The Cosmopolitical Corporation: Incorporating Cosmopolitanism in Corporate Organisations

This essay sheds light on the key concepts of cosmopolitanism and its incorporation in the managerial and organizational frameworks of corporate organisations. It discusses the aspects of the key features of cosmopolitanism in the global dimensions of the corporate world, highlighting the transformative principles encountered by the same. The essay also discusses cosmopolitanism in the Asian as well as Singaporean contexts, and a reflective portrayal of one’s thoughts with respect to the usage of cosmopolitanism in present day corporate organisations.

Running head: THE COSMOPOLITICAL CORPORATION
THE COSMOPOLITICAL CORPORATION
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author note:

1THE COSMOPOLITICAL CORPORATION
Executive Summary
With the advent of globalisation, emerging advancements in science and technology and the
rapid establishments of globally expanding phenomena such as foreign exchanges and
investments, the incorporation of cosmopolitanism, has become and inevitable principle, in
the managerial and organizational frameworks of most corporate organisations. The
following paragraphs of this essay, aim to shed light extensively, on the key concepts of
cosmopolitanism, keeping in mind the requirement of encouraging a culturally, all-inclusive
scenario in present day corporate establishments. There is firstly a discussion on the aspects
of the key features of cosmopolitanism in the global dimensions of the corporate world,
which highlights the transformative principles encountered by the same, despite the existence
of an elitist, socially isolated class of individuals who name themselves as cosmopolitans.
This is followed by the discussion of cosmopolitanism in the Asian as well as Singaporean
contexts, highlighting the need for a harmonising existence of the same, despite the presence
of values outlining considerable ethnic and diverse acceptance. The final paragraphs of the
essay discusses a reflective portrayal of one’s thoughts with respect to the usage of
cosmopolitanism in present day corporate organisations, and how the existence of cultural
discrepancies and discriminations can be altered. Hence, in conclusion, it can be stated that
the usage of cosmopolitanism is not a relatively novel phenomenon, and has been deemed to
be inevitable in the adequate performance of organizational and managerial frameworks, in
corporate businesses. However, the need for adequate education, awareness and
understanding, with regards to the proper utilisation and execution of the same is imperative
for the abolishment of discrimination that seeks to harm the core principles of
cosmopolitanism, by either displaying ignorance towards the economically unprivileged, or
by demeaning one’s own native cultures and principles, in comparison to the existence of
foreign or exotic policies and ideologies.

2THE COSMOPOLITICAL CORPORATION

3THE COSMOPOLITICAL CORPORATION
The term ‘Cosmopolitan’, possesses grassroots of Greek origin, from the words,
‘kosmos’ implying ‘cosmos’ and ‘polites’, implying ‘citizens or inhabitants of a single,
universal city or world’ (Nail, 2015). As opined by the theoretical and philosophy expert
Kwame Anthony Appiah (2017), ‘cosmopolitanism’ derives its strengths from the formation
of worldwide political policies socially inclusive of individuals inhabiting diverse cultural
habits, possessing equality in engagement, followed by an additional establishment of
beneficial privileges, greater than alternative political organisations (Appiah, 2017).
The following essay outlines extensive discussions on the usage of cosmopolitanism
across the globe, across Asia, with defining perspectives in Singapore, followed by a
reflective analysis.
The emergence of principles outlining ‘Globalisation’ implies the establishment of
cross cultural organisational ethics, further strengthening the flourishing of global business
marketing policies, closely knitting diverse countries as a single community thriving in
industrial harmony (Zajda, 2015). The advent of science and technology, followed by the
conception highlighting the flourishing of globally compatible business, has heightened the
requirement of implementing a workforce thriving with an all-inclusive nature, driving the
employment of novel employees inhabiting ethnically and culturally diverse backgrounds
(Davis, Frolova & Callahan, 2016). With this respect, there has been a transformation in
business ethics at present, which have successfully based its functioning on Western
organizational philosophies. A recognition of amending present corporate environments into
ethnically diverse counterparts, further necessitates the need to employ modern day principles
of ‘Cosmopolitanism’ in the global corporate habitat (Abumere, 2016). Hence, global
corporate businesses are shedding light on managerial importance of executing moral,
political and socio-cultural dimensions of cosmopolitanism, in order to enhance the
infiltration of the same in their workforce. The application of moral cosmopolitanism, implies

