Globalization: What does it mean to you?

Erich B. Coppersmith

What is globalization? Well that would depend on who you talk to. Some people would say that it is about world markets merging. Some might say that it is the shrinking of the globe by the speed of communication. While there still are others that would say that it is the blurring of the cultural lines among nations. Globalization could indeed be any and all of these things. The term has taken on many meanings to different people.

Some people blame globalization for the loss of jobs due to outsourcing while others rejoice at the new found employment opportunities brought to them.

 While some people  become mobilized to stand guard against the rising tide of globalization in fear that it will erode their national  identities as borders are blurred; others will look upon the new found wealth of culture available to them.

The point here is that the world is full of people, many different kinds of people and the resources available should be available to everyone. We have the technology now to monitor and distribute vast quantities of data and goods to all corners of the globe. In order for the world to become a more fair and equitable place we must use these tools to their best advantage.

I propose a new concept in Globalization. Education needs to graduate to the next level. I envision a whole new way to teach and learn. A “Global Education”  consisting of top of the line ,completely scalable and upgradable digital classrooms for the 21^st century.  If teachers and students have the very best equipment available to them at all times in all classrooms a transparency is created that students will encounter when they go out into the world of the modern job seeker.

 The actual world and everything in it is becoming more and more intertwined in its  virtual counterpart. This needs to be considered if future students are to be expected to make a seamless move into the modern job market. Theses aforementioned considerations should not be limited to post-secondary education. These ideas should be implemented all across the board, from primary education all the way up to create a 21^st century baseline equality in education. I believe that with these elements in place colleges will become more free to offer even more specialized programs, which would in turn create more demand for educators in the post secondary sector.

 Everyone in today’s world can see that through technology and communication the world is getting smaller and much more easily accessible. As time goes by we see small steps toward more truth in world history, not just the wildly varying and overtly nationalist views that we currently find. So why not take education to the next level?  Our constantly expanding world view and broader perspective on world history  needs to be incorporated into educational curriculum, as well as daily life. We must , as a nation turn out global citizens in order to be truly competitive in the next century. A large number of American graduates, particularly those from expensive, private academies can find the “real world” quite overwhelming compared to what school actually prepared them for. Anyone who has been on a fabulous vacation or trip knows the value of being exposed to other cultures and customs. This is a must for American children in particular who often do not have a very strong understanding of the world’s cultural geography With the implementation of a digital education on a global scale students of all ages in all locations on the planet would have access to a standardized , high quality education that could be started, stopped and resumed anywhere at anytime. This is my vision of what Globalization could mean.

GLOBALIZATION: Good or Bad?

 By: Diomassi Sissoko

Globalization is helping people to have better lives. According to our Sociology Essentials book, globalization means increased economic, political, and social interconnectedness and interdependence among societies in the world. Like many other things in world, globalization has positive and negative effects in the world.

One positive effect of globalization is culture. People around the world know now the cultures of other countries that they have never being before. People around the entire world know about the United States of America without being in USA. They listen to American musics, watch American movies and wear the same cloths as Americans.

Another positive effect of globalization is business. Because of globalization, China and India are becoming more developed, industrialized countries in world. Many people are moving their companies to those countries because labor is cheap.

One negative effect of globalization is unemployment in some rich countries like the United States.

 

Like you can see in this video, one cause of high rate of unemployment in USA is due to globalization. American companies are taking jobs from their country and give them to other countries.

In conclusion, globalization is helping many people and destroying some countries` economy. I think that globalization is good because it has more positive effects than negative effects on people.

1-800-Can I Talk to an American Please?

By: Amy Smith

     http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnhTQFHkgmw&feature=related

     When Americans make a phone call to companies that affect their everyday lives, like Wachovia Bank or Apple, the person that answers the phone is not a fellow American. American corporations and businesses have been shipping American jobs across seas to India for the past two decades. India has a lower cost of living; therefore companies can give a lower salary for the same job that an American could perform. This system of outsourcing allows the rich to get richer and the middle/lower class to become unemployed in America.

    

     The following link provides a list of American companies that CNN discovered to have
outsourced American jobs:

http://www.cnn.com/CNN/Programs/lou.dobbs.tonight/popups/exporting.america/content.html#b

     As shown in the video above, the Indian who answers the phone call has gone through training to be able to speak in understandable dialects of the English language. An alias is established for each worker so that the American caller is under the impression that they are speaking to another American. This tactic is not successful, since Americans know about the outsourcing of call centers. Many Americans develop resentment towards the people answering the phone calls once they detect the accent. Rather than aggravating the already overworked and underpaid Indian receptionist, the caller should ask, “Can I speak to an American Please?”. I have learned from experience with multiple companies, such as Dell and Bank of America, that they are more than willing to transfer your call back to America. If everyone would have their calls transferred to an American call center, more jobs would become available here in the States, resulting in less outsourced positions.
     Americans need to realize that they should be mad at the government for providing tax breaks to these outsourcing corporations and mad at the CEO’s that make extra for their pockets; not the Indians who take a job that pays their bills. By boycotting talking to foreigners and lobbing politicians to change outsourcing policy, Americans can dial a 1-800 number and talk to someone who knows the culture and language, since the receiver also lives it.



