LESSON 9: Globalization

You pop open your laptop and call

your friend in London, email your co-worker
in France, order new clothes from India,
and apply for jobs in Switzerland. This
interconnection via the Internet is just one
way that you are part of globalization.

Over the years, Globalization has

gained many connotations pertaining to
progress, development and integration. On
the one hand, some view globalization as a
positive phenomenon. Some experts say, Globalization is the process of making the world a
step away, making distances getting shorter, things moving closer.

Since its first appearance in the Webster’s dictionary in 1961, many opinions about
globalization have flourished. In 1992, Ohmae stated ... ‘globalization means the onset of the
borderless world...”

The airplane, the telephone, and the Internet are just three inventions which are attribute
to the spread of globalization. Due to the increased demand in the high tech industry around the
world, business and industry have potential for huge profits working globally. So in today’s world
globalization is an important concept for students in higher education to understand and
appreciate because of the demand in business and industry to hire people who can work with
people of other nations and cultures if needed can travel independently internationally to
promote their business or industry.

In this chapter, different definitions of globalization will be discussed. The task of

conceptualizing it reveals a variety of perspectives. To understand further the concept, different
meanings are hereby given.

Globalization is about the interconnectedness of people and businesses across the

world that eventually leads to global cultural, political and economic integration (Fox & Hundley,
2011).

Globalization means the speedup of movements and exchanges (of human beings,

goods, and services, capital, technologies or cultural practices) all over the planet. It promotes
and increases interactions between different regions and populations around the globe.

Ritzer (2015) defines globalization as transplanetary process or set processes involving

increasing liquidity and the growing multidirectional flows of people, objects, places, and
information as well as the structures they encounter and create that are barriers to, or expedite,
those flows.

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 From the business parlance, Globalization is the ability to move and communicate easily
with others all over the world in order to conduct business internationally. It is the process by
which businesses or other organizations develop international influence or start operating on an
international scale.

Globalization refers to the trend toward countries joining together economically, through
education, society and politics, and viewing themselves not only through their national identity
but also as part of the world as a whole.

2. Types of Globalization

1. Economic: Countries that trade with many others and have few trade barriers are
economically globalised.

2. Social: information and ideas spread between different countries (internet and social
networks).

3. Political: The amount of political co-operation between countries.

3. Causes of Globalization

1. Improved Communications: The development of communication technologies such as

internet, email and mobile phones have been vital to the growth of globalisation because they
help MNCs (multinational corporations) to operate throughout the world. The development of
satellite TV channels such as BBC and CNN have also provided worldwide marketing avenues
for the concept and products of globalisation.

2. Improved Transport: The development of refrigerated and container transport, bulk shipping
and improved air transport have allowed the easy mass movement of goods throughout the
world. This assists globalisation.

3. Free Trade Agreements: MNCs and rich capitalist countries have always promoted global
free trade as a way of increasing their own wealth and influence.  International organisations
such as the World Trade Organisation and the IMF (International Monetary Fund) also promote
free trade.

4. Global Banking: Modern communication technologies allow vast amounts of capital to flow
freely and instantly throughout the world.  The equivalent of up to $US1.3 trillion is traded each
day through international stock exchanges in cities such as New York, London and Tokyo.

5. The Growth of MNCs: The rapid growth of big MNCs such as Microsoft, McDonalds and
Nike is a cause as well as a consequence of globalisation. The investment of MNCs in farms,
mines and factories across the world is a major part of globalisation. Globalisation allows MNCs
to produce goods and services and to sell products on a massive scale throughout the world.

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4. The Effects of Globalization

1. Changed Food Supply: Food supply is no longer tied to the seasons. We can buy food
anywhere in the world at any time of the year.

2. Division of Labour: Because MNCs search for the cheapest locations to manufacture and
assemble components, production processes may be moved from developed to developing
countries where costs are lower.

3. Less Job Security: In the global economy jobs are becoming more temporary and insecure. 
A survey of American workers showed that people now hold 7 to 10 jobs over their working life.

4. Damage to the Environment: More trade means more transport which uses more fossil
fuels and causes pollution. Climate change is a serious threat to our future.

5. Cultural Impact: Websites such as YouTube connect people across the planet. As the world
becomes more unified, diverse cultures are being ignored. MNCs can create a monoculture as
they remove local competition and force local firms to close.

5. Advantages of Globalization

From virtual connections to more affordable goods, such as clothing and food,
globalization has been beneficial to many aspects of society. Here are some of the advantages
of globalization.

 Corporations have greater flexibility to operate across borders.

 Global mass media ties the world together
 Increased Cultural Understanding
 Greater ease and speed of transportation for goods and people
 Reduction of likelihood of war between developed nations
 Reduced costs of goods and Increased Trade
 Flexible Labor Market
 Enhanced International Economic Participation
 Increases in environmental protection in developed nations.

6. Disadvantages of Globalization

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.”

