Globalization: Pros & Cons

Globalization has such an extraordinary impact on today’s business world as well as society as a whole.  Whether it’s the trade of products, ideas, or social interactions; globalization has aided in the expansion of a whole new way of thinking. Rewarding or circumstantial globalization has created opportunities as well as challenges within the global marketplace; as well as all over the world.

Technology is a crucial input in the industrialization and development of countries. (Kumar, 1998, p. 11) It has inspired new ideas and new behaviors in the way cultures interact, whether by way of telephone, internet, the media, and the way we are able to travel. To the way we produce and manufacture products. Technology has made valuable contributions on a global scale and continues to flourish urging all countries to take the next steps towards becoming more developed. 

Globalization has inspired many underdeveloped societies to be part of the global marketplace through technology. One of which is how technological advances have made it easier to communicate. For example, NetMeeting software, where someone from one country can speak to someone on the other side of the world; translation software and other intercultural ways of communication and with technology constantly advancing these ways of communicating becomes more affordable.

One of the ramifications caused by today’s technological advances and globalization are due to corporations expanding due to new ways of manufacturing their products and eliminating some jobs entirely. (O’Reilly & Alfred, 1998) For example a factory has an assembly line of a hundred odd workers, used to make toys. Let us say the company did so well last Christmas that they were able to afford new computers that would be able to complete 75% of the manufacturing process. In the eyes of the corporation they are spending less on employee wages, less liability as far as workers getting hurt on the job, less room for human error and of course less time making the product; hence decreasing production cost and increasing companies revenue.

Another challenge caused by the impact of globalization is its affects on how it increases the likely hood of one cultures interaction with another and how they perceive each other. For example, a culture that does not believe in women’s right and a shipment is escorted in by an army of a country that lives by it (more or less.) Now you have a female commander, barking orders to her male soldiers; the men of the other culture would see it as an outrage may even think that the other country is weak. The women maybe inspired to change and make a stand for women’s rights.

Of course this in time will have a positive outcome, but by whose standards? Personally I am all for human rights in all aspects, but globalization and technology can also force the extinction of most traditions and making dramatic changes to cultures every day.

References

1.      Kumar, N. (1998). 2: Technology generation and transfers in the world economy; recent trends and prospects for developing countries. In Globalization, Foreign Direct Investment and Technology Transfers: Impacts on and prospects for developing countries (p. 11). Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge. Retrieved October, 2008, from http://books.google.com/books?id=UDMR4tyLS_gC&printsec=frontcover&dq=globalization+and+technology#PPA11,M1

2.      O’Reilly, E., & Alfred, D. (1998, March 6). Innovations in technology and globalization: introduction to the information era. Retrieved October, 2008, from http://workinfonet.bc.ca/lmisi/Making/CHAPTER2/TANDG1.HTM