What Are the Impacts of Globalization and Technology to Communications and Media - Case Study Example

What are the Impacts of Globalization and Technology to Communications and Media? INTRODUCTION Most would commonly define ‘globalization’ as the dominating trend in the 21st century. Many, in fact, see it as the impetus for the eventual absolute “corporatization” of the world, as there had been the ever-flourishing growth and development of various corporations—seen as the prime engines of globalization—around the globe (Mander, n.d. cited in Lawrence, 1998). As such corporatization persists, effects of globalization are commonly seen as threatening to the existence of the human beings and the environment as a whole (Karliner, 1997). However, let it not be also taken for granted that globalization paved the way for the emergence of highly-defined technologies which, in the long run, catered for the sophistication of the structures and for the relatively higher degree of productivity with the functions in the different fortes of society. Hence, this account aims not only to identify the existing relationships among two variables—globalization and technology—alone but also to examine the effects of globalization and technology to more extensive areas, specifically media and communications. This idea, moreover, is conceived prior to the practically recognized fact that today’s century is the epoch which is highly driven by the struggle for the acquisition of information; and that the requisite for such acquisition is basically through getting hold of the communications and media systems around the globe. As one article had put it, globalization opened the gates for the development of “Information Highways,” which permitted the fast exchange of information and which provided passages for communication around the globe (Asilo, 2007). This account, moreover, includes the examination of the different relationships posited by the different variables concerned. Such relationship is identified so as to provide a link of interconnectivity between the variables concerned, which, as it would be presented in the proceeding discussions, would create a domino effect of impacts on each other. The topic to which this account is to begin with, moreover, is on the basic notions of globalization and technology, as its prime vehicle—as these two concepts tend to perform with one another side by side. GLOBALIZATION and TECHNOLOGY There is a significant relationship that exists between technology and globalization—the former exhibits an important role in the development of the latter (Schaeffer, 2003). In fact, the process of globalization and the development of technology through times go hand in hand—globalization creates conducive paths for more technological advancement and sophistication, while technology in turn enables corporations—which are the prime engines of the globalized world (Mander, n.d. cited in Lawrence, 1998)—so as to meet the demands of mass production and consumerist preference (O’Reilly & Alfred, 1998). A further support was also given by The University of Iowa Center for International Finance and Development (n.d.) as it defined technology as the most visible facet of globalization which makes global integration amongst the people around the globe possible. In fact, the integration of all kinds of technologies is seen as the very feature of globalization (Friedman, 1999 cited in UICIFD, n.d.). Hence, there is a consolidating relationship between globalization and technology, that an improvement of the other is also an improvement of the other. Through their genuine complimentary relationship, globalization and technology enables the propagation of more refined innovations that are targeted to meet the demands of the globalized world. One of the remarkable technological innovations which had propelled the growth of globalization through times is observed in the field of communications. The current trend, as it could be witnessed even by toddlers, refers to the growth of wireless social interconnectivity media, which enables the exchange of information, not through face-to-face contacts (as what the old mode of communication has been), but through genuine cyber-space interactions. In the article about technology and globalization, the utilization of satellites for the fast processing of information across the world eventually led to the propagation of the World Wide Web (or simply known today as the “internet”) (Faculty of Communication & Media Studies, n.d.) which noticeably enables the swift development of genuine socialization throughout the world. However, development in the field of communication is not the only area immensely affected by the mutuality of globalization and technology, but also to other areas within the society. GLOBALIZATION AND TECHNOLOGY: EFFECTS ON INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (and VICE VERSA) Globalization and its main driver, technology, affect the information technology (Global Growth Challenge, 2007). An increasing concern on the impacts of globalization is addressed to the field of information technology (IT) for the very reasons that: (1) it is the “most robust growth sector in the global economy” taking the largest part of the consumer demands, essentially outpacing the demands for the “investment and trade growth for any product”; and (2) it constitutes the augmenting pace of industry growth (Institute for International Economics (IIE), n.d., p.1). Information technology, according to Dudley-Rowley (1998), “is the technology of communication and information.” The process in which information and communication technology was able to change through time involves important periods of shifts. Before information and