Globalisation case study

1) Why was Google Glass controversial?

Google glass was perceived as controversial due to its potential privacy breaches as a product. The privacy concerns associated with Google glass, such as the ability to capture footage of what the user is looking at, highlighted the potential for google glass to violate the privacy of others. 

2) What are the positive elements to Globalisation that the article highlights?

There are some positive elements concerning Globalisation that are highlighted in this article. For example, with globalisation new audiences can form in which they can have access to the internet leading to people becoming more enriched and aware of the internet. Furthermore, there will be an increase in choice and opportunities which will empower people, and access to information can enhance the ability to make informed decisions and even a democratic process.

3) What are potential negatives to Globalisation?

Some of the potential negatives in association to globalisation is the fact that a small number of organisations control the majority of the global market, in which they then distribute the majority of the worlds wealth amongst themselves. This prevents from there being a wide range of choice through the position of smaller companies in the global market, and also hinders the chances of smaller companies having opportunities as businesses to give themselves a name in the market due to the dominance of large conglomerates such as Google. 

4) What is a techno-panic? How does it link to moral panics?

A techno-panic is a moral panic that is based on fears of new contemporary technology, technological activity or specific technology. This is linked back to the theory of moral panics by Cohen as the techno-panic theory also highlighting concerns stirred up by the media in regards to an event, or in this case an invention within society. This concern is then viewed as a threat to the rest of us as a whole, hence the subject matter of this article. 

5) What is your opinion on the privacy debate and major corporations being able to access large quantities of personal data?

I believe that major corporations being able to access large quantities of personal data is a breach of privacy, as much of this takes place without the users acknowledgement. It could be argued that google glass is just another opportunity to take advantage of this as a useful marketing tool which will only continue to bring in wealth to the major corporations that take up most of the market. However, this data is still useful for certain marketers,companies and organisations; and although it is a breach of privacy it can also allow for tailor made advertising to take place, which can be seen in both a positive or negative light.

Media Factsheet: Globalisation and capitalism

1) Who coined the phrase 'a global village' and what multinational companies illustrate this?

The phrase "global village" was coined by McLuhan to describe the phenomena of countries becoming interconnected or more interdependent, especially in economic terms. A multinational company that portrays this is Coco-Cola, which has subsidiaries in many countries, this portrays the interconnection taking place in countries across the globe. 

2) What role does Slavoj Zizek suggest the media plays in global capitalism? How can you link this to our previous work on Marxism and Hegemony? 

Zizek suggests that the media plays as a mask in hiding the way in which western institutions do business. Zizek argues that the media reinforces and naturalises the ideology that making money is the right way of conducting businesses, but at the same time allows people to feel less guilty about how certain goods are produced. This is done through the changes in methods of marketing by multinational industries to portray themselves as ethical. 

3) What does 'capitalism with a conscience' mean? 

"Capitalism with a conscience" is a term used to describe the western capitalists attempt to sustain their dominance as ethical organisations worth investing their products in through the marketing campaigns they have constructed. The example used to portray this is Starbucks campaign, in which they claim that it’s not just what you’re buying, it’s what you’re buying into. "When you buy Starbucks, you are buying into something bigger than a cup of coffee: you are buying into coffee ethics!"

4) What is the (PRODUCT) RED campaign?

The RED campaign was an attempt to to engage the private sector in raising awareness and funds to help eliminate AIDS in Africa. RED would partner up with well known brands and business such as Nike and Starbucks in which they would then create a product with the RED logo. In return for the opportunity to increase its own revenue through the RED branding, a percentage of the company’s profit would be given to the Global Fund. Since RED is a private company, a portion of the contributions received from the third party brands would also be taken as profit. The incorporation of humanitarian aid and for-profit businesses represents the ethical consumerism taking place in business industries which Zizek was talking about.

5) Based on what you've read in the Factsheet, what is YOUR opinion of the (PRODUCT) RED brand? Is it a positive force helping to fight AIDS in Africa or a cynical attempt to make multinational companies look more ethical than they actually are?

I believe that although the RED campaign is helping in a positive manner, it still is a marketing technique which is making multinational companies look more ethical to bring in consumers.