globalization good or bad essay

Advantages and Disadvantages of Globalization Essay

When discussing the drawbacks and benefits of globalization, essays tend to be on the longer side. The example below is a brief exploration of this complex subject. Learn more in this concise globalization pros and cons essay.

Introduction

• Benefits and Disadvantages of Globalization

Reducing Negative Effects

In today’s world, globalization is a process that affects all aspects of people’s lives. It also has a crucial impact on businesses and governments as it provides opportunities for development while causing significant challenges. This paper discusses the advantages and disadvantages of globalization using evidence from academic sources. The report also suggests how governments and companies may implement to reduce the negative impact of the process.

Benefits and Drawbacks of Globalization

Globalization is a complex concept that can be defined by the process of interaction between organizations, businesses, and people on an international scale, which is driven by international trade. Some people may associate it with uniformity, while others can perceive it as the cause of diversification. The reason for such a difference in public opinion is that globalization has both advantages and disadvantages that should be analyzed.

The most significant positive aspects of globalization include global economic growth, the elimination of barriers between nations, and the establishment of competition between countries, which can potentially lead to a decrease in prices. Globalization supports free trade, creates jobs, and helps societies to become more tolerant towards each other. In addition, this process may increase the speed of financial and commercial operations, as well as reduce the isolation of poor populations (Burlacu, Gutu, & Matei, 2018; Amavilah, Asongu, & Andrés, 2017).

The disadvantages of globalization are that it causes the transfer of jobs from developed to lower-cost countries, a decrease in the national intellectual potential, the exploitation of labor, and a security deficit. Moreover, globalization leads to ecological deficiency (Ramsfield, Bentz, Faccoli, Jactel, & Brockerhoff, 2016). In addition, this process may result in multinational corporations influencing political decisions and offering unfair working conditions to their employees.

Firms and governments can work on eliminating the negative effects of globalization in the following ways. For example, countries should work on microeconomic policies, such as enhancing opportunities for education and career training and establishing less rigid labor markets. In addition, governments can build the necessary institutional infrastructure to initiate economic growth. To solve the problem of poor working conditions, it is vital to establish strict policies regarding minimum wages and the working environment for employees. A decrease in the national intellectual potential may be addressed by offering a broad range of career opportunities with competitive salaries, as well as educating future professionals on how their skills can solve problems on the local level.

Companies, in their turn, may invest in technologies that may lead to more flexible energy infrastructure, lower production costs, and decrease carbon emissions. They can also establish strong corporate cultures to support their workers and provide them with an opportunity to share their ideas and concerns. Such an approach may eliminate employees’ migration to foreign organizations and increase their loyalty to local organizations. It is vital for companies to develop policies aimed at reducing a negative impact on the environment as well by using less destructive manufacturing alternatives and educating their employees on ecology-related issues.

Globalization has a significant impact on companies, governments, and the population. It can be considered beneficial because it helps to eliminate barriers between nations, causes competition between countries, and initiates economic growth. At the same time, globalization may result in a decrease in the national intellectual potential, the exploitation of labor, and ecology deficiency. To address these problems, organizations and governments can develop policies to enhance the population’s education, improve working conditions, and reduce carbon emissions.

Amavilah, V., Asongu, S. A., & Andrés, A. R. (2017). Effects of globalization on peace and stability: Implications for governance and the knowledge economy of African countries. Technological Forecasting and Social Change , 122 (C), 91-103.

Burlacu, S., Gutu, C., & Matei, F. O. (2018). Globalization – Pros and cons. Calitatea , 19 (S1), 122-125.

Ramsfield, T. D., Bentz, B. J., Faccoli, M., Jactel, H., & Brockerhoff, E. G. (2016). Forest health in a changing world: Effects of globalization and climate change on forest insect and pathogen impacts. Forestry , 89 (3), 245-252.

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An economist explains the pros and cons of globalization

Piling up: Global trade has increased, but has it been a positive or negative force? Image:  REUTERS/Tyrone Siu

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Every industrial revolution has driven a wave of globalization. The first wave was driven by innovations such as the steam engine and the industrial weaving machine; the second by the assembly line, the car and the plane; and the third by the digital revolution.

As we enter the fourth wave of globalization, driven by the digital revolution, there is renewed debate over whether it is a beneficial force: powering economic growth, and allowing the spread of ideas to improve people’s lives; or whether it erodes communities, and widens the gap between the elites and the rest of the world.

Globalization results in increased trade and lower prices. It heightens competition within domestic product, capital, and labour markets, as well as among countries adopting different trade and investment strategies.

But how do these impacts net out? What are the positive and negative effects of globalization? The below is an edited transcript of a conversation with Gita Gopinath, Chief Economist of the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Overall, what are the advantages of globalization?

The advantages of globalization are actually much like the advantages of technological improvement. They have very similar effects: they raise output in countries, raise productivity, create more jobs, raise wages, and lower prices of products in the world economy.

What might be the advantages of globalization that someone would feel in their day-to-day life?

I think something that's not sufficiently appreciated about, for instance, international trade is that it reduces the prices of goods that they consume. So if you look at day-to-day things that you purchase, in terms of washing machines, or cars, or even clothing, because of international trade we've had a decline in prices of these goods, so they have become far more affordable for a lot of people in the world.

How have the benefits played out in advanced economies versus poorer ones over the last three decades?

Both advanced economies and developing economies have benefited overall in terms of having higher productivity, more job creation, and higher wages. As we've always known, and this is true again with technology, there are always some winners and losers. So there are communities and there are workers who lose out when there is more trade integration. That is what we're seeing right now in terms of discontent with international trade.

Who have been the biggest losers?

The biggest losers from international trade are always those whose skills have a cheaper competitor in a different market. So, in the case of the US, it's been those who work in the manufacturing sector because jobs in the manufacturing sector have been outsourced to countries where labour is far cheaper.

On the other hand, in developing countries, more capital-intensive goods get imported more cheaply from the outside. So if you're a manufacturer of a capital-intensive good in a developing country you tend to lose because of that competition.

This is how it is with international trade: production goes to wherever it is most efficient to produce. So, when people in any country are exposed to this kind of competition, some win and some lose.

Is it possible as an economist to come up with a verdict? Has this wave of globalized trade been a net positive or a net negative?

If you say, I'm going to look at it from a measure of overall effect on a country's income, on its purchasing power, on the prices that its people pay, overall I think the evidence that we have all points to it being a net positive.

Now, if you frame the question as, has international trade been good for the manufacturing worker in the US? Then the answer to that would be “not fully”; it's been very costly in terms of jobs and wages for them.

How optimistic are you that this next wave of globalization offers a better future?

I would make a couple of points. First, the previous waves of globalization have been quite successful in lifting a large number of people out of poverty and so we should appreciate that.

