, which makes it possible for customers to make orders instead of cooking at home. Some strategies are purely meant to help the company maximize profits. Managing a series of CPK restaurants can be a hectic task. For this reason, the management made a unique decision by leasing out some of the restaurants under its name to reduce costs attached to management and thus maximize on profits. Strategies are helpful to any organization. They

South African Show Shaka Zulu Film Studies Essay

South African Show Shaka Zulu Film Studies Essay In late 1986, the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) created a television mini-series by the name of Shaka Zulu. It would prove an instant and huge success, and by 1992 it had been seen by over 350 million viewers in South Africa and abroad (Tomaselli 1992). Best described as an historical drama, the series centred on the first recorded encounter between blacks and whites in southeast Africa, with particular focus on the interactions between an exploratory British party, led by Lieutenant Francis Farewell (Edward Fox), and the ruler of a powerful and dangerous kingdom, the legendary Shaka Zulu (Henry Cele) (Hamilton 1998, p.171). In brief, the narrative follows Farewells band of men (including the storys narrator, Henry Francis Fynn) as they head to Zululand to dissuade Shaka from an attack on the Cape Colony. They are shipwrecked, captured by the Zulus, and come to learn about how Shakas kingdom was built. Within this structure, Fynns diary is used as a mechanism for a se ries of flashbacks which tell Shakas life story: his conception and birth (he is illegitimate), his life as an outcast, and his rise to power (Hamilton 1998). It is a violent portrayal Shaka is shown to be destined to rule through brutality (Fynn records that Shakas mother gave birth to a nation of blood-stained spears) (Faure 1986) and spends most of his time angrily taking revenge on those who have wronged him (Tomaselli 1992). Eventually, with the death of his mother, Nandi (Dudu Mkhize), Shaka is struck by a violent grief and the series ends with the Zulu kingdom in flames (Hamilton 1998, p.172). Farewell and company prove unable to save Shaka from himself, and the Zulu nation falls into chaos. Before conducting an analysis of the television series itself, it is worth examining how Shaka was remembered in Zulu culture long before the show was even commissioned. Like all history, there is no single voice in Zulu oral accounts of Shakas rule. Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, different Zulu interests drew on different Shakas to support their actions in a changing world (Hamilton 1992, p.62). Thus, accounts differ significantly about key episodes in his life and fundamentally in their evaluation of the Zulu king and the Zulu memory of Shaka has not always been unanimously favourable towards him (Hamilton 1998, p.53). Having said this, Hallencreutz (1989, p.73) argues that we can roughly view the appreciative, complimentary izibongo (praise singers) as the core of the established Zulu tradition, and the more critical oral accounts as belonging to other related ethnic groups. And the fact that the legacy of the Shaka izibongo has tended to persist in situations of politica l crisis seems to support this claim. Thus the myth of Shaka, as he is remembered by Zulu oral historians, is probably best captured by those who pursue the izibongo tradition to some extent. I would suggest that the memory of Shaka is, for the most part, exemplified by poets such as Mazisi Kunene (1979 cited Hallencreutz 1989, p.75) who ends his commemoration of Shaka (based on Zulu oral accounts) as follows: He is an Ancestral Spirit; he cannot be stabbed. Even now they sing his song. They call his name. They dance in the arena listening to the echoes of his epics Till the end of time-they shall sing of him. Till the end of time his shield shall shelter the hero from the winds And his children shall rise like locusts. They shall scatter the dust of our enemies, They shall make our earth free for the Palm Race. Thus, while it is important to note that Zulu accounts of Shaka can and do differ greatly from hailing him as a benevolent leader to decrying him as a violent killer it is evident that they tend to fundamentally acknowledge that Shaka was an extraordinary man (Cele 2001, p.119). Various factors, including a perpetual need to describe the achievements of a leader who stood up to white expansion (especially considering South Africas particular history), have resulted in Shakas uniqueness and extraordinariness being prominent