GLOCALISATION

Glocalization



Glocalization is a term that comes from mixing between globalization and localization and that was originally developed in the 1980's into the business practices of Japan. Among academics, glocalisation is a hot topic. Its merits and demerits are widely debated. But, while scholars are arguing whether glocalisation is strengthening the world-wide dominance of a capitalist economic system, declining the primacy of the nation-state, and eroding local cultures and traditions (Barry and Keith, 1999, 648-54), or whether it is the inevitable trajectory of humanity through the pursuit of wealth and progress, most other people in the world are wholly unaware of this nuanced discourse. Indeed the term 'glocalisation' has been so over-used in so many contexts with various connotations that the word has become ambiguous, causing confusion more often than not. However despite this definitional difficulty, glocalisation is a generally accepted part of our reality (Barry, 2002, 11-25). Without a doubt, glocalization has had a number of positive effects on nations and businesses around the world. Yet the concept -once regarded as almost universally positive- has undergone a bit of a reassessment in recent years. This paper will assess the impact of globalization on business in United Kingdom and on consumers. This paper will examine the concept og glocalization, its determinants and the effect that glocalization have on business and consumer in United Kingdom.

Determinants of glocalization

Glocalisation is a process that everyone recognizes as the most important of the nineties, and which in turn gives rise to very mixed reviews. While not a new process has been resumed with greater emphasis on developing countries as a prerequisite to achieve specific economic growth and eradicate poverty (Barry and Keith, 1999, 648-54). Although many experts converge on the theme that glocalisation arose after World War II. It is important to remember other historical events that had also been preparing the ground for what we now call glocalization. Thus we have the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus and the colonization of most of the African continent in the early twentieth century was used to extract raw materials and gold, labor exploitation and appropriation of lands. Then, taking a leap in time between the late nineteenth and early twentieth century were born the first multinational or transnational companies, which gave the task to start getting more profits out of its borders. After the Second World War, the industrialized countries of North America, Europe and Asia achieved GDP growth rates three times higher than in the preceding 130 years, occurring worldwide expansion of trade of these countries (Barry, 2002, 11-25).

In order to avoid crisis conditions in the interwar period and regulate the growing trade relations, the countries concerned met in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire (United States) to generate an economic strategy and policy to release all barriers to free trade. This is when it consolidates the power of the United States because it was the only country that would come out better off after the armed ...