Balancing Global Norms and Local Identity: How Regional Industries Gain Legitimacy

What is it about?

This study explores how local industries manage the tension between global expectations and local identity. In a globalized world, local actors must appear legitimate to international audiences valuing conformity and to local stakeholders seeking cultural distinctiveness. Using the concept of glocalization, the model explains how organizations balance these demands by selectively adhering to global standards while adapting them to local contexts that reflect their unique identity. Based on a five-year qualitative case study of the Ontario wine industry, the research identifies multiple, overlapping paths through which local firms achieve legitimacy in the global marketplace. Some actors conform closely to global standards to gain recognition and credibility abroad, while others reinterpret or localize these norms to express regional authenticity. The findings demonstrate that these strategies are not mutually exclusive; instead, they coexist as part of a dynamic balancing act that allows local industries to thrive under global pressures while maintaining a sense of local distinctiveness. For practitioners, this work shows that legitimacy in global markets is not a matter of pure imitation or total independence. Instead, success often depends on the ability to blend conformity and creativity—adopting global principles where necessary, yet tailoring them to resonate with local traditions, values, and identities. Industries and organizations can benefit from developing strategies that reflect both external credibility and internal cultural alignment.

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Photo by Lukáš Kulla on Unsplash

Photo by Lukáš Kulla on Unsplash

Why is it important?

This study contributes to a deeper understanding of how local actors engage with globalization by showing that legitimation is a nuanced, ongoing process of negotiation between global and local forces. By identifying several distinct pathways of legitimation, it advances the literature on glocalization and institutional theory, illustrating how local industries can strategically balance these dual pressures. As globalization continues to reshape industries worldwide, these insights offer valuable lessons for firms, policymakers, and communities seeking to preserve local identity while competing effectively on a global stage.