features in almost all Zulu oral histories (Cele 2001, p.121). While not unanimously favourable towards him, Zulu oral histories about Shaka would never portray him as being dependent on or subservient to the white man. As I am arguing that Shaka Zulu demonstrates how myth can be stripped down and re-imagined, it is also necessary for the purposes of this essay, to illustrate how and why Shakas story in Zulu oral history falls under the broad banner of myth (as used in the scholarly sense). Obviously, the definition of myth is a contested one. Nevertheless, I would argue that the Shaka legend, as remembered in Zulu culture, is mythic in almost every sense of the word. For instance, Mircea Eliade (cited Segal 2004, p.60) suggests that the mere ritualistic recitation of the highpoints in a characters biography (as demonstrated by the Zulu izibongo) posits that characters life as myth. The simple act of creating an oral biography for a famous historical figure like Shaka can transform them into near-gods and their sagas into myths (Eliade cited Segal 2004, p.53). Certainly, the Shaka story seems to comply with Levi-Strauss assertion that it is almost a prerequisite of myth that it starts out as an oral tradition (Leach 1974, p.56). In recording Shakas life in oral form, historical truths are transfigured, resulting in a new reality with a highly mythic character as chief protagonist (Mersham 1993). Hence, by the time the Shaka Zulu television show was commissioned in 1986, Zulu culture had already transfigured Shakas history into something quite mythic. Various elements of the Shaka story also closely resemble many of the telltale characteristics of myth as defined by theorists. For instance, Segal (2004, p.5) states that it is a prerequisite of myths that the main figures be personalities divine, human, or even animal. Shaka certainly fits this bill, as his presence tends to dominate Zulu folklore, where he is positioned somewhere in between divine and human (and he was even hailed as the great elephant by his praise singers) (Kunene 1979, p.13). Both Mersham (1993) and Cele (2001) go so far as to suggest that the man was (and is) for some Zulus a black Jesus Christ a symbol of deliverance from outside oppressors. Shakas story also evidences such highly mythic themes such as fratricide (Shaka was assassinated by his half brothers, Dingane and Mhlangana). This underrating of blood relations is a key feature of myth in Levi-Strauss terms (Leach 1974, p.76). Otto Rank (cited Segal 2004, p.96), in The Myth of the Birth of the Hero, s uggests that dislike of two brothers for each other is often traceable to the competition for the tender devotion and love of the mother. While this isnt necessarily the case with Shakas story, his love for his mother, Nandi, is well-documented (and is a key element in the Shaka myth). Shakas life, as it is remembered in Zulu culture, essentially is, by Northrop Fryes definition (cited Segal 2004, 81), a quest-myth it is the myth of the life of the hero. His life story conforms closely to Fryes four stages of birth, triumph, isolation, and the heros defeat. As Rank (cited Segal 2004, p.96) states, the mythological hero is heroic and triumphant because he rises from [relative] obscurity to, typically, the throne. And usually, like Shaka, he is a victim of Fate. Further, the Shaka narrative is mythic in the way it operates within the community which invests in it. Wylie (1997) argues that Shakas life story has achieved the status of myth, simply by virtue of the fact that it has garnered an authority of its own which is unthinkingly followed and repeated despite historical changes or the surfacing of contrary evidence. In being simplified and made innocent to its receivers, history has become myth, and myth is given a natural and eternal justification (Barthes 1993, p.143). Mythic history is above questioning and bereft of factual detail. It is not so much an explanation of events as it is a statement of fact (Barthes 1993, p.143). This is a key hallmark of myth, allowing it to function as it does in modern society. Myth, says Levi-Strauss (cited Leach 1974, p.59) is powerful in that novices of the society who hear the myths for the first time are being indoctrinated by the bearers of the tradition a tradition, which in theory at any rate, has been handed down from long dead ancestors. Through the recitation of this tradition and the passing of time, says Barthes (1993, p.142), things lose the memory that they were once made. In the case of the Shaka myth, this untouchability of a mythic characters life story