communication technology reached the pinnacle of utilizing satellite-powered space interaction media, it had first undergone a series of change starting from the very invention of early modes of communication, including telegraphs. Yet, because of the technologies brought possible by globalization, the information and communication technology infrastructure was expanded with the use of “radio transmission, satellite communications, and terrestrial broadband connections” (Wiley, n.d.). The effects of globalization toward the information and communications technology has resulted to the “globalization” of IT itself. Molina (n.d.) argued that the impact of globalization to the information technology is significantly reflected in its need for localization, so as to reach and penetrate the grassroots levels of different cultures. Hence, the global integration of people coming from different places around the globe is at the heart of the function of the globalized information and communication technology. In addition, the globalization of the information technology provided leeway for the fragmentation of products throughout the vast coverage of the globe (IIE, n.d., p.2). Because of such product and service fragmentation, there is a greater tendency towards labor specialization, which, in the long run, contributes to higher degree of efficiency. Another complimenting claim made by the Centre international pour le développement de linforoute en français (CIDIF, n.d.) says that the effect of globalization in the field of information and communication technology has been also associated with the localization of the use of Internet and software applications for further information dissemination and acquisition. On one hand, as globalization affects the development of information technology, there is also a significant mark of the impact of the latter to the former. Essentially, the major contribution of information technology to the progressive move of globalization is the former’s capability to hasten the development of the latter. This furthering is associated with a variety of variables, among which are research and development, and information dissemination—that as the information age entails the “battle” for information monopoly for relative competitiveness and comparative advantage, the “costs of research and development led to the establishment of multinational corporations” (Castell, n.d.). Furthermore, it has also been argued that information technology also helps in furthering globalization at all areas of the society (Global Growth Challenge, 2007). Generally, it could be implied that the impact of globalization to the two similarly related areas is seen in two perspectives: the positive and the negative side. On the first perspective, it is worthy to note how globalization paved the way for the faster development and sophistication of the communication process, as with the aid of the highly sophisticated technologies brought by the former. New modes of communication were developed, which had made the whole process a very simple thing, yet very productive. In the field of information technology, that is the field which circumscribes both communication and information, for example, information is disseminated globally across the different regions of the world because of new methods of communications which are far different and productive compared to the old ones. This whole process is what has now been called as the globalization of communication wherein networks of wireless and cyber-space based communication processes is made possible by globalization and the “globally-produced” technologies. Thus, the effects could therefore be presented as not only that A is significantly resulting to B, but also that B results to A, just as in the manner that globalization immensely affects the information and communication technology, as much as the information and communication technology also affects the very nature of the operations of globalization. In addition, the impacts of globalization do not only end there. In fact, its effects were also dramatically extended even to the field where the provision, dissemination, and the exchange of information are highly catered to. This field is what has been known as the media. GLOBALIZATION AND MEDIA Another area that one should look into when delving into the extensiveness of the impacts of globalization is the media. The impacts of the former to the latter could be looked into two different perspectives: first, is on the positive side of it; and second, is the negative one. This distinction is due to the reason that the practice of globalization, indeed, posits both positive and negative impacts with regard to media development. The constructive impact of globalization on media could be reflected on the development in information technology which caters for the advancement of media, as well. Another related positive impact of globalization prior to the development of media technologies is espoused by Terhi Rantanen (2005, cited in Hardenbergh, 2005). According to him, the globalization of media enabled people across different borders to interconnect, amid the fact that at some point globalization really distorts traditional structures. However, such positive effects of globalization to media development are countered by some scholars. Robert Chrisman (2008) asserted that as globalization, to some, is seen as a force of imperialist intentions, its effects of media are seen as destructive to the latter’s traditional role; its impacts are seen as major distortions of how media is to be appropriately maneuvered in ways not catering to the advancement of the imperialist powers. On the other hand, there are also claims of positive impacts