【明報專訊】Some people believe that globalisation has led to cultural homogenisation, a process in which cultures becomes less diverse but increasingly similar. But in fact, some cultural products, despite their worldwide popularity, might undergo changes in response to different cultures or customs in a process known as "glocalisation", the interaction between globalisation and localisation. Despite the inexorable trend towards globalisation, it is impossible to standardize the different customs and consumer preferences. This means that multinational enterprises have to adjust their business models in accordance with unique cultural customs when they seek to expand their business globally. On the other hand, with mainstream culture pervading every corner of the world, the call to revitalise local cultures has never been stronger.

Western festivals

Hong Kong people celebrate Western festivals as part of their customs. They are given even more emphasis than Chinese traditional festivals. The Valentine's day, for example, is more enthusiastically celebrated than its Chinese counterpart, the Lantern Festival. But the way these festivals are celebrated is becoming formulaic and commercial.

After its entry into Hong Kong people's lives, Halloween has been celebrated in combination with local customs and culture. Ocean Park Halloween Bash, an annual event held by the Hong Kong Ocean Park, incorporates Chinese and Hong Kong traditional cultural elements into the Western festival, where Hong Kong ghost stories and legend take the front seat to give Hong Kong people a feeling of familiarity.

Food culture

Many food companies have now a presence in all major world markets. Some of them have even become an indispensable part of the lives of people in an overseas market. McDonald's is an excellent example. With its emphasis on service speed, a unified supply chain and service, the combination of entertainment and catering and a food culture that is deemed unhealthy, the "McDonald's" culture has taken the world by storm. That said, the McDonald's has made efforts to incorporate local cultural features into the food menu that it serves people outside the United States. Examples include vegetarian diets in India and meal sets with rice in Hong Kong.

Failed attempts

Carrefour, a French multinational retailer, has business operations in more than 30 countries and regions. But its attempt to gain a foothold in the Hong Kong market in the 1990s ended in failure. Analysts believe that Carrefour's "One-stop" shopping system does not fit into Hong Kong, which is a small city with a dense population. Carrefour's concepts of shopping are based on ample living space. But it failed to make any "localisation" efforts to adapt to the situation in Hong Kong. Another example is B&Q, a British garden equipment company which entered the Hong Kong market in 2007. However, Hong Kong homes are small in area, and there is not a huge demand for garden equipment. B&Q's Hong Kong store was shut down in 2009.