Polar Views on Globalization

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UDC 316

Polar Views on Globalization

Prilipko Evgenia Valeryevna

Ph.D. Candidate

University of the Incarnate Word, San Antonio,

Texas, U.S.A.

Loiko Konstantin Valeryevich

Ph.D.

Freescale Semiconductor, Austin, Texas, U.S.A.

Annotation

The article presents a phenomenon of globalization and its ramifications. Globalization is a complex and controversial phenomenon of unification and integration. This phenomenon can be defined in multiple ways. The article reviews the origins of the term, economic aspect of globalization, as well as its positive and negative consequences

Keywords: GLOBALIZATION, GLOBALIZATION AND ECONOMY, NEGATIVE AND POSITIVE CONSEQUENCES OF GLOBALIZATION

УДК 316

ПОЛЯРНЫЕ ВЗГЛЯДЫ НА ГЛОБАЛИЗАЦИЮ

Прилипко Евгения Валерьевна

аспирант

Университет Воплощённого Слова,Сан Антонио, Техас, США

Лойко Константин Валерьевич

Ph.D.

Freescale Semiconductor, Остин, Техас, США

Данная статья освещает феномен глобализации и её последствия. Глобализация - сложный и противоречивый процесс унификации и интеграции, который можно рассматривать с разных сторон. Статья освещает истоки появления термина, экономический ракурс глобализации, а также её отрицательные и положительные последствия

Ключевые слова: ГЛОБАЛИЗАЦИЯ, ГЛОБАЛИЗАЦИЯ И ЭКОНОМИКА, ОТРИЦАТЕЛЬНЫЕ И ПОЛОЖИТЕЛЬНЫЕ ПОСЛЕДСТВИЯ ГЛОБАЛИЗАЦИИ

Introduction

Globalization is a widely-used and frequently misused term of an immensely complex and controversial phenomenon that can be defined in a number of ways. Our platform definition is as follows: Globalization is a process of unification, integration and expansion that can be analyzed from political, economical, technological, social, ecological and other points of view (Globalization 1-3; Merriam, Caffarella, & Baumgartner, 2007; Friedman, 2005, Tomlinson, 1999). Overall, globalization can be viewed as a dramatic spread of global relationships. As a natural process developing exponentially, it brings expansion in several ways: it allows flows of goods, workforce, capital and information (Soros, 2002). Globalization in the last twenty years has developed most significantly. This article will examine the origins of globalization, economical globalization, as well as negative and positive ramifications of the phenomenon.

The Origins of Globalization

The historical origins of globalizations remain subject to debate. Although some scholars claim that they go back to 1930s, the others believe the dates to be even earlier and can be traced back to ancient history that encompasses all international activity (Potoki, 2010). Others assert that the roots of globalization are attributed to the works of German-Jewish philosopher Carl Marx and his correspondence with Friedrich Engels. Specifically, it is believed that Marks meant globalization as “intensive international trade” when communicating with Engels in 1850s. According to Marx, human beings can contribute to globalization, but they cannot control it (Globalization 2). It is also believed that the term started to gain its popularity after the World War II. In the 1960s the term began to be used by economists and other social scientists (Tomlinson, 1999).

Globalization and Economy

Since the 1980s, the term has been used to refer to economic activity. In this sense, globalization is a global distribution of the production of goods and services through reduction of such barriers between national borders as tariffs, export fees, and import quotas to ease the process of international trade. Such reduction of international barriers facilitates the flow of goods, capital, services and labor. Globalization contributes to economic growth in developed and developing countries through increased specialization and the principle of comparative advantage. Globalization is also referred to as Westernization, Americanization, Coca-Colization, and McDonaldization (Patoki, 2010). The two most successful global food/beverage outlets that are American companies McDonald's and Starbucks are often cited as examples of globalization.

Globalization is a natural historical process. It is viewed as a result of an evolution which will continue to develop. According to Khakamada (2012), “[g]lobalization is like a wind, you cannot control it. It does not have any alternatives. Even if any alternatives are artificially created, they will be useless and will not yield any positive results. No clubs, no organizations will not help control globalization.”

