What is Glocalisation? Examples, Overview, and Future Trends

The Origins of Glocalisation: A Historical Perspective

The term ‘glocalisation’ is a combination of ‘globalisation’ and ‘localisation.’ It draws inspiration from the Japanese term ‘dochakuka’, which means the adaptation of farming techniques to specific local conditions. Later, in the year 1980, sociologist Roland Robertson coined the term in Harvard Business Review and defined it as, ‘the simultaneity-the co-presence-of both universalising and particularising tendencies.’

Keeping the technical part aside, if you look back, you will see numerous instances where glocalisation played a key role in success. Let’s take the example of the martial arts maestro Bruce Lee. Every one of us knows how good he was and is still one of the most celebrated martial artists in the world. 

Now, what helped him reach the masses? There were many more martial artists, including his master, who were famous only at home. Here’s the answer: 

• First, he featured in many movies and promoted Chinese martial arts in each of them.
• Second, his movie ‘Fist of Fury’ was the first ever movie that was dubbed in Noongar Daa, an Aboriginal language in South Western Australia. 
• Third, the themes of his films resonate with a lot of local cultures, especially with Aboriginal communities in Australia. 
• Finally, the dubbing project of his films is also a part of the efforts to revive rare languages like those that are spoken in South Western Australia. 

The fact that the name ‘Bruce Lee’ is synonymous with martial arts can be attributed to effective glocalisation efforts. While that defines how effective the process is, you might still wonder why it is important for businesses to invest in glocalisation efforts. Let us answer that question in the next section. 

Why Glocalisation is Essential for Modern Business Success

If you look around, you will come across several popular brands worldwide. What helped these companies expand to international markets? The answer is glocalisation. Advertising your products or services is not the only way to penetrate local markets. The product must blend in with the country’s culture and resonate with the target audience. 

To simplify it, here are a few points that make this process important for businesses worldwide: 

A. Promoting Intercultural Exchange

Glocalisation not only helps bring international products and services to local markets but also influences intercultural exchange. For example, burgers have become the best fast food in India in the last few years. 

A few years back, no one in India knew what burgers were. McDonald’s and KFC’s introduction of American cuisine to India brought together two different cultures. 

B. Reviving Local Cultures

Have you watched Michael Jackson’s music video ‘Black or White ’? If you have, you would have noticed how MJ took different cultural elements to convey his message. The video blends different dance forms perfectly with MJ’s dance moves. 

There cannot be a better example of glocalisation than this. The audience can relate to the song as it has local contexts, irrespective of the fact that it is written, sung, and performed by someone from the West. 

C. Opportunities to Expand

Let’s talk about the ways burgers were introduced in India. In the West, burgers were mostly made of beef, but in India, beef is not consumed by all, and consuming it is considered wrong. A simple change in the menu made McDonald’s reach the Indian masses. 

They started serving Big Macs using chicken instead of beef to fit in the local market, and also introduced McAloo Tikki and McVeggie to match local tastes. Simply put, their glocalisation strategies helped expand their business and establish them as a globally trusted burger brand. 

D. More Employment Opportunities

Companies cannot expand their foreign markets without having the local people on their team. Consequently, glocalisation creates more employment opportunities and boosts the country’s economy, in which they are expanding. 

Having local people on the team makes it easy for companies to cater to local markets and promote their products and services. This also helps tailor their offerings as per the market’s needs and demands. 

In a nutshell, glocalisation has more benefits than simply helping businesses grow. The following section will take you through a few examples that will further clear your doubts about how businesses used one of the best marketing strategies to reach the masses. 

Glocalisation Examples – Businesses that Reached the Masses

1. Coca-Cola

Coca-Cola is one of the biggest names when it comes to reaching global markets and tailoring products for each country. Flavours like green tea Coke, made specifically for consumers in Japan,  helped them reach multinational status over the years. 

2. KFC Japan

KFC built its brand in Japan by offering special holiday menus during Christmas. They capitalised on Japan’s unique tradition of eating fried chicken in the holiday season, making it a favourite among local consumers. 

3. Gillette

Gillette is one of the strongest examples of glocalisation. Its Mach 3 was a best-selling product in the West. However, it was difficult to penetrate the Indian market because of its prices. They manufactured the Gillette Guard for the price-sensitive consumers to stay relevant in the market. 

4. AirBnB

Airbnb is another classic example of glocalisation. They localised the language, login methods, pricing recommendations, etc., to resonate with the local audience. 

Glocalisation vs. Globalisation: Understanding the Key Differences

There’s no one who has not been confused between glocalisation and globalisation. Here’s a breakdown of the differences between the two terms: 

That will clear the confusion about how glocalisation is different from globalisation. You can understand that glocalisation needs qualified translators to translate business offerings to cater to local markets. 

The Future of Glocalisation: Trends and Opportunities

The combination of globalisation and localisation will continue in the future. With more and more companies stepping into the international market, it has become even more important for them to find a way to cater to local tastes, local customs, and be culturally fit for each region. 

Organisations will adapt to local nuances, avail translation services to get their offerings translated into local languages, and use advanced technologies and software to beat the competition. While the future is promising, there are a few challenges of glocalisation, such as: 

→ Navigating cultural nuances
→ Finding the right balance
→ Measuring the success

Local businesses need to understand the different aspects and use their investment wisely for a better reach and profits. 

Final Thoughts,

The importance of glocalisation cannot be ignored in the coming years. The process of glocalisation not only helps businesses go beyond borders, but also brings various cultures together. Understanding the process and hiring a translator play a major role in the process. With technology making things easy for all, it would be interesting to see how businesses implement it for business expansion. 

Let’s look forward to a better world with products and services tailored to specific culture and their needs.