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Understanding Globalization: Key Concepts

The document provides an overview of globalization, defining it as a complex process influenced by economic, political, cultural, and technological changes. It discusses six core claims of globalization, the drivers and types of globalization, and the differing characteristics of developed and developing countries. Additionally, it highlights the roles of international organizations and the challenges faced by poorer nations in the context of globalization.

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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
13 views6 pages

Understanding Globalization: Key Concepts

The document provides an overview of globalization, defining it as a complex process influenced by economic, political, cultural, and technological changes. It discusses six core claims of globalization, the drivers and types of globalization, and the differing characteristics of developed and developing countries. Additionally, it highlights the roles of international organizations and the challenges faced by poorer nations in the context of globalization.

Uploaded by

alisemirmar
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

MODULE

1
Globalization
The Structures of Globalization

Lesson Objectives:
At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
 Define globalization
 Examine the six (6) claims of globalization and types of globalization
 Agree on a working definition of globalization for the course
 Narrate a personal experience of globalization

Introduction to Globalization
In the Philippines, notice the entry of Korean, Indian and French restaurants, to name a
few. Filipinos do not need to go to Korea just to try Korean food. So, what is globalization? How
new is globalization? What has led to increase globalization? What are some positive effects of
globalization? When people trade, how do both sides (two or more countries) benefit? What are
some negative effects of globalization? What roles do the international monetary fund (IMF), the
World Bank and the world Globalization Now: Risk and trade organization (WTO) play in
globalization? What are some effects of multinational businesses? What are some of the issues
involved with outsourcing jobs? What is the future of globalization?

Several literatures defined globalization focusing on a variety of phenomena, including


process, a condition, a system, a force, and an age (Steger, 2005). Further, Steger (2005)
elaborated globalization as something that is "confined to a set of complex, sometimes
contradictory, social processes that are changing the current social condition based on the
modern system of independent nation-states" (p. 12). It is the result of political, economic,
cultural change and technological innovations Globalization "implies that we are moving from
the modern socio-political order of nation states that gradually emerged in the seventeenth
century toward the 'postmodern' condition of globality" (Steger, 2005, p.13). The changes may
occur slowly or quickly depending on the people's idea of change Balaam (2013) described
globalization as the growing interdependence among people and state all over the world that
resulted from digital revolution and the spread of Western (American) culture. He further
characterized it as:
 an economic process that reflects dense interconnections based on new technologies
and the mobility of trade and capital,
 the integration of national markets into a single global market,
 a political process that weakens state authority and replaces it with the power of
deregulated
 markets,
 a cultural process that reflects a growing network of complex cultural interconnections
and interdependencies in modern society.

The IMF (2005), defined globalization as the opening of international borders to flows of free
trade, immigration, direct investment, information and technology. The IMF, World Bank, WTO,
and other international organizations work to promote the good side of globalization and
mitigate its risks to less developed economies. However, despite the good benefits of
globalization, its risk is greater among poorer countries like the Philippines. It promised higher
standards of living but it increased marginalization of people (Balaam & Dillman, 2014). In the
year 2000, the United Nations established the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) directed
at increasing foreign aid for poorer nations, halving global hunger, reducing debt, and fighting
diseases like AIDS.
Three Dominant Perspectives in the Study of Globalization (Balaam & Dillman, 2014,
pages 17-22)

Economic Liberalism (Neoliberalism). A political and economic ideology that attempts to


improve human well-being by promoting individual self-interest, it advocates for the withdrawal
of government interventions in the economy (such as tariff and quotas, but also government
services); it strives for the free movement of goods, services, people, and money.

1. Mercantilism (economic nationalism). It focuses on state efforts to accumulate wealth and


power to protect society from physical harm or the influence of other states. Its policy tool:
protectionist industrial and trade policies oftentimes necessary to make markets work and
enhance national wealth and welfare

2. Structuralism. This focuses on how different social classes are shaped by the dominant
economic structure. The state controls the economy, prices are set by state officials and
emphasis on state planning and agenda setting. Its policy tool: monetary, fiscal, and fair trade
policies that redistribute income to everyone in society.

Six Core Claims of Globalization (Steger, 2005)

Claim one globalization is about the liberalization and global integration of markets

In "globalization", it requires the necessary move for "liberalization" of market for the
"integration" with countries, regardless of the political and cultural preferences expressed by
local citizens, to happen.

Claim two: globalization is inevitable and irreversible

Nobody can stop globalization, whether individuals like it or not, Globalization exists. As,
former Senator Manuel Villar said, it is a reality of the modern world. The process is irreversible'.
But the importance is for countries to be responsive to a broad range of political, social, cultural,
and economic issues.

