To Standardize or Localize, That Is the Question!

McElroy Translation Blog, Derek Savage

Today as I was doing my daily Google, I came across an article that explains standardization vs. localization. As peers and prospects alike have to make this decision when taking a product into multiple global markets, it’s good to get a refresher on why we choose for the final product to receive a standardized translation, or for it to be regionally localized.

Standardization works under the assumption that the wants and needs in global markets are homogenous, therefore, the product offered by one said company is the same throughout all markets without modification. The argument for standardization is that technology is developed and dispersed evenly throughout the world and this will first create a national culture that will in turn conform into one global culture.

Localization focuses on the differences in marketing segments specific to each culture because values and beliefs are different due to how and where each market functions. Taking into consideration local consumer traits helps shape how the product is modified to better fit the consumer of that segment.

To learn more, visit http://globalizationexecutive.com/articles/Chapter3.pdf.