has had very real social and political ramifications (as will be discussed later). Finally, I would suggest that myths that are successful in modern-day societies almost always go some way to explaining and commemorating the founding of that society. The Shaka myth both in its original form and as it is recreated for the television show is a classic embodiment of the myth of a founding community an origin (Tomaselli Shepperson 2002, p.132). It is typically mythic in that it explains how one state of affairs became another: how a plurality of tribes became a nation (and the rendition of the myth in the television series ultimately served to legitimate KwaZulus leaders rights to rule in 1986)(Mersham 1993). The man who played the central part in the establishment of the nation is the main figure. The cult of Shaka is mythological in that it honours his role in the establishment of the Zulu nation (Segal 2004, p.59). But where the myth described by Zulu oral historians focuses on the creation of the nation under Shaka, the television show emphasises an equally myt hic but quite different side to the kings rule: his downfall. The myth as depicted in Shaka Zulu closely matches the native American myths that so intrigued Levi-Strauss myths where: The entire story aims at explaining why after their first beginning, a given clan or lineage or group of lineages have overcome a great many ordeals, known periods of success and periods of failures, and have been progressively led towards a disastrous ending. It is an extremely pessimistic story, really the history of a downfall. (Levi-Strauss 1989, p.38) I will argue that the filmmakers (and their SABC backers) adopted this approach to the myth as a means of warning against violence in the pursuit of power (Tomaselli Shepperson 2002, p.132). Thus, a highly mythic story element was used to serve a very real function. A new myth, with a very different message, was manufactured to replace the old. How filmmakers able make myth It should now be evident how the Shaka myth developed and endured in Zulu oral histories. However, I will argue further that the creators of the Shaka Zulu television show essentially took this and recreated their own, new mythology to suit their own purposes. According to Barthes (1982 cited Wylie 1997), myth is an empty parasitical form, enabling it to be reformulated and reconstituted in various incarnations. While initially based in history, it is necessarily incomplete, accepted as truth but effectively divorced from the contingency of events (Wylie 1997). Thus, the line between history and mythology and I would argue, an original mythology and reinvented mythology as in the series is effectively blurred. Thus, there is room for new mythologies to effectively be invented which claim to be based on the same historical truths which inspired the original narratives. As Levi-Strauss (1989, p.38) asks, where does mythology end and where does history start?. The simple opposition be tween mythology and history which has traditionally been treated as a given is not at all a clear-cut one (Levi-Strauss 1989, p.40), and space is made for new mythologies to be created on essentially the same histories. In short, the creators of Shaka Zulu created a new mythology based on an old mythology originally linked to an almost two-hundred year old history. Hence, I argue that the Shaka Zulu television series adapted the Shaka Zulu myth for western eyes. For instance, grotesque witchdoctors were included in the show to serve the narrative function of magical creatures who aid or threaten the heros quest (Parks 1982 cited in Tomaselli 1992). While historically inaccurate and politically dubious, magical elements are included for television as they are integral to the western mythical formula (Tomaselli 1992). Tomaselli (1992) goes so far as to suggest that the very fact that television is a Western form of expression doomed Shaka Zulu to being a white, Western interpretation of the myth from the start. I would not necessarily go that far, but I would maintain that series was, either consciously or unconsciously, fashioned to conform to western notions of myth. Like the witchdoctors, the white crews sea voyage into a mysterious and dangerous land in Part One of the series hearkens back to some of the oldest myths in western culture. Likew ise, the television show is laden with western notions of prophecy. Shakas rise to power is explained almost entirely in terms of the witchdoctor, Sitayis prophecy. Before the party leave for Zululand, Fynn talks of a prophetic child who it is said will bring