Globalization and Culture - Essay Example

Globalization and Culture The influence of globalization on culture is an issue that constantly stirs up a heated debate among scholars and social scientists. It continues receiving praises for promoting equality among different cultures of the world. Cultural globalization relates to the emergence of a given set of beliefs and values, which a number of individuals across the globe can share. Globalization in the cultural context traditionally means the flow of information from a particular source to several audiences in the same manner. Given the fact that the concept became popular during the scramble and partition of the world by European kingdoms, globalization usually associates with the spread of the western culture and way of life across the world. Critics; however, argue that globalization promotes the neo-colonization by promoting the interests of the dominant cultures over the weaker ones. The paper discusses the different sides of the argument and analyzes the key issues in cultural globalization that are likely to affect businesses in the modern era. Attainment of cultural globalization is by encouraging transmission of values, ideas meanings and beliefs of different cultural groupings across cultural borders. Cultural globalization encourages social relations among different races, religions and ethnic groups around the world. Agents of transmitting culture include large multinational corporations, popular media, the internet technology and the cross-border movements. According to Crothers (Crothers 56), popular culture is one of the key drivers of globalization in the contemporary world. Brands such as coca cola, McDonalds, Sony and popular music among others have come to define the way people perceive and even relate to different cultures. Globalization, however, is not a recent phenomenon. Globalization started from the time of the earliest civilization during the ancient Chinese and Egyptian kingdoms. Since then, globalization has come to be defined as the desire to establish trade links between different countries. The European powers enhanced this when they decided to acquire overseas territories through their empires. The invention of the shipping containers made trade between countries much easier (Levinson 12). However, as the 19th Century begun serious cultural exchange started taking place. A cross-border transport became more affordable than other means of transportation. Additionally, the number of individuals seeking adventure also increased. Opponents of cultural globalization argue that it diminishes cultural diversity. Frank Lechner argues that the multinational corporations, who are the key agents of economic globalization, promote a consumerist culture in which there is standardization of products. They thrive on the basic materialistic desires among the population. Product standardization is meant to create a similar lifestyle pattern designed to follow a particular dominant western culture (Artz 34). Moreover, most multinational corporations receive support from their western powers to promote certain ideals, which aim at overriding the local belief systems in countries where they operate. Various western brands promote this cultural imperialism. The popularity of the American music and products has been pointed out as the agents for promoting cultural hegemony. In the modern age of technology, the free flow of information has also become an agent of cultural globalization. The internet makes it possible for different individuals to establish connections without physical traveling to meet one another. The US and other leading world economies exert their dominance through controlling the information flow on the internet and the major news media. James and Steger have also argued that while globalization makes the world more interconnected, individual interactions between people of different cultures makes them more self-aware and which in turn promotes the differences (Steger, 167). Rather than creating a perfect synergy with different culture, differences revealed by civilization might be a source of conflict. Several cultures might feel inferior and dominated thus breeding resentment against the cultures of the domineering country. Several cultural analysts agree that the whole concept of cultural globalization does not portend well for global unity. It brings an intense sense of cultural and ideological difference between the different cultural formations of the world (Steger, 168). Art Carden, a research fellow at the Independent Institute argues that globalization is an experimental process that creates political and social problems because it disturbs the status quo in many countries (1). The concern with globalization is that it creates a winner takes all situation for the worlds cultural formation. For this reason, it implies that the most dominant culture does not have to conform to any of the practices of those that it dominates. Globalization has other undesirable social consequences. For instance, Caden points out that increased access to pornography is a direct cost of globalization. The effects of globalization are not entirely negative as portrayed by the critics. There are some positive aspects of cultural globalization that has seen an improvement in the world. One of the most celebrated positive aspects of globalization is its contribution to cultural pluralism. Interaction of cultures across boundaries leads to mixing of cultures across boundaries. Globalization also helps to promote some of the positive attributes of good governance such as the democratic ideals, which are practiced by the western nations. Cultures develop into different heterogeneous groups because of the differences in environment which then puts different demands on the individual efforts to adapt (Storti 7). The diversification created by the environment leads to different practices, which in turn become cultures. Thus, culture is rather a product of environmental adaptation and hence not static. For this reason, globalization serves as the bridging factor between the impacts that the environment has on differentiating the varied cultures of the world by reducing the variation between cultures. Globalization helps to put uniformity in the interpretation of the various norms and practices. Such norms are interpreted differently according to the traditions of each different cultures. By introducing universality in the way such phenomena are interpreted, globalization efforts benefit the world by reducing it to one big local play stage. This is known as the concept of glocalization. The concept promotes diversity as a global value for international organizations and movements as well as global icons such as sportsmen