ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses how international events and the spread of globalisation are inextricably linked. It considers both the positive and negative effects brought to communities and the various implications that are created for international events such as widening access to distant states, the new and emerging markets created through the forces of globalisation, the impact of digital communication, the rise of extremism and terrorism, and the disparities of wealth distribution. Globalisation is essentially the process by which economies and cultures are drawn closer together. As our ability to travel long distances has been made easier and quicker, and our ability to communicate has become instant, far off nations and the people who live in them have become more inter-connected through a number of global networks and communication channels. This has led to greater levels of integration in trade, capital flows, cultures, and people. The OED (1989) defines globalisation as: ‘The action, process, or fact of making global; esp. (in later use) the process by which businesses or other organisations develop international influence or start operating on an international scale, widely considered to be at the expense of national identity.’ Perelman (2015) believes that the problem with globalisation is how it is framed according to two conflicting ideological perspectives. He suggests that, on the one hand, the anti-globalisation side emphasises the effects of self-interested intentionality, in which major powers want to extend their access to markets or resources. The opposing story of globalisation emphasises a complete absence of intentionality in which people merely respond to presumably efficient, impersonal market forces in a way that supposedly allows the invisible hand to spread shared prosperity throughout the globe.
More recently, globalisation is considered more as a process that focuses on the economic integration between countries and regions of the world. However, with economic integration come a number of other forces that have just as great an impact. As we entered the 21st century, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) identified four basic forces that make up the principle of globalisation (IMF, 2000). These comprise:
Trade
Capital (financial) movements
Movement of people, and
The spread of knowledge and digital communication
For the international event manager, it is essential to appreciate the close relationship between international events and globalisation. At the same time, it is just as important to appreciate how the effects of globalisation reaches deep into local communities, changes people’s perceptions of their lives, and how the various markets react to this opportunity of change. The increase in international events around the world and the march of what is now understood as globalisation are inextricably linked. To use an events term, international events are the proverbial ‘+1’ on the guest list with globalisation. In other words, they enter a region together with globalisation. However, it could just as well be argued that international events are used as a means of opening previously closed states through events such as international sport and commerce. The appeal of potential investment and reports of better living conditions from the financially richer nations to the poorer states can be difficult to reject. In the largely Westernised nations, the effects can be seen as an acceleration of what would be natural progress. At the extreme end of the scale, the gains on local populations for some are welcome. However, the losses can also have serious detrimental effects and threaten indigenous values, cultures and beliefs as well as having serious implications for the environment and social cohesion. The knock-on effects of globalisation can be far reaching and while globalisation can be beneficial to the event industry, it also offers up some serious influences and challenges.
Globalisation is a powerful ally of international events. It provides many opportunities for international events to expand into new territories as well as supporting the spread of globalisation itself. However, some of the effects of globalisation have serious negative impacts on international event stakeholders and these have created some of the biggest problems event organisers now have to take into consideration. These include wealth distribution, terrorism and extremism, as well as the effects on local communities. The chapter provides a deep review of the contradictions an international event organiser must be able to balance when engaging with the larger international events and their contribution to the local communities they encounter along the way.
