The Drivers of Globalization Essay Example for Free

The Drivers of Globalization Essay At the dawn of 21st century, information technology, communication, transportation and even banking systems took a great leap of improvement that changed billion of lives around the world. Using a personal computer, an individual could perform a number of trade and banking transactions from anywhere, for as long as there is an Internet connection. People who are fond of traveling around the world could remain in contact with his families and employers, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Important events could now be shared by millions of viewers around the world through satellite connections and the use of the World Wide Web. The world became a small a neighborhood through fast delivery brought about by airplane travel around the world, minute by minute. All of these improvements contributed to the creation of a single thread that connects billion of lives throughout the globe. That thread came to be known as globalization and it is a trend that contributed to the development of the so called global society. Globalization acknowledges the emergence of a global society in which political, economic and cultural events could easily influence the lives of people from all parts of the world. The so called global society also implies the idea of a global market which allows freer movement of goods, services, investment and capitals across the globe . The global market focuses on economic globalization, a sub field of globalization which focuses on the improvement and changes that occur in the sector of trade and commerce. Economic globalization suggests diminishing national boundaries and territory to allow freer movement of goods and services . Tariffs and trade regulations are created to further improve and ensure that the flow of goods and services would continue and safe from illegal activities. Along with these and the improvements achieved in the field of transportation, information technology and communication, the cost of transactions and operation of companies around the world and have opened up millions of jobs throughout the world and have reduced the cost of transactions. An example of this would be the large increase of trade and movement of capital in the form of bonds, stocks and investment. The volume of world export level from 1950 to 2001 grew 20 times from its original level. Analysts have also deduced that investors and shareholders nowadays are so well informed that they could easily manipulate their shares and capitals through Internet to enable them to gain more profit. It was eminent that the consumer himself was an influential catalyst for change; however, there are other factors which contribute greatly to the development, growth and spread of globalization. It is possible that there are many reasons or factors that have caused globalization spread so fast but it would be best to narrow it down based on the influence and number of changes that it has brought forth towards the globalization as we know of today. As much as possible, these factors would be in touch with market and product globalization. The assessment of these factors would be the key in answering why globalization has spread so fast over the past decades. Lastly, the last part of the paper would be a reflection about the influence of globalization on the lives of normal people such as the author of this paper. A. The Consumer and the Nature of Man In his endless pursuit of greater pleasure, comfort and perhaps happiness in life, man has always sought to improve the quality of his lifestyle and everything around him. Whether it was accidental, planned or forced, man never failed to bring advancement in his daily life and to his predecessor in the future. In the early years, man was forced to develop and improve his agricultural system and tools to cope up with the growing population and harsh environment that surround him. The idea for gunpowder and guns that change how wars are fought, were brought by the creation and extensive use of firecrackers by the Chinese. The Industrial Revolution for instance, was a period in which many innovations were introduced that forever changed how goods are being manufactured and also transportation services was the main attraction during that time. Personal computers, cell phones and satellites connections of the 20th century could connect people from any part of the world in a matter of minutes or even seconds. Even couples who are having problems in bearing children could now resolve this through artificial insemination. These are manifestations of how far man could go when he attempts to further improve his lifestyle and it is for a fact that there is no possible end on how man could go when he wishes to seek more pleasure and comfort in life. This desire of man to further enhance its current lifestyle has pushed the boundaries and possibilities of 20th century world market. Merely supplying people with basic goods and necessities is not enough for a company to stay in the business. They need to be innovative about their product and they need to produce product that will capture the taste of the consumers. Even services being offer by manufacturer and companies should be top rank in order to ensure that consumers would adhere to their product. Moreover, considering the status of information technology and how easy it is to gain various amount of information, it could be consider that consumer nowadays is more informative and knows what they need not to mention how picky most of then when it comes to the quality of the product they’re going to buy. In the least sense, consumer itself was the one who shaped and pushed the current market to its current level. Globalization was merely a tool that helped in satisfying the demand of consumers for product that could improve and make life easier. Through a freer movement of capitals and less restrictions concerning importations of foreign goods, people across the globe was able to experience gadgets, goods, services and even infrastructure that usually could only be found in developed countries. Such conditions could be seen in countries in Asia and South America were investors from the so called 1st world countries have invested huge amount of money to penetrate and dominate local markets. When it comes to infrastructure, one example that could be found is recent spread of high class casinos and hotels in tourist destinations especially in areas such as the Caribbean, Mediterreanan and Hawaii . Globalization for a moment has satisfied the consumers’ needs but at the same time it has invoked greater desire for the consumers to experience and use more product that could further improve their lifestyle. Additionally, the power to avail certain kind of products such as luxury cars and advanced gadgets represent the social status of consumers. 3rd world countries have opened their markets to foreign investors not just to increase revenue but also to provide its people with job opportunities and improve their economy through such investments. Product Innovations It is eminent that there is no permanent product that would dominate a market for long a time. Aside from our basic necessities, everything that we use will eventually come to an end. This is why leading companies and manufacturers are forced to develop and produce new products that would interest the public and would help them stay in business. Microsoft for instance, continuously creates and develops operating systems for personal computers in order to cope up with the latest programs and software that are being sold in the market today. From time to time, leading cell phone manufacturer like Nokia and Samsung need to release new models of cell phone that are better that its predecessor and could offer new tricks to its user. Everything has its own evolution, even the tiniest gadget that we use started of from a humble beginnings and had been changed in order to cope up with the demands of the public and at the same time stay on course with regards to business operations. Through product innovations and improvement, leading companies and manufacturers could supply the public with goods that could satisfy their demands . When a product is adhered to by billions of people around the globe, leading companies turn their attention to manufacturers for possible business expansion and reproduction of their product. Manufacturers are either hired or created by those companies who personally want to manage the production of their products. Investment comes in huge amounts of money and it often creates thousands of job opportunities. Globalization comes into play during these times. Tariffs and trade regulations are lowered in order to accommodate business expansion and to give investors flexibility about they’re investment. Countries who sought to increase their nation’s revenue, turns their heads to foreign investment for possible influx of money and generating jobs that could decrease unemployment level . For an instance, famous clothing lines have opened not only outlet stores but also their own factory outside of their main offices in order to meet the demands of the public. Clothing lines like Lacoste, Luis Vitton and other famous brand could now be found in various parts of the world. Michelin, the French tire company owns a factory in south California where they produce tire that would answer the demand of the local market. Globalization spread across the globe because of the opportunity that foreign investment could offer to a country. Aside from lowering the cost of foreign product through local manufacturing, foreign investment could boost the economic performance of those poor countries.

