Student’s Name
1. Identify topic, who the author(s) is, where the article first appeared. What is the authors focus and basic opinion? How does the author bolster this basic opinion?
The article written by author Thomas Friedman talks about the direction that globalization is taking. It honestly looks into the reasons that the world is getting to be “tinier,” simply because of the development that are set in place regarding technology especially in the Information arena. However, the theme of the article points to the importance of the thoughtful and intentional kind of learning that is passed on to our children and the educational direction of American system in general. The article is an adaptation from the publication of Farrar, Straus & Giroux written by the same author.
2. Several paragraphs summarizing the author’s main points including some of the specific facts and figures.
Thomas Friedman has written a very interesting and though-provoking piece that both presents a challenge as well as an eye-opener on the state of education in America. Because globalization is an inevitable occurrence in the present reality, many still do not know the implications that it brings to many aspects of life in various countries around the world. He also specifically made a case in point on India and the opportunities that globalization had effected in such developing countries. Specifically, he made mention of the following significant facts and developments in the world today.
· Friedman mentions the trend of multinational companies to do two things: outsourcing and offshoring
· Primary reason usually directs us to the common practice of offshoring and outsourcing to pull down expense to say the least. It means that these two strategies actually reduce the cost of operations, or aptly termed as logistics.
· However, Friedman, in the course of his research as he spent time in places like Bangalore, India, realized that cost reduction is not the main concern here.
· Friedman traced the history of the rise of globalization and at the same time described the reasons contributing to making the global village within reach. He enumerated ten which he also categorized according to the first three and the next six as another of his categorizations-thereby succinctly referring to them as collaborations. His 10th category looked into the “steroids” which is yet another IT breakthrough that successfully enables people to do transactions of all kinds (be it personal, business, education and the like) virtually from anywhere in the world; an ideal enhancement to the already achieved status that is Netscape, Microsoft products, and all other applications combined. He appositely coined them all as “flatteners” consistent with his argument why the earth has become flat.
· Friedman also mentioned the right timing that countries like Russia, China, India, Eastern Europe, Central Asia and Latin America had entered into the “leveled” playing field. This development, the author calls it convergence, further created an impact towards the globalization trend. This proved the point that the progress that are the aspirations of all countries whether they come from the superpowers or from developing nations, is actually attainable. People are no longer migrating in order to earn a substantial income to live a favored lifestyle; they can now stay home at their poor countries and still receive the same amount in the paycheck with their 1st world counterparts.
· If there is one important influence that the author manages to convey is this: that parents should know their children well and hone their capabilities to the advantage of themselves, their employers, etc.
3. Restatement of the authors overall position.
Friedman persuades the reader to examine the historical background that made globalization a by word in the present century. Furthermore, he had pointed out factors and figures that refer to the assumption that the reason the world is “flat.” It is that the machinery developed by experts in the domain mentioned is real, factual and reliable.
4. One or more paragraphs indicating your opinion (agreement and disagreement) on the matter.
I agree that with basically the position that the author assumes in his article. Because of Information technology, the world’s movement had been less complicated than before. Basically, there is immense potential for growth in quantitative and qualitative leaps for the whole world’s operation mainly, because of the breakthroughs in Science and Computers.
Summary of “Globalization and its Contents” by Peter Marber
1. Identify topic, who the author(s) is, where the article first appeared. What is the authors focus and basic opinion? How does the author bolster this basic opinion?
The author, Peter Marber, argued for globalization in that according to him it is the main factor why the world’s population is better off today than what it was more than a generation ago (p.1). He cited the fact that now at this point in time, people are more “healthier” and “longer” and “fuller lives.” Globalization is misunderstood by many, as he claimed. This misunderstanding is due to the misrepresentation of the media as it only aired the sentiments of the “angry opposition.” He pinpointed this opposing group as represented by what he calls as “nationalistic xenophobes” and “left-wing labor leaders” who fear unbridled competition with other countries of lower labor wage. For Marber, globalization, if only understood and accepted, would lead to the continuous progress of many of the developing countries of the world.
Interesting is the part of Peter Marber’s article that mentioned how from the time way back to two thousand years ago (he quoted Essays In Persuasion by John Maynard), the average man was living in a more difficult condition with no significant change in his standard of living. He claimed that significant progress in life has reached its notable movement only in the last two hundred years. And these “significant changes” was due to globalization; one main reason was the advances in technology. Because there is today a “cross-border interactions” in terms of economic, political, and cultural areas among developing nations, progress is on-going.
2. Several paragraphs summarizing the author’s main points including some of the specific facts and figures.
In the year 1950, approximately one third of people who lived can read or write in contrast to these days when around two-thirds are literate. Another is that, America’s literacy was accomplished in more than 120 years, that was only surpassed by Korea which achieved the same status in only within 40 years. Great strides especially in economy happened with globalization. It has made many countries including the less developed ones to produce more with only working less. It has tremendous effects on every country’s purchasing power.
3. Opinion and conclusion.
The benefits worldwide of globalization are huge. Today, many nations have already very inexpensive gadgets and paraphernalia because of the wide distribution and cheaper materials that provided to make these gadgets. It is true that many achievements were made not only in the economic aspects that this has brought about. Globalization has improved much of humanity’s existence in every aspect of his life.