The second thing is that any form of globalization will generate winners and losers. So even if you have the perfect, most optimal international trade agreements, there will always be those who lose out because of competition, in the exact same way that people lose out whenever there's a new technology being developed.

And so if we want to make sure that the next wave of globalization is even more successful, it has to be complemented with good, sound domestic policies that help those who are getting left out.

How optimistic are you that the trade war between the US and China will be swiftly resolved?

It's absolutely essential that it be resolved, and it gets resolved in a way that's long lasting. The world economy has lived with the uncertainty about trade tensions for a while now and if there is any solution and there is a sense that the solution is only transitory and something can again get triggered in the future, I think that's very costly.

I'd say I'm mildly optimistic because I think leaders in the world are recognizing that these trade tensions are having a negative effect on their economies and so it would make sense to sit down and resolve it.

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The pros and cons of globalization.

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A story in the Washington Post said “20 years ago globalization was pitched as a strategy that would raise all boats in poor and rich countries alike. In the U.S. and Europe consumers would have their pick of inexpensive items made by people thousands of miles away whose pay was much lower than theirs. And in time trade barriers would drop to support even more multinationals expansion and economic gains while geo political cooperation would flourish.”

There is no question that globalization has been a good thing for many developing countries who now have access to our markets and can export cheap goods. Globalization has also been good for Multi-national corporations and Wall Street. But globalization has not been good for working people (blue or white collar) and has led to the continuing deindustrialization of America.

Globalization is a complicated issue. It is necessary to evaluate the pros and cons before drawing any conclusions.

Supporters of globalization argue that it has the potential to make this world a better place to live in and solve some of the deep-seated problems like unemployment and poverty.

1. Free trade is supposed to reduce barriers such as tariffs, value added taxes, subsidies, and other barriers between nations. This is not true. There are still many barriers to free trade. The Washington Post story says “the problem is that the big G20 countries added more than 1,200 restrictive export and import measures since 2008

2. The proponents say globalization represents free trade which promotes global economic growth; creates jobs, makes companies more competitive, and lowers prices for consumers.

3. Competition between countries is supposed to drive prices down. In many cases this is not working because countries manipulate their currency to get a price advantage.

4. It also provides poor countries, through infusions of foreign capital and technology, with the chance to develop economically and by spreading prosperity, creates the conditions in which democracy and respect for human rights may flourish. This is an ethereal goal which hasn’t been achieved in most countries

5. According to supporters globalization and democracy should go hand in hand. It should be pure business with no colonialist designs.

6. There is now a worldwide market for companies and consumers who have access to products of different countries. True

7. Gradually there is a world power that is being created instead of compartmentalized power sectors. Politics is merging and decisions that are being taken are actually beneficial for people all over the world. This is simply a romanticized view of what is actually happening. True

8. There is more influx of information between two countries, which do not have anything in common between them. True

9. There is cultural intermingling and each country is learning more about other cultures. True

10. Since we share financial interests, corporations and governments are trying to sort out ecological problems for each other. – True, they are talking more than trying.

11. Socially we have become more open and tolerant towards each other and people who live in the other part of the world are not considered aliens. True in many cases.

12. Most people see speedy travel, mass communications and quick dissemination of information through the Internet as benefits of globalization. True

13. Labor can move from country to country to market their skills. True, but this can cause problems with the existing labor and downward pressure on wages.

14. Sharing technology with developing nations will help them progress. True for small countries but stealing our technologies and IP have become a big problem with our larger competitors like China.

15. Transnational companies investing in installing plants in other countries provide employment for the people in those countries often getting them out of poverty. True

16. Globalization has given countries the ability to agree to free trade agreements like NAFTA, South Korea Korus, and The TPP. True but these agreements have cost the U.S. many jobs and always increase our trade deficit

• The general complaint about globalization is that it has made the rich richer while making the non-rich poorer. “It is wonderful for managers, owners and investors, but hell on workers and nature.”

• Globalization is supposed to be about free trade where all barriers are eliminated but there are still many barriers. For instance161 countries have value added taxes (VATs) on imports which are as high as 21.6% in Europe. The U.S. does not have VAT.

• The biggest problem for developed countries is that jobs are lost and transferred to lower cost countries.” According to conservative estimates by Robert Scott of the Economic Policy Institute, granting China most favored nation status drained away 3.2 million jobs, including 2.4 million manufacturing jobs. He pegs the net losses due to our trade deficit with Japan ($78.3 billion in 2013) at 896,000 jobs, as well as an additional 682,900 jobs from the Mexico –U.S. trade-deficit run-up from 1994 through 2010.”

• Workers in developed countries like the US face pay-cut demands from employers who threaten to export jobs. This has created a culture of fear for many middle class workers who have little leverage in this global game

• Large multi-national corporations have the ability to exploit tax havens in other countries to avoid paying taxes.

• Multinational corporations are accused of social injustice, unfair working conditions (including slave labor wages, living and working conditions), as well as lack of concern for environment, mismanagement of natural resources, and ecological damage.

• Multinational corporations, which were previously restricted to commercial activities, are increasingly influencing political decisions. Many think there is a threat of corporations ruling the world because they are gaining power, due to globalization.

• Building products overseas in countries like China puts our technologies at risk of being copied or stolen, which is in fact happening rapidly

• The anti-globalists also claim that globalization is not working for the majority of the world. “During the most recent period of rapid growth in global trade and investment, 1960 to 1998, inequality worsened both internationally and within countries. The UN Development Program reports that the richest 20 percent of the world's population consume 86 percent of the world's resources while the poorest 80 percent consume just 14 percent. “

• Some experts think that globalization is also leading to the incursion of communicable diseases. Deadly diseases like HIV/AIDS are being spread by travelers to the remotest corners of the globe.

• Globalization has led to exploitation of labor. Prisoners and child workers are used to work in inhumane conditions. Safety standards are ignored to produce cheap goods. There is also an increase in human trafficking.

• Social welfare schemes or “safety nets” are under great pressure in developed countries because of deficits, job losses, and other economic ramifications of globalization.

Globalization is an economic tsunami that is sweeping the planet. We can’t stop it but there are many things we can do to slow it down and make it more equitable.

What is missing?

Leadership – We need politicians who are willing to confront the cheaters. One of our biggest problems is that 7 of our trading partners manipulate their currencies to gain unfair price advantage which increases their exports and decreases their imports. This is illegal under WTO rules so there is a sound legal basis to put some kind of tax on their exports until they quit cheating.

Balanced Trade – Most of our trading partners can balance their trade budgets and even run a surplus. We have not made any effort to balance our trade budget and have run a deficit for more than 30 years resulting in an $11 trillion deficit. The trade deficit is the single biggest job killer in our economy, particularly manufacturing jobs. We need the government to develop a plan to begin to balance our trade deficit even though this is not a political priority in either party.