Affirmative Action :: essays research papers

AFFIRMATIVE ACTION I. â€Å"We didn’t land on Plymouth Rock, my brothers and sisters – Plymouth Rock landed on us!† Malcolm X’s observation is brought out by the facts of American History. Snatched from their native land, transported thousands of miles – in a nightmare of disease and death – and sold into slavery, blacks were reduced to the legal status of farm animals. Even after emancipation, blacks were segregated from whites – in some states by law, and by social practice almost everywhere. American apartheid continued for another century.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 1954 the Supreme Court declared state-compelled segregation in schools unconstitutional, and it followed up that decision with others that struck down many forms of official segregation. Still, discrimination survived, and in most southern states blacks were either discouraged or prohibited from exercising their right to vote. Not until the 1960’s was compulsory segregation finally and effectively challenged. Between 1964 and 1968 Congress passed the most sweeping civil rights legislation since the end of the Civil War. It banned discrimination in employment, public accommodations (hotels, motels, restaurants, etc.), and housing; it also guaranteed voting rights for blacks in areas suspected of disenfranchising blacks. Today, several agencies in the federal government exercise sweeping powers to enforce these civil rights measures.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  But is that enough? Equality of condition between blacks and whites seems as elusive as ever. The black unemployment rate is double that of whites, and the percentage of black families living in poverty is nearly four times that of whites. Only a small percentage of blacks ever make it into medical school or law schools.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Advocates of affirmative action have focused upon these differences to support their argument that it is no longer enough just to stop discrimination. Liberal Democrats feel that the damage done by three centuries of racism now has to be remedied, they argue, and effective remediation requires a policy of â€Å"affirmative action.† At the heart of affirmative action is the use of â€Å"numerical goals.† Opponents call them â€Å"racial quotas.† Whatever the name, what they imply is the setting aside of a certain number of jobs or positions for blacks or other historically oppressed groups. Conservative Republicans charge that affirmative action really amounts to reverse discrimination, that it penalizes innocent people simply because they are white, that it often results in unqualified appointments, and that it ends up harming instead of helping blacks.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The issue of preferences to address historical patterns of racial, ethnic, and gender discrimination has received a great deal of attention nationally.

