The Standardisation Debate in International Marketing

Abstract

Some ten years on from Levitt's seminal contribution to the debate, this article addresses the issue of globalization and attempts to illustrate how far this concept has become a reality. The focus of the discussion is on how far consumer products and brands have become standardised. The role of culture in preventing globalization and of technology in advancing its progress is also looked at. Finally, an examination of economies of scale, an important rationale for the pursuit of globalization, is undertaken. Each of these issues is interrelated, but it is possible to suggest that there is evidence to support the growing trend towards product and brand standardisation. It is also difficult to find evidence that traditional cultural barriers are breaking down; cultural influences on the purchasing process seem to be persistent. The argument in favour of economies of scale seems valid, however, not to reduce prices but to allow more resources to be spent on brand building.

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