Trade Agreements – Both the NAFTA and the South Korean Korus trade agreements might have been good for Wall Street and the multi-national corporations but they eliminated jobs in America and expanded our trade deficit. The upcoming Trans Pacific Trade Agreement will do the same thing and Congress should not fast track this bad agreement for a dozen reasons.

Enforcing the rules – China ignores trade rules and WTO laws with reckless abandon. Besides currency manipulation they subsidize their state owned companies to target our markets, and provide funding to their state owned companies that dump their products in America. They also steal our technologies, sell counterfeit versions of our products, and impose tariffs and other barriers anytime they want - as we do nothing to stop them. China does not deserve to be on our most favored nation list and we need to tax their exports to us until they stop these illegal activities.

What is good for third world countries, like Kenya, or countries with tremendous growth, like China, has not been good for American workers. Globalization is deindustrializing America as we continue to outsource both manufacturing blue collar and white collar jobs. Supporters of globalization have made the case that it is good because it has brought low priced imported goods, but they have not matched the decline of wages in the middle class and will not offset the loss of many family wage jobs

Globalization is like being overwhelmed by a snow avalanche. You can’t stop it – you can only swim in the snow and hope to stay on top. I would like to make the argument that the US should try a lot harder to swim in the snow and stay on top. We can’t stop globalization but there are many policies and strategies we can use to make it more equitable. We can enforce the trade laws, force the competition to play by the same rules, and stop giving our competitors the tools (technology and R& D) to ultimately win the global war.

Mike Collins is the author of Saving American Manufacturing. His website is www.mpcmgt.com.

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IELTS Essay, topic: The advantages and disadvantages of globalization

• IELTS Essays - Band 8

Even though globalization affects the world’s economies in a very positive way, its negative side should not be forgotten. Discuss.

Globalization is such a commonly used term in the century. It simply means that the world has become integrated economically, socially, politically and culturally through the advances of technology, transportation and communication. It is undeniable that globalization has resulted in both positive and negative effects which must be addressed accordingly.

Secondly, several companies from the more developed countries have already ventured to establish foreign operations or branches to take advantage of the low cost of labor in the poorer countries. This kind of business activity will provide more influx of cash or investment funds into the less developed countries.

However, one cannot deny the negative effects which derived from globalization. One crucial social aspect is the risk and danger of epidemic diseases which can easily be spread as the transportation becomes easier and faster in today’s advanced society. This is evidenced in the recent birds flu disease which has infected most Asian countries over a short period of time.

As large corporations invest or take over many offshore businesses, a modern form of colonization will also evolve which may pose certain power pressure on the local governments of the less developed countries. Unemployment rates in the more developed regions such as Europe may also escalate as corporations choose to outsource to the cheaper work force from Asian countries.

In conclusion. to reiterate that globalization is inevitable and we must urge individuals, companies and governments to use a more balanced approach by taking the appropriate steps to deal with matters relating to the financial or economical gains verses the social, political or ecological concerns of the world.

This essay is too long, 318 words instead of 250-265. Otherwise (except for some minor grammatical errors) it is a very nice work. It covers the task, has the right structure, the paragraphs are coherent and are logically connected by elegantly used linking words, the structure of sentences is fine and so is your vocabulary. Seems worthy of Band 7.5 or 8.

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Globalization: The good, the bad and the uncertain

01 February 2012

by Professor Ian Goldin Professor of Globalisation and Development Professor Ian Goldin was the founding Director of the Oxford Martin School. He is currently Professor of Globalisation and Development, a Professorial Fellow at the University’s Balliol College and responsible for the Oxford Martin School Programmes on the Future of Work, Technological and Economic Change, and Future of Development.

When over 2000 world leaders of government, business and academia descended on Davos last month, discussions were dominated by the global economic crisis, the deep trouble in the Eurozone, and issues of lending, jobs, income disparity and growth. But there is a deeper crisis that penetrates beneath these significant troubles of today. This is a period of crisis in globalization and in values—a very deep crisis. This is not just an economic issue, although that has been the surfaced manifestation at the present time. This is also about culture, values, connectivity, and many other dimensions.

Globalization is at the centre of today’s debates. Yet, despite much research and commentary, vital dimensions remain poorly understood. Recent decades of globalization have created a more interconnected, interdependent and complex world than ever witnessed before. While global policy has focused on facilitating integration, the implications of growing interdependence have been largely ignored. The acceleration in global integration has brought many benefits, but it also has created fragility through increased vulnerability and exposure to global shocks, such as today’s financial crisis.

The biggest challenge for politicians and policy makers is the need to balance the enormous benefits that global openness and connectivity brings, with national politics and priorities. It also is a major concern for citizens, who are torn between the benefits of imported goods and services, and their worries about local jobs, the dangers associated with illicit flows, and other implications of more open borders. These concerns are universal and effect all countries.

The benefits of global integration have been associated with unprecedented leaps in human development indicators. Technological innovation has accelerated integration both virtually, through the development of fibre optics, the internet and mobile telephony, as well as physically with vast improvements in transport and infrastructure. The spread of people, ideas, trade and the inspiring education revolution has and will continue to offer enormous potential for poverty alleviation and economic opportunity.

Yet the downside to globalization is that of increased inequality between and within countries. And the second “side-effect” is that the likelihood of increasing numbers of global shock and crises is growing, as is our vulnerability to them. Little is understood about the risks associated with large scale system interdependencies. Well beyond purely the financial arena, new systemic risks loom large in areas such as climate change, water and food insecurity, pandemics, resource scarcity, antibiotic resistance, bioterrorism, cyber security and supply chain vulnerability.

The fragility of the system as a result of these new vulnerabilities now challenges the very core of the benefits that globalization has produced and is a fundamental challenge to national governments, business leaders and global institutions. Unless we can find an appropriate balance, there is a significant risk that the failure to manage globalization will lead to a backlash of protectionism, xenophobia and nationalism. This crisis requires an extraordinarily deep level of reflection from global leaders, and society at large. To turn our backs on globalization would severely undermine economic growth, poverty reduction and global cooperation.

If the benefits of globalization are to continue to outweigh the risks that rapid integration exacerbates, understanding systemic interconnections and building multistakeholder responses are vital. Redesigning global risk governance mechanisms to take these interconnections into account and to enable cooperation is a major but necessary undertaking. The bad news is that the tidal wave of globalization has brought unprecedented and new systemic risks. The good news is that this phase of globalization has brought the means to meet the downsides, through raising levels of wealth and opportunity, and vitally increasing our collective knowledge and connectivity. The opportunities for cooperative solutions have never been greater, particularly if we are to address the major challenges of the 21 st century.

Yet to harness these opportunities, we need an intellectual revolution. We need a citizens’ mobilisation, and we certainly need a fundamental leadership and institutional shift. Global leaders at Davos and beyond are right to worry about today’s significant economic woes. But we ignore the bigger crisis emerging at the core of globalization, and jump from one crisis management to the next, at our peril.