Economics Stock market Essay

Playing the stock market is like gambling. Such speculative investing has no social value, other than the pleasure people get from this form of gambling. On the surface, this seems true. Folks are just buying and selling and hoping the difference will end up in their checkbook. They are not improving the lives of others, encouraging certain business practices, buying and using goods, or hiring and training workers. In fact, the businesses that they buy and sell may never matter to them and never know about their activity. So, what social value was there? However, upon deeper reflection, there might be more. The buying and selling creates liquidity in a public market and permits business to obtain cheap funding for projects that produce jobs, feed communities, train workers and support charities. And, to the extent that playing the stock market educates the investor (no telling if it does or not), the investor might learn about company activities and get interested in particular firms and support their goals. This evolution from disinterested to interested/active may or may not occur but it is possible. Yes, they might be trying to beat the odds, as in a black jack game but this activity might be ultimately educational and provides the grease that lubricates the capital markets. Playing the stock market is like gambling. Such speculative investing has no social value, other than the pleasure people get from this form of gambling. On the surface, this seems true. Folks are just buying and selling and hoping the difference will end up in their checkbook. They are not improving the lives of others, encouraging certain business practices, buying and using goods, or hiring and training workers. In fact, the businesses that they buy and sell may never matter to them and never know about their activity. So, what social value was there? However, upon deeper reflection, there might be more. The buying and selling creates liquidity in a public market and permits business to obtain cheap funding for projects that produce jobs, feed communities, train workers and support charities. And, to the extent that playing the stock market educates the investor (no telling if it does or not), the investor might learn about company activities and get interested in particular firms and support their goals. This evolution from disinterested to interested/active may or may not occur but it is possible. Yes, they might be trying to beat the odds, as in a black jack game but this activity might be ultimately educational and provides the grease that lubricates the capital markets.

The Harlem Renaissance Activism - 1860 Words

The Harlem Renaissance: Activism in Full Expression of Black American Culture Subsequent to World War I, America saw the dawn of the industrial age, and a labor boom that would ignite a great and steady migration of Black American(s) (BA) and Caribbean nationals to the North. Such an influx of Blacks and other immigrants began to change the landscapes of these cities from rural to urban centers, with concentrated populations that caused housing shortages, economic disparity, and social and political pressures for BA. The failed attempt to abolish slavery by law, and of the Reconstruction Era, BA were stuck within a new kind of purgatory. Their expectations of having equal rights recognized, while segregation was still actively pursued by the white majority, came as a crushing and bitter reality for southern migrants. As such, frustrations were felt by both White Americans (WA) and BA; WA began to resent the waves of migrants coming to take jobs, and overrun their cities, just as BA resented the lies they were fed that influenced their migration, as well as the conditions that were forced upon them. In a time heavy with ever growing frustrations around political, economic and social barriers, it would be a group of BA intellects and artists that would begin of movement towards acknowledging black culture and pride, known as the Harlem Renaissance. While BA did have an apparent leader in Booker T. Washington who, in his own limited way, sought to advance the quality of lifeShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Angie Thomass The Hate U Give786 Words   |  4 Pageson the horizon. The Harlem Renaissance, but back then it was known as â€Å"The New Negro Movement† was a reflection of the changing times. 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