4THE COSMOPOLITICAL CORPORATION
the acceptance of the employee, as a significant resource in a morally humane context (Levy,
Peiperl & Jonsen, 2015). Deriving philosophies of enlightenment as outlined by Kant, every
individual of the corporate workforce is treated with equity, upholding the principles of
morality of individual rights, assurance of sound physiological and psychological health and
the provision of non-discriminating rights, with utmost importance with regards to the
implementation of a cosmo-political corporate environment, circulating with humanity and
morality (Habermas, 2018). In accordance to the political aspects of cosmopolitanism in the
global corporate platform, there is a need for the establishment of internationally inclusive
citizenship and political frameworks, which will enforce the united global functioning of
diverse corporate businesses (Zürn & de Wilde, 2016). There is however, an absence of
specific socio-cultural definitions of cosmopolitanism, with respect to the ideologies outlined
by social theorists that, generalising the concept of the same, would detrimentally affect the
true meaning of cosmopolitanism as a socially ideal phenomenon necessitating the execution
of a culturally and ethically all-inclusive corporate principles (Chan, 2015). However, with
respect to the present day 21st Century functioning in global corporate societies, the
implementation and execution of cosmopolitanism is far from its archetypical counterpart.
Globally analysing corporate environments, still reveals the existence of an elitist class of
cosmopolitan advocates, thriving in patriarchal principles, emerging from the 70s
introduction of financial principles of foreign investments and establishment of capitalist
ideologies on a worldwide platform (Ostiguy & Roberts, 2016). Despite the existence of a
meagre population of cosmopolitans inhabiting highly simplistic economic backgrounds with
a thirst for executing culturally humanistic philosophies, the elite group of global
cosmopolitan individuals inhabit privileged environments acquiring products and services
from across the globe, with minute organizational contact due to their constant engagement in

5THE COSMOPOLITICAL CORPORATION
global travelling, with the purpose of establishing harmonising communication with
additional, dignified corporate cosmopolitans (Levy, Peiperl & Jonsen, 2015).
With respect to the principles of integrating the ideologies of cosmopolitanism in
functional environments brimming with corporate organizational and managerial principles, a
majority of the frameworks utilised derived their roots from Western or European countries,
due to the ancient notions regarding the Asian subcontinent, as a land of savages (Klein,
2017). However, with the advent of globalisation, emerging the recognition of Asia as a
worldwide hotspot for establishments of global markets, the need for infiltration of principles
outlining corporate cosmopolitanisms has become imperative for the successful functioning
of exiting Asian businesses. However, in comparison to the global or Western context, Asia
presents its own sets of incorporating cosmopolitanism (Patience, 2014). One of the primary
reasons outlining the difficulty of such executions is the presence of a vast surface area of the
Asian subcontinent, further highlighting the presence of numerous ethnicities and groups
overfilled with culturally and ethnically diverse practices. The major cultural practices
existing in Asia, include Chinese, Islamic, Indian and Japanese ideologies, each with its own
of diverse principles vastly distinctive amongst the rest. Further, the existence of regional
conflicts amongst Pakistan and India, along with fault line differences amongst Japan and
China, poses as primary obstacles in the initiation of cosmopolitanism in the corporate
establishments (Nagy, 2014). An additional existence of the elites advocating the principles
of cosmopolitanism, would further hinder the inhabitation of economically disadvantaged
groups thriving in agricultural activities, comprising a majority of the Asian population.
Despite the presence of several shortcomings, there lies a strong environment for the
incorporation of cosmopolitanism ideologies in the Asian corporate backgrounds. This is due
to the emergence of ethnically diverse cultural civilisations across Asia, emerging with the
transmission of ethnically varied ideas across alternative civilisations, as compared to the