This opinion piece first appeared in The Globalist (1 Feb, 2012)

This opinion piece reflects the views of the author, and does not necessarily reflect the position of the Oxford Martin School or the University of Oxford. Any errors or omissions are those of the author.

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Home — Essay Samples — Sociology — Globalization

Essays on Globalization

Hook examples for globalization essays, "the global village" metaphor hook.

"In the age of globalization, our world has transformed into a 'global village.' Explore the implications of this metaphor and how it has reshaped our understanding of interconnectedness and cultural exchange."

The Impact of Digital Connectivity Hook

"In an era where a single tweet can reach millions, digital connectivity has revolutionized globalization. Delve into the profound impact of the internet, social media, and technology on global interactions."

The Paradox of Local vs. Global Hook

"Globalization blurs the lines between local and global identities. Analyze the paradox of preserving cultural heritage while embracing the globalized world and how this tension shapes our societies."

The Global Marketplace Hook

"Globalization has ushered in an era of unprecedented trade and economic interconnectedness. Explore the dynamics of the global marketplace, from multinational corporations to supply chains spanning continents."

Cultural Fusion and Identity Hook

"Globalization has led to a melting pot of cultures, but what happens to cultural identities in the process? Investigate how globalization impacts the preservation and evolution of cultural identities."

The Challenges of Globalization Hook

"While globalization offers numerous benefits, it also presents challenges. Examine issues such as income inequality, cultural homogenization, and environmental concerns that arise in a globalized world."

The Future of Globalization Hook

"As we stand on the brink of a globalized future, what can we expect? Join me in exploring the potential trajectories of globalization, from its impact on politics to the role of emerging technologies."

The Best Globalization Essay Topics

• The Impact of Globalization on Local Cultures: Integration or Erasure?
• The Impact of Globalization on Cultural Identity in Anthropological Studies
• Globalization and Economic Inequality: Bridging the Gap Between Rich and Poor
• The Role of Technology in Advancing Globalization and Its Social Implications
• Environmental Consequences of Globalization: Challenges and Sustainable Solutions
• Analyzing the Advantages and Disadvantages of Globalization
• The Influence of Globalization on Education and Cross-Cultural Exchanges
• Global Political Dynamics: How Globalization Affects Sovereignty and Governance
• Globalization and Health: The Spread of Diseases and Global Health Initiatives
• Consumer Culture and Globalization: The Homogenization of Global Markets

The Disadvantages of a Mcdonaldized Society

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Sociological Imagination Am I Supposed to

The effects of globalization on developing countries and its advantages and disadvantages, the impact of globalization to cultural identity, globalization, its causes and effects on the world, let us write you an essay from scratch.

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Good and Bad Impact of Globalization

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Globalization's Theories and Effects in The Modern World

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1. Halliday, T. C., & Osinsky, P. (2006). Globalization of law. Annu. Rev. Sociol., 32, 447-470. (https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/abs/10.1146/annurev.soc.32.061604.123136) 2. Fischer, S. (2003). Globalization and its challenges. American Economic Review, 93(2), 1-30. (https://www.aeaweb.org/articles?id=10.1257/000282803321946750) 3. Lang, M. (2006). Globalization and its history. The Journal of Modern History, 78(4), 899-931. (https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.1086/511251?journalCode=jmh) 4. Spring, J. (2008). Research on globalization and education. Review of educational research, 78(2), 330-363. (https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.3102/0034654308317846?journalCode=rera) 5. Scott, A., & Storper, M. (2003). Regions, globalization, development. Regional studies, 37(6-7), 579-593. (https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/0034340032000108697a) 6. Jameson, F. (1998). Notes on globalization as a philosophical issue. In The cultures of globalization (pp. 54-78). Duke University Press. (https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/9780822378426-005/html?lang=de) 7. Frankel, J. A. (2003). The environment and globalization. (https://www.nber.org/papers/w10090) 8. Teeple, G. (2000). What is globalization?. Globalization and its discontents, 9-23. (https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1057/9780333981610_2)

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Globalization – Good or Bad, Essay Example

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Globalization is the buzz of the new millennium. The quality and impact of globalization has been the subject of extensive debate and concern in economic circles since the mid-1990s. The proponents and opponents construe major theories and examples to evolve the theology of globalization on grounds of being attributed as ‘good’ or ‘bad’.

Proponents of globalization consider the goodness of the term and consider it as an analogy of information exchange- which is responsible for higher standards of living, increase in purchasing power (West), better scope of cultural development and triumph of democracy over communism. While the opponents consider is as another form of imperialism- a mechanism that encourages corporations to relocate their factors in pursuit of cheap labor as well as flexible environmental laws. Moreover, they argue that even in the developed world, adverse globalization leads to insecurity of unskilled workers as the corporations shift their base to low wage economies (Broad & Cavanagh 22)

There is nothing new about globalization, if by that we mean the patching together of different regions of the earth through economic and cultural exchange; or political domination and alliance. Immanuel Wallerstein, whose book  The Modern World-System  marks an important point of departure for recent thought on globalization, argues that the system became firmly established in the sixteenth century, at the time when European hegemony began its long process of entrenchment (Wallerstein 4).

Globalization as a concept and as an empirical phenomenon has coagulated endless debate. How is Globalization defined? When did Globalization begin? Whether the impact of Globalization on local societal, economic, and cultural structures are good or bad? There are four divergent views of globalization. Some critics consider globalization as an ideology, a myth, for nation-states, while some critics argue that globalization is nothing new, for as Rick Wolf contends in Europe and the People without History, the process of globalization began with the beginning of the world. According to Wolf, the Neolithic Age already had global trade routes: Polynesian products traveled to Africa and Asian pottery pieces were scattered all over the world. Some scholars argue that globalization began with the emergence of colonial capitalism—or in the year of 1492. Still others take globalization as a fairly new historical phenomenon, whose inauguration is marked by the end of Cold War (Wang & Xie 1)

Globalization can be defined as the starting point of a truly modern world-system. Another definition though not so praiseworthy is that it is the prodigal outcome of the brutal world wars in this century and was enough to ascertain that the earth has been for some time undergoing a process of increasingly intense integration. In the sense, it is an intense coherence that has been immeasurably enhanced and made an intimate fact of everyday life by advances in transportation and communication (Buell 5). Globalization is the shift towards a more integrated and interdependent world economy. It has two basic components: the globalization of markets and the globalization of production. Today it is an overarching international system shaping the domestic policies and foreign relations of virtually every country, and we need to understand it as such.

