Marketing’s Greatest Challenge: The Social Impact of the Globalization of Markets

Abstract

Much attention has been turned toward the issue of the globalization of markets. Although the strategic implications for firms have been examined in detail, virtually no attention has been directed at the impact of global marketing on the macrostructure of world society. Two outcomes are possible. Societies may become socially stratified into have and have not groups, or societies of abundance may be created. The challenge for marketers is finding the balance point between the two extremes.