6THE COSMOPOLITICAL CORPORATION
autonomic establishments of its European counterparts (He, 2016). Traditionally, since
ancient times, the Asians have possessed capabilities outlining an all-inclusive attitude, which
can be evident in their implementation of ideas present across cross cultural Asian diversities
and even across Western civilisations. Various nationalities residing in the Asian
subcontinent, have not only witnessed utilisation of ideas across additional Asian countries,
but have also witnessed the accepted infiltration of Western political, cultural and
organisational theoretical frameworks. Hence, Asia upholds the provision of a more
acceptable corporate environment which facilitates the incorporation of the organizational
principles of cosmopolitanism, as compared to the existence of a socially unaccountable
advocates of corporate cosmopolitans in the Western platform, who thrive in a habitat
outlining elitist principles (Banks, 2015). While the Western corporate principles have
witnessed the selective emergence of managerial principles concerned only with European
compatibility, the Asian context has been home to the growth and development of humanely
inclusive ideologies of Buddhism and Confucianism, which is further reflected in their co-
existence and acceptance of ethnically diverse policies acquired from neighbouring
nationalities of the subcontinent. Hence, Asia serves to be a potentially beneficial platform
for the emergence and incorporation of novel principles of ideologies of cosmopolitanism in
corporate based organisations (Kersten et al., 2015).
Concerning the rising importance of the existence of globalisation and the resultant
emerging establishments of multicultural workforce backgrounds, the continent of Asia in
general and the country of Singapore in particular, have not been spared by the rapidly
expanding networks outlining the ideals of cosmopolitanism against a corporate backdrop.
With respect to the dissemination of global ideologies, the population of Singapore exhibits
cosmopolitanism (French, 2015). Singaporeans accepted the necessity of inclusion of
cosmopolitanism, as evident from the existence as well as presentation of acceptability with

7THE COSMOPOLITICAL CORPORATION
regards to the diverse views in accordance to varied cultural practices, radical socio-cultural
opinions, liberty to pursue diverse academic and occupational avenues, as well as acceptable
norms with regards to sexual practices (Lian, 2015). With respect to the Singaporean
corporate world, the reflection of cosmopolitanism has been stark and increasingly evident,
and can be assessed with the existence of a Singaporean workforce thriving in languages in
addition to their native tongue, participating in reputed occupational fields of science and
technology, delegation of professional positions of leadership or managerial characteristics,
and also in the display of compatibility to exhibit performance in every part of the world (Ye,
2016). Before highlighting the possible cosmopolitanism characteristics of Singaporeans,
functioning in corporate scenarios, there should be considerable familiarity with the pre-
requisite concepts of cosmopolitanism. It is to be noted, that the foundation principles of
cosmopolitanism has undergone significant transformation over the 20th Century. While
initial conceptual notions of cosmopolitanism has highlighted the existence of a population
existing and functioning far from its grassroots of emergence, the definitive frameworks of
the same implemented upon the onset of 1970s, focussed the conception of an elitist class
thriving in the luxuries of exotic principles (Levy, Peiperl & Jonsen, 2015). With respect to
this definition of cosmopolitanism, which has prevailed amongst the majority of the corporate
officials advocating cosmopolitanism, the inhabitants of Singaporean corporate backgrounds
seem to exhibit similar principles. With respect to Singapore, a considerable discrimination
has been evident, where corporates exhibit a certain degree of judgmental notions, which
escalate foreign cultures and practices, as superior to their traditional native ideologies. A
majority of Singaporeans working in business settings, have been highlighted to display
considerable differences in linguistics, speaking stoic English with respect to American or
English backgrounds, and amalgamating English with touches of their mother tongue, in
native scenarios (Chib & Aricat, 2017). Singaporeans functioning in a corporate

