Introduction
Globalization is a reference often used by a lot of people and is defined in various ways. All the same, it is normally made out as being caused by a blend of financial, scientific, socio-cultural, opinionated and organic features. The reference can also point to the worldwide flow of initiatives, lingos, or popular culture by way of assimilation. One of the mainly contentious facets of this phenomenon is the universal spread and domination of American way(s) of life (Mercy Corps, 2009, p.1).
In the same manner as United States commodities flooded global markets in the period following the Second World War, American way(s) of life are at the moment making a way into each continent by way of the spectacular development of mass communications such as song, TV, motion pictures and the World Wide Web.
The making way into other parts of the world of US companies has as well played a major role in this. Overseas leaders and activists drawn from various backgrounds have reiterated their concerns that the ways of the world may turn out to be too Americanized and end up wiping out other cultures.
A feature of the globe that has undergone the above described course can be said to be globalized. For instance, in business, it means the rising fusion of the globe’s trade and Industry order by way of cutback of such hurdles to global business as levies, export charges and import rations.
The aim is to add to material affluence, commodities and services by way of an intercontinental sharing out of effort through good organization(s) enhanced by global associations, specialism and contention. It depicts the means through which area financial systems, civilizations, and customs have turned out to be incorporated by way of communication, haulage, and doing business.
The reference is for the most part directly linked with the reference economic globalization. This refers to the amalgamation of state-run financial systems into the intercontinental economy by way of buying and selling, overseas direct venture, resources flows, migration, the broadening of expertise, and armed forces being there.
As a result globalization, it is imperative that businesses and various other ventures have to alter their way of doing things so as to stay afloat or survive in the marketplace. This means that they need to rethink their strategies in order to incorporate the reality of globalization.
International marketplaces and especially the surfacing ones present lucrative prospects. For a lot of businesses it is the single front for advancement as subsisting marketplaces get established with a small number of opportunities for lucrative chances (Hopeton, 1995, p. 88).
As international markets develop by way of the rising use of the World Wide Web and with enhanced delivery chains, it is probable that there are a lot of unexploited sectors around the globe that would open to a transnational firm, in spite of the trade. Progressively, the globe is turning out to be an accessible international business place. To stop production, selling, and offering services at one’s home-base boundaries is not just whimsical, but also ill-judged.
Intercontinental marketing and existence is mostly characterized majorly in conditions of the echelon of participation of the firm in the worldwide marketplace, and sell overseas, transnational and worldwide marketing are most extensively mulled over. As a result, these are the major areas in which the strategies of any international venture or one that aims to go that way need to ponder over.
Youth culture under globalization
The globalization of the way(s) of living, the impact on customs of the greater than ever association of the globe and its inhabitants, is conceivably nowhere more able to be seen than in the shifting nature of the affiliation involving the globe’s youth and their sense of identity.
It has turned out to be routine to think of the globe’s youth as that component of the society who are most open, or, on the other hand, inclined to alien cultural ways. The United States of America has the globe’s leading economy and the strongest known armed forces, and has taken huge leaps in influencing the rest of the humanity to think and operate the same way they do (Millet, 2010, p.1).
The youth are normally at a stage where they get exposed to various aspects which fascinate them. As a result, they most of the times have the desire to act and go about their affairs in ways which they have found fashionable and copied from whichever culture(s). With the American ways of life being the most dominant in the world today, then most of them ape this culture.
If early days stand for acceptance, and maturity means conservatism, youth stands for noncompliance. The formative years are seen as the portion of the general public that is most expected to take on a course of cultural sponging that is upsetting of the duplication of long-established cultural ways. These practices range from ways of clothing, verbal communication, aesthetics, and thoughts, among others.
Formative social groups come out as being absolutely defiant derived as much from a longing to throw out the ways of the age bracket that went earlier than them, as from an individuality with what they have turned out to be. The extent to which the American ways of life have penetrated the globe is not difficult to notice. It is actually very clear that the era of globalization, more than any other era prior to it, is a period that has both imparted immense impacts upon, and been hugely impacted by young persons.
How the world youth are being Americanized
Americanization is the modern-day reference used for the sway the United States has on the ways of life of other nations, replacing their ways of life with American trends (Galeota, 2004, p. 21). A majority of the globe appears to be tagging along America and dropping its real forms of life.
The phenomenon has not left even the Chinese community that has no weak points (Tamura, 1993, p. 110). The taking upon other people’s way(s) of life against one’s better judgment has an unconstructive implication, whereas, when it is hunted out of one’s own free will it has an affirmative implication.
A lot of cultures more than ever the Europeans have in most times looked down on Americans articulating that they have no culture. Nevertheless, as any social scientist will say, even having no defined way of life is a culture in its own right. As a result, for several years the land of settlers has been on a course of forming distinctiveness and for this reason a culture.
Talking of style, trends that originated in America are now commonplace in other parts of the world. For instance, the laid-back American trend of putting on jeans, T-shirt and sneakers is now widespread and up to standard in lots of places.
