Globalization and cultural diversity Essay Example for Free

Globalization and cultural diversity Essay The forces of globalization are actually encouraging creation and promotion of cultural diversity to avoid enclosing oneself in a boring single type of culture. Today the products of cultural diversity in the global world are universally enjoyed by all peope. The arguments given by prominent critics like Thomas Freidman shows that there is no dominant culture under global jurisdiction though the aspect of globalization is derived from the American culture. In economic sector firms in company have attempted to sell their products in abroad nations without necessarily affecting the culture in their homeland. In the process the countries involved benefit by buying of ideas and materials from each other and shape them to suite their culture. Cultural diversity has helped a lot in borrowing of good aspects which steer growth in the country engaged in trade. Globalization has led to cultural diversity where life is conceptualized as composed of four issues which include dedication to learning, contribution to the society and family, reflection on what has been learned and then conceptualize it spiritually. Globalization has been driven about by forces of trade and capitalization in pursuit and economic development in home country, which in turn yields good paying jobs or improved living standards. There is curiosity among young people who wishes to know more and more about life in the global world to accept and be accepted and to be informed more of what they really don’t know. In the process of globalization, it is also evident that our cultural ethnic and societal diversities are put to the extreme ends because we want to perceive a unipolar vision of the world around us (http://www. newint. org/issue172/keynote. htm). Background information about Unilever Company Unilever is a multinational corporation formed to offer the greatest percentage of consumer products in form of foods beverages cleaning agents and other personal care products. This company has created job opportunities to more than 180,000 people in the whole world. Although in each branch there is a manager, Unilever Company has the same directors and effectively operate as a single business. Currently the chairman of Unilever Company and affiliate companies is Michael treschow, with Patrick Cescan being the group chief executive. Its products are sold widely in the whole world and their shares are listed on the world’s stock exchange markets (http://www. amazon. co. uk/review/product/1403944539? showViewpoints=1). The creation of Unilever Company is traced back in the year 1930 through merging of two companies, that is, British soap maker lever brothers and Dutch margarine producer which became as a palm oil company and maintained the importation of both margarine and soaps in large quantities. Its new ventures were launched in Latin America. Unilever Company grew bigger and purchased many companies which were in the line with the products which they were purchasing. In the year 1996, Unilever bought Helen Curtis industries which gave it a high boost as a powerful company in United States shampoo and deodorant market. In 2000 the company absorbed American businesses, best foods hence strengthening their ties in the market in North America and extended its food brands. Today the company has opened many branches in different countries and has continued to grow widely in the market industry. Recently the company has started a five year vitality company initiative to improve the products in maturity stage which are declining in terms of their sale in the market. Today unilever has ventured in various fields including agricultural sector and tea products. In the year 2008 it was honored at 59th annual technology and engineering. Emmy awards for outstanding achievement in advanced media because of creative nature of giving interactive commercial advertising delivered through digital set up top boxes for its programs axes (http://www. newint. org/issue172/keynote. htm). Corporate governance Unilever has a body and chief executive headed by Patrick cescan which is supposed to steer the organization towards maximization of profit and improve the image of the company like any other profit making organization. Unilever Company is engaged in making sure that it operates at its lowest costs and earning the highest revenue. Unilever Company has got also a chairman who is the head of all the brands in the company. There are also other officers including managers in different brands. Still in its jurisdiction there are other staff officers who are concerned with the welfare of the company in larger community. Today the company owns about 400 brands which are found in local countries which fall in the category of food and beverages home and personal care which are almost found in the whole world. Cultural diversity in the unilever company Just like any other multinational company unilever company uses aggressive policies to market their goods which is reflected in the public image. It prefers to remain largely anonymous hiding behind the hundreds of brand names and products they sell. Unilever uses television and other prominent Medias to advertise their products so that people can get to know their presence. Unilever Company has element of destroying cultural diversity and make the world more uniform. The tactics used in making profits include centralization of production and sell the same products across the nation boundary. Regardless of whom you are whether an African American Indian unilever has greatly improved the world’s tastes and their goods are replacing the organization in different countries who find rough to compete with Unilever products. The effects of unilever company on the worlds economy are experienced in south ail London when it closed it closed its branches whereby many employees we’ve rendered jobless hence the is a tragic outcome Multicultural societies across the border face a formidable political task to turn racial religious and tribal