We explain what globalization is and give you key examples to better understand how it works in the political, social, economic, cultural and technological fields.
What are examples of globalization?
Globalization is a process of economic, political, cultural, social and technological integration worldwide. It relies heavily on information and communication technologies (such as the Internet and mobile telephony) and advances in air, sea and land transportation.
Likewise, it implies a global expansion of free trade and the circulation of goods and capital, constant cultural and social exchange, and growing political and technological interdependence between countries.
Examples of globalization can be grouped into different levels: economic, political, cultural, social and technological. Below are some examples of each level of globalization.
See also:
- Globalization
- Features of globalization
In the economy
1. Free trade agreements
The signing of bilateral or multilateral trade agreements between countries favors the reduction or elimination of tariffs and obstacles to the importation of products, sometimes under the supervision of an international organization called the World Trade Organization (WTO). This often reduces the prices of imported goods, such as cell phones or other electronic devices made in Asia or the United States, and makes them more accessible to consumers.
In addition to the agreements that are part of the WTO, others stand out such as the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) between Mexico, Canada and the United States, and the South American economic bloc called the Common Market of the South (Mercosur).
2. Internationalization of production
Economic globalization facilitates the investment of multinational companies in other countries, whether by founding subsidiaries, purchasing foreign companies or investing in joint projects. For example, an American automotive company may establish a factory in Mexico to take advantage of lower labor costs and sell its products in the Latin American market.
On the other hand, the flow of goods allows an electronics factory in China to use inputs from India to sell the finished product in the United States, Europe or Latin America.
3. Franchises of multinational companies
Large multinational companies establish franchises in multiple countries to sell their products there. In this way, they usually impose some cultural practices from their countries of origin, but they must also adapt to local tastes and traditions. For example, the McDonald's, Starbucks and Subway gastronomic franchises or the Carrefour and Walmart supermarket chains.
See also: Economic globalization
In politics
4. Intergovernmental institutions
The creation of institutions made up of the governments of various countries promotes the discussion and coordination of global policies and greater international surveillance of the measures of national governments. The clearest example is the United Nations (UN), made up of most of the world's countries, whose main objective is to help resolve disputes through diplomatic channels and promote international peace and security.
In addition, the UN contains various organizations specialized in specific topics. For example, the UNHCR, which helps refugees for political, military or humanitarian reasons from countries such as Syria, Afghanistan, Ukraine, Sudan and Haiti, among many others, and the World Health Organization (WHO), which played a role leading role during the COVID-19 health crisis, by characterizing the expansion of this disease as a pandemic and providing advice to the governments of member countries on how to confront it.
5. International courts
The genocides and other acts of extreme violence in the 20th century led to the formation of criminal courts of global reach with the objective of judging war crimes and crimes against humanity. For example, in the 1990s, the UN created two such institutions. On the one hand, the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, with the purpose of pursuing and judging those responsible for violations of international humanitarian law and human rights during the Yugoslav wars that began in 1991. On the other, the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda , to prosecute those responsible for the Rwandan genocide in 1994.
Additionally, in 2002, the International Criminal Court (ICC) based in The Hague came into force, which has jurisdiction over genocides, crimes against humanity, war crimes and crimes of aggression.
6. Regional or international forums and conferences
The recognition of the global scope of certain contemporary problems promotes the holding of forums and conferences that bring together representatives of certain countries. Some examples are the Group of Twenty (G20), the Conference of the Parties (COP) and the Organization of American States (OAS).
The G20 convenes the political leaders of nineteen countries plus the European Union, including three Latin American countries (Argentina, Brazil and Mexico), to coordinate financial stability, sustainable development and international security policies. The COP, for its part, is organized within the framework of the UN and is dedicated to discussing climate change and promoting commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The OAS integrates all the independent countries of the Americas and is dedicated to coordinating actions linked to the promotion of democracy, the peaceful resolution of conflicts, regional cooperation for economic and social development, and respect for human rights.
7. The European Union
A unique case of integration between countries is the European Union, which began as a common market and a customs union and became a supranational community with particular economic and political characteristics, with its own institutions, representatives and officials, although these do not nullify the national governments of the member countries.
See also: Political globalization
in culture
8. International gastronomy
Globalization allowed the spread of the cuisine of different cultures worldwide. Restaurants serving Japanese, Italian, Mexican, Thai and other countries are common in many cities, and several of their dishes became popular around the world, such as Japanese sushi, Italian pizza or Mexican tacos.
In addition, some foods expanded along with migratory flows, such as arepas from Colombia and Venezuela in other Latin American countries, in Spain and in the United States. Thus, culinary combinations known as fusion cuisine frequently occur, which reinterpret the traditional dishes of one culture with ingredients or techniques from another, such as fusion sushi.
9. Global fashion
In the globalized world, fashion trends and styles spread rapidly beyond national borders. Designers like Giorgio Armani or Miuccia Prada have international fame and brands promote their products in fashion shows, magazines and social networks.
In addition, clothing and accessories from big brands are becoming accessible through online stores and the opening of physical stores in almost all major cities around the world, contributing to the globalization of fashion.
For example, sports clothing brands such as Nike or Adidas have subsidiaries almost all over the world, and luxury fashion stores such as Louis Vuitton or Gucci have branches in many countries, including some in Latin America (such as Mexico, Peru or Chile). Likewise, they reach countries where they do not have a physical presence through online purchases.
