Defining Globalisation PDF Print E-mail


Globalisation is a fairly broad term that describes the phenomena of the 'local' turning into the 'global', or the coming together of different aspects of the world into a single and identifiable state. While this may not be directly from the dictionary, globalisation is one of those words that has taken on a life of its own in recent times and has developed meaning beyond that of its own definition. While the term globalisation may have at first been strictly applied to the international financial marketplace and its deregulation, what it means for many today has as much to do with cultural and political realities as economic ones.



This global phenomena involves all processes of integration no matter what exactly they are referring to. Globalisation involves economies, cultures and political movements in all of the different parts of the world. There is nothing new about different countries and cultures becoming integrated and working together, what is new though is the speed that it is now taking place. This is due mainly to the technological changes and acceleration that have occurred and are continuing to occur in the developed world.

Broadcasting technology has become a worldwide force and channels like the BBC and CNN are now available in many places around the globe. The Internet has also had a large effect on the acceleration of globalisation and can potentially act as a common cultural denominator. Broadcasting and the Internet are still economically and culturally dependent on other issues however and are not ubiquotous everywhere. This is one of the major problems with globalisation, with anti-globalisation proponents often mentioning how the world can not be integrated effectively due to already existing power differentials between countries and cultures.

The reality of globalisation is such that its implications are both impossible to ignore and equally impossible to comprehend. Governments are unable to forecast and deal with the realities of globalisation because in reality and by definition its force lies beyond the scope of any local government body. International corporations have the ability to expand more than the government of any one country and so are forcing the entire global political landscape to reevaluate and redefine itself.

For instance globalisation can be viewed in the context of large international corporations spreading their products and businesses throughout the world, especially in fast developing nations.

The net result being a wider distribution of wealth, greater product choices and an increase in the use of modern technology. Take for instance the micro cash advance loans being offered throughout the Indian sub continent. Or globalisation can equally be viewed as the a detrimental force which exploits the worlds poor to feed the greed of rich nations. An example being the infamous sweatshops used by some rapacious western companies to produce their goods.



There are many different aspects of globalisation that in turn have many different effects on the world. This is another reason why it is very hard to pin point exactly what globalisation is, because it means so many different things to people. Globalisation has effects on finance, industry, the environment and all of the many political and cultural ideas and institutions. It effects information flows, consumer trends and immigration flows between different parts of the world.

Globalisation has spread in a huge way since the end of the second world war and will continue to do so as technology and communication improve between nations. I suspect that it will get harder and harder to define with any degree of certainty as it continues to grow as a global force and manages to assimilate its own meaning as it does so.

Globalisation is not only allowing the free movement of goods and services but to some extent it is providing a platform for people to work in new and exciting countries. Finding jobs overseas is not always as easy as it seems though so going straight to the biggest job resources in a particular country, such as the job centre plus, is the best option. While globalisation is opening up the job markets across the world there are still visa requirements standing in the way of truly free employee movement unless you are in a free trade area such as the EU.

 
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