with him an era in which the name amaZulu will signify terror and death. (Faure 1986). Similarly, with his birth, the narration talks of how the prophecy was about to begin its determined path (Faure 1986). The links with other canonical western myths such as that of Oedipus are self-evident. Thus, Shaka Zulu, in its efforts to subscribe to the conventions of the mythic form familiar to western audiences, deviates notably from the mythology evidenced in Zulu oral accounts. Where Zulu mythologies about Shaka tended to cut through the bizarre to the essence of depictions, Shaka Zulu was obsessed with the surreal (Tomaselli 1992). The inevitable result was an othering of the Zulu people in a show almost unrecognisable alongside th e history it professed to present. Actual analysis show Content There can be little doubt that much of the shows actual content is, at best, dubious in its portrayal of the Zulu people and the history of Shakas rule. The Zulus portrayed are a bizarre and violent people (Tomaselli 1992). The first scenes in which Zululand are shown are typified by bloody warfare and crying infants. In fact, when we first encounter Shakas kingdom in Part One of the series, we do so through the eyes of the bewildered white party surrounded by sweating masses speaking a strange language, mysterious drum beats and an almost constant procession of war parties running around for no apparent reason (Faure 1986). Certainly, little effort has been made by the filmmakers to portray the everyday, mundane life of the Zulu people the emphasis is almost wholly on public, frequently violent rituals (Tomaselli 1992). The act of making the Other a spectacle is principal characteristic of western, bourgeois myth, says Barthes (1993, p.152), and this is process is patent in Shaka Zulu. Like his subjects, Shaka is also othered as a barbarian megalomaniac with an obsessive desire for revenge (Mersham 1993). Failure to please him carries the penalty of him killing every member of the party (Faure 1986). And, like all the Zulus, he is dictated to by superstition and ritual Have the armies assembled by the next full moon is one of the first commands we hear (Faure 1986). And perhaps the most startling subversion of history and myth comes in the form of the shows witchdoctors. What in truth were perfectly ordinary natural healers are depicted as superhuman, grotesque individuals (Tomaselli Shepperson 2002, p.135). Scary and monsterish, their arrival in a scene is almost always accompanied by thunder and lightning and rain (Tomaselli Shepperson 2002, p.135). In truth, these izangoma were welcomed as an integral part of the community a far cry from the creatures with glowing eyes that command packs of hyenas and maintain dens of dwarfs (Hamilton 1998, p.179). Th us, Zulu ritual is presented as being disgusting and frightening. (Hamilton 1998, p.179). Tomaselli and Shepperson (2002, p.135) argue that such a typical white misinterpretation of Zulu cultural practice is legitimised by the show positing itself as a mythology not, I would argue, a mythology familiar to Zulu history, but one that has been manufactured by white producers for audiences in 1986. It is a typically white version of a native myth (as evidenced by an almost Pocahontas-like scene of Nandi as a young Zulu maiden being watched as she washes at a misty waterfall) (Faure 1986). It is a myth reconfigured to make a modern-day impact. Style The series is also notable for the clear stylistic decisions on how it was shot. There is a very obvious distinction made between those shots that depict the Zulu nation and those featuring the whites in the Cape Colony. The tribal Zulu scenes are largely shot through a sepia filter, with an over-emphasis on yellows, browns and bloody reds. The only deviation from this formula comes during the night-time scenes chilling blue, rife with thunder and lightning, and loaded with imagery of sorcery, magic and the supernatural (Tomaselli Shepperson 2002, p.134). Tomaselli and Shepperson (2002, p.134) argue that ethnographic detail is deliberately obscured by the hazy sepia lighting, the clouds of smoke made by fog machines and the mass of shiny, sweaty (oiled) black skins. The end product is a smudge of objects and people, depicted as an incomprehensible writhing, pulsating and faceless dark mass as they dart about the landscape in a storm of dust. (Tomaselli Shepperson 2002, p.134). Aga in, I would argue there is something quite mythic about this hazy, blurry portrayal of a people. This is in stark contrast to the shots of white people in the Cape Colony, which