Globalization & Culture

This report presents the findings from deuce questions conducted on two subjects namely Kyu Yong (Eric) Kim and anformer(a) oneness known as Brian (Choi). The call into question used semi-structured method to interview the two subjects. The aim of the interview was to investigate the outcomes globalisation has had on them. This was done with an aim of find out how ethnic orientations be shaped or determined by globalisation. alike the interview aimed at analyzing as soundly as presenting views on the topics from lit review available.The reason for settling on the two as desirable backdidates for the occupation under investigation was due(p) to two reasons First of altogether, the position t put on both subjects have interacted with mass from two or to a greater extent tillages polar from theirs. Secondly, both subjects have been subjected to different civilisations in the premier(prenominal) place for reasons related to globalisation in one way or the opposite. eventually, the interviewees were selected because of their accessibility to the interviewer as well as their willingness to participate in the interview.The findings of the interview be discussed below and effort is coiffure in request to generalize the findings to the bigger population. Definations. Globalisation is the process of meliorate interactions of pile from cultural countries, economic as well as societal orientations afforded by the rapid growth of ICT transportation and advancement in engineering such(prenominal) as ECD, net profit, mobile phones and satellite communication. Culture pot be defined as the way of life of a masses mainly on how people relate and interact with the environment, their beliefs, their nutrition, their trust, their traditions as well as their aspirations.Culture is affected and shaped by many another(prenominal) pointors scarce of all of them, it is globalisation that has had the greatest impact on kitchen-gardening. Results/fin dings for Brian Choi Brian represents two closes, American finale and Korean culture. He is a represents blended culture. From the interview, when asked about what culture was and represented, his reaction was, I believe culture is what shapes you and influences the way you act and think.Culture concord to me represents beliefs which atomic number 18 so lots intertwined in a person that it becomes truly hard to change cultures or to forfeit ones culture. From the to a prouder place verbatim, Brian raises a critical point that culture is embedded in ones belief. harmonise to(Robertson, 1992)belief plays an strategic role in shaping culture in that cultural practices such as songs, dances, worship, marriage as well as political systems argon all unique to different cultures.As distant as songs are concerned, songs from a particular group or community may take a hop the beliefs of the particular community or group. This occurrenceor is necessary in mark to understand why people believe in what they believe in. In the traditional Korean set up, songs were used in ceremonies as land label for special(prenominal) events. Up to date, there has been little influence on the Korean practice of medicine/songs from other cultures such as western culture. This can be prove by the following comments made by Brain in the interview process.Asked about the role of songs in the Korean culture Brian replied that in Korea songs are sacred, when a group of people and possibly any gathering is commenced with a song. In terms of cultural beliefs, is useful as a peter of communication and wherefore handling down the treasured values of the Koreans. The fact that culture is fast being eroded by modernization and globalization was of central importance to the interview. According to Brian, globalization has affected the Korean culture in a number of ways including ) Globalisation has led to cleverness of foreign cultural practices in Korea. Specifically globalizatio n through heighten communication through mobile as well as internet has contrisolelyed to communication with various people in different parts of the world. This has in flex led to the contamination of the Korean culture in that more people than ever before are as a coach render for of modern technology of communication, getting married to people external their own cultures. This has had impact on the Korean culture in that, whenever marriages foreign cultural boundaries occur.The culture is assimilated fully in close to cases while in others it is changed due to the integration. In cases where the two cultures may be incompatible kernel abandonment results and therefore one is forced to adopt a young culture. According to Brian, the leading cause on cultural deviation is marriage, in that more than ever before, more people are getting to interact and intermingle with different cultures and therefore be overture more open to change. This is mainstay up by (Robertson, 1 992) who notes that marriage is a powerful similarlyl of taking people out of their ethnical tribal racial or religions cocoons.The claim is nurture supported by who notes that apart from the effect marriage has on culture, it too does affect peoples view and perception, of others and these is one of the self means of easing tensions amid diverse groups communities or races historically penetration of discrimination or sequestration of various forms of way perfected by proponents of such, discouraging and in any(prenominal) cases criminalizing, inter-tribal, or interracial marriages. A good case is in the apartheid Era, southwestward Africa where Boers were not permitted to marry Africans and a move in contradiction to the higher up was punishable.This served best interests of apartheid supporters. in that respectfore globalization in the sense that it leads to more advances of cultural marriages has contributed to easing tensions in many groups or societies. Culture any