what is glocalization 
glocalization is a combination of the words globalization and localization the term is used to describe a product or service that is developed and distributed globally but is also adjusted to accommodate the user or consumer in a local market a common example would be cars that are sold worldwide but adjusted to meet local criteria such as emissions standards or what side the steering wheel is located it could also focus on more cultural aspects such as a global fast food chain offering geographically specific menu items that cater to local tastes 1often glocalization campaigns involve culturally friendly media and ad campaigns to encourage the acceptance of foreign products among a local audience understanding glocalizationglocalization is the adaptation of global and international products into the local contexts they re used and sold in the term was coined in the harvard business review in 1980 by sociologist roland robertson who wrote that glocalization meant the simultaneity the co presence of both universalizing and particularizing tendencies in regards to a particular product or service this means the adaptation of globally marketed products and services into local markets a global product or service something everyone needs and can get use out of may be tailored to conform to local laws customs or consumer preferences products that are glocalized are by definition going to be of much greater interest to the end user the person who ends up using the product this is because while it s something that everyone can use and has use for as a global product its localization makes it more specific to an individual their context and their needs while glocalization helps customize an international corporation s products to a particular culture or geography companies must also pay attention to the risk of perceived cultural appropriation special considerationsglocalization works for companies with decentralized authority structures and for companies that exist and compete in multiple different cultural contexts the process can be expensive and resource intensive but it often pays off for companies that practice it as it allows for greater access to a larger more culturally varied target market it also makes those companies more effective competitors in those markets if globalization was charged with cultural homogenization glocalization and multicultural organizations are something of an answer to it glocalization can be thought of as the opposite or the inverse of americanization sometimes called mcdonaldization too which is the influence that american culture and business have on another country s culture 