of globalization. As it was asserted by Abimbola Adesoji (2006, p.44), the globalization of media resulted to the development of active integration amongst the journalists around the world, which had brought up an array of developments including the domestication of communication media from the international scheme to the grassroots level of the society. Politically speaking, Adesoji (2006, pp.43-44) also pointed out that through the globalization of media, international political phenomena had been watched over, whether democratic principles and human rights issues had been taken for granted or not, for example. Furthermore, he also asserted that the globalize media served as a watchdog in the promotion and security of democratization. There are still more to be accounted when talking about the impacts of globalization to media. Media globalization has not been a common notion that one would think of when speaking about the very nature of the media. However, as having been the dominant trend in the world, globalization enabled the eventual shift of the tradition nature of media. Connectedly, the growth of the communications and information technology paved the way for the monopoly of media control by the emerging transnational corporations, solely for the purpose of profit maximization (Jan, 2009, p.67). The implication therefore is that the media’s very nature had been altered in a manner that is so destructive given the nature of corporations to go for any means possible just to accumulate profits. This kind of media production is not referred merely as sheer ‘globalization’, but ‘corporate globalization’. According to Norman Solomon (2003), the corporate globalization of media is associated with the largish capital investments of business moguls even over national laws for them just to be favored with any request they are after in connection with media undertakings. The ‘westernization’, or commonly defined as the “Americanization” of the world has been one of the promising features of the newly globalized media. In addition, such Americanization would eventually bring into advancement the struggle for power and control over media firms. Such competition, usually headed by First World states gives a leeway for the propagation of cultural imperialism, transporter data flow, and various changes possible in the very process of information flow. Moreover, as these instances pervade, the probable end could be the “re-colonization” of the poorer states, guising in the very nature of media hegemony (Jan, 2009, pp.60-70). Since there is the internalization of the media culture, it could always dwell in the great possibility of it being patterned in the values of those conglomerates financing them. This, thus, enables the rise of appreciation to western media firms as the result of the “draining” of the mindsets of the non-westerners. With the rise of western media firm appreciation, a great tendency for the decline and deterioration of local media patronage is at hand. However, this could not be as negatively impactful as it could have been since the dominion of the media culture, even to those non-western media firms, had been “tattooed’ in the mindset of the locales (Evans, 2008). Furthermore, the externalities are not only limited to the nature of media itself. Extensively, the effects also extend to the point of ecological instability because of tolerated self-interested media advertisements created by corporations (Solomon, 2003). CONCLUSION Consequently, globalization is both an enriching and a degrading agent. As far as its propagation is concerned, various aspects of society are affected. One, particularly, is the technology with which current systems of integration within the society is dealing with. Fortunately, the relationship between technology and globalization is seen as mutuality, with one constructively affecting the other, and vice versa. Such significant mutuality is being exhibited through the exchanges of benefits each one give to the other—that is, as globalization makes it possible for technology to flourish and be more refined, technology also enables the advancement of globalization much easier, especially in the surging market economy adopted globally. As technology and globalization goes hand in hand during the whole process of integration, they also affect some areas of the society, particularly the field of communications and media. Another area concerned in this account is the media, particularly the impact, or rather impacts, of globalization to the media. This account concurs that as there have been several positive impacts brought by globalization to both technology and communications, the reverse has been what dominates the number of effects globalization had brought to the field of media. Globalization as the dominant trend, hence, extends not only in limited to small spaces, but to almost every forte within the society, reaching even the small details of living. Thus, seeing both sides of the coin, it could therefore be implied that it is important to consider that understanding the very nature of globalization is to deal with both its positive as well as its negative impacts to various areas of the society. References Adesoji, A. O., 2006. Globalization of the media and the challenges of democratisation in Nigeria. [Online] Available at: http://www.iiav.nl/ezines/web/Nebula/2009/No2/Adesoji.pdf [Accessed 2 February 2010]. Asilo, C., 2007. Globalization and communication growth. [Online] Acme Articles. Available at: http://www.acmearticles.com/Art/45796/88/Globalization-and-Communication-Growth.html [Accessed 27 January 2010]. Castell, M., n.d. Globalization and information technology. 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