Global Interactions at the Local Level

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gLOBAL iNTERACTIONS AT THE LOCAL LEVEL

Glocalisation

Key Terms

Isomorphism: a scientific term which means replication of the same form yet separated from the main source.
Glocalisation: where the global and the local interact to produce hybridised outcomes.
Equity: the state, quality or ideal of being just, impartial and fair.
Sustainability: meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
Trade union: an organisation of workers who have banded together to achieve common goals such as pay and better working conditions.
Corporate social responsibility: a concept whereby organisations take responsibility for their impact on society and the environment.
Triple bottom line accounting: involves not just economic accounting but also social and environmental accounting.
Fair trade: a movement that aims to create direct long-term trading links with producers in developing countries and ensure they receive a guaranteed price for their product on favourable financial terms.

Localisation: conﬁned or restricted to a particular location.
Marketing: the commercial processes involved in promoting and selling and distributing a product or service.
Westernisation: a particular form of modernisation in which the methods and values of Western industrial capitalism are the basis of the changes that are occurring.
Halal an Arabic term designating any object or action that is permissible to use or engage in.
Generic drug a drug that is exactly the same as a brand-name drug and which may be manufactured and marketed after the brand-name drug’s patent expires.
Urbanisation of poverty: the increase in the proportion of people in poverty in a country who live in urban areas.
Maternal mortality rate: annual number of deaths of women from pregnancy-related causes per 100 000 live births.
Infant mortality rate: the number of deaths of children under one year of age per 1000 live births.
Microcredit: tiny loans and financial services to help the poor – mostly women – start businesses and escape poverty.
Social business: forms of business that seek to profit from investments that generate social improvements and serve a broader human development purpose.

Why is Glocalisation Important?

Most multi-nationals today have to take glocalisation into account when considering expanding beyond the domestic market. They have to translate advertisements or instruction manuals into different languages, have to be aware of the impact of colours or images in their adverts and on their packaging and need to take local laws and regulations into account. One way in which companies must find a way to adapt is with their online presence, meaning that companies now run websites designed for different areas or nations. This affords them the chance to introduce themselves to their markets and gives the customers the feeling that the products or services are really meant for them.

The term ‘glocalisation’ has been applied to a variety of
circumstances:
• The process of linking local, regional and global scales
• Using ICT to provide local services on a global or
transregional basis. Although the Internet has been a
key element in the process of globalisation, its role as
a localising agent cannot be ignored. More and more
web applications have been glocalising their approach
to meet consumer demand. Many minority languages
have developed their own websites as an important
part of maintaining and extending such languages in
their home regions. Websites can play an important
role in maintaining other aspects of culture as well.
• Individuals, households and organisations maintaining
interpersonal social networks combining local and
global interactions. With the considerable expansion of
global migration over the last 30 years, diasporas have
become signifi cant in many countries.
• Transnational corporations establishing local
organisation structures to work more effectively with
local cultures. TNCs have come to recognise that a
‘one size fi ts all’ approach has limited appeal in many
markets around the world.
• The customisation of global products and services to
suit local laws or culture. This can have a major impact
on sales due to the importance of ‘product acceptability’
in local communities.
• The declaration of a city or other locality as world
territory with responsibilities and rights on a global scale.
More and more people at a local level now recognise
that their actions can have a global impact (Figure 4).