8THE COSMOPOLITICAL CORPORATION
environments accept Western cuisine, culture and ideologies with ease which displays a
highly active notion of cosmopolitanism. However, the implementation is clouded with irony,
when the same natives display an interest towards working and engaging in exotic dialects of
corporate environments, hence showing utter disregard to performing in native corporate
organisations – which further damage the very all-inclusive nature of executing
cosmopolitanism in corporate environments (Ye & Yeoh, 2018).
Today, with the rapidly expanding networks of advances established in science and
technology, against the backdrop of the existence of globalisation compelling the emergence
of multiculturalism and acceptance of ethnically diverse principles and practices, I believe
that the existence and usage of cosmopolitanism in the corporate as well as informal sectors,
is imperative for the establishment of a globally acceptable community thriving with ethnic
acceptability, cultural harmony and united political progress, in various platforms of society,
politics, cultures and heritages. The transforming principles encountered by the concept of
cosmopolitanism, has not only intrigued me, but also further enhanced my belief, of a future
possible existence of globally diverse yet harmonising environment, within the workplace
and beyond. However, with respect to the present day scenario, emphasising the existence of
individuals thriving in cosmopolitanism in an elitist, capitalist corporate scenario, I am deeply
saddened by the presence of such disparities, which seem to completely disregard the
inhabitation of economically not-so-privileged populations, who display equal acceptance to
the approach of cosmopolitanism. The rising existence of such an autonomous class of belief,
yields damage to the culturally-acceptable notions of cosmopolitanism. With respect to the
Asian context, I believe that the infiltration and transmission of cosmopolitanism in the
corporate world is difficult, but not a far-fetched reality. Considering the already existing
cross cultural dissemination of ideas and principles imperative to the emergence of the
diverse Asian nationalities, I believe that with time, the Asian subcontinent will prove to be a

9THE COSMOPOLITICAL CORPORATION
shining example exhibiting novel notions of cosmopolitanism in corporate organisations in
the near future. Concerning the context of my native country Singapore, I take pride in
accepting and recognising the prevalence of ethnically diverse cosmopolitanism principles
amongst the Singaporean population, who are exhibiting impressive strides with regards the
corporate workforce as well academic and linguistic platforms. However, I am deeply
perturbed by the reported discrepancies displayed by the individuals of Singapore, who often
lend importance to foreign practices, while undermining their own cultural heritage and
beliefs. Thus, I believe that there is a need for greater awareness and education regarding the
proper understanding and utilisation of the usage of principles outlining cosmopolitanism in
the corporate environment. This must begin with reformations and amendments in the
existing managerial principles highlighting the same, which further would lead to the
dissemination of ideal ideas relative to proper cosmopolitanism, amongst the workforce
functioning in corporate organizations. Since the theory of cosmopolitanism finds its usage
amidst a global perspective, I believe that the establishment of internationally accredited
organisations outlining principles of the same, would prove to be beneficial in imparting the
principles and ideologies of the usage of cosmopolitanism in the corporate environment,
globally as well as amongst individual nationalities. If established with precision, and with
due adherence to the same, I believe the creation and harmonising existence of a world
thriving with acceptability of diverse ethnicities, cultures and nationalities is definitely not an
impossible dream to achieve in the future.
Hence to conclude, this essay discusses the key concepts of the emerging principles of
cosmopolitanism in the corporate environment, with key emphasis on its global performance,
its possibilities amidst the nationalities in the Asian subcontinents, as well as its current
functioning in the corporate concept of the country of Singapore. With the emergence of
Globalisation, cosmopolitanism has proven to be a formidable force, which in evitable for the

10THE COSMOPOLITICAL CORPORATION
functioning of present day corporate companies surviving in the existence of global networks
in business and managerial functioning. However, there still lies considerable discrimination,
with the existence of autonomous individuals far from the corporate sector. While the Asian
subcontinent, proves to be a potential location for the dissemination of corporate ideologies
pertaining to cosmopolitanism, the implementation and execution of the same would require
considerable time and acceptance, due to the existence of varied nationalities. Lastly, the
prevalence of cosmopolitanism is strong in the corporate scenario specific to Singapore.
However, transmission of considerable awareness regarding the usage of the same is
imperative to the eradication of existing judgments which prove to yield considerably
damaging implications to one’s own native cultures and practices. Hence, there is a strong
need for the establishment of standardised usage of cosmopolitanism, in order to enhance
equity and global harmony.

