ABSTRACT
The meaning of 'globalization' is far from clear and its potential impact on multiple actors is far from obvious. Globalization also generates many intense reactions specifically emotional from hope to fear and loathing. While some may hope for a better life and a better world, others fear the loss of jobs and the exploitation of resources. There is also fear of cultural homogenization, or of 'Americanization' more commonly known as 'McDonaldization' and 'Disneyfication'. According to psychoanalytic theories, individuals develop through progressive stages wherein issues of dependency, control/autonomy, competence and mastery must be resolved in order to achieve mutuality in relationships. According to family systems theory, the lack of differentiation of members or unclear generational boundaries is thought to cause dysfunction. The therapeutic task is to help family members take an 'I' position, to differentiate themselves. For multinational organizations the tension is described as competing yet simultaneous pressures for differentiation and global integration.