are whiter, truer and do not contain the clashes between hot and chilling colours (Tom Shepperson, p.134). Thus, the binary oppositions that Levi-Strauss argues are so integral to myth are blatant: white vs black; light vs darkness; civilisation vs barbarity; rationality vs magic; normal behaviour vs ritual; peace vs war and order vs chaos (Tomaselli Shepperson 2002, p.134). Again, conscious decisions from the filmmakers have resulted in a new, subverted mythology. And I would argue that this essentially racist version of Shakas story professes to audiences to be the canonical version of the myth. Intentions etc Like all stories, re-imagined mythologies such as that on show in Shaka Zulu are clouded by the conventions of narrative in terms of prevailing worldviews (Tomaselli 1992). In other words, the creators of Shaka Zulu were dictated to in their mythmaking by the established ideologies of the time. The show is, thus, inextricably linked to the socio-political situation in South Africa at the time of its creation (Tomaselli 1992). Further, any author cannot help but impart something of his or her worldview on audiences when broadcasting a creation to the public domain. As van Jaarsveld (cited Mersham 1993) argues, as soon as an author (in this case, director William C Faure) presents an interpretation of the past, they are putting forward an arsenal of arguments for formulating decisions about the future. Thus, it was not by accident that the Shaka myth (and message) presented on screen differed so greatly from that recounted by Zulu oral historians. Director William C Faures stated intentions for the series were explicit: to bring the story of Shaka Zulu home to the Zulu people (Faure 1986). He is quoted (cited Tomaselli 1992) as saying: Shakas life was originally recorded by white historians who imposed upon their accounts bigoted and sensationalist values often labelling the Zulus as savage and barbaric. It is our intention with this series to change that view. However, as Barthes posits, all myths are founded on a concealment of some meanings and the interested promotion of others (Rylance 1994, p.47) and there was more motivating Faure than just the desire to right historical wrongs. He also hoped that show would shed light on South Africa, correct misconceptions and change the system (Hamilton 1992, p.181). It appears to have been his deepest wish that the show would balance international perceptions about the conflict in 1980s South Africa, and thus whatever intentions he had to redress the injustices of history became distorted by his commitment to this objective (Tomaselli Shepperson 2002, p.131). Thus, Tomaselli and Shepperson (2002, p.133) argue that Faures project was couched, perhaps unintentionally, within apartheid discourse, and does no justice to either Shaka or history. This is just further evidence that mythology as a story form is manufactured to suit prevailing worldviews. From the off, Faures creation was fraught with apparent political interference. The series writer, Joshua Sinclair, removed himself from the production when he was made aware of the directors links with South African Military Intelligence (Blignaut cited Tomaselli 1992). Faure was also convinced out of using Zulu poet, Mazisi Kunenes epic Emperor Shaka the Great as source material, as it was deemed to be overly critical of white people and because Kunene was an exiled member of the African National Congress (ANC) (Tomaselli Shepperson 2002, p.130). However, the relationship between the filmmaker and the SABC (and the state) was by no means a straightforward one. Faure liaised equally closely with not only the Zulu royal family (inviting the Zulu prince Gideon onto set as a cultural advisor) but also the Zulu government (Tomaselli 1992). Yet even with these efforts to seek Zulu approval, we shall see that the level of state involvement was tangible. The key to Shaka Zulus unique succ ess was in that it was able to establish a myth that was acceptable to both those who already had their own version of Shakas story and those largely unfamiliar with it. The apartheid government saw Shaka Zulu as an opportunity to reformulate the myth in a way that would more closely suit their plans. Initially a powerful tale of a hero resisting white oppression, the myth was transformed into something quite different. At the time of Shaka Zulus release, South Africa was in a state of violent political turmoil. The apartheid regime was fast coming around to the idea that solutions to the violence in South African society had to be found. Thus, Faures proposed