Globalization can be described as “the process of erasing geographical boundaries,” and “flattening of the world,” (Friedman, 2005) meaning that globalized trade, outsourcing, supply-chaining, and political forces had left a permanent mark on the world. Robbins and Judge (2009) refer to this phenomenon as one global village, implying unification, similarization and integration of the globe. Cowen (2003) refers to it as “one big shopping mall” (p. 17).

Negative Influences of Globalization

Anti-globalists argue that negative consequences of globalization are so dramatic that they outweigh the positive ones. Some of the arguments are presented:

Capital inequality. German journalists are persuaded that 20% of developed countries benefit from 84.2% of the world trade, while the poorest countries are left on the side (Globalization 2). As a consequence, small businesses suffer the most. The gap between the rich and the poor continues to grow (Sachs, 1998). “More than a billion people live on less than a dollar a day; nearly a billion lack access to clean water; 826 million suffer from malnutrition” (Human Development Report, 2001).

Criminal globalization. Outsourcing to poorer countries leads to a dramatic increase in people trade, child trade and forced child labor, low wages, child exploitation, unfair working conditions, lack of medical benefits, drug trafficking, production of illicit goods and endangerment of species (Soros, 2002).

Biological/environmental consequences. Ecology becomes abused as a result of globalization and water resources are becoming acutely scarce and polluted. Scientists' concern escalates in regards to over-fishing of the ocean (Potoki, 2010). Some researchers argue that fish resources are signaling of extinction, but humans undervalue the full calamity of it. With human consumption of seafood having doubled in the last 30 years, seriously depleting multiple seafood fisheries and destroying the marine ecosystem as a result, the goal is to create a more sustainable seafood supply. It is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain food security as growing populations, falling energy sources and food shortages are estimated to reach its peak by 2030 (Globalization 2). Moreover, deforestation and demineralization are other two important risk factors.

Health concerns. Increased migration results in emergence of new illnesses, viruses and mutations, and is inevitable. Some of the deadliest infectious diseases were spread due to globalization. Starting in Asia, the Black Death killed at least one-third of Europe's population in the 14^th century. AIDS, Chagas and tuberculosis are other threats. In fact, the AIDS epidemic is one of the most dramatic examples of “a deadly disease spread through travel and migration” (Dollar, 2001, p. 830). Anti-globalists assert that although some of the life-threatening diseases like plaque or Black Death became extinct due to globalization, the other diseases, on the opposite, become even more spread-out along with new viruses that emerge (e.g. SARS-like virus).

Dissemination of knowledge and brain drain. Opportunities in rich countries attract skilled workers from poor countries, leading to brain drain. For example, nurses from poorer countries relocate to the U.S. to work. This phenomenon does not benefit such countries as Africa and India where the majority of these nurses migrate from. “Brain drain has cost the African continent over $4.1 billion in the employment of 150,000 expatriate professionals annually. Indian students going abroad for their higher studies costs India a foreign exchange outflow of $10 billion annually” (Patoki, 2010, p. 10).

Cultural loss. The term cultural globalization implies cultural transformation. Cultural practices including traditional music can be lost or turned into a fusion of traditions. Globalization can lead performers to discard traditional instruments and cultural peculiarities, overall known as a loss of cultural identity. Some researchers argue that globalization borderlines with contamination. “Such contamination fear was responsible for the closedown of the Starbucks coffee shop in the Imperial Palace Museum in Beijing in 2007” (Chiu, Gries, Torelli, & Cheng, 2011, p. 668) in order to preserve the most authentic cultural identity.

Positive Influences of Globalization

Although multiple threats of globalization have been discussed, globalization, on the other hand, extends multiple positive enhancements. Some of the advantages discussed in this article are technological advancements, increase in job opportunities, the English-language benefits for global society, global competition and religion.

Technological advancements. Among other positive changes brought by globalization, technological gigantic leaps can no longer be overlooked or underappreciated. Technological developments bring positive changes in multiple spheres: communication, education, medical areas and many others. It is due to technological advancements that several life-threatening illnesses ceased to exist (e.g. plague). Technological progress augmented by the influence of globalization includes but is not limited to the following (Merriam, Caffarella, & Baumgartner, 2007):

1. Auto-mechanics are trained to diagnose engine problems by using computers.

2. Grocery stores offer scanning, bagging and check out by means of self-service stations. IKEA, the Swedish giant family store, as one of these representatives, has advanced, but very user-friendly computer technology capable or serving thousands of customers in a speedy and efficient manner.