Why Marriages Fail ( Not Success )

     Marriage should be one of the main event or happy thing in each our life. But today’s society people change to another for to find a better person for their life, because of their marriage relationship all falling apart. Before I going a further to tell why marriage is failing I will tell you what should be a real relationship.       

     The relationship between a man and a woman, in marriage is possibly the most important and powerful relationship two people can experience. The marriage relationship, as God planned it, has the potential for the greatest experience of intimacy, companionship, partnership, mutual support, protection, pleasure, enjoyment and productivity of any human relationship. A good marriage is a wonderful blessing and an unparalleled treasure for the husband and wife. A strong, growing, loving marriage is also the encouragement environment in which children succeed and grow to be healthy, responsible adults. This Picture should be one example of real marriage .

 Nobody wants to fail their marriage. But it takes the effort of both the partners to make a marriage happy and successful one. There can be a lot reasons why a marriage fails.  Some of the reason that which causes that marriage fails are.

1.  Lack of trust
2.  Unrealistic expectations (Thinks differently)
3.  Inability to handle responsibility
4.  Depending on the spouse for everything
5. Not having personal happiness (No Sex)
6. Dripping secrets ( sharing personal information to family members  and friends. cannot keep the secrets or promise)
7. Lack of communication or understanding with spouse
8. Money issues
9. Spending too much time apart from each other
10. Criticizing and irritating your partner too much, also attitude problems
11. Not consulting to your partner before any decision. ( Makes their own decision )
12. Not doing the little things. 

     These are only a few reasons why marriage fails; there are many other reasons too. Now this problem grows up very fast and globalizes every part of the world now. For example, one of my neighbor divorced for no specific reason. The problems are lack of communication, spending too much time apart from each other, and lack of trust. He is Eye physician and she is sales manager. They both work so hard for to earn money, but less time being together. He told us that when he calls her she not picking the phone, but when he ask her why not picking the phone then she said she is working. He not believing what she saying, he thinks she is lying and cheating on him. There should be a least one verbally fight in week about this incident. In the end the both couple end up in divorce court and finally divorced.

     

This problem can be easily solve by talk each other while both of them relaxing or when they were going out. but it doesn't happen. So please don’t be make stupid mistake like these people did or anything that I put in top. Marriage should be is one of the happiest moment and happiest thing in our life. Keeps your relationship safely and be love one another. So you don’t have look for another partner for your life, enjoy with what you had...

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Thank you Globalization

By: Katherine Peralta

Globalization is the expansion of economic, political and social connections amongst countries; it makes countries interdependent. Due to globalization, trade, migration, diversity in cultures, travel and many more things have progressed. There is no doubt that globalization will continue to expand. How is Soccer globalization? Well, I will start off by saying that soccer is a world-wide sport.  

People may come from different countries poor or wealthy, different cultures and traditional backgrounds but one thing every country or most countries have in common is the sport of soccer. It may be that sport in which players just kick a ball back and forth but it’s the sport that brings people together. It unites people from different countries and brings those new experiences and time to socialize with one another.  FIFA, Federal Internationale de Futbol association has been recognized for international tournaments but is mostly known for the World Cup that has been held since 1930 except for 1942 and 1946 due to World War II.  It is held every four years and every four years it is played in a different country. So far, it has been hosted in Argentina, Brazil, Switzerland, Sweden, Chile, United Kingdom, Mexico, Germany, Spain, France, Uruguay, South Korea and Japan, Italy, and recently this past year in South Africa.

FIFA is globalization due to the fact that it unites people from different countries; people get to learn about different cultures and every country is making money, if qualified. Currently FIFA has 208 member associations. FIFA is now also working on “a house of football” which will help in projects like making a school for football and it will create jobs. They also get money from many sponsors like Coca-Cola, Visa, Sony, MC Donalds and 13 more. So, they in fact get money from many places.  “Develop the game, touch the world, build a better future” is FIFA’s mission quote meaning they want to demonstrate the diversity in culture by making soccer the symbol of hope and integration. 

    

Shakira's Waka Waka song for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa demonstrates the diversity in soccer, bringing with it globalization in trade, languages and multiculturism.

Thanks to globalization the world has increased economic, political, and social interconnectedness and interdependence among societies. "Who would've thought that FIFA would make an impact world-wide!" 

