Since its inception, the concept of “globalization” has inspired numerous definitions and interpretations, with antecedents dating as far back as the great movements of trade and empire across Asia and the Indian Ocean from the 15th century onwards. But it was not until the 1960s that the term began to be widely used by economists and other social scientists.
I, for one, have come to define the concept not so much in terms of geographical distance transcended by global networks of communication that integrate regional economies and societies, but rather by the cultural borders we cross every day, right in our backyards.
I was born in South America but raised in the U.S., in a community where more than 40 languages are spoken by its schoolchildren and the economy thrives from the flows of goods, services, people and capital that constantly travel those cultural borders. In other words, globalization occurs through the small businesses on local Main Streets like Danbury”™s ”“ not only through the giants on Wall Street.
As the editor of the Tribuna, a Danbury-based, bi-monthly, trilingual community newspaper in Portuguese, Spanish and English, I have observed the “countries within a country” that emerge in a community like ours. We must look at these nationalities individually, rather than categorizing them into language blocks, appreciating how they can be next door to each other and yet worlds apart.
I have also seen how many businesses, big or small, miss the mark when reaching out to those communities, with marketing campaigns focused on how a certain service is now offered in a certain language, but very little focus on the service itself ”“ as if language overrides one”™s ability to be an educated consumer. For example, an interest rate is an interest rate, whether in Chinese, Portuguese or English, and of course, everyone likes them low.
Language is not the barrier between you and that customer ”“ information is.
Without such an outlook, fulfilling our mission at the Tribuna ”“ to cover relevant news and issues in three languages ”“ would be reduced to simply offering translated content. By taking a closer look at cultural nuances, however, we have not only successfully served the multicultural communities in our coverage areas but along the way, we have also helped many businesses penetrate those markets.
With this column, I invite you to embark upon a journey with me and to acquire a deeper understanding of some of the new immigrant groups that have made the Northeast their home. Through stories from members of these communities and commentary on the issues that pertain to them, we can begin to understand what is at the heart of their business, their motivations, their challenges and their needs.
This is the sort of understanding that can yield stronger business relationships, effective marketing campaigns and a more holistic sense of globalization, whether it occurs two blocks down the street or two continents away.
Emanuela Lima is the editor of the Tribuna, a Danbury-based, bi-monthly, trilingual community newspaper covering national, state and local news, in Portuguese, Spanish and English. Questions or comments may be emailed to her at editor@tribunact.com. To learn more about the Tribuna, please visit www.tribunact.com
