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Globalization: Nike Inc.

Blue Ribbon Sports was started in 1966 by Bill Bowerman and Phil Knight, who had no idea that their tiny retail store would ultimately grow into an international force in the sports equipment industry (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2019). Nike's projected net value now is about $202.35 billion (Macrotrends, n.d.), and it shows no indications of slowing down. Nike has had a huge impact on global stratification due to the company's large finances and worldwide reach, impacting local cultures in many nations, including the United States, and eventually coming out on top as a great winner.

To begin with, companies such as Nike took full advantage of globalization by outsourcing product production to nations with lower labor costs (Shin-Clayton, 2018). Many nations have eased their grip on various governmental and cultural standards as a result of globalization. The Chinese Communist Party, for example, opened their socialist marketplaces to western countries in the mid-1970s, and Nike has made and marketed many of its items to the people of China since 1980. (Hu & Chen, 2016). Nike assisted in exposing the Chinese people to Western culture, causing many people to experience Cultural Cringe. Cultural Cringe, as defined by Phillips (as quoted by Hu & Chen, 2016), is “an internalized inferiority complex that drives people to reject their own culture as inferior to other cultures” (Cultural Cringe, para 1). The Nike swoosh is well-known across the world as a symbol of American culture and ideals, particularly freedom, with the tagline "Just Do It!" Nike's brand and the economy have definitely affected Chinese culture and the economy by employing thousands of people at the bottom of the Chinese class system.

Second, via their massive wealth, businesses like Nike assist keep America at the top of the globalization hierarchy. The United States is the wealthiest country in the world, and as Henslin (2017) points out, as a typical American parent, “you want your children not just to live but to be well-fed, not only to be able

to read but to go to college” (p. 194). As a result, many Americans have a greater quality of living than most of their global counterparts, and as a result, many individuals desire to come to the United States. Although immigration provides benefits such as job creation and economic expansion, there is a drawback in that many of those who come to the United States lack education. According to Budiman (2020) of the Pew Research Center, more than half of Mexican immigrants to the United States have less than a high school diploma, perhaps rendering them more reliant on government social programs since they are unable to get higher-paying employment.

Finally, as a result of globalization, the Nike business and its corporate executives have amassed enormous sums of wealth, power, and reputation. Nike markets its brand by utilizing the world's most influential athletes and celebrities (Woods, 2017). Many of these communicators are multimillionaires who stand high in the social hierarchy. They utilize language to persuade individuals in the lower echelons of society all around the world to spend billions of dollars on Nike items each year. Furthermore, Nike changed its corporate priorities away from production and toward profit maximization. As previously said, this is primarily achieved by outsourcing jobs. Instead of investing in new machinery and facilities, the firm outsources product production to low-cost manufacturing groups in other countries, relying more on marketing and sponsorships (Kazi. 2011). This has proven to be a successful approach, with Nike emerging as a clear winner in the battle to the top of the stratification ladder.

In conclusion, Nike has had a huge influence on global stratification, influencing local cultures in many nations, including the United States, and eventually emerging as a great winner. Nike's messaging and goods have had an influence on local cultures all around the world as a result of globalization. Next, the corporation has assisted the United States in maintaining its supremacy in global marketplaces, making America the preferred destination for many migrants. Finally, Nike has benefited greatly from

globalization by efficiently marketing and manufacturing its items at lower costs. Nike is a multibilliondollar business that promotes worldwide equality via sportsmen and celebrities with wealth, power, and reputation. The irony is that employees in China would have to pay half of their monthly salary to get a pair of Nike sneakers.

References Budiman, A. (2020). Key findings about U.S. immigrants. https://www.pewresearch.org/facttank/2020/08/20/key-findings-about-u-s-immigrants/ Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. (2019). Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved November 11, 2020, from https://www.britannica.com/topic/Nike-Inc Henslin, J. M. (2017). Essentials of sociology: a down-to-earth approach (12th ed.). Edwardsville, IL: Pearson Education. Retrieved from http://www.gcumedia.com/digitalresources/pearson/2016/essentials-of-sociology_ebook_12e.php

Hu, Y., & Chen, G.-M. (2016). The impact of cultural cringe on consumer behavior in China. China Media Research, 12(4), 75+. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A469850006/AONE? u=canyonuniv&sid=AONE&xid=0327ba0f Kazi, T. B. (2011). "Superbrand, Globalization, and Neoliberalism: Exploring Causes and Consequences of the Nike Superbrand." Inquiries Journal/Student Pulse, 3(12). http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/a?id=604 Macrotrends. (n.d.). NIKE Net Worth 2006-2020. https://www.macrotrends.net/stocks/charts/NKE/nike/net-worth Shin-Clayton, S. (2018). The Enforcement of Corporate Social Responsibility Through Contractual Terms in Business to Business Contracts Through the Supply Chain. Auckland University Law Review, 231. Wood, L. (2017). Why Nike Uses Endorsements & Sponsorships. https://bizfluent.com/13636879/why-nike-uses-endorsements-sponsorships...