by Elizabeth M Young

Created on: March 23, 2010

Globalization, in the purest definition is a process where an enterprise, government, financial system, military strategy, or even entertainment type becomes universally used or known throughout the planet! This is actually an impossibility, since no single currency, language, or even style of government exists that is universally recognized. Without those universal commonalities, it is not going to happen that one operation can be called "global".

This is because the operation or enterprise modifies to accomodate the language, laws and dictates of the host country, thereby becoming something different in structure and in operations. For pure globalization, there would be no differences for each country.

The more realistic definition of "globalization" involves enterprises, treaties and agreements that involve a large number, or an expanded number, of the dominant countries of the planet.  Even that is difficult to achieve in most cases, because many of the dominant governments do not all get along well at all with each other and/or have wildly varied standards, conditions and compliances.

When a corporation, such as Google, goes international with its services and products, the term "globalization" is applied. When a major military power engages in military action, or establishes bases throughout the world, the term "globalization" is applied.

Globalization is a term that is highly appropriate for international disaster and humanitarian relief organizations such as the Red Cross/Red Crescent and Doctors Without Borders. Yet even these organizations are under the approval, control, and invitation of the specific countries where they provide aid and assistance.

In some cases, even though the appearance, menu, theme park name, movie or song may be recognizable in any place in the world, the differences are quite profound. A Mac Donalds fast food restaurant in Beijjing will have differences from the same in New York or Paris. Once the subtitles and any government censoring are applied to a film, the film becomes a different experience. Mick Jagger will be a different Rolling Stone in one country than he is in another.

Even the military will have differing life functions for families and dependents as they are stationed in different countries of the world. Driving in Italy is vastly different than driving in Germany. The job, the shopping days, and the living ways are different in a "global" military.

As a result, even if technology, government agreements and business strategies have made astounding developments and changes in internationalization of their activities, true globalization is a long, long way from becoming a reality.  While there is vast internationalization of corporate and other influences on and between governments, there would also have to be commonality in language, culture, politics, currency and government styles, which is far from likely.

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