October 1, 2000 - Global Conspiracy? Another busy summer has rushed by and we're deep into the fall semester. Time certainly flies.
Of the many things that happened over the summer of interest to International Organizational Behavior, perhaps the most interesting is the emergence of an organization that claims that there is a global conspiracy based on "megatechnology." In full-page newspaper ads throughout the summer the group attempted to grab attention with headlines like: "Monocultures of the mind" and "Techno-Utopianism."
The message is that globalization, which is sponsored by U.S. corporations, is the enemy. The Monoculture idea is that:
The ultimate goal of economic globalization is that every place on earth should be more or less like every place else. Whether in the U.S., Europe, Africa or Asia, all countries should have the same franchise fast-food, the same films and music, the same jeans, shoes and cars, the same urban landscapes, and the same personal, cultural and spiritual values. Monoculture. Such a model serves the marketing and efficiency needs of global corporations. Following this logic we can ask:
- Is Napster--a web-based technology to download music--a global conspiracy to eliminate the protection of intellectual and artistic property?
- Does millions of people in India watching "Who Will become a Ten-Millionaire" (in Rupees) suggest the spread of a culture of quick riches?
- Is the Chinese government's decision to promote the use of Linux instead of Microsoft operating systems to prevent Bill Gates from exercising global control and avoiding a conspiracy against Chinese interests, based in reality?
- When the World Health Organization accused the big tobacco companies of plotting "elaborate strategies to undermine global anti-smoking efforts and cause 'significant harm' to those activities," was it unfairly suspicious of large Western business?
Western technology, economic principles, business interests and management theories are spreading throughout the world. But does this mean that there is a global conspiracy? Is it even possible to have a global conspiracy? If so, how can it be coordinated and managed? What group or groups could join together to create a global conspiracy? If there were a global conspiracy would resistance form to such extensive intrusion into national cultures?
Web Exercise
Can the Internet be used to explore the possible existence of a global conspiracy? For example, as a starting point, two of the highest usage Web sites in China are http://www.yahoo.com and http://www.Microsoft.com. Does this suggest that China has been infiltrated by U.S. owned high technology information companies? Also, take a look at http://www.china.com and http://www.sina.com.cn. Notice the logos of the companies that were used to create and operate the sites.
Can you locate information on the Internet that refutes the global conspiracy theory? Even if you can, is it possible that the global conspiracy is so insidious that you really can't detect it?
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