da te According to (Thomas, & Wilkin, 1997) culture difference, which in turn depends on myths, religion or history of a people is often a cause of await-to-face conflict, spectral conflict as well as political on that this culture has become a major force in many conflicts taking place in the modern times.Brian in this case is not affected by political conflict, but by a more subtle form of conflict, personal conflict which in turn translates into identity element crisis. Identity crisis in relation to culture refers to a situation whereby an soulfulness as a result of belonging to different cultures either course or by environmental related factors gets into a situation whereby he or she is face with unique challenges of which they must negotiate in order to progress peacefully in their cultures. In the case of Brian, his primary culture is Korea while his secondary culture is America.The fact that he likes identifying himself as American points to the fact that he is happy to b elong to America. However, he likes travelling back to Korea for visits once or twice ein truth fortnight. This connotes another attraction to Korea. genuinely he is connected to the people of Korea and the visits cannot be dismissed as holidays but have a cultural bearing. On the other hand, the fact hat Brian does not deny belonging to any of the cultures points to the fact that he could good pass for a person exhibiting and practising two cultures.Although Brian was silent on how sacred practices in the two cultures, Korean and American have affected him, religion is known to play a crucial role in culture. There is evidence that most of the conflicts happening in the 21st century are directly caused by cultural differences rooted in mutation of religious beliefs (Teeple, 1995). For instance in Ireland, Catholics and Protestants have been known to regularly clash oer cultural differences. Elsewhere, Muslims and Christians have on legion(predicate) occasions been involved in armed and prolonged conflicts all resulting to cultural differences.While as globalization is supposed to bring a solution to this dilemma, that has not been the case and globalization has to be utilized positively if much of the cultural tensions being experienced today are to be diluted. However, Brian owns up to being a dupe of ideologized cultural conflict. To him, this has been manifested in the way he has to adapt to capitalistic tendencies commonly upheld by majority of the American while at the same reserving the more socialistic values learnt in Korean, and which is so much embedded in peoples e reallyday life activities.The other culture shock which Brian admits to having come face to face with is, the value attached to work in America is high compared to Korea, as far as work morality is concerned, Brian equates the just American worker as very hard working and dedicated compared to an average worker, in Korea. According to him globalization has had an impact on work e thics in Korea in that, many American multinationals are opening up plants in Korea, employing local for semi skilled and unskilled labor. This in turn is inculcating American culture into the locals something which is shaping Koreans and in a way ever-changing the status-quo.From his individual standpoint, Brian alluded to the fact in US, he is faced with many challenges particularly when it comes to adjusting to organizational culture. The wide cultural differences are hard to adjust to and tally him, many are the days that he experiences face-to face confrontations with his supervisor due to what he termed as irreconcilable cultural differences. Asked on his final joint on globalization and culture he noted that, that people should dole out information, share resources, exchange goods and services in what is referred to as trade.All this can be achieved only through dissecting cultures and taking out the impediments to prosperity but retaining all the positives that enhance e very human beings wakeless rights and freedom. Eric Kyu Yong Eric though not as enthusiastic about the issue as Brian, yielded into very insightful information which clearly points to the roles importance, advantages, disadvantages as well as the shortcomings of globalization and the way it has been conceptualised in relation to cultural orientations. Eric points the fact that he has experienced directly both worlds that is, Korea and America.He confided this as something that has shaped his understating of the problem of globalization and culture. Having spent his childhood and part of his early teenage long time in Korea and then proceeded to live in America. The fact that Eric was of age by the time he left Korea for the US made him a desirable subject for the interview in that he could yield to great insights on the problem. Asked about the merits and demerits of globalization on culture. Eric pointed to the following as the merits of globalization on culture.First of all, glo balization has created an opening to cultural exposure. This has been occasioned by the booming touristry business which almost ever so undertakes to promote indigenous cultures, in places where it lasts. According to Eric, when tourists from various parts of the world undertake foreign trips to different destinations, a cultural interaction results and two or multiple cultures almost always yield into great cultural impacts. This is made possible by globalization through efficient and reliable transport system.Although Eric was quick to point to the fact that his cultural experiences are not tourism related, he observed that what first hit his mind on arrival to America was his belief that people are culturally the same and the way they do things is the same no matter the origin. To his shock, Eric soon learnt that cultural orientation were very significant ratifier to the way of life of a people. While in Korea people precious foods cooked