Recent developments in Varanasi and its promotion through media made the city an attractive tourist spot. With which theory can this example be closely associated with?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → Culture of consumption
Option (1) Corporate culture — Incorrect. Corporate culture is a branch of management theory that seeks to raise productivity and competitiveness by creating a unique culture inside a firm, with company events, rituals and traditions. It is about life inside a company, not about how a city is promoted to visitors.
Option (2) Culture of consumption — Correct. Till the 1970s manufacturing industries shaped the growth of cities; now cultural consumption, of art, food, fashion, music and tourism, shapes it to a large extent, and advertisements and the media promote a culture of spending. Varanasi being developed and promoted in the media as a tourist spot is a city growing through the consumption of its culture by tourists.
Option (3) Glocalisation of culture — Incorrect. Glocalisation refers to the mixing of the global with the local, a strategy often adopted by foreign firms to suit local traditions, as when foreign television channels use Indian languages. Promoting an Indian city as a tourist spot is not a global product taking a local form.
Option (4) Conspicuous consumption — Incorrect. Conspicuous consumption means spending on costly goods to show off one’s wealth and status, for example buying an expensive car mainly to impress the neighbours. The example is about a city growing through tourism, not about people displaying their wealth.
Note: The concept in Option (4), ‘conspicuous consumption’, is not in NCERT (2025-26); explained here for the benefit of the students.
NCERT (2025-26): “Culture of Consumption … Often when we speak of culture we refer to dresses, music, dances, food. However, culture as we know refers to a whole way of life. There are two uses of culture that any chapter on globalisation should mention. They are the culture of consumption and corporate culture. Look at the crucial role that cultural consumption is playing in the process of globalisation especially in shaping the growth of cities. Till the 1970s the manufacturing industries used to play a major role in the growth of cities. Presently, cultural consumption (of art, food, fashion, music, tourism) shapes to a large extent the growth of cities. This is evident in the spurt in the growth of shopping malls, multiplex cinema halls, amusement parks and ‘water world’ in every major city in India. Most significantly advertisements and the media in general promote a culture where spending is important. To be careful with money is no longer a virtue. Shopping is a past time actively encouraged.…” “Homogenisation Versus Glocalisation of Culture … A central contention is that all cultures will become similar, that is homogeneous. Others argue that there is an increasing tendency towards glocalisation of culture. Glocalisation refers to the mixing of the global with the local. It is not entirely spontaneous. Nor is it entirely delinked from the commercial interests of globalisation. It is a strategy often adopted by foreign firms while dealing with local traditions in order to enhance their marketability.…” “Corporate Culture … Corporate culture is a branch of management theory that seeks to increase productivity and competitiveness though the creation of a unique organisational culture involving all members of a firm. A dynamic corporate culture - involving company events, rituals and traditions - is thought to enhance employee loyalty and promote group solidarity.…” |