and musicians from different cultures. Globalization also enables businesses to access much wider markets and by that increasing economic wealth. In addition, it encourages the use of economic resources for production, which helps consumers to get more variety of goods and service to satisfy their needs. Cultural Globalization and Business Multinational organizations have their operations in different countries across the globe. Many of these countries do not necessarily share the same cultural beliefs and practices as the organization’s country of origin. As such, there is a need for the organization to have a complete understanding of the local cultural beliefs of the countries in which they seek to establish their presence (Herrmann 2). Most importantly, these cultures can have a bigger impact on the success of the organization’s venture in these countries. Several countries have strict adherence to particular codes of conduct that are regulated by their religious beliefs. For an organization whose parent country’s religion is different from that of the host country, it is imperative to seek and understand how religion influences government policies and the social life of the locals. Religion is particularly a sensitive subject given that its practice generates very strong emotions and opinions (Herrmann 7). In the context of globalization, the companies increasingly face a workforce that is more distinct in terms of the cultures and religions of the employees. This variation in religion, combined with generational change makes the employees have much more different expectation on their workplaces (Welby 3). Religion has a crucial role that it plays in the employees’ personal development and character. The report by Welby shows that the employees who practiced their religions were twice as likely to be trustworthy relative to their counterparts. When international organizations understand and encourage religious differences in offices, they can improve the productivity of their workers. The organization should strengthen, enhance and respect the religious views in order to achieve social goodwill with the communities within which they operate (Wild, Jerry and Kenneth 64). Highly productive workforce will help the organization drive results and meet the growth targets. Organizations can draft religious training seminars for their employees to help minimize cases of religious conflicts. In addition, they can help establish a work environment that uses and values the power of religion and spirituality to grow. These practices should not just be limited to the human resource practices but should be extended to the local community in which the organization exists. An organization’s ability to embrace and fully recognize the religious practices will have developed a critical weapon for sustainability. The national religious culture influences how organization treats their employees. It also influences how the employees relate among themselves. For instance, in the Islamic countries, women and men are treated differently. Women are expected to be subservient to their male counterparts and to dress in a particular way that does not expose the body (Reiche 3). In such countries, western organizations would have to redefine their demand for official attire to adapt to the local cultures. In another often quoted example, culture has been found to influence how the people in the society relate to ages. In Korea, for example, the juniors are expected unquestioningly to follow the orders given by their superiors. This does not encourage creativity among the junior employees. When the Korean Airlines crashed in 1970 and 2000, retrieved conversation from the black boxes showed that the co-pilots and the flight engineers did not make any suggestions that would contradict the opinions of their bosses (Reiche 2). Even in situations that risk life, the juniors did not dare express their opinions even when they were convinced that their bosses were wrong (Reiche). Language is crucial in boosting the growth of an international business. It is imperative for every firm or business organization that enters a new international market to familiarize with the language spoken in that particular place. Ascent can equally be significant in the growth of an international business (The English Language in 24 Accents). Locals can easily tell if the business is not from the borders of their country by the way in which its staffs pronounce certain words. It is essential for an international business to engage the locals, for example, in employment, which then blends its staffs. This helps in bring diverse individuals that help the business to relate well with the locals. English has several speakers across the globe, who have a different ascent; however, it is possible to understand what one communicates (Lecture Notes 39). Thus, it is necessary for any global business to put that into consideration. If possible, it is crucial to evaluate the impact that ascent can have on an international business. Cultural Models Several cultural models have been formulated to help businesses understand the relationships between several cultures of the world. Some of these models include the Kluckhohn and Strodtbeck, Geert Hofstede and Trompenaars among others. The most notable one and most comprehensive is the Hofstede’s cultural dimensions (Lecture Notes 15). Hofstede identified five key dimensions of national cultures as being central to the development of the organizations internationally. The first one of these dimensions, he identified as the power distance. This dimension describes the relationship between the most powerful members of the society and the least powerful members and how the society expects that power to distribute among individuals. Individuals in the societies that have high power distance accept that everyone has his or her place and follow this distribution without question. On the other hand, societies with low power distances encourage a more consultative and open engagement with each other. In organizations, which operate in cultures where the power distance is high, the junior employees expect their supervisors and bosses to know everything and would rather not question any decisions they make (Wild, Jerry and Kenneth 103). Workers in the low power distance societies are more aggressive and would likely consult their bosses. They are also likely to air their opinions freely and expect to receive responses regarding their concerns. The other cultural dimension is the Individualism and collectivism. This is the extent to which integration of individuals into groups happen. In societies where individuals stand alone, that is the individualistic societies, there is much emphasis on the individuals’ personal achievements, and they are expected to stand up for themselves and their families. In collective societies, individuals are part of a bigger society and are expected to stand up for the good of the whole community. This dimension will influence the organization depending on which cultures it operates. An organization with an individualistic culture tends to reward individual employee achievements. It encourages employees to work as individuals as opposed to teams. On the other hand, collective organization culture encourages teamwork and employees stand in for their fellow who may not be as skilled. An organization is will likely to realize higher levels of productivity when the employees work as a team. The third dimension by Hofstede is the Uncertainty avoidance index. It refers to the extent to which members of a society are prone to risk taking. In cultures where people have less affinity to risk taking, individuals tend to be emotional when making important decisions. They tend to observe a meticulous planning and conduct a step by step review of any information they have. On the other hand, societies with low uncertainty avoidance tend to be comfortable with unstructured decisions. Individuals rely on their gut feelings to make important decisions. A business in such a culture would have to contend with highly unreliable employees. The advantage is that people are more pragmatic and can generate creative solutions. They are very tolerant to changes. The fourth of the Hofstede’s dimension is the masculinity and femininity index. Highly masculine societies are those that individuals are very assertive, competitive and highly materialistic. Individuals are highly ambitious and tend to seek power and positions of influence. Feminine cultures lay extra emphasis on social relationships and the quality of life. Different roles for women and men are less prominent as is the case with masculine society. Organizations may want to assess the cultural and social implications in any of these cultures on its organizational culture. The final dimension was the social orientation in a society. He described a society as being either long-term or short-term oriented. Long-term oriented societies tend to mind a lot about the future. Pragmatic values that are highly forward-looking are highly rewarded. A business in such an environment may do well since individuals are more likely to value savings and financial success. Majority of the population will likely be in the upper or middle-income categories. Short-term oriented societies, on the other hand, tend to relieve the past and cherish memories. The Hofstede model has been further modified, and additional dimensions added. One of these additional dimensions describes the social culture as either indulging or restraining. This is the extent to which the society and its members control their impulses and desires. In highly indulgent societies, individuals are tending to be more expressive of their love for the finer things of nature. Such societies are more liberal. On the other hand, restraint societies are the modern version of the conservatives and view individuals frown upon any indulgences. Strict regulations are established to control over indulgence and deviation from the social order, which is highly frowned upon. Hofstede’s dimensions have been very important for the growth of international businesses. The theory enables business executives to understand different cultures. Corporations seeking to establish businesses in different countries of the world will find the ideas discussed by Hofstede useful in relating to their employees and defining their corporate culture (Lecture Notes 16). Hofstede’s study is the most comprehensive study ever conducted. Another advantage that the study gives corporations is the opportunity to develop their corporate communications strategies. For the corporation executives who work in business that operate in different cultures, Hofstede’s dimensions will give them a preview of how communication in different cultures may affect the growth of their businesses among the local populations (Lecture Notes 17). Since corporations entirely depend on reviews and advertisements, they structure these pieces to convey the messages to the locals. Hofstede’s dimensions are also important for business negotiations. Such negotiations rely on the communication and style of the use of language. A deeper understanding of the cultures will help the negotiators eliminate potential points of conflicts and learn to make rational judgments based on their understanding of the other party. As a conclusion, it is imperative to discuss how cultural events and festivals can benefit an international business to enter new globe market. Cultural events offer excellent opportunities for an international business to enter new international market (Kumbh Mela - Worlds Biggest Festival - National Geographic). In such event and festivals, the business can have the chance to showcase to locals what it offers. Works Cited Artz, Lee, and Yahya R. Kamalipour. The Globalization of Corporate Media Hegemony.: ,. Albany: State University of New York Press, 2015 . Internet resource . Carden, Art. "Does Globalization Destroy Culture?" The Independent Institute (2008): 1. Internet Resource. . Crothers, Lane. Globalization and American Popular Culture. Lanham, Md: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2007. Print. Herrmann, Andrea. Globalization and its Effect on International Business. Conference Procedings. New York City: Global Awareness Society International , May, 2012. Print. Kumbh Mela - Worlds Biggest Festival - National Geographic. N.p., 2013. Film. Lecture Notes. Levinson, Marc. The Box:How the Shipping Container Made the World Smaller and the World Economy Bigger. New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 2013. Print. Reiche, Pankaj Ghemawat and Sebastian. "National Cultural Differences and Multinational Businesses." Globalization Note Series (n.d.): 2. Print. SHRM. Religion and Corporate Culture: Accommodating Religious Diversity in the Workplace. Survey Report. Alexandria: SHRM, 2011. Print. Steger, Paul James and Manfred B. Globalization and Culture. London: Sage, 2010. Print. Storti, Abderrahman Hassi and Giovanna. Globalization and Culture: The Three H Scenarios. Research Thesis. Cassablanca: Al Akhawayn University, Morocco, 2012. Print. The English Language In 24 Accents. N.p., 2010. Film. Welby, Simon. Religious Practices in The Workplace . Academic Research. London: IBE, 2011. Print. Wild, John J, Jerry C. Y. Han, and Kenneth L. Wild. International Business: The Challenges of Globalization. Upper Saddle River, N.J: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2011. Print. Read More