GLOBALIZATION AND CULTURAL IMPERIALISM: CORPORATE CONTROL VERSUS RESPONSIVENESS

When Tokyo Disneyland opened in 1983, the Japanese people welcomed this American cultural export with open arms – and open wallets. The decade that followed saw continually rising profits and the highest spending-per-guest of any Disney theme park. In 1992, the Walt Disney Company attempted to emulate this success by opening Euro Disney, only to face financial disappointment and cultural backlash. While some basis for these divergent experiences might be found in the inherent differences between Japanese and European (specifically French) culture, this is by no means a full explanation. Instead, this article places more of the onus on organizations to approach globalization in a more responsive, rather than control-oriented, manner