Strategic Management and Cross-Cultural Adaptation of TikTok as a Global Digital Platform

Abstract

With the rapid expansion of the global digital economy, short-video platforms have emerged as a major channel for cross-cultural communication. TikTok, developed by ByteDance, has achieved unprecedented global growth across more than 150 countries and regions, highlighting a broader transformation in digital content consumption toward globalization, fragmentation, and entertainment-oriented engagement. Against this backdrop, this study aims to examine how TikTok achieves cross-cultural scalability through the integration of global product strategy and localized operational practices. Drawing on cross-cultural communication theory and international marketing theory, this research adopts a qualitative case study approach based on secondary data analysis and illustrative use cases. The findings reveal that TikTok’s global success is driven by a multi-layered adaptation model that combines technological standardization with localized execution. At the strategic level, standardized core product functions and a unified algorithmic infrastructure enable scalability and operational efficiency. At the operational level, localization is embedded in content ecosystems, algorithmic recommendation outcomes, community management strategies, and governance frameworks, allowing the platform to respond effectively to cultural diversity, regulatory heterogeneity, and infrastructural differences. This coordinated approach enables TikTok to maintain global consistency while achieving deep cultural embeddedness in local markets.