The globalization of markets refers to the merging of historically distinct and separate markets into one huge global marketplace. The globalization of production refers to the tendency among firms to source goods and services from locations around the globe to take advantage of national differences in the cost and quality of factors of production (such as labor, energy, land and capital). By doing so companies hope to lower their overall cost structure/ or improve the quality or functionality of their product offering, thereby allowing them to compete more effectively (Katsioloudes & Hadjidakis 20)

The proponents of globalization celebrate it as an invigorating form of modernity that leads to universal prosperity, progress, and democracy as well as to new structures of feeling, imagination, and subjectivity. The opponents of globalization perceive it as a phenomenon that  originated and perpetuated by the centers of capitalist power, emerges as a rerun of Western imperialism via TNCS, IMF, Hollywood films, computer technology, American values and lifestyles, all of which work together to re-subjugate the previous third and second worlds to the first world’s domination. Those who embrace a Hegelian dialectical view of globalization processes embrace globalization as historically inevitable while at the same time condemning it as overpowered villains that purge negative effects on social life.

Bad: Of all the debates on globalization, the most important and productive is the interest on its effect on economics, politics, and culture – how globalization seems to concern the consequences of interaction between the local and the global that is, the change of local or unique cultures under the impact of the global exchange of information, capital, ideology, technology and values. For culture, as Raymond Williams has taught us, is a whole way of life, and everyone adopts a certain way of life or wants to have a changed way of life. A general anxiety permeates these discussions: the anxiety that ongoing globalization would threaten to eradicate various historically formed local cultures. In this particular debate, each side seems to be resistant or opposed to the perceived prospects of disappearing indigenous or local cultures. Some critics believe that globalization means the Americanization or the unification of the world culture; some insist that that globalization is not necessarily Americanization or cultural homogenization; instead it encourages and creates cultural diversity and protean difference.

Let for example if comparison is made on the effect of globalization in third world countries- What does globalization means to them? Globalization to them is more than a transpiration – a rapid inflow of culture, systems, abhorrence and influence, which percolates easily in the hearts and minds of individual. Here, instead of treating globalization as a methodology, it receives the treatment of a fantasy, an illusion that leads to indiscrete aping of the West. People forego eating their staple food and adhere to burger and fast food, relent to styles and clothing cloning the west and changing their aptitudes in consortium of West. The result is an aboriginal group of people, in loose correlation to their culture- striving and copying the western culture in its most crude form.

It is in view of this perceived global situation that critics like Fredric Jameson, Masao Miyoshi, and Samir Amin argue that US-centered global capitalism is colonizing both the unconscious and the previous third world, recreating the world after its own image, converting lands into territories of the global Empire, people into its appendages, and things into commodities. In the moment of global capitalism, Jameson argues, the distinction between economics and culture has disappeared, for “commodification today is also an aestheticization” and, together with weapons and food, “the entertainment business in itself is one of the biggest  and the most profitable exports of America” (Jameson 53).

In his view, American postmodern culture, due to the constant expansion of American military and economic forces, is aggressively penetrating into every corner of the world. It is in this sense that Marxist critics see capitalist globalization as threatening to lead to cultural homogenization–world cultures homogenized or unified by the logic of commodity and reification. It needs to be pointed out that these critics’ views of globalization as Americanization are radically different from Francis Fukuyama’s Americanist globalism. In critiquing global capitalism, Marxist critics like Amin, Jameson, and Miyoshi also take globalization for Americanization; however, they see it as vicious, bloody American expansionism. In describing globalization as standardization or Americanization in manufacture, market, and consumption, they, unlike Fukuyama, do not celebrate or propagate the idea of Americanization. Rather, what they do is to map out an objectively happening reality, and their ultimate purpose is to expose the vices of global capitalism, calling upon the violently and unequally globalized to imagine utopian alternatives to the existing social order defined by social disintegration, atomization, and commodification (Wang & Xie 1).

Good: The most austere and spectacular aspect of globalization is perhaps is that it can free people from the geographical boundaries.  Just because someone was born in India does not mean they circumscribe and limit their creativity in their birth country. Globalization gives wings to the aspirations and dreams of an individual, bringing him outside of his domain to a universal culture and interaction. Diverse culture, creativity and talent help flourish economic and universal prosperity. People are more connected and interactive, with information and money flowing in succession. Products that are produced in one part of the world reach to the other easily.

The free movement of capital, flexibility of commercial market that works beyond boundaries, flow of capital that allows investment to percolate in untapped areas, reduction of global space (internet, TV etc) by new global communication systems, mutual dependence among nations, reduction of warfare, free international trade across countries, competition increases product quality, ushers open economy, technological improvements and reduces cultural blockages (Economy Watch)

Globalization also offers a higher standard of living for people in the rich countries and is envisaged as the only plausible exit out of poverty for the poor nations of the world. Pro-globalization groups like the World Economic Forum and World Trade Organization profess that- globalization eradicates poverty and enhances international co-operation to solve the environmental and social problems. According to Freidman, “Globalization can be incredibly empowering and incredibly coercive. It can democratize opportunity and democratize panic.” It is said to make the whales bigger and the minnows stronger. It leaves one behind faster and faster- while on the other hand homogenizing cultures, enabling people to start their unique individuality farther and wider. Though globalization has an ugly side, condemned by various critics and organizations- it also has immense benefits and opportunities in its bag. Just as capitalism requires a network of governing systems to keep it from devouring societies, globalization requires vigilance and the rule of the law.

Thus globalization is a more open and comprehensive process, with a good intention of universal interaction and amalgamation. However, if it is treated as a weapon by the powerful nations to maneuver their economic and political interests- it purges the real essence of the term globalization. Thus, globalization has its share of good and bad. It is on the individual to take a positive stride in the direction of healthy globalization and countries should differentiate globalization and imperialism.

Works Cited

Broad, R & Cavanagh, J (1996) “Don’t neglect the Impoverished South.” Foreign Policy, Winter.

Wallerstein, I (1974)  The Modern World-System: Capitalist Agriculture and the Origins of the European World-Economy in the Sixteenth Century , New York: Academic Press.

Wang, F & Xie, S (2003) “Introductory notes: dialogues on globalization and indigenous cultures.”

Buell, F (1994)  National Culture and the New Global System , Baltimore: Johns Hopkins UP

Katsioloudes & Hadjidakis (2007) “International Business: A global perspective”, Butterworth- Heinemen

Jameson, F (2000) “Globalization and Political Strategy” New Left Review , 4 , pp 49-68. Economy Watch, nd, retrieved from http://www.economywatch.com/economics-theory/globalization/advantages.html

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ENCYCLOPEDIC ENTRY

Globalization.

Globalization is a term used to describe the increasing connectedness and interdependence of world cultures and economies.

Anthropology, Sociology, Social Studies, Civics, Economics

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Freight trains waiting to be loaded with cargo to transport around the United Kingdom. This cargo comes from around the world and contains all kinds of goods and products.

