When you think of Globalisation many words come to mind such as, poverty, culture, trade, capitalism, environment, growth etc. All those things are Globalisation. Globalisation refers to an international community influenced by technological development and economic, political, and military interests ( O’Shaughnessy 2008 p.458). It is Characterised by a worldwide increase in interdependence, interactivity, interconnections, and the virtually instantaneous exchange of information (O’Shaughnessy 2008, p.458).
(Rolin Corporation 2015)
There are four main processors creating globalization:
- Localising processors: Where geographically concentrated activities with varying degrees of functional integration occur, playing a key role in the global economy (Clegg 2011, p.577). An example of this is having access to a pacific product like coal, where cities can make steel
- Internationalising processors: Where there is a simple spread of economic activities across national borders but with low levels of functional integration (Clegg 2011, p.577).
- Globalising processors: These are characterised by a both extensive geographical spread and a high degree of functional integration (Clegg 2011, p.577).
- Regionalising processors: These are characterised by globalizing processors that take place at a regionally supranational scale (Clegg 2011, p.577).
These four processors can impact on global relations between states and countries and the multicultural diversity of organisations and communities.
Globalisation has largely been made possible thanks to technology advances, especially the internet. As Nations grow, so does technology. Technology has achieved a level of interdependence, especially in communication, trade, travel and policies.
The globalisation of communication has been driven by the pursuit of the commercial interests of large US-based transnational corporations, often acting in collaboration with Western political and military interests; and this process has resulted in a new form of dependency in which the traditional cultures are destroyed through the intrusion of Western values also know as ‘cultural Imperialism’ where one culture spreads it’s values and ideas culturally (M O’Shaughnessy, 2008). The globalization of communiction results in the domination of traditional cultures and intrusion of Western culture and values such as consumerism (O’Shaughnessy 2008, p.465).
The advances of communication have both positive and negative aspects of globalisation. In a positive sense, globalisation has connected cultures, allowing individuals and groups to become apart of a larger group sharing values and creating this sense of ‘utopia’. It also allows for people to help the poorer countries, especially if natural disasters occur (O’Shaughnessy 2008, p.465).
On a negative note, globalisation can been seen as social exclusion as many countries do not have access to internet which means a limited amount of communication. Globalisation can also affect the loss of culture and traditions as many countries and becoming alike and losing their values and traditions and they are conforming to the rest of the world; the Western culture.
Focusing the relationship between globalisation, technological and economic changes, globalisation is rapidly changing, significantly on social and cultural impacts.
References:
- O’Shaughnessy, M and Stadler, J (2008) ‘Globalisation’, Media and Society (fifth edition) Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 458-471.
- Clegg, S Kornberger, M & Pitsis, T 2011, Managing and Organizations: An Introduction to Theory and Practice, 3rd Edn, Sage, London.
- Rolin Corporation 2015, what is Globalization, video, YouTube, 6 March, viewed 13 August 2015, <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPD477FuqtY>.
FIFTY SHADES OF MEDIA 