Claim three: nobody is in charge of globalization

In globalization, there exists a "self-regulating market" This means that no one is in


control, not controlled by any individual, any government, or any institution.

Claim four globalization benefits everyone (...in the long run)

The idea in globalization is that eventually all countries will experience "economic
growth" and "prosperity". However, the pace that each country moves differs depending on the
whether the countries are at the periphery or at the center.

Claim five globalization furthers the spread of democracy in the world

Globalization allows the spread of democracy based on the proximity to "market" and the
making of economic choices. Although, "globalization and capital development do not
automatically produce democracies, the level of economic development resulting from
globalization is conducive to the creation of complex civil societies with a powerful middle class"
(p.32).

Claim six: globalization requires a global war on terror

In other words, the desired spread of globalization makes it prone for countries to
experience acts of terror, thus, are required to fight terrorism.
Drivers of Globalization

The level to which a certain state adapt to globalization depends on how each formulate
policies to ensure movement. Each state should address the drivers of globalization to ensure
economic, political, and socio-cultural activity.

1. Decline of barriers to the free flow of goods, services, and capital. After World War II
countries like France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Holland, Sweden, UK and US removed economic
barriers and allowed the free flow of goods, servicesand capital between nations. These
resulted to different countries to trade goods and share their resources which eventually lead to
some countries to develop.
The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) was the first multilateral free trade
agreement aimed to eliminate trade protectionism that took effect on June 30, 1948 until
January 1, 1995. The most important requirement in GATT is that each member must confer
most favored nation status. This means that all members will be treated equally when it comes
to tariff GATT further prohibited restriction on the number of imports and exports. In 1993, the
Uruguay Round established the World TradeOrganization (WTO) to police the international
trading system.

2 Technology. Technology transformed globalization by promoting a "borderless" world that


allowed the effortless entry and exit of goods.
In the case of the Philippines, several measure have been adopted to ensure free flow of
goods, services and capital. One of which is the Philippines active involvement in the ASEAN
integration, this will ensure that the country will be able to compete with other member country
by lowering the taxes that each country might incur which will result to lower prices of goods and
services in the country, it will also help in allowing the Philippines to have access to goods
which we do not have before, Filipinos will be given a chance to have higher and better working
opportunity with other ASEAN country and allow for easy travel in and out of the ASEAN region.

Types of Globalization

The degree of each state's response to globalization depends on how each adapt the different
types of globalization. Each state vary in its accommodation of the types of globalization
depending on what each state believed they will benefit the most

1. Financial Globalization. The world's financial systems have become intimately


interconnected: the stock market trading in New York Stock Exchange can affect Tokyo and
Hong Kong.

2. Economic Globalization. The existence of transnational corporations like Ford, Coca Cola,
and Nike.

3. Technological Globalization. There exists a "global village" where everything can be


accessed by using computer and mobile phones.

4. Political Globalization. The pressure for different countries to adopt uniform policies to boost
interdependence like the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).
5. Cultural Globalization. Through technology, the culture of other countries became known to
the extent that it became part of another countries' culture leading to loss of identities of some
local culture.

6. Sociological Globalization. A single "world" society exists having one set of values/beliefs, like
the agreement of different societies about the horror that terrorism brought

7. Ecological Globalization. Different countries from all over the world experienced the dreadful
effect of global warming.

8. Geographical Globalization. A borderless world concerned with ecological, political, cultural


and economic relationships.

The dawn of globalization lead to the existence of different worlds: the developed and
developing countries. Developed countries or the North have industrialized and diverse

economies like Canada. United State of America, Britain, and Japan. Some refer to developing
nations as the least developing country (LDC), or the South. These countries have varied
history, culture, economy, and political system. Below are their characteristics:

Table 1.1 Characteristics if LDCs


Developed Countries Developing Countries
Good Governance High level of laws, customs, and Weak government
institutions that promote good
governance
Infrastructure Good infrastructure Lack of infrastructure
Cost of necessities Basic food and shelter is Basic food and shelter are
expensive cheap
Poverty incidence Low instances of poverty High instances of poverty
Literacy High literacy rates Relatively low literacy rates
Foreign aid and Provides foreign aids and Dependency on foreign aid and
humanitarian assistance humanitarian assistance humanitarian assistance

Dependency resulted in the underdevelopment among developing countries Because of


this, there exists undevelopment and underdevelopment. Undevelopment is "characterized by
lack of development, while underdevelopment is the outcome of a process that further damaged
developing countries' economies and simultaneously made the industrialized (developed) world
more prosperous (Balaam & Dillman, 2014)

