The Influence Of Cultural Globalization

Cultural globalization has always been a controversial issue as there is a hot debate on whether globalization brings convergence or divergence of cultures. No one can deny that the effect of globalization makes cultures increasingly homogenized, yet; culture divergence still occurs under homogenizing tendency. The transformationalists approach advocated by scholars best represents the contemporary situation. It suggested that globalization is not solely caused by one and its “outcome of processes is not determined” (Held, McGrew, Goldblatt & Perraton, 2000). That is, the convergence of cultures is admitted but complex differentiation in locals exists simultaneously, and the world does not shape solely one single “global culture”.

McDonaldization

However, it does not completely eliminate local cultures and hybridization existed. Hybridization refers to the occurrence of both globalization and localization, which generate new form and connection of culture through mixing, blending and synthesizing different components (Wang & Yeh, 2005). McDonald’s in Asian countries do follow the general operating mode of the originally one, but has modified the menu with their own food cultures. Combining the traditional burgers and fries, signature menu representing different countries could also be found. For example, they provide soybean milk and rice in China, and Halal food in Singapore and Malaysia, so as to satisfy different customers’ needs. As a result, rather than saying that the American or McDonald’s cultures dominate all local cultures, it is better to explain it by connection and modification of global and local cultures under globalization, with the co-existence of cultures convergence and divergence.

Many people argued that with the irresistible globalization and homogenizing tendency, the world is shaping a “global culture”. The globalization is weakening of local diversities in certain extend, but; it is more about strengthening cultures in other ways. Therefore, the world is not shaping a “global culture”, in fact, it mixes and synthesises different cultures

Unlike Hollywood, Bollywood is famous for its low production cost but high quality films. Through the film industry, India export its own Indian cultures and raised different concerning issues globally, including education problems and religious stereotype. Nowadays, Bollywood has became one of the biggest film production industry and received great recognition all around the world. Therefore, the world is adapting multi-culture rather than shaping one single “global