traditionally and served in traditiona l cook-ware, in the US the society is very busy compared to Korea. People tended to work for long hours and lacked time for social life.Erics first time experience led him to believe for a very long time that his society back in Korea was simply no match for his new society. This was to change soon as he positive keen interest into understanding modern factors which influenced culture. According to him, over the past(a) decade, he has observed so many similarities in the two cultures that he has begun to actually doubt whether any significant differences actually occur between the two cultures. This he attributes to globalization which he refers to have enabled instant communication, and so sharing and exchange of information.With the advent of telecommunication, people are able to pass away via satellite, consult over important international matters, as well as agitate for common stance on key issues. As far as culture is concerned, people have as a result of globalization been able to inter-marry and therefore aid minimizing the cultural gap that exist between different cultures. Eric confidently asserted that he had as a foregone conclusion decided to marry an American. This he said was aimed to allow him to further understand better the American culture, for which as he admitted, marks the epitome of cultural variations, co-existence and collaboration.According to him, these developments were unheard of in the 60s but have been occasioned by the relatively rapid speed with which globalization has contributed to cultural changes. Eric noted that the greatest culture shock he experienced was as a result of noticing how the value attached to marriages so much differed in the two countries, that is Korea and America. According to him, the high divorce rates in America, and the de-emphasis on extended family was so much in contravention to the culture in Korea whereby the value-system is embedded in the extended families.According to him, this is prove by the way generations after generations share same names in what is believed as to be respect to the dead. This, Eric noted, has of late changed and more nuclear families are sprouting up. Eric added that this can be attributed to globalisation as this practice is passing attributable to the influence foreign cultures and especially western culture has had on the contemporary Korea society- specifically ICT and internet, were identified to have contributed to this development in that, these enables people to interact online through emails, on-line chatting, online friendships and in some cases, marriage.All the above have changed people and made them open up to change including accept and borrowing some aspects of foreign cultures as on example, Eric pointed to the fact that, in Korea it was traditionally a taboo to divorce unless for some specific and well known reasons. Even under the above mentioned conditions, the situation involved a long and rigorous process which had to be san ctioned by some designated members of the society such as traditional elders. The other key part of globalization to culture according to Eric was dress. In Korea, Eric noted that traditionally clothing is regulated.For women, the conditions and requirements are stringent and are supposed to be adhered to strictly unless one is ready to be termed as an outcast. Earning the term has its own veto set up in that one is virtually locked out into the benefits enjoyed by other members such as getting a bride or bridegroom, inheriting as well as education. However Eric pointed out that, globalization has significantly changed these perceptions. He noted that when his siblings including the sisters visit America, they enthusiastically shop and dress American and it is no longer a big issue.This he attributes also to globalization, according to him, upon coming to America he considered some dressing codes as totally unacceptable. His take of cultural tolerance was totally amiss in his o wn words. However, he later learnt to accept and live with it especially on campus as members of the university were youngsters who were vanquish and hardly conservative. His experiences at the university contributed positively to his changed perceptions on cultures and he got to appreciate diversity and dynamism that so strongly shape culture.According to Eric though, no culture is superior to another but some culture so strongly influence others to the point of absorbing them completely. Although he down played the effect globalization has had on him particularly, he specifically mentioned that, his interaction with the America culture, by and large occasioned by globalization has changed his life. Conclusion Globalisation has had major influence on culture, and it is not surprising that the cultures in two different countries that is America and Korea, as evidenced in the interview represent globalization influence on culture.From the evidence gathered from the interview with B rian and Eric, culture and globalization are intertwined and therefore influence each other. From the two interviewees, it was possible to deduce the factors which shape cultures. From the report, it can be recommended that, more research need to be carried out in order to determine how globalization can be shaped to vacate taking away from the achievements so far realized in desegregation different cultures.On the same note, there is a need for efforts from governments and other key stakeholders to come up with policies which protect indigenous cultures from negative effects of globalization. This should be done with an aim of preventing erosion of positive aspects of cultures however small. Finally globalization should be encouraged in as far as it promotes development of cultural issues such as integrating of cultures which helps solve numerous challenges such as racial, tribal or ethnic tensions.