Mainstream Society...I can't keep up!

   By: Marnita Thomas


   When has it become a social norm to owning a expensive cell phone and having a Facebook account? Mainstream Culture has a changed dramatically since I was growing up( The early 90's) and quite frankly, I can't keep up!
 
 So here's my story...

 I'm on my break one day and I run across an old friend of mine. We start catching up and I ask her for her phone number to keep in touch. She blurts of "Girl, Facebook me". I look at her and say, Uh, I don't have a Facebook. She laughs and say, "What? everybody has a Facebook". She pulls out her "iPhone" and dials my number. When I grabbed my phone, she busts out laughing! "What is that contraption?" My cell phone, I respond. "Oh God, you really need to get with the program".

Okay so what my phone is kinda old, but at least it works! I find it hard to wrap my head around the frenzy that people go through. Just to receive the newest sleeker version of the cell phone they already own.

For example -this is just ridiculous, and I don't get it!  http://youtu.be/kikI9UqEONY

Its every where! http://youtu.be/hruCMnGOM-M

Gone are the days when you asked someone for their phone number and they actually wrote it down. Gone are the days when you run home to get that important phone call you did't want to miss. Why do that when its so convenient to have a $500 phone in your pocket!? Technology is forever evolving and I guess I need "To get with the program".

In high school it was "My Space" now its "Facebook". As soon as I get hip to the Facebook. People are telling me its all about "Twitter". Then when I finally sit down to try to compose a tweet. I receive a text message from my friend inviting me to come "Tango"? (what the heck is Tango? somebody please comment and let me know) No matter where you go you can't escape it. Technology is among us. You either get with it, or get left. Why do people feel the need to buy these outrageously expensive gadgets? Or check their Facebook account over 15 times a day? Is it to obtain some kind of social status? Or just wanting to be accepted amongst their peers.

I know culture varies over time, for example Facebook again
Do you have a facebook?


As of July 2010 Compete.com study ranked Facebook as the most used social network. Accumulating more than 600 million active users monthly. Proclaiming Facebook the largest social network in the world! I would say that's a pretty dominant culture.

I'm really not too much a fan of the of the way times have changed. I honestly missed the days when if I wanted to talk to my best friend I would simply call her or go see her. Now my best friend would rather text message me a whole conversation! Before she would physically hand me a invitation to her birthday party. Now she would much rather inbox me about it on Facebook.

I know Technology has its pros and cons, and I'm trying to adapt, but if somebody else walks up to me. Then laughs at my 2 year old phone that only talks and text, than Mainstream society....we gone have a problem!!!

  

Going Global for Profit

By: Anthony Harrison


     Globalization is the process of integrating policies, cultures, societies, and regional financial wealth through trade and the exchange of ideas throughout the world. Every company in the world does business internationally through globalization. It allows small nations to get their goods out into the global economy through exportation. The world's largest revenue producing companies are multinational corporations, that are head quartered in one country and do business worldwide.

     Globalization makes companies become more competitive through trade and offshoring. In an effort to sustain and increase revenue many multinational corporations are outsourcing. They are contracting a cheaper work force in other countries. For instance, the Sprint Nextel corporation outsources customer service calls to other countries. This is a cost cutting strategy that brings training and jobs to economies all over the world. Smaller economies get the infrastructure to grow and join the global economy. However, the workers of these smaller nations aren’t always treated fairly and often work long grueling hours to support their families. The salaries they take home are minuscule when compared to a worker doing the same job in a wealthier nation. For example, a Chinese factory worker making TV’s might take home about $3 a day, while their U.S counterparts make about $120 per day. In many countries a minimum wage doesn’t exist and multinational corporations can get more productivity and pay less in wages. Here is a brief video to further explain.

     Corporations have exploited certain principles of globalization to increase profits, while disregarding cultures and societies for the cheap labor that runs rampant. It appears that the multinational corporations are the only beneficiaries of globalization. Large and small nations can find common, and all the principles of globalization can be implemented. Both sides must be willing to act and only social and cultural actions will tell if this will happen.

Globalization of Coffee

By: Paul Barolette

     Globalization is described as the process by which regional economies, societies, and cultures have become integrated through a global network of political ideas through communication, and trade. the united states has become the main perpetrator of this offense. our economic ventures spread from latin america to asia, hitting all aspects of life. the need for  cheap goods have even affected some of our more trusted american companies such as Walmart, Target, and even Starbucks. Today Starbucks can be found on almost every corner, or intersection in our communities, but what is the story behind this coffee. The film "Black Gold' describes the trials and tribulation that our beloved coffee goes through before reaching the U.S. market. Take a look, and express your thoughts.

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