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  Increased flow of skilled and non-skilled jobs from developed to developing nations as
corporations seek out the cheapest labor.
 Increased likelihood of economic disruptions in one nation effecting all nations
 Money problems can easily be spread.
 The mix of cultures can lead to loss of national identity.
 Small companies have to go out of business because they can’t compete with the big
international companies (Multinationals Corporations).
 Gap between the poor and the rich increases.
 Greater risk of diseases being transported unintentionally between nations

7. Importance of Teaching Globalization in Higher Education

In 2010 a global study entitled Attributes of a Global Engineer was performed by the
American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) and the International Federation of
Engineering Education Societies (IFEES) to determine the skills and experiences that today’s
engineering student need to develop in school and throughout their career to successfully
compete in a global workplace. ASEE’s Board of Directors established the ASEE Corporate
Member Council (CMC) to convey the ideas and views of corporations to ASEE. With over 120
corporate and non-academic institutional members, the CMC's mission is to foster, encourage,
and cultivate the dialogue between industry and engineering educators. Its strategic goals are:

 Diversity in engineering education

 Enhancing the K-12 educational pipeline/future workforce
 Reforming engineering education
 Collaborating on engineering research and intellectual property
 Liaison with engineering, technology, and the Society

CMC has several Special Interest Groups (SIGs), which exist to share information and
advance key priorities of the CMC. The International Engineering Education SIG is the CMC
sponsor of the Attributes of a Global Engineer Survey Project.

The Attributes of a Global Engineer Survey Project grew out of an expressed need by
CMC members to identify and validate specific knowledge, skills, abilities, and perspectives that
would be required of an engineer living and working in an increasingly global context.
Specifically, the goal was to refine a list of attributes that would be applicable to engineers
regardless of specialty, location, or background.

The process began in early-2008, led by the International Engineering Education SIG,
and involved CMC members developing a list of competencies derived from representative job
descriptions, literature reviews, and other reports. This initial list was consolidated through a
series of SIG meetings and events throughout 2008 and 2009; thus, here are the attributes that
emerged through this process (Hundley et al, 2011):

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Engineering Science Fundamentals

 Mathematics (including statistics)

 Physical and Life Sciences
 Political and Socio-economic Sciences
 Information Technology - Digital Competency

Engineering

 Understanding of Design and Product Processes

 Understanding of Product Life Cycle Development
 Effective Teamwork/Common Goals
 Possess a Multi-Disciplinary, Systems Perspective
 Maintain Focus with Multiple Project Assignments

Context in which Engineering is practiced

 Economics/Finances of Projects
 Basic Supplier Management Principles
 Customer and Societal Emotions and Needs
 Cultures, Languages, and Business Norms
 Societal, Economic, and Environmental Impacts of Engineering Decisions
 An International/Global Perspective

Communication

 Written (Memos, reports, email, letters, etc.)

 Verbal (Technical & non-technical presentations plus an effective “elevator” speech)
 Foreign Language (Technically fluent in at least two languages acknowledging English is
considered a key global language)
 Graphic (Design drawings, charts & graphs, presentation, and basic brochure design)
 Digital Competency
 Competent at Internet Collaboration and Communication Tools (Web-based meeting
tools, team rooms, teleconferencing; file sharing, E-mail, etc.)
 Listening

Teamwork

 Active and Effective Participation in Team Efforts

 A Willingness to Respect the Opinions of Others and Support Team Decisions

Leadership

 An Acceptable Personal Image and a Positive Personal Attitude

 Treating People with Fairness, Trust, and Respect
 Respect for Diversity
 Courtesy and Respect

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  An Eagerness to Help Others

Flexibility

 Self-Confidence to Adapt to Rapid/Continuous/Major Change

 Thinking Both Critically and Creatively - Independently and Cooperatively

Curiosity and Desire to Learn - For Life (Show initiative, Inquire & Learn)

 Seeking Advice and Forming Daily Questions to Discover New Insights.

 Commitment to Quality, Timeliness, and Continuous Improvement
 Understanding Basic Project and Risk Management and Continuous Improvement
Concepts (like LEAN+)

Ethical Standards and Professionalism

 Operate in Accordance With Acceptable Business, Societal, and Professional Norms

 Maintain the Highest Level of Integrity, Ethical Behavior, and Professional Competence
 Understand and Applies Good Personal Judgment

At the ASEE Annual Conference in 2010, SIG stakeholders attempted to translate the
attributes into specific competencies that could be identified by levels of importance and
proficiency at certain intervals of an individual’s education and professional development. The
initial list totalled 48; however, through in-person meetings at the Conference, and through bi-
weekly telephone conference calls and other electronic communication, the list was ultimately
synthesized and consolidated. After further review and validation from CMC members, a total of
20 competencies associated with the attributes of a global engineer emerged (Hundley et al.,
2011).

MORE DEFINITIONS OF GLOBALIZATION

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(A collection of definitions from the book of Aldama, Prince Kennex Reguyal (2018) The
Contemporary World, Rex Book Store, Manila).

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 EVALUATION

INSTRUCTION: Discuss the following (100-200 words only)

A. Do you agree that even the poorest of the poor enjoy the effect of globalization? How?
B. Are we getting more advantages in our participation for Globalization? Cite an example.
C. Create product or merchandize or concept that can be potentially in a global market.

REFERENCES

Aldama, Prince Kennex Reguyal (2018) The Contemporary World, Rex Book Store, Manila

Fox, Patricia and Hundley Stephen (2011), The Importance of Globalization in Higher Education
https://www.intechopen.com/books/new-knowledge-in-a-new-era-of-globalization/the-
importance-of-globalization-in-higher-education

Hamdi, Fairooz, The Impact of Globalization in the Developing Countries (June 11, 2015).
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/impact-globalization-developing-countries-fairooz-hamdi

https://www.piie.com/microsites/globalization/what-is-globalization
https://in2english.net/2019/01/16/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-globalization/
https://youmatter.world/en/definition/definitions-globalization-definition-benefits-effects-
examples/

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