television series offered the state and the SABC a key opportunity to present all South Africans with a drama advocating interracial collaboration and portraying the dangers of its failure (Hamilton 1998, p.181). As Barthes (1993, p.156) states, mythology harmonises with the world, not as it is, but as it wants to create itself. The mythology of Shaka Zulu was, in effect, a reflection of how the government thought South Africa should be. Shaka Zulu represented an opportunity for the government to promote a resolution based on order (apparently best reflected by the capitalist Inkatha Freedom Party) over disorder (basically, the socialist ANC freedom fighters) (Tomaselli 1992). To the apartheid government, order implied keeping nations separate according to tribal homeland, and Tomaselli (1992) argues that the series insistence on manufacturing a dichotomy between savagery and civilisation only served to endorse apartheid discourse that black people should be allowed to develop in their own way in their own areas. The government also needed cooperative, authoritarian black leaders to implement their visions of peaceful segregation. Someone, says Hamilton (1998, p.184) like Shaka Zulu. The closest match was the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) leader, Mangosuthu Buthelezi, whose links with Zulu royalty made him and his fellow party leaders the shows perfect target audience. Shaka Zulu effectively acted as a means for the government to communicate its reformist visions to Buthelezi and his leadership. For instance, the chaos of the Zulu kingdom portrayed in the final episode after Shakas rejection of white interaction came as a stern warning to black politicians such as Buthelezi of the consequences of trying to go it alone (Hamilton 1998, p.184) (as an interesting aside, it is worth noting how this all fits into Levi-Strauss insistence that the chief moral implication of myth is that self-interest is the source of all evil) (cited Leach 1974, p.81). Refusal to cooperate with the apartheid state (just like Shakas refusal to establish a truce with the Cape Colony in the show) would only result in flames and chaos will prevail (Hamilton cited Tomaselli Shepperson 2002, p.32). Again the myth of the downfall on screen was used to warn against risking the Zulu nations downfall in the real, physical world. The message behind the new myth was clear. The project was not without its critics. The production was universally rejected by anti-apartheid who were fighting for non-racial democracy. Most white anti-apartheid historians were appalled by the series historical inaccuracies (Tomaselli 1992). Wright (cited Mersham 1993) slated the show for pandering to a whole range of colonial and racist stereotypes about the Zulus a people reduced to singing, dancing, fighting. Hamilton states that the multitude of Unzulu untraditional features had many critics baffled as to how the series gained royal approval (Hamilton 1998, p.185). Also, while the series did show Shaka to be a leader of calibre and talent, Hamilton (1998) argues that it was guilty of repeating older stereotypes of his psychological imbalances and bloodthirstiness. Mazisi Kunene (cited Tomaselli 1992) lambasted the series as a rotten a propaganda tool aimed at aimed at projecting the Zulu people and their king as bloodthirsty savages and whites as their saviours. Yet for all the shows obvious failings, the show was an immense success evidence, in my opinion, of the power of the mythic form. Uses Curiously, the Shaka Zulu myth would prove to be as acceptable to the Zulu leadership as it was to the forces that influenced its creation. This has a lot to do with the anxieties within Zulu society at the time of the shows release. Ernst Cassirer wrote in The Myth of the State (1946 cited Segal 2004, p.39) that myth resurfaces as a means of explanation when the rational forces that resist the rise of the old mythical conceptions are no longer sure of themselves. In these moments, he says, the time for myth has come again (1946 cited Segal 2004, p.39). Late apartheid South Africa was such a time. Myth is dangerous in that it is a social-psychological paradigm catering for a particular anxiety in society, yet still as in the case of Shaka Zulu presents itself as something born out of historical truths (Wylie 1997). Thus, myth tends to give a natural justification to the worldviews it supports (Barthes 1993, p.142). Historical veracity becomes far less important than the ways in whi ch the myth is appropriated and utilised. As Barthes (1993, p.144) states: Men do not have