Repurposing Educational Content into an International Market

Background: Increasing Globalization And E-Learning

Two phenomena characterizing business and education in the late twentieth century and early twenty-first century are globalization and the use of Internet technologies (Jelen & Alon, 2004; Lim, 2004). Globalization is an ongoing process of breaking down barriers among nations and is often compared with the following phenomena: internationalization, liberalization, universalization, and westernization:

Globalization is viewed as “a multifaceted, historical development with differential impact according to the place and the specific dimensions involved” (Glastra, Hake, & Schedler, 2004, p. 292). Effects of globalization have been observed in developments such as increased outsourcing and offshoring (Parry, 2004), street demonstrations opposing free trade (Mejia-Vergnaud, 2004), and men’s attire (Zelinsky, 2005). It is no longer possible for global companies to grow without projecting beyond the boundaries of a single nation; they face new challenges. For example, it is estimated that 100,000–170,000 jobs were lost in the U.S. between 2000 and 2003 due to offshoring (Parry, 2004), which indicates that the lost jobs are now maintained in other countries, and that some of them are likely operated under the management of U.S. companies. In addition, companies have to work smarter and faster to keep abreast of the information revolution created from globalization. However, they are suffering from a “leadership crisis,” as they desperately need leaders who can manage multiple cultures; the consistent corporate culture and a variety of local cultures (Wellins & Rioux, 2000).