Economic liberal perspective on development requires developing countries become


part of the global market economy, through trade (Balaam & Dillman. 2014) Further, he said that
by using their comparative trading advantages (the resources that their country mostly have will
be exported), developing countries areable to capitalize on the benefits of international trade
and build a strong economy. Also, trade enables poorer economies to export their natural
resources (mainly agricultural commodities), while affording access to manufactured goods from
abroad. And as these economies grow from export earnings, gradually they will be able to
acquire more foreign technology and knowledge to promote new investments in manufacturing.
According to this perspective, as "latecomers," developing countries can use the market to
develop and industrialize, while learning from the policy mistakes of the now developed nations.
However, according to the liberal model, major obstacles to economic development are the
developing countries anemic capital, productivity, and technological base. Other obstacles
include poor infrastructure, weak educational systems, and/or traditional value systems.
Exercise 1

A. Complete the box below. Choose and compare one developed and one developing
based on the characteristics identified below. This exercise will require you to
scan the Internet, make sure ti use only reliable resources.

DEVELOPED COUNTRY DEVELOPING COUNTRY

1. Life Expectancy
(The average period that
a person may expect to
live)
2. Literacy Rate
(The percentage of
people who are able to
read and write)
3. Population Rate

4. Access to Housing
(Percentage of people
who do not have decent
houses)

B. Based on the data above, how dos globalization affects these countries?

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Exercise 2

Pick a recent news article that focuses on some international or global problem,
and pick out important information that will identify the type of globalization. You can
have several or one news article to complete the box below.

Types of Globalization News Article


(To document properly, follow the format:
Title of the news article, Name of the writer,
Date and the important information(can be a
sentence or just a short statement that will
identify the type of globalization)

Economic Globalization

Technological Globalization

Cultural Globalization

Ecological Globalization

Common questions

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Foreign aid facilitated by globalization can have both positive and negative effects, especially concerning the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Positively, foreign aid can drive poverty reduction, enhance healthcare access, and support infrastructural development in recipient countries, aligning with MDG objectives such as halving global hunger and increasing foreign aid . Aid can enable developing countries to tackle diseases, improve literacy, and support economic development by providing necessary resources and expertise . However, negative effects include increased dependency on aid, which can stifle local initiative and development, as countries may become reliant on external support rather than fostering sustainable local solutions . Additionally, aid can sometimes be misallocated or not reach the intended projects due to inefficient governance in recipient countries, undermining the potential benefits and progress toward MDGs . Therefore, while foreign aid holds transformative potential, realizing its benefits requires effective implementation, oversight, and alignment with local priorities and capabilities. Globally coordinated efforts ensure aid effectiveness and sustainable development impact .

International organizations like the IMF and WTO influence globalization by promoting free trade, investment, and the removal of trade barriers. The IMF supports monetary stability and provides financial resources to countries in need, potentially enhancing economic resilience . The WTO oversees international trade agreements, helping reduce tariffs and trade protectionism to promote market access . However, for less developed economies, these influences often lead to challenges such as increased competition from more developed countries and pressures to conform to global standards that may not align with their economic capabilities, potentially resulting in increased dependency and marginalization . While these organizations work to mitigate risks and facilitate economic integration, the resultant market liberalization can exacerbate existing disparities and leave certain sectors vulnerable .

Steger identifies six core claims of globalization: market liberalization, its inevitability and irreversibility, the self-regulating nature of markets, universal benefits, the spread of democracy, and the need for a global war on terror . In developing countries like the Philippines, these manifest in various ways. Market liberalization promotes economic growth but can lead to increased inequality and marginalization . While globalization appears inevitable, developing nations may struggle to keep pace with rapid changes due to infrastructure and capital limitations . The self-regulating market implies no specific control, potentially neglecting the unique needs of developing economies . Although globalization promises universal prosperity, in practice, wealth disparities often widen between and within countries . Furthermore, while globalization can encourage democratic processes through increased communication and interdependence, it may also impose external political pressures that are misaligned with domestic needs .

Economic globalization and trade liberalization policies create complex dynamics in developing countries, offering opportunities and challenges. Trade liberalization enhances market access and integration into the global economy, allowing developing countries to leverage comparative advantages, such as exporting agricultural products or raw materials, to foster economic growth . This can lead to increased foreign investment, access to technology, and job creation as countries become attractive destinations for multinational corporations . However, challenges include exposure to increased competition from well-established international firms, which can threaten local industries lacking the competitive edge, technological innovation, or infrastructure to compete effectively . Trade liberalization may also exacerbate income inequalities within countries as wealth concentrates among those able to capitalize on global opportunities . Furthermore, it can lead to a dependency on volatile global markets and economic conditions outside the control of developing nations. Addressing these challenges requires strategic policy frameworks that support domestic industries, enhance skills and innovation, and ensure trade benefits are equitably distributed across society .

