The ambiguity of globalization explained from the Coke industry

This essay will talk about globalization and its ambiguous nature reflected in a clear
example: Coke’s impact around the world. Firstly, according to Oxford reference:
globalization is understood as the fact of different economic systems, cultures, countries
and customs becoming connected due to many factors including the influence of
multinational companies.
Coke is a company which has illustrated the globalization since the beginning of the
twentieth century, when the famous soda moved from being a local business to becoming a
global market, connecting people on every continent with just one product worldwide. One
case that shows this is that, even though the company is American, the world's highest
consumer record has been in Mexico since 2010 where the population consumes 675 8-
ounce bottles (237 milliliters) per capita per year. One of the greatest advantages of
globalization is the connection of national market ideas which can become global identity.
For example, Coke´s slogan (open happiness) and logo are great cases of this, since they
are known by 94 % of the world’s population.
Throughout its history, Coke’s impact has not been completely positive overall. Its
production at local level in countries such as India and Mexico has resulted in ecological
problems, since there were constant allegations of the excessive use of water resources in
1998 in Planchimana (India) where more than four liters of water were used for one liter of
Coca Cola. A similar situation occurred in 2000 where it was exploited irrationally to a well
in the area of San Cristobal de las Casas, in Chiapas, Mexico. Furthermore, nowadays Coke
is one of the most polluting industries in the world according to Greenpeace; the brand's
plastics were found in garbage in 40 countries.
It seems to me that globalization is an ambiguous phenomenon, that not only opens markets
and connects ideas, but companies, at the same time, often exploit the territory and abuse
the environment. Moreover, the globalization must be strictly regulated by national
governments where the entry and positioning of global brands does not create any kind of
environmental, social and economic inconveniences, resulting in responsible globalization.
References
 Oxford Reference. Globalization. Retrieved from:
https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803095855259
 Coca Cola Australia. (2017) Coke´s way forward. Retrieved from:
https://www.businessinsider.com.au/facts-about-coca-cola-2011-6
 Lopez, O and Jacobs, A. (2018). In Town With Little Water, Coca-Cola Is
Everywhere. So Is Diabetes. New York Times. Retrieved from:
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/14/world/americas/mexico-coca-cola-
diabetes.html
 Fayanás, E. (2011). Coca Cola: La gran depredadora de agua. Retrieved from:
https://www.nuevatribuna.es/articulo/medio-ambiente/coca-cola-la-gran-
depredadora-de-agua/20110426104813053759.html