Blackwell Reference Online

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The neologism “glocalization” has emerged in recent years in economic, sociological, and cultural theories in response to the proliferation of writings about globalization and its local implications. It might best be described as the relationship between global and local processes, which are increasingly viewed as two sides to the same coin rather than being diametrically opposed (e.g., Robertson, 1992 ). The age of global mobility has created more fluid and seamless relationships. For example, the work of Castells (1996) on the network society and Appadurai's (2001) discussion of flows gives some indication of how global mobility has affected local environments and their inhabitants. Giddens (1998) suggests that globalization was originally a political and economic term. It could be argued that glocalization, on the other hand, represents the intersection of political economics and sociocultural concerns, with its emphasis on the local and community impacts of global structures and processes. Ritzer (2004: 73) defines glocalization as “the integration of the global and the local resulting in unique outcomes in different geographic areas.” Glocalization can thus represent the consequences (both tangible and intangible) of globalization, e.g., the creation of heterogeneous or hybridized cultures, communities, and identities. In business terms, it might represent the local orientation ... log in or subscribe to read full text