Those working in offices and other formal environments can in most times be seen in tight jeans and long sleeved shirts, with ties on. The justification is that this is a contemporary style (read American). Another widespread replication of styles that originated in the Americas is the cowboy hats, boots and big silver belt fasteners. These originated form mainly Texas and Arizona.
The American music business has also played a major role in influencing the youth trends across the world. Those in their formative years are copying the trends of famous artistes. Youths even in the developing world are struggling to live like these idols. Even those who are keen to venture into the showbiz industry are not following the ways of their forefathers, instead they want to conduct their affairs the American way.
This can be seen from well-known artists like 50-cent, Jay-z, Lil John, among others, with their showy modes of dress set apart by ostentatious jewelry, popularly known as bling bling (Millet, 2010, p.1). It is not uncommon to see young people from other parts of the world who are out to sing donning styles that are copied from these artists.
World over, the United States of America is conceivably best branded for its various and doing well fast food outlets. Such franchises, together with Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, McDonald’s, Burger King, and Kentucky Fried Chicken, among others, are famous for producing and selling fast foods and drinks.
Travelling around the world reveals that that there is numerous such food joints, and they even adopt the same names. Such places are popular with the generation in their formative years who are out to look trendy and fashionable. This is despite the fact that much of the food sold in such joints has been proven by medical experts to be cause for lifestyle diseases such as obesity.
Another area of American culture that has influenced youth in the rest of the world and cannot be ignored is popular culture. The broadcast of American ways of life has been majorly by way of a number of channels with the leading medium being the electronic media. TV and films have really shown the world how the Americans conduct their issues.
The Hollywood actors appearing strong and smoking cigars and slim women have all had an effect on the manner in which youths in the rest of the world want to conduct their affairs. A majority of the youth nowadays do not pay much attention to music, movies and other entertainment stuff produced in their native lands. Instead they are looking up to material originating from the Americas.
It is open for all to see that many nations and continents now have correspondents of the American entertainment awards. Almost all of these awards imitate what takes place in the famed American functions like the Grammy Awards for the music industry and the Oscar Awards for movies. All these are events and functions in which the youth have interest and copy trends from (Millet, 2010, p.1).
A lot of nations have also gone ahead and have come up with theme recreational areas founded on the American Disney World form. Language has not been left behind as young people copy American English and slang. This is because they are in most of the times engrossed in music, movies, and literature, among other stuff from America.
The United States of America have a huge stake and influence in the advancement of the World Wide Web and its associated technology. Gurus of both hardware and software stuff that is related with internet use are majorly drawn from America. As a result, inventions in that field are never devoid of the American touch. The youth who have a keen interest in the latest inventions and advancements thus find themselves inclined to the American way(s) of doing things.
Basketball is a loved sport in the US and if keen observations are made in the rest of the world then one cannot fail to notice how the trends of the game are replicated especially among college students.
Limitations of globalization
Adoption of American culture in other parts of the world and especially by the young generation has not been taken lightly by all. Various arguments have been raised and they make a lot of sense. If the trend continues, then the globe will eventually be Americanized. With America being the most dominant economy in the world with a mighty armed forces to boot then no other developed culture can surpass it in swaying the world to adopt its trends (Mercy Corps, 2009, p.1).
This is a huge disadvantage to other cultures as their ways will be wiped out in a matter of time. The end result will be cultural and corporate imperialism. Cultural imperialism refers to the supremacy of one culture over another, with the same being the case for the corporate world. The cause can be due to planned strategy or by economic or scientific authority, or a combination of all these factors.
The youth in other parts of the world, particularly in the developing world who are keen to take on foreign practices are the ones to suffer negative consequences. Economically there is going to be the utilization of foreign poor workers by the dominant economy(s). Such workers are utilized as cheap labor since they are desperate and desire to work for the industrialized and developed nations.
The future of US domination in the world
It has been observed that as long the United States remains the dominant economy and the world superpower then its dominance in many fronts in the world might not come to an end any time soon. The aspects of society in which young people everywhere have interest in are majorly dominated by the Americans.
These range from entertainment, sports, fashion, technology and corporate trends, among others. With the advancement of communication through electronic media these things are accessible from any part of the world. Young people are energetic and take up these things with lots of gusto. It will take a lot for another entity to come in and overtake the US, taking into account that it has been there for quite some time now.
It is interesting to note that as this debate continues, Americans rebuff the notion that their culture is a threat to other overseas ways of life. A majority of them think that such claims are blown out of proportion. All in all, US culture had a huge effect on other cultures in the 20th century, and observers believe the same will be the case in the 21st century.
Reference List
Millett, F. (2010). Americanization. Web.
Mercy Corps. (2009). Americanization or globalization? Web.
Galeota, J. (2004). Cultural Imperialism: An American Tradition. Web.
Hopeton S. Dunn. (1995). Globalization, communications, and Caribbean identity. St Martin’s Press, New York and Randle Publishers, Kingston.
Tamura, E. (1993). Americanization, Acculturation, and Ethnic Identity: THE NISEI GENERATION IN HAWAII (Asian American Experience). Urbana: University of Illinois Press.