Introduction
A comparison of life in the 21st century and that of the late 20th century demonstrates significant contrasts. The observed changes can be attributed to advancements in technology that have impacted all the domains of life, i.e. social, economic, and political. Although such amendments often begin at a regional level, they tend to spread into the neighboring areas and finally the entire globe over time. Such variations have resulted in different outcomes both positive and adverse. The disparity of perceptions concerning the end products of such revolutions has led to dissimilarities in the reception of changes in various communities. This essay focuses on the reasons that might influence people’s choices to accept or reject variations in this globalized era (T).
The political and economic realms have the capacity to modify life in a variety of ways. Such a concept can be supported by the fact that politics directly impacts the economy which in turn affects the social wellbeing of people in a particular community.
Internationalization of Culture
Business internationalization has the capability to homogenize the global culture, however, local companies have made significant efforts to counter the effects of globalization by maintaining a certain range of cultural heterogeneity. According to Bryant Simon, the extension of Starbuck business into England introduced a new culture with an aim to standardize it. Given the dynamism in the business environment which has been brought about by technological advancements, most companies opt to venture into the global market. Such an endeavor often presents some challenges forcing companies to adopt strategies such as standardization to reduce managerial inefficiencies (Alwazir). However, most organizations including Starbucks are incapable of accommodating the cultural diversity of the multiple communities within a single framework as dictated by standardization (SA1) (Yazdanifard). Therefore, they end up providing similar products and services regardless of the populations differing cultures.
The feature of standardization has offered local firms leverage to compete with global companies Bryant explains that the effects of internationalization can be counteracted by local enterprises who unlike global companies often incorporate cultural aspects of the locals. Although Bryant’s notion seems logical, it fails to consider the advantages that global corporates have over regional companies. Such a disparity of opportunities cannot be countered by cultural preferences alone as the article suggests. Therefore, a significant percentage of the community is likely to accept international products due to their economic advantages, while a small portion might reject it citing their societal values (SA2).
How Does the Internet Affect Democracy?
Technological developments such as the availability of the internet have brought about a political revolution in some countries, however, extensive usage of the internet also poses individual threats.
The internet has increased exposure which has been the driver of political outcry in various nations.
The internet is the main source of evidence that enlightens people in a variety of ways making them realize the leadership shortcomings in their countries. Such realization is often brought about by the comparison of similar matters in two countries (SA3). The highlighted differences are often voiced out in social media thus forcing the government to make necessary adjustments. Since the community benefits from such form of changes, a considerable proportion of the society which is mainly made up of liberalized-minded people is more likely to agree to further innovations. Hover, the conservative portion is more liable to treat such changes as a form of pervasiveness and thus reject them.
However, Winokur (as cited by Garrett) states the internet infringes an individual’s privacy and thus can expose one to great danger. Although this statement is logical, the evaluation of the circumstances in non-democratic societies often calls for radical measures to obtain liberty (SA4). Therefore, Winokur’s report encourages fear which forces people to live under oppression for a long period without any hope of getting liberated. Therefore, the utilization of the internet to voice out the government’s failures can be considered as a significant benefit that technology has brought about.
Conclusion
Change is always inevitable although we often reject them in the essence that they tend to destruct the standard way of life. However, after the adaptation period, people often start realizing some of the advantages posed by such adjustments. The disparity in acceptability can be attributed to the variability of internalization duration. During the period of integration, the community tends to segment itself into some groups according to perceptions regarding a particular form of change. Such groups are dynamic as people gain more knowledge, thus merging several categories, over time, the groups are combined into one group. Such a scenario is often witnessed when converting innovations into applicable results.
Works Cited
Alwazir, I am. "Global Marketing Strategy-Standardization vs. Adaptation." A collection of my MBA works 11 December 2013. Document.
Yazdanifard, D. "Comparison on the Impact of Standardization and Adaptation on International Marketing." Journal of Research in Marketing (2014): 250. Document.
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