11THE COSMOPOLITICAL CORPORATION
References
Abumere, F. A. (2016). THE COMBINATORIAL USE OF STATISM AND
COSMOPOLITANISM IN THEORIES OF GLOBAL JUSTICE. Romanian Journal
of Society and Politics, 11(1), 7-26.
Appiah, K. A. (2017). Cosmopolitanisms. NYU Press.
Banks, J. A. (2015). Cultural diversity and education. Routledge.
Chan, N. K. (2015). Myria Georgiou, Media and the City: Cosmopolitanism and Difference.
International Journal of Communication, 9, 4.
Chib, A., & Aricat, R. G. (2017). Belonging and communicating in a bounded
cosmopolitanism: The role of mobile phones in the integration of transnational
migrants in Singapore. Information, Communication & Society, 20(3), 482-496.
Davis, P. J., Frolova, Y., & Callahan, W. (2016). Workplace diversity management in
Australia: what do managers think and what are organisations doing?. Equality,
Diversity and Inclusion: An International Journal, 35(2), 81-98.
French, R. (2015). Cross-cultural management in work organisations. Kogan Page
Publishers.
Habermas, J. (2018). The philosophical discourse of modernity: Twelve lectures. John Wiley
& Sons.
He, B. (2016). In search of a people-centric order in Asia. World Scientific Publishing.
Kersten, P., Dudley, M., Nayar, S., Elder, H., Robertson, H., Tauroa, R., & McPherson, K.
M. (2016). Cross-cultural acceptability and utility of the strengths and difficulties
questionnaire: views of families. BMC psychiatry, 16(1), 347.

12THE COSMOPOLITICAL CORPORATION
Klein, C. (2017). Cold War Cosmopolitanism: The Asia Foundation and 1950s Korean
Cinema. Journal of Korean Studies, 22(2), 281-316.
Levy, O., Peiperl, M. A., & Jonsen, K. (2015). Cosmopolitanism in a globalized world: An
interdisciplinary perspective. In Advances in global leadership (pp. 281-323).
Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
Lian, K. F. (Ed.). (2015). Multiculturalism, migration, and the politics of identity in
Singapore (Vol. 1). Springer.
Nagy, S. R. (2014). Politics of multiculturalism in East Asia: Reinterpreting multiculturalism.
Ethnicities, 14(1), 160-176.
Nail, T. (2015). Migrant cosmopolitanism. Public Affairs Quarterly, 29(2), 187-200.
Ostiguy, P., & Roberts, K. M. (2016). Putting trump in comparative perspective: populism
and the politicization of the sociocultural law. Brown J. World Aff., 23, 25.
Patience, A. (2014). From Australian Multiculturalism to Cosmopolitanism in Asia: Can
Australia Educate Itself into the Asian Century. Essays 2014: Politics, 60-80.
Ye, J. (2016). Class inequality in the global city: Migrants, workers and cosmopolitanism in
Singapore. Springer.
Ye, J., & Yeoh, B. S. (2018). Disciplining deserving subjects through social assistance:
migration and the diversification of precarity in Singapore. Annals of the American
Association of Geographers, 108(2), 478-485.
Zajda, J. (2015). Globalisation and its impact on education and policy. In Second
International Handbook on Globalisation, Education and Policy Research (pp. 105-
125). Springer, Dordrecht.

13THE COSMOPOLITICAL CORPORATION
Zürn, M., & de Wilde, P. (2016). Debating globalization: cosmopolitanism and
communitarianism as political ideologies. Journal of political ideologies, 21(3), 280-
301.