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Globalization is a term used to describe how trade and technology have made the world into a more connected and interdependent place. Globalization also captures in its scope the economic and social changes that have come about as a result. It may be pictured as the threads of an immense spider web formed over millennia, with the number and reach of these threads increasing over time. People, money, material goods, ideas, and even disease and devastation have traveled these silken strands, and have done so in greater numbers and with greater speed than ever in the present age. When did globalization begin? The Silk Road, an ancient network of trade routes across China, Central Asia, and the Mediterranean used between 50 B.C.E. and 250 C.E., is perhaps the most well-known early example of exchanging ideas, products, and customs. As with future globalizing booms, new technologies played a key role in the Silk Road trade. Advances in metallurgy led to the creation of coins; advances in transportation led to the building of roads connecting the major empires of the day; and increased agricultural production meant more food could be trafficked between locales. Along with Chinese silk, Roman glass, and Arabian spices, ideas such as Buddhist beliefs and the secrets of paper-making also spread via these tendrils of trade. Unquestionably, these types of exchanges were accelerated in the Age of Exploration, when European explorers seeking new sea routes to the spices and silks of Asia bumped into the Americas instead. Again, technology played an important role in the maritime trade routes that flourished between old and newly discovered continents. New ship designs and the creation of the magnetic compass were key to the explorers’ successes. Trade and idea exchange now extended to a previously unconnected part of the world, where ships carrying plants, animals, and Spanish silver between the Old World and the New also carried Christian missionaries. The web of globalization continued to spin out through the Age of Revolution, when ideas about liberty , equality , and fraternity spread like fire from America to France to Latin America and beyond. It rode the waves of industrialization , colonization , and war through the eighteenth, nineteenth, and twentieth centuries, powered by the invention of factories, railways, steamboats, cars, and planes. With the Information Age, globalization went into overdrive. Advances in computer and communications technology launched a new global era and redefined what it meant to be “connected.” Modern communications satellites meant the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo could be watched in the United States for the first time. The World Wide Web and the Internet allowed someone in Germany to read about a breaking news story in Bolivia in real time. Someone wishing to travel from Boston, Massachusetts, to London, England, could do so in hours rather than the week or more it would have taken a hundred years ago. This digital revolution massively impacted economies across the world as well: they became more information-based and more interdependent. In the modern era, economic success or failure at one focal point of the global web can be felt in every major world economy. The benefits and disadvantages of globalization are the subject of ongoing debate. The downside to globalization can be seen in the increased risk for the transmission of diseases like ebola or severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), or in the kind of environmental harm that scientist Paul R. Furumo has studied in microcosm in palm oil plantations in the tropics. Globalization has of course led to great good, too. Richer nations now can—and do—come to the aid of poorer nations in crisis. Increasing diversity in many countries has meant more opportunity to learn about and celebrate other cultures. The sense that there is a global village, a worldwide “us,” has emerged.

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6 Pros and Cons of Globalization in Business to Consider

• 01 Apr 2021

Throughout history, commerce and business have been limited by certain geographic constraints. In its earliest days, trade happened between neighboring tribes and city-states. As humans domesticated the horse and other animals, the distances they could travel to trade increased. These distances increased further with the development of seafaring capabilities.

Although humans have been using ships for centuries to transport goods, cargo, people, and ideas around the world, it wasn’t until the development of the airplane that the blueprint of a “globalized economy” was laid. This was for a simple reason: You can travel greater distances faster than ever before.

The development of the internet accelerated this process even more, making it easier to communicate and collaborate with others. Today, your international co-worker, business partner, customer, or friend is only a few taps or clicks away.

Globalization has had numerous effects—both positive and negative—on business and society at large. Here’s an overview of the pros and cons of globalization in business.

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What Is Globalization?

Globalization is the increased flow of goods, services, capital, people, and ideas across international boundaries according to the online course Global Business , taught by Harvard Business School Professor Forest Reinhardt.

“We live in an age of globalization,” Reinhardt says in Global Business . “That is, national economies are even more tightly connected with one another than ever before.”

How Globalization Affects Daily Life

Globalization has had a significant impact on various aspects of daily life.

For example, it’s changed the way consumers shop for products and services. Today, 70 percent of Americans shop online. In 2022, there were 268 million digital buyers in the US and by 2025, this number is predicted to reach 285 million.

In addition, the globalized economy has opened up new job markets by making it more feasible to hire overseas workers. This has created a wide range of career opportunities for both job seekers and employers.

The emergence of remote work post-pandemic was also made possible by globalization. According to a survey from WFH Research , only seven percent of paid workdays in the US were remote in 2019. However, this number climbed to 29 percent by January 2024.

Check out the video below to learn more about globalization, and subscribe to our YouTube channel for more explainer content!

Advantages of Globalization

1. economic growth.

It’s widely believed that one of the benefits of globalization is greater economic growth for all parties. There are several reasons why this might be the case, including:

• Access to labor: Globalization gives all nations access to a wider labor pool. Developing nations with a shortage of knowledge workers might, for example, “import” labor to kickstart industry. Wealthier nations, on the other hand, might outsource low-skill work to developing nations with a lower cost of living to reduce the cost of goods sold and pass those savings on to the customer.
• Access to jobs: This point is directly related to labor. Through globalization, developing nations often gain access to jobs in the form of work that’s been outsourced by wealthier nations. While there are potential pitfalls to this (see “Disproportionate Growth” below), this work can significantly contribute to the local economy.
• Access to resources: One of the primary reasons nations trade is to gain access to resources they otherwise wouldn’t have. Without this flow of resources across borders, many modern luxuries would be impossible to manufacture or produce. Smartphones, for example, are dependent on rare earth metals found in limited areas around the world.
• The ability for nations to “specialize”: Global and regional cooperation allow nations to heavily lean into their economic strengths, knowing they can trade products for other resources. An example is a tropical nation that specializes in exporting a certain fruit. It’s been shown that when nations specialize in the production of goods or services in which they have an advantage, trade benefits both parties.

2. Increased Global Cooperation

For a globalized economy to exist, nations must be willing to put their differences aside and work together. Therefore, increased globalization has been linked to a reduction—though not an elimination—of conflict.

“Of course, as long as there have been nations, they've been connected with each other through the exchange of lethal force—through war and conquest—and this threat has never gone away,” Reinhardt says in Global Business . “The conventional wisdom has been that the increased intensity of these other flows—goods, services, capital, people, and so on—have reduced the probability that the world's nations will fall back into the catastrophe of war.”

3. Increased Cross-Border Investment

According to the course Global Business , globalization has led to an increase in cross-border investment. At the macroeconomic level, this international investment has been shown to enhance welfare on both sides of the equation.

The country that’s the source of the capital benefits because it can often earn a higher return abroad than domestically. The country that receives the inflow of capital benefits because that capital contributes to investment and, therefore, to productivity. Foreign investment also often comes with, or in the form of, technology, know-how, or access to distribution channels that can help the recipient nation.

Disadvantages of Globalization

1. increased competition.

