Impacts of a Borderless Society
My breakfast today consists of brewed coffee, one large tuna sandwich, and ripe mangoes for my dessert. I bought my frozen tuna from a local Asian store in our place. I learned that the tuna was imported from the Philippines, while my favorite roasted coffee beans were imported from Brazil. Last night, I read the book of Thomas Friedman (2000), The Lexus and the Olive Tree Understanding Globalization. It made me aware of products that I am now enjoying that are made possible by a phenomenon called globalization. I have never before been conscious of the fact that some goods that I buy in grocery stores came from distant places in the world. The tuna and the coffee on my breakfast table are products of two countries that are competing in the global market. As a consumer of these products, I now marvel how the tuna fish from the Philippine waters were brought to shore. Did the fishermen use dynamites that kill small fishes in the process I learned that in the Philippines, some fishing companies hire child labor to fish in the deep sea. Small fishermen are having a hard time competing with large fishing companies that sell their catch at lower prices. How about the imported Brazilian coffee beans I learned that rain forests in Brazil have been cleared to make way for large coffee plantations owned by multinational companies. Denuded forests can cause floods and increase global warming. Through the Internet, the coffee beans can be bought online anywhere in the world. Thanks to globalization, I am able to have my cup of coffee and my grilled tuna anytime I want them.
Benefits of Global Markets
Blenkhorn and Fleisher (2005 p. 32) said that in the age of globalization, the nature of doing business has radically evolved and we now live in a borderless society. A borderless society allows goods, services, information, capital, and people to freely flow in the global market. Because of Internet led- innovations, time and geographical boundaries have collapsed( Blenkhorn and Fleisher, 2005 pp. 32-33). Business can be conducted in real time anywhere in the globe. Globalization has increased the movements of the factors of production, goods and services, resulting in a truly global market. There are two major benefits of having a global market. Economically, we are able to easily access goods, services, capital, information, and people that foster greater cross-border integration of economic activities. It is now possible for any American company to engage in coffee production in a country where farm labor is cheap and where farmland is readily available. From an ecological perspective, through pressure from market forces, global companies are forced to reduce their carbon emissions by going green and seeing to it that their practices protect the environment over the long term. The fair trade movement encourages companies to engage in ethical business practices.
Negative Impacts of Global Markets
While a globalization enables consumers to buy products year-round anywhere in the world, the global market has also its negative impacts from the economic and ecological perspectives. Because globalization has reduced the world into one global village, there is tendency to lose national identities and unique cultures. Farmers who belong to indigenous groups are now losing their traditional values i.e. local wisdom on farming methods that respect nature and ecology. Goods are transported across borderless markets and global competition has become very stiff. Countries that cannot compete in terms of product quality and price will not survive over the long term.
Local farmers become vulnerable to the onslaught of cheaper farm produce from countries that are able to produce these good through cheap labor, for instance, by relocating their operations in China and other Asian countries where operation costs are cheap and are where laborers are paid cheap wages. Some companies engage in unfair business practices as well as conduct manufacturing practices that may harm the environment.
Thinking globally, acting locally
I now recall the adage, think globally, but act locally.To think globally but acting locally would mean that in todays borderless society, countries should think how to compete globally and have to come up with better strategies to compete in a borderless economy. However, globalization also has the power to destroy unique cultural traditions, values and ethnicities. Thus, acting locally would mean that countries should try not to be destroyed by globalization, thereby giving up their own national identity. Acting locally will enable local companies to respond to globalization in ways that consider culture, values, and people.
My research on the global market has significantly changed the manner I will choose goods in the future. Henceforth, I will try to be more aware of global companies that engage in fair trade fair labor practices, and those acts that contribute to sustainable environment. I will surely patronize their products as these ethical practices have long tern effects on the sustainability of our planet. I will shun companies that use pesticides on their farms, have high carbon emissions that contribute to global warming, and companies that exploit child labor.
Though I am for a global market since it has made possible the speedy transport of good across countries and borders, I am now more aware of its downsides on borderless society. While I shall think globally, I shall also try to act locally in a way that shall preserve our national identity, our tradition and culture. In Friedmans metaphor, I shall desire the Lexus car with all its convenience and modernity, but I shall also continue to hold on to our dear olive trees, where our traditions are deeply rooted (Friedman, 2000).
Benefits of Global Markets
Blenkhorn and Fleisher (2005 p. 32) said that in the age of globalization, the nature of doing business has radically evolved and we now live in a borderless society. A borderless society allows goods, services, information, capital, and people to freely flow in the global market. Because of Internet led- innovations, time and geographical boundaries have collapsed( Blenkhorn and Fleisher, 2005 pp. 32-33). Business can be conducted in real time anywhere in the globe. Globalization has increased the movements of the factors of production, goods and services, resulting in a truly global market. There are two major benefits of having a global market. Economically, we are able to easily access goods, services, capital, information, and people that foster greater cross-border integration of economic activities. It is now possible for any American company to engage in coffee production in a country where farm labor is cheap and where farmland is readily available. From an ecological perspective, through pressure from market forces, global companies are forced to reduce their carbon emissions by going green and seeing to it that their practices protect the environment over the long term. The fair trade movement encourages companies to engage in ethical business practices.
Negative Impacts of Global Markets
While a globalization enables consumers to buy products year-round anywhere in the world, the global market has also its negative impacts from the economic and ecological perspectives. Because globalization has reduced the world into one global village, there is tendency to lose national identities and unique cultures. Farmers who belong to indigenous groups are now losing their traditional values i.e. local wisdom on farming methods that respect nature and ecology. Goods are transported across borderless markets and global competition has become very stiff. Countries that cannot compete in terms of product quality and price will not survive over the long term.
Local farmers become vulnerable to the onslaught of cheaper farm produce from countries that are able to produce these good through cheap labor, for instance, by relocating their operations in China and other Asian countries where operation costs are cheap and are where laborers are paid cheap wages. Some companies engage in unfair business practices as well as conduct manufacturing practices that may harm the environment.
Thinking globally, acting locally
I now recall the adage, think globally, but act locally.To think globally but acting locally would mean that in todays borderless society, countries should think how to compete globally and have to come up with better strategies to compete in a borderless economy. However, globalization also has the power to destroy unique cultural traditions, values and ethnicities. Thus, acting locally would mean that countries should try not to be destroyed by globalization, thereby giving up their own national identity. Acting locally will enable local companies to respond to globalization in ways that consider culture, values, and people.
My research on the global market has significantly changed the manner I will choose goods in the future. Henceforth, I will try to be more aware of global companies that engage in fair trade fair labor practices, and those acts that contribute to sustainable environment. I will surely patronize their products as these ethical practices have long tern effects on the sustainability of our planet. I will shun companies that use pesticides on their farms, have high carbon emissions that contribute to global warming, and companies that exploit child labor.
Though I am for a global market since it has made possible the speedy transport of good across countries and borders, I am now more aware of its downsides on borderless society. While I shall think globally, I shall also try to act locally in a way that shall preserve our national identity, our tradition and culture. In Friedmans metaphor, I shall desire the Lexus car with all its convenience and modernity, but I shall also continue to hold on to our dear olive trees, where our traditions are deeply rooted (Friedman, 2000).
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