Globalization: A Closer Look
What is globalization? In simple terms, globalization is the trade or flow of labor, goods,
money, or culture between countries (Henslin, 2017). This process and/or strategy is used by
companies and corporations all over the globe. The most well-known shoe company, Nike, was
founded in 1964 by Phil Knight and Bill Bowerman (Tadashi, 2023). Just how big is Nike? Nike
currently employs just over 1.2 million workers in forty-two different countries all across the
globe. Nike is the poster child of a well globalized company. In fact, 29% of Nike’s products is
manufactured in China and 44% is manufactured in Vietnam (Khoo, 2017). But the globalization
of an influential company like Nike does affect both local cultures and that United States as a
whole.
Positive and Negative Effects on Local Culture
The globalization of Nike can have both a positive and negative impact of local cultures.
It is no secret that Nike has factories all over the world in a number of different countries. This is
extremely beneficial to the company. It not only allows Nike to keep up with its rapidly growing
demand, but it allows countries all over the world to carry and sell this internationally loved
brand. One example of how Nike’s globalization has touched local cultures in a positive way is
that in many developing countries, Nike has increased the number of jobs and employment
opportunities. However, many people also believe that Nike’s impact on local culture is far from
positive. It has been reported that many developing countries have abandoned their own culture,
beliefs, and norms and adopted Nike’s. This is due to the company wanting the societies that
work for them to not be seen as “old” or “outdated” in order to maintain their reputation.