When viewed as a whole, global free trade is beneficial to the entire system. Individual companies, organizations, and workers can be disadvantaged, however, by global competition. This is similar to how these parties might be disadvantaged by domestic competition: The pool has simply widened.

With this in mind, some firms, industries, and citizens may elect governments to pursue protectionist policies designed to buffer domestic firms or workers from foreign competition. Protectionism often takes the form of tariffs, quotas, or non-tariff barriers, such as quality or sanitation requirements that make it more difficult for a competing nation or business to justify doing business in the country. These efforts can often be detrimental to the overall economic performance of both parties.

“Although we live in an age of globalization, we also seem to be living in an age of anti-globalization,” Reinhardt says in Global Business . “Dissatisfaction with the results of freer trade, concern about foreign investment, and polarized views about immigration all seem to be playing important roles in rich-country politics in the United States and Europe. The threats in Western democracy to the post-war globalist consensus have never been stronger.”

2. Disproportionate Growth

Another issue of globalization is that it can introduce disproportionate growth both between and within nations. These effects must be carefully managed economically and morally.

Within countries, globalization often has the effect of increasing immigration. Macroeconomically, immigration increases gross domestic product (GDP), which can be an economic boon to the recipient nation. Immigration may, however, reduce GDP per capita in the short run if immigrants’ income is lower than the average income of those already living in the country.

Additionally, as with competition, immigration can benefit the country as a whole while imposing costs on people who may want their government to restrict immigration to protect them from those costs. These sentiments are often tied to and motivated—at least in part—by racism and xenophobia.

“Meanwhile, outside the rich world, hundreds of millions of people remain mired in poverty,” Reinhardt says in Global Business. “We don't seem to be able to agree about whether this is because of too much globalization or not enough.”

3. Environmental Concerns

Increased globalization has been linked to various environmental challenges, many of which are serious, including:

• Deforestation and loss of biodiversity caused by economic specialization and infrastructure development
• Greenhouse gas emissions and other forms of pollution caused by increased transportation of goods
• The introduction of potentially invasive species into new environments

While such issues are governed by existing or proposed laws and regulations, businesses have made climate change concerns and sustainability a priority by, for example, embracing the tenets of the triple bottom line and the idea of corporate social responsibility .

Managing the Risks of Globalization

The world is never going to abandon globalization. While it’s true that individual countries and regions put policies and practices in place that limit globalization, such as tariffs, it’s here to stay. The good news is that businesses and professionals willing to prepare for globalization’s challenges by developing strong social impact skills have the potential to benefit immensely.

Whether you’re a business owner, member of executive leadership, or an employee, understanding the impacts of globalization and how to identify its opportunities and risks can help you become more effective in your role and drive value for your organization.

Taking a course like Global Business is one path toward developing international business skills and gaining an understanding of the macroeconomic, political , and social conditions that continue to impact globalization.

Are you interested in breaking into a global market? Sharpen your knowledge of the international business world with Global Business , one of our online business in society courses . If you aren't sure which course is the right fit, download our free course flowchart .

This post was updated on February 26, 2024. It was originally published on April 15, 2021.

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• Prof. Margery Resnick
• Dr. Joaquín Terrones

Departments

• Global Studies and Languages
• Women's and Gender Studies

As Taught In

• Globalization
• World History
• Political Philosophy
• Cultural Anthropology
• International Relations
• Global Poverty
• The Developing World

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Globalization: the good, the bad and the in-between.

The first version of this essay should be submitted by Session 7. The essay + draft will be worth 20 points: 3 points for the draft, 17 for the final essay.

• Include a title and your name on a single line at the top of your essay
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• In his Bound Together , Chanda notes: “The relocation of peoples forced by empires brought in new languages, foods, dress, customs and cultures, a skein that would grow into an internconnected world” (192). Chamoiseau’s “The Old Man Slave and the Mastiff” is set in the Francophone Caribbean at a time when it belonged to one of the largest empires in history. Argue either that the characters absorb customs and cultures because of their relocation or that they cling to their past in a way that puts Chanda’s quote into question.
• In the article “What Andalusia Can Teach Us Today…” the author, Akbar Ahmed, identifies two different strains of thought that emerged in early Islam after Baghdad was sacked. One, articulated by Rumi, was open and accepting. The other, articulated by Taymiyyah, was exclusionary and aggressive. Based on your reading of Chanda, Menocal and the articles on ISIS, argue either that the Andalusian vision of an inclusive Islamic world can be resotred today or that only a fundamentalist rigid interpretation of Islam cna prevail. 
• In his introduction to The Ornament of the World , Harold Bloom says: “I come away from a reading of Menocal’s book with a sense of loss, another tribute to her evocative power. Our current multiculturalism, the blight of our universities and of our media, is a parody of the culture of Cordoba and Granada in their lost prime.” What does Bloom mean? Is multiculturalism today different from the tolerance exhibited by the societies of Al-Andalus? Do you agree with him? Either for or against Bloom’s position.

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What Is Globalization?

• How It Works
• Pros & Cons

The Bottom Line

• Macroeconomics

Globalization in Business With History and Pros and Cons

Globalization refers to the growing interconnection of nations' economies. It represents the flow of financial products, goods, technology, information, and jobs across national borders and cultures. In economic terms, it describes an interdependence of countries around the globe fostered through free trade .

Key Takeaways

• Globalization is the spread of products, technology, information, and jobs across nations.
• Corporations in developed nations can gain a competitive edge through globalization.
• Developing countries also benefit from globalization as they tend to be more cost-effective locations and therefore attract jobs.
• The benefits of globalization have been questioned as the positive effects are not necessarily distributed equally.
• One clear result of globalization is that an economic downturn in one country can have a domino effect on its trade partners.

Alex Dos Diaz / Investopedia

Understanding Globalization

Corporations gain a competitive advantage on multiple fronts from globalization. They can reduce operating costs by manufacturing abroad, buy raw materials more cheaply because of the reduction or removal of tariffs , and most of all, gain access to millions of new consumers.

What Globalization Means

Globalization is a social, cultural, political, and legal phenomenon. 

• Socially, it leads to greater interaction among various populations.
• Culturally, globalization represents the exchange of ideas, values, and artistic expression among cultures.
• Globalization also represents a trend toward the development of a single world culture. 
• Politically, globalization has shifted attention to intergovernmental organizations like the United Nations (UN) and the World Trade Organization (WTO) .
• Legally, globalization has altered how international law is created and enforced.

On the one hand, globalization has created new jobs and economic growth through the cross-border flow of goods, capital, and labor. On the other hand, this growth and job creation are not distributed evenly across industries or countries.

Specific industries in certain countries, such as textile manufacturing in the United States or corn farming in Mexico, have suffered severe disruption or outright collapse as a result of increased international competition.

Globalization's motives are idealistic, as well as opportunistic, but the development of a global free market has benefited large corporations based in the Western world. Its impact remains mixed for workers, cultures, and small businesses around the globe, in both developed and emerging nations .

