Mistaking africa Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Mistaking africa - Essay Example It can be affirmed from a broader outlook that the critical concern of cultural bias is quite discriminative in nature (Flanagan 153). With this concern, this paper intends to provide a comprehensive understanding about own cultural biases towards Africa through reading the text i.e. Curtis A. Keim’s ‘Mistaking Africa: Curiosities and Inventions of the American Mind’. DISCUSSION The book of Curtis A. Keim i.e. ‘Mistaking Africa: Curiosities and Inventions of the American Mind’ has portrayed certain significant ideas and perceptions that have broadly influenced or imposed extensive impacts especially upon social along with cultural aspects of Africa. This particular book provides a general idea about the existence of cultural biasness within the nation of Africa. According to the findings of the aforesaid book, it can be affirmed from a broader outlook that an individual can acquire a valuable idea about diverse aspects such as the use and the misuse o f stereotypes, racism, exploitation and various other sorts of cultural aspects. The author in this book revealed that for several Americans, the nation i.e. Africa appears to be the indication of various surroundings i.e. dense jungles, safaris, strangely dressed tribesmen and ferocious animals. It is worth mentioning that Curtis A. Keim’s ‘Mistaking Africa: Curiosities and Inventions of the American Mind’ mainly concentrates upon conducting historical evolution and addressing the most widespread preconceptions along with myths concerning dissimilar cultures and people belonging to Africa (Keim 101-170). In order to present my own notions regarding cultural biases towards Africa through reading the abovementioned book of Keim, certain significant aspects need to be taken into concern and discussed broadly. In this similar context, it can be observed in Keim’s text that a huge majority of Americans considered the facets of exploitation and racism against A frica to be quite acceptable. This can be justified with reference to the fact that the Americans did enslave Africans and maintain segregation along with slavery system, though they by no means ruled colonies in Africa. According to my own perception, as the Americans did enslave the Africans, it can be stated that there laid the existence of cultural biasness within the nation by a significant level. Moreover, apart from enslaving the Africans, the treatment of the Africans as inferiors by the Americans also demonstrates the prevalence of cultural biasness within the nation at large. There also lay certain other significant evidences that have eventually developed my perception towards recognizing the prevalence of cultural biasness in the region of Africa. One of the evidences can be apparently observed in the readings of Curtis A. Keim’s ‘Mistaking Africa: Curiosities and Inventions of the American Mind’. This particular evidence which proves to be quiet effe ctive in determining the existence of cultural biasness in Africa can be related with the notion of prejudice. With reference to the reading i.e. Keim’s ‘Mistaking Africa: Curiosities and Inventions of the American Mind’, it can be revealed that with every passing decade, Americans are incessantly treating Africans with less prejudice. Though the nation i.e. Africa is growing to play an imperative role in developing worldwide economy because of its huge size, greater amount of population and accessibility of vast resources,

Carnival Cruise Line, The Fun Ship Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Carnival Cruise Line, The Fun Ship - Assignment Example Whereas such an approach may work well in many other product or service offerings that exist within the current economy, oftentimes when people go on vacation luxury and immunity are some of the first things that they seek to ensure our present. Although there is nothing wrong with seeking to make Carnival Cruise Lines the Walmart of cruise lines, publicly stating such an approach is likely have a negative impact on sales and further foster negative images within the consumer. Anytime one seeks to engage with the given firm as a means of determining its overall strength within the market, it is necessary to perform what is known as a SWOT analysis. Such a SWOT analysis is merely shorthand for analyzing the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats the present themselves to given firm with any given market. Accordingly, in analyzing Carnival Cruise Lines strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, it is the understanding of the student that the most salient strengths ar e with regards to its recognizable name, large budget and extent vessels and staff, and overall profitability of the brand. Each of these strengths helps the firm, even if economic difficulties present themselves, to continue to exist and draw upon these strengths as a means of furthering business. Likewise, with regards to weaknesses, it can be understood that Carnival Cruise Lines exhibits the following: poor public relations, bad image, and a brand that is struggling to differentiate itself within a market that is increasingly saturated. Similarly, with regards to opportunities, these can be understood as a means to counter the weaknesses that it been previously mentioned (DATAMONITOR, 2013). Accordingly, the opportunities are as follows: working to increase public relations, building a better image, and finding a more appropriate way to can P with and stand apart from the many forms of competition the currently exist within the market. Lastly, the threats that it been chosen to be analyzed within this brief response are concentric upon the following: noticeable downturn in economy, reduction in overall number of people each year choosing cruises as their preferred means of vacation travel, and the demographic shift that threatens to further reduce cruise participation once the baby boomer generation discontinues their currently high level of vacation spending. As a function of these specific strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats, the reader can come to be understanding that the primary issue facing Carnival Cruise Lines is with regards to the extent which it continue to be relevant within the current market, as well as speak to specific concerns that individuals within society have doubtless come to realize with respect to the overall cleanliness, hygiene, and safety of cruises as a form of relaxation and vacation. As with any firm, one of the most effective means of determining the overall financial success that it is enjoyed over the past several years is to review the stock price and draw inference upon the means by which investors have valued the company over time. As a function of performing this particular analysis with current cruise lines, it can be determined that the most financially turbulent times were of course realize right after the financial crash 2007/2008 (Conant, 2013). At such a time, Carnival Cruise L