differences into strength . even in the countries experiencing strong political wrangles and clashes that has been recorded a high rate of promotion and cultural diversity. Some of the multinational companies which have established good ties sin the economic sector like IBM, GE and unilever use cultural diversity as one of their key elements in success in business are aimed at finding means and ways of harmonizing it (http://www. kmtalk. net/article. php? story=20070103041059823). One of the most important aspect of globalization is ability to boost economy in third world countries by investors from developed countries investing in those developing ones. unilever companies has developed various packs in their products which are marketed in different countries. The marketing of these products helps the government in the state to earn revenue from the abroad countries. For instance unilever has developed a program called Trumbull tax abatements which has managed to pull off several major changes of its own in different countries. One of its major changes is to boost financial position in local services. The Trumbulls boost up the local property tax by bringing expansion in the continent city. Unilever has also put numerous knowledge management initiatives in place across the border. This is meant to identify new opportunities for investment by first considering the market structure and consumer needs in every state. Unilever Company has put in place a communication strategy in personal, informal and more structured in organizational level. For the purpose of ensuring community success Unilever Company through knowledge management group. (CMG) has put in place a more formal frame work to help ensure the effective and efficient operation of the firm’s communities of practice. The community framework in unilever advocates for certain principles within which the company coops operates in order to ensure added advantage to the business value. The principles under which it works can be classified into four. This includes deliverable people operations and leverage. To strike the difference between communities of practice is defined around knowledge domain and this is where the company laid its production basis strategy. The identified deliverables should contribute to the expected results. The deliverables can be knowledge wise, Such as improved insights, training program and good practice. While business deliverables can be specific innovations, safety improvements and the like in the business (http://www. amazon. co. uk/review/product/1403944539? showViewpoints=). The people pillar concerns about roles and responsibilities of the cop members to the communities. They are experts who are recognized as such both inside community. They should effectively represent both the geographical and local versus cooperate resources. There are also activists who are supposed to continually review the roles of community for the members to fill. The people pillars address the other stakeholders and sponsors apart from the community who are necessary to validate resources for the members. The operation pillar is centered on community functions. This forms a platform for free expression of members to effectively express themselves every group is free to set its rules itself. The organization has also developed guidelines for activist training. This training is aimed at creating awareness of the importance of the community in building understanding of cooperative activities. The training offers knowledge on communities practice and ways of sustaining these communities. Unilever organization has recognized the effects of its products on to people and the diversity in cultural background. They place people at the centre of the business and everything they do. The organization has also majored a lot in the area of environmental and society growth especially in agricultural sector nutritional hygiene and personal care on the production in creation which care of different tastes and preferences and also in the sector of science and technology in making their products. Having recognized customer income differences from different countries unilever has packaged their goods in different quantities to enable them reach all consumers in different income levels. Unilever has been also received critics from different countries due to harm caused by their production either through consummation or advertisement. For example in India unilever has been accused of climbing contaminated toxic mercury in tourist sites and the surrounding . protected nature reserve and pambar ,shola in timilnadu and southern India this spills from the industry leads to health hazards which inturn can cause a lot of health problems (http://www. newint. org/issue172/keynote. htm). In UK it has been accused of misleading advertisement on cholesterol lowering margarine and flora proactive. this has a lot of negative impacts on the linage of the company when it failed to do so. All in all unilever has got advanced communication channels and is always to change from the accusation put on it. Multicultural societies across the border face a formidable political task to turn racial religious and tribal differences into strength even in the countries experiencing strong political wrangles and clashes that has been recorded a high rate of promotion and cultural diversity. One of the most important aspect of globalization is ability to boost economy in third world countries by investors from developed countries investing in those developing ones.unilever companies has developed various packs in their products which are marketed in different countries. References Information on Unilever Company, available at: http://www. newint. org/issue172/keynote. htm, accessed on July 10, 2008 Cultural diversity in the Unilever Company available at: http://www. amazon. co. uk/review/product/1403944539? showViewpoints=1, accessed on July 10, 2008 Cultural diversity and success in business, available at: http://www. kmtalk. net/article. php? story=20070103041059823, accessed on July 10, 2008