Globalization has grown at an unprecedented pace, with public policy changes and communications technology innovations cited as the two main driving factors.

The History of Globalization

Globalization is not a new concept. Traders traveled vast distances in ancient times to buy commodities that were rare and expensive for sale in their homelands. The Industrial Revolution brought advances in transportation and communication in the 19th century that eased trade across borders.

The think tank Peterson Institute for International Economics (PIIE) states globalization stalled after World War I. Nations moved toward protectionism as they launched import taxes to guard their industries in the aftermath of the conflict. This trend continued through the Great Depression and World War II until the U.S. took on an instrumental role in reviving international trade .

One of the critical steps in the path to globalization came with the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) , signed in 1993. One of NAFTA's many effects was to give American auto manufacturers the incentive to relocate a portion of their manufacturing to Mexico where they could save on the costs of labor. NAFTA was replaced in 2020 by the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMC) .

Governments worldwide have integrated a free market economic system through  fiscal policies  and trade agreements in the 20th century. The core of most trade agreements is the removal or reduction of tariffs.

This evolution of economic systems has increased industrialization and financial opportunities in many nations. Governments now focus on removing barriers to trade and promoting international commerce.

Pros and Cons of Globalization

• Proponents of globalization believe it allows developing countries to catch up to industrialized nations through increased manufacturing, diversification, economic expansion, and improvements in standards of living .
• Outsourcing by companies brings jobs and technology to developing countries, which helps them to grow their economies. Trade initiatives increase cross-border trading by removing supply-side and trade-related constraints.
• Globalization has advanced  social justice  on an international scale as well, and advocates report that it has focused attention on human rights worldwide that might have otherwise been ignored on a large scale.
• One clear result of globalization is that an economic downturn in one country can have a domino effect on its trade partners. For example, the 2008 financial crisis had a severe impact on Portugal, Ireland, Italy, Greece, and Spain. All of these countries were members of the European Union , which had to bail out debt-laden nations, which were thereafter known by the acronym PIIGS .
• Globalization detractors argue that it has created a concentration of wealth and power in the hands of a small corporate elite that can gobble up smaller competitors around the globe.
• Globalization has become a polarizing issue in the U.S. with the disappearance of entire industries to new locations abroad. It's seen as a major factor in the economic squeeze on the middle class .
• For better or worse, globalization can reduce the cultural and social aspects unique to people and geographic areas around the world and increase product homogeneity. Starbucks, Nike, and Gap dominate commercial space in many nations. The sheer size and reach of the U.S. have made the cultural exchange among nations largely a one-sided affair.

A larger market for goods and services

Cheaper consumer prices

Outsourcing can benefit domestic firms and foreign labor

Increased standard of living

Concentrates wealth in richer countries

Some poorer countries can be left behind

Labor and the physical and intellectual resources of poorer countries can be exploited

Regions and cultures lose their uniqueness and products available around the world can become homogeneous

Why Is Globalization Important?

Globalization is important as it increases the size of the global market, and allows more and different goods to be produced and sold for cheaper prices. It is also important because it is one of the most powerful forces affecting the modern world, so much so that it can be difficult to make sense of the world without understanding globalization.

For example, many of the largest and most successful corporations in the world are in effect truly multinational organizations, with offices and supply chains stretched right across the world. These companies would not be able to exist if not for the complex network of trade routes, international legal agreements, and telecommunications infrastructure that were made possible through globalization. Important political developments, such as the ongoing trade conflict between the U.S. and China, are also directly related to globalization.

Is Globalization Good or Bad?

It depends. Proponents of globalization will point to the dramatic decline in poverty throughout the world for more than two decades after around year 2000, which many economists attribute in part to increased trade and investment between nations. Similarly, they will argue that globalization has allowed products and services such as cellphones, airplanes, and information technology to be spread far more widely throughout the world.

On the other hand, critics of globalization will point to the negative impact it has had on specific nations’ industries, which might face increased competition from international firms. Globalization can also have negative environmental impacts due to economic development, industrialization, and international travel.

How Does Globalization Impact Society?

Globalization has had a large impact on societies around the world, leading to massive migrations from rural to industrial or urban areas and to the rapid growth of cities and trade hubs. While this has meant an overall increase in incomes and a higher standard of living in general, it has also led to problems such as crime, domestic violence, homelessness, and poverty. Concepts of national identity, national or regional culture, and consumption patterns also change as goods from around the world become increasingly available and at low prices. The competitiveness of global capitalism may also lead to more individualistic ideals that contradict the cultural orientations of certain, more collectivist societies.

What Is an Example of Globalization?

A simple example of globalization would be a car manufactured in the U.S. that sources parts from China, Japan, South Korea, Sri Lanka, and South Africa. The car is then exported to Europe, where it is sold to a driver who fills the car's gas tank with gasoline refined from Saudi oil.

Globalization refers to the ongoing trend of increased interconnectivity of nations across the globe, as enabled by advancements in transportation and information technology, among others.

Globalization is facilitated economically by free trade agreements, which permit barrier-free imports and exports across borders. While globalization brings many advantages—including lower prices and higher standards of living to some—it also has drawbacks, including wealth concentration and cultural homogeneity.

Peterson Institute for International Economics. " What Is Globalization? "

Congressional Research Service. " The North American Free Trade Agreement ," Page 1.

Congressional Research Service. " The North American Free Trade Agreement ." Pages 16-17.

Office of the United States Trade Representative. " United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement ."

FasterCapital. “ Financial Bailout: PIIGS and Financial Bailouts: Lessons From the Crisis .”

Macrotrends. “ World Poverty Rate 1981-2024 .”

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Essay: Globalization is good or bad?

Business / Samples May 10, 2011

Sample Essay

Globalization is considered as a modern economic trend and it is known as a collective approach in which the people of the world are combined and unified together in a single society that functions together. The different trends of globalization are technological, socio-cultural, political, economic and etc. The attitudes towards globalization are mixed and different individuals have different perceptions about this phenomenon. However, in a broader sense it can be said that globalization is a good phenomenon and individuals are getting richer because of this.

This phenomenon is spreading in the world and it allows individuals to collaborate with each other and because of this collaboration individuals, societies and economies are benefitting from it in both the short and the long run. It stresses on the core principles of international understanding and customers have more choice because of that (Stiglitz, 2007). Customers can attain quality goods at a cheaper rate and because of this their purchasing power is enhancing. Although globalization possess certain negatives but on a broader scale the positives of globalization are more than its negatives.

Economies are merging together, international trade is fostering, newer markets and players are entering which are benefitting the final customer and certain more reasons are there that easily depicts that globalization is a favourable phenomenon for our societies. That is the reason why one can conclude that because of mutual collaboration and understanding globalization is a beneficial approach in both the short and the long run. Countries and individuals should focus on this phenomenon to reap maximum benefits.

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