10. Global music, sports and entertainment
The arts, sports and entertainment industries currently have global dimensions. This is achieved through traditional broadcast media (such as radio and television), new communication technologies (such as the Internet, social networks and information services). streaming audio or video, such as Spotify, Netflix or Star+) and the celebration of live events (such as music concerts or national, regional and global sports competitions).
In addition, musicians of diverse origins spread internationally and have a global fan base, such as Beyoncé, Shakira or Harry Styles. Also movies and television series or streaming Americans, such as Hollywood cinema and Marvel movies, tend to dominate the global audiovisual market, and global attention for sporting events such as the Soccer World Cup, the NBA (United States basketball league) or the tennis Grand Slam turns athletes like Lionel Messi, LeBron James and Novak Djokovic into global celebrities.
See also: Cultural globalization
in society
11. Migrations
Advances in transportation and communications facilitate population transfers from one country to another, whether for work, studies, tourism, personal decision, or political and humanitarian asylum. These movements increase cultural exchanges, since the customs of some regions come into contact with those of others.
Some migrations are due to people with low or intermediate resources who seek better job opportunities and a better education for their children in other countries, as is the case of many Mexican and Central American migrants who move to the United States. In other cases, these are qualified professionals from developing countries who obtain better job offers in developed countries, such as engineers, doctors and scientists from various parts of Latin America who emigrate to Europe or the United States.
12. Virtual social relationships
Information and communication technologies make it possible to overcome geographical barriers and develop new forms of social relationships, mainly through the use of the Internet, social networks and mobile phones. In this way, people maintain emotional or work ties at a distance through networks and applications such as Facebook, various countries.
You can also acquire studies through online courses and careers (on the platforms of official educational institutions or providers such as Coursera) and work remotely through virtual platforms or as “digital nomads”, that is, without a fixed workspace.
13. Social pressure for the recognition of rights
Generalized access to information, global interconnection through social networks and the existence of international governmental and non-governmental organizations allow for greater pressure on governments to disseminate and respect political and social rights, such as freedom of expression, care for the environment, cultural diversity, human rights and democratic institutions. For example, social networks allowed the Arab Spring protests (2010-2012) to be organized and were used by many people around the world to adhere to slogans such as Black Lives Matter.
On the other hand, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) usually participate in intergovernmental conferences, such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, which monitor human rights, or World Wildlife Fund for Nature and Greenpeace, to discuss environmental issues.
Sometimes some intergovernmental institutions also collaborate with civil society, such as the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (dependent on the OAS), which issues reports and offers technical assistance in cases such as the forced disappearance of 43 students in Ayotzinapa, Mexico, in 2014 and the complaints of human rights violations in Venezuela.
See also: Social globalization
in technology
14. Widespread use of the Internet and social networks
The speed and global reach of today's communications and access to information are unprecedented in human history. This is due to the development of computer technology and the Internet, which makes it easier for people to connect around the world thanks to social networks (such as Facebook, email, Discord or WhatsApp).
These technologies also contribute to the functioning of multinational companies with subsidiaries in different countries, such as Nike, Apple or Coca-Cola, which maintain fluid and immediate contact with their offices abroad and promote their products on a global scale.
Although there are people who still have difficulties accessing the Internet, there is an increasingly widespread arrival of this technology, so residents from different regions and social strata can access it to communicate, obtain information and even study online courses and offer their work skills through social networks such as LinkedIn.
15. Extension of mobile telephony
Cell phone communication and the development of smartphones (smartphones) With access to the Internet and different types of applications, habits and the way of connecting radically changed. This phenomenon expanded on a global scale and today almost all people have constant access to a cell phone that fulfills various functions (communicative, work, informative, recreational, educational, among others).
Mobile telephony is also constantly experiencing innovations, such as the development of the fifth generation of cell phone technology, known as 5G. Thus, the extension of the use of cell phones contributes to reducing the so-called “digital divide”, that is, inequality in access to information and communication technologies.
16. Digital economy
Economic globalization benefited from technological innovations that gave rise to the so-called digital economy. New digital tools facilitate access to goods and services and allow exchanges at an international level, even between individuals. Some concrete examples of the digital economy are electronic commerce platforms (e-commerce)which enable the purchase and sale of physical and digital products with home delivery systems throughout the world (such as Amazon, eBay or AliExpress), and the internationalization of digital applications for supply and demand of services, such as Uber for transportation and Airbnb for accommodation.
Virtual wallets (such as PayPal or Google Pay), bank mobile applications and the development of technology are also part of the digital economy. blockchainwhich allows transactions in cryptocurrencies or other digital assets (such as Bitcoin, Ether or non-fungible tokens, better known as NFT).
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References
- Hashemi-Pour, C and Lutkevich, B. (2023). Globalization. TechTarget. https://www.techtarget.com/
- Lechner, F.J. (2009). Globalization. The Making of World Society. Wiley-Blackwell.
- Osterhammel, J and Petersson, N. (2019). Brief history of globalization. From 1500 to the present day. 21st century.
- Steger, M. B. (2020). Globalization. A Very Short Introduction. Oxford University Press.
- Volle, A. (2024). Globalization. Britannica Money. https://www.britannica.com/