with myth a relationship based on truth but on use. For Buthelezi and the IFP, the truthfulness of the myth was far less important than the socio-political purposes it could serve. The white version of the Shaka Zulu myth arrived on South African television screens at a time of great political strife in the Zulu homeland of KwaZulu. Buthelezis Inkatha Freedom Party was involved in a bloody conflict with the African National Congress for legitimate rule. Where the ANC sought multi-party democracy, the IFP stood for Zulu independence, and thus Shaka Zulus emphasis on ethnicity and equating it with nationhood proved to be more than acceptable fillip to Buthelezi (Tomaselli Shepperson 2002, p.133). Mangosuthu Buthelezi was very conscious of the power of the Shaka myth. At political rallies, the IFP leader would be seen wearing the same kind of Zulu royal regalia that Shaka is shown to wear in the series (Tomaselli 1992). In fact, the wearing of traditional, ceremonial skin garments became a marker of Zuluness for IFP politicians (causing many anti-IFP Zulu-speakers to take offence to the notion that they should become postcard Zulus) (Klopper 1996, p.55). Thus, I argue that it is no contradiction that Shaka Zulu could simultaneously portray the Zulu people as backward, uncivilised and tribal and be a vehicle for legitimating the IFP leadership (Mersham 1993). Tribalism helped the IFPs cause. Further, Buthelezi would explicitly compare himself with the Zulu royalty of Shakas time throughout the 1980s as a means of gaining political credibility with the Zulu people. Thus, the fact that the Shaka Zulu myth was so fresh in the Zulu consciousness with the shows broadcast, became a means for the IFP to bestow its leadership with legitimate authority (Tomaselli 1992). Like Shaka once did, Buthelezi now became the man who would lead his nation against its colonial oppressors (Tomaselli 1992). Tomaselli (1992) even argues that Inkathas militia wing was mobilised as a reincarnation of Shakas impi (military), as a means of inspiring popular support for their (frequently violent) cause. Within the Zulu community, Buthelezis cause was strengthened by Ink athas close identification with the loyalty, discipline and bowing and scraping for Shaka shown in the show (Mersham 1993). Obedience to the leader in the TV series myth was shown to be an innate aspect of Zulu culture questioning Buthelezi was implied to be unZulu. Despite its flaws both in terms of historical accuracy and prejudiced portrayals the Shaka Zulu myth was lauded by the Inkatha leadership as being faithful to their king, and a positive mobilising force for Zulu nationalism (Tomaselli 1992). Thus the Shaka Zulu show became a mechanism for the IFP to portray itself as inheritor and protector of the historical pride of the Zulu nation (Tomaselli 1992). The unsavoury aspects of the shows portrayal of the Zulu people and the downfall of Shaka were superfluous. The myth of a great Zulu leader standing up to outside oppression and the implied suggestion that a new leader had it in him to do likewise were all that mattered. Buthelezi was happy to ride on the dramatic success of the series, even if a perceived concession of the series objectionable features was the price to pay. (Hamilton 1998, p.186). GET OWN WORDS What I have tried to show is that in certain viewing contexts, Shaka Zulu offered a legitimacy for both ruling government and anti-apartheid elements (eg. the Kwa Zulu legislature and Inkatha). Barthes, R., 1993. Mythologies. London: Vintage. Cele, TT., 2001. Qualities of King Shaka as Portrayed in Zulu Oral Testimony and in Izibongo. South African Journal of African Languages, 2, 118-131. Fernandez, JW., 1967. The Shaka Complex. Transition, 29, 11-14. Available from: http://www.jstor.org/stable/2934231 [Accessed 8 January 2010] Hallencreutz, CF., 1989. Tradition and Theology in Mofolos Chaka. Journal of Religion in Africa, 19 (1), 71-85. Available from: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1581183 [Accessed 8 January 2010] Hamilton, C., 1998. Terrific Majesty: The Powers of Shaka Zulu and the Limits of Historical Invention. Cape Town: David Philip Publishers. Hamilton, C., 1992. The Character and Objects of Chaka: A Reconsideration of the Making of Shaka as Mfecane Motor. The Journal of African History, 33 (1), 37-63. Available from: http://www.jstor.org/stable/182274 [Accessed 15 December 2009] Harries, P. 1993. Imagery, Symbolism and Tradition in a South African Bantustan: Mangosuthu Buthelezi, Inkatha, and Zulu History. History and Theory, 32 (4), 105-125. Available f