3. Travelers can easily access and prepare their boarding passes at home.

4. Adult courses in the form of Wimba classes and on-line degrees are now widely available to accommodate adults with the most demanding schedules and offer them an opportunity towards academic advancement at their convenience.

5. Along with a growing demand for online courses, international education and movement of students is becoming increasingly available and flexible.

6. Skype and teleconferencing allows flows of communication among various countries. Teleconferencing connects sister corporations in (Austin and Singapore, for example) for conducting business meetings.

7. Emailing is so overwhelming that it threatens to become the official leading mechanism of organizational and personal communication.

8. Text messaging is developing with a disastrous speed.

9. Internet, Web blogs, Facebook, Twitter, LinkIn and YouTube are virtual societies that are replacing libraries, theaters, clubs and other non-virtual forms of socialization.

10. Ordering pizza by computer is a commonly offered restaurant feature in present days.

11. Scheduling doctors' appointments and requesting release of information forms is a commonplace practice for many hospitals.

12. Cellular phones that come as a package with a virtual “personal assistant” who responds to the sound of one's voice does not appear to be a luxury, but a means of convenience.

Language opportunity. Mandarin is the first most popular language with 845 million speakers, followed by Spanish and its 329 million speakers, and then English with its 328 million speakers (Patoki, 2010, p. 7). With the ever-expanding globalization, the English language becomes the most learned and used language of international communication, or “lingua franca” of globalization. Patoki (2010) reports that approximately 40% of radio programs and 50% of Internet traffic are in English (p.7) . Many governments in Asian countries support the English language as the first foreign language in formal educational curriculum (Tsai, Chang, & Chen, 2012). English is a linguistic vehicle that allows individuals unlimited communication and establishment of networks along with travel opportunities. One global event that unites individuals both internationally and by means of communication in English is the Olympic games.

Increase in job opportunities. India, Philippines and Vietnam are amongst ones of the most commonly used countries for outsourcing by the United States. These countries benefit by a growing number of job vacancies. Families of these newly hired employees benefit financially, which, in turn, enhances the overall economic situation (Globalization 2).

Global competition. In order to survive in the new global business, companies strive for improved productivity and withstand increased competition. As the market experiences international expansion, companies in various industries have to upgrade their products and rely on advanced technology to face increased competition (Patoki, 2010).

Religion. The spread and collaboration of various religious groups result in migration of religions. Patoki (2010) claims Christianity to be the most popular current religion worldwide, Islam being second, Hinduism third, and Buddhism fourth (p. 9).

What to Expect?

Some journalists, sociologists and politicians argue that China will replace currently leading globalization country United States by 2025, followed by India by 2050 (Globalization 2, 3).

Conclusion

Positive and negative ramifications of globalization are a matter of controversy and can be a subject of an endless debate. Nevertheless, the bottom line is straightforward: globalization is here, it is developing and it is not going to disappear. Globalization is a natural process that encompasses all spheres of human life. As a result, the world becomes a more unified society. Globalization is a complex and multifaceted process. On one hand, it facilitates global exchange. On the other hand, it results in uneven spread of the word's capital, leaving least developing countries behind. To bring benefits of globalization to a maximum number of countries is one of the major tasks of the global society.

Global organizations must recognize a phenomenon of global culture, when popular international cultural tendencies tend to replace cultures of individual countries as the world is becoming a one unified village of Hollywood, Disneyland, Coca-Cola, McDonalds, Starbucks, Procter&Gamble, Microsoft, Intel, Skype, ICQ, IKEA, Harry Porter, and Gangnam style dance. Books and movies become available in multiple countries simultaneously and are translated into various languages. A great example to it is a biography of Steve Jobs. Internet is another inevitable phenomenon and a result of a technological globalization. The term global society is becoming more widespread, implying understanding that all individuals of the world are citizens of a homogeneous global society.

References

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