Different types of globalization, such as economic, cultural, technological, and political globalization, interact to create a complex global society. Economic globalization leads to interconnected markets affecting both developed and developing nations; it promotes trade and investment but can also exacerbate inequalities, as developed countries often have stronger economic infrastructures to capitalize on globalization's benefits . Cultural globalization increases cultural exchanges and leads to cultural homogenization, which can cause the loss of local cultures but also fosters multicultural understanding . Technological globalization, epitomized by advancements in communication and information technologies, supports economic activities and cultural exchanges but requires varying degrees of adaptation by different countries based on their technological base . Political globalization encourages uniform policies and can affect national sovereignty but also promotes cooperation on global issues like climate change . In developing nations, these interactions often highlight disparities, such as dependency on foreign aid and less developed infrastructures, which hinder their ability to harness the full benefits of globalization .

Technological advancements drive globalization by enabling quicker and more efficient communication, transportation, and transactions, effectively shrinking the global market and creating a 'borderless' economic environment. In ASEAN countries, this has significant implications for global trade dynamics. Technology facilitates easier market access and lowers the cost of goods and services through participation in integrated supply chains and regional trade agreements like ASEAN integration, which aims to enhance competitiveness by reducing intra-regional tariffs . This technological integration allows ASEAN countries to access a broader range of products, improves employment opportunities, and promotes economic mobility within the region . However, these countries must also address technological disparities to fully benefit from these advancements, as unequal tech adoption can inhibit competitive parity and reduce economic gains .

Ecological globalization and global warming exemplify the interconnectedness of globalization and its inherent challenges. Ecological globalization refers to how environmental issues transcend national borders and require global cooperation . Global warming, driven by industrial activities and greenhouse gas emissions from various countries, highlights shared responsibilities and impacts, such as climate change effects on weather patterns and natural disasters affecting multiple countries simultaneously. This interconnectedness necessitates collaborative international efforts, exemplified by agreements like the Paris Accord, to mitigate adverse ecological outcomes and promote sustainable development . Challenges arise from differing national priorities, economic capabilities, and interests, which complicate unified responses and commitments. Developing countries, more vulnerable to climate impacts due to limited resources and infrastructure, often face harsher consequences, demonstrating how ecological globalization intersects with and exacerbates existing global inequalities. As such, addressing ecological globalization challenges requires comprehensive strategies that integrate environmental sustainability with economic development objectives .

Mercantilism and economic liberalism offer contrasting views on globalization. Mercantilism focuses on state control and the accumulation of wealth and power through protectionist policies, aiming to enhance national welfare by sheltering domestic industries from foreign competition . This approach often involves tariffs and trade barriers to protect local economies and aims to maintain a favorable balance of trade. In contrast, economic liberalism advocates for minimal state intervention, promoting free markets and trade liberalization as pathways to economic growth and consumer benefits . Mercantilism tends to prioritize sovereignty and self-sufficiency, whereas economic liberalism emphasizes global integration and interdependence . For state policies, these perspectives lead to different approaches: mercantilist policies may involve subsidies for local industries and protectionist trade policies, while economic liberalism would encourage deregulation, open borders for trade and investment, and competitive market environments. Hence, countries' adoption of either perspective can significantly influence their global economic strategies and relationships .

Globalization's social and cultural impacts include the expansion of cultural exchanges and the predominance of certain cultural norms, often leading to cultural homogenization. This process potentially dilutes distinct national identities as local traditions and customs integrate global cultural phenomena . For instance, the widespread access to international media and communication technologies facilitates cultural blending, but can also contribute to the erosion of traditional cultural practices and languages, particularly in less dominant cultures. This blending can result in a loss of identity and decreased cultural diversity at the national level . Moreover, sociological globalization suggests a shift towards a global society with shared values, further challenging national uniqueness . While these processes can promote multicultural understanding and cooperation, they pose potential threats to maintaining cultural heritage and diversity within nations. Developing countries, striving for economic benefits and influenced by stronger economies, might experience tensions between preserving cultural identities and integrating into a homogenized global culture .

Cultural globalization plays a critical role in developing a 'global village' by facilitating widespread cultural exchanges and the blending of cultural norms across different societies. It leads to increased access to diverse cultural expressions through modern communication technologies, fostering a sense of global connectedness and mutual cultural appreciation . However, while cultural globalization promotes understanding and cooperation among diverse cultures, it poses potential threats to cultural diversity by encouraging cultural homogenization where dominant global cultures overshadow local ones. This can lead to the erosion of unique cultural identities as global media and multinational corporations disseminate predominant cultural norms and values . As cultures merge and adapt to shared influences, maintaining cultural diversity becomes challenging, risking the loss of traditional customs, languages, and practices that contribute to the rich tapestry of global heritage. Consequently, efforts to preserve and celebrate cultural diversity must be balanced with globalization's integrative and homogenizing forces .

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