Globalization and Effect on Culture
Abstract:
Globalization is the process of international integration arising from the interchange of world views, products, ideas, and other aspects of culture and we have seen globalization implemented around the world over the last century . Globalization has been internalized in Arabic as “awlaama” and refers to the spread throughout the globe of ideas, customs, institutions, and attitudes originated in one part of the world which are usuallyWestern in origin. For this reason it has often been perceived as largely equivalent to Westernization and is still widely regarded as an external threat rather than as an opportunity. But not all countries of the world are accepting it because "globalization" has been termed as the reason that makes culture fade away. Saudi Arabia is a key example of this because many Saudi
Arabian government officials believe that globalization promotes integration of the western world and calls for the removal of all cultural barriers and traditions. These concerns relate closely to business ethics as they come across some aspect of moral issues that might be against or with it. What we know is that "Society is given the right to expect corporation not to cause harm" when they cross cultural boundaries and there is a delicate line that exists when foreign countries enter the business market in a traditional country.
Economic and cultural globalization has led to swift alteration of cultures around the globe. Through electronic media, print and internet sources the westernized cultures are slowly transmitted to native ones. Surprisingly, global industries are westernized and their cultures have the traits and features of the west. The cultures are alien to the Islamic world. The pervasive culture is leading to an identity crisis in Islamic countries such as Saudi Arabia. Globalization has been termed as the reason that makes culture fade away. For instance, globalization promotes media that is widely composed of western cultures. It also regenerates the local culture to replace it with the western culture. Furthermore, the collective Islamic ways of life are at stake due to globalization. Despite, globalization being viewed as the promoter of social and cultural integration by removing barriers and stimulating cultural exchange some cultures are worried about their erosion1. According to Shaw and Barry, ethics within a corporation should be enforced correlated within the society they sell their products.
Society is given the right to expect corporations not to cause harm. This is under the ethical code of institutionalizing ethics within corporations. The corporations are mandated to take account for their external effects and overall focus on the betterment of the society. In Saudi Arabia in particular, racial segregation is the part of their culture. The company such as McDonalds is required to operate as per the regulations of the Islamic laws. A separate place for men and women should be built and the food should be made as per the tradition of the people. However, McDonald's being an international company was challenged that it was influencing people eating habits. It was argued that the restaurant was meant to destroy the traditional habits by replacing the menu with a universalized one. A group such as Al Qaeda accused the restaurant of trying to impose western infidel culture in the wellconstructed social customs of people of Islamic religion.
Shaw and Barry in their moral issues of business argue that business should be morally responsible in their advertising. What is advertised should be socially responsible to the consumers and the community in general. Doing business in the middle east has been very hard due to religiosity and social attitudes.
Furthermore, the region appears to be tricky because marketing product and services is very hard. For instance, Saudi Arabia has strict interpretation to its Islamic law. It bans adverts that might change the society. Moreover, they blur images of any person in their public advertisements. Islam forbids display of human figures. This measure makes the existing business have hard time marketing their products.
Efforts such as advertising online cannot be successful because the websites are greatly screened to prevent negative social content. Despite, the world becoming a global village countries in the middle east are yet to change and adopt the changes in the culture. Businesses moral principles have been discussed by economists but they do not apply to some parts of the state.
IKEA Catalogue is a publication produced by the Swedish Home Furnishing Retailer. It focuses on the catalogue as its marketing tool. The company came in focus by publishing a catalogue without women for the Saudi market. The act had raised various concerns across the globe. In Saudi Arabia, the local partner to the group saw it as the right measure because the religion of that side of the country forbids depiction of human figures particularly women. The move conflicted with IKEA group values. They missed the picture of how the move was perceived elsewhere in the world. Presumably, the company

came to apologize after the issue became viral. The local culture and the company values are two different things. The company spoils its reputation because business ethics requires equal treatment of markets without favor or discrimination.
Despite the move being morally feasible in Saudi Arabia, the world values were against it. Saudi Arabia has come to be criticized by their morales being notoriously conservative. Consultations, perhaps, could have helped minimize the effect of the issue. Business intellectuals have argued that women cannot be wiped from the picture. The best thing the company could do was to include the women and form a strong defense team. The local culture and economic values greatly affect the moral issues in business.
Meanwhile, taking care does not harm the society, the business are faced with the ethical issue of making tough decisions that are contrary to their business ethics. Arguably, cultural difference cannot justify transnatio nal corporation’s common practice3. International organizations are required to uphold human rights standards at all time.
Arguably, the respect for culture and tolerance of cultural differences is an ethical responsibility.
However, tolerance ends when a fundamental universal principle is at stake. A universal principle such as equal rights for women all over the world should be respected. Islamic countries have segregated their women on economic and social matters for a long duration of time. Therefore, a move by IKEA catalogue to support the Islamic laws, which had no respect for women, was ultimately wrong. The principle should be respected, as equal respect for humans regardless of gender is mandated. The misunderstanding of Islam and the western values have elicited violence and enmity. The Islamic communities are accusing the world of clash civilizations. Western ideas are rife and the censorship that
Saudi government has tried to adopt is failing.
Moral business practices argue against broadening corporate authority. The hand of the government argument requires the business to regulate business activities in order to ensure they act morally and socially responsible. Moreover, the hand of the government argues that corporations cannot be left to seek their own self-interest gains. The government needs to regulate and induce incentives to the business that will encourage social institutions. Middle east countries follow this principle, but their cultural context makes the principle to be interpreted in cting western and local values in the modern globalization world have invoked the issues that affect our economic and social institutions. International relations are threatened in the socio-economic context of the diversified cultures.