Globalization in international tensions: the impact of military conflicts on the cultural orientations of multinational corporations’ advertising in modern China (1932–1937)

Abstract

How do international conflicts influence the communication between multinational corporations (MNCs) and local markets? Using advertisements published in two historical newspapers in modern China from 1932 to 1937, this study examined how MNCs adjust their cultural orientations in advertisements amid international tensions. While a significant decline in globalized values was found, no significant changes in localized values were found in the advertisements for imported commodities during military conflicts. The more familiar a corporation is with the local market, the less globalized its advertisements will be. Given the current wave of nationalism and international conflicts across the globe, this study sheds lights on MNCs’ conflict management through intercultural communication.