Globalisation

Def:
(C)Globalisation is the word used to describe the growing interdependence of
the world’s economies, cultures, and populations, brought about by cross-border
trade in goods and services, technology, and flows of investment, people, and
information. Countries have built economic partnerships to facilitate these
movements over many centuries.
(R)But the term gained popularity after the Cold War in the early 1990s, as
these cooperative arrangements shaped modern everyday life. The wide-ranging
effects of globalization are complex and politically charged. As with major
technological advances, globalization benefits society as a whole, while harming
certain groups.
(C)Your shirt was made in China and your mobile comes from Japan. (R)You
can eat at McDonald's in Moscow and watch an American film in Rome.
Advances in technology such as mobile phones,aeroplanes, telephones and the
Internet have made the growth of transport and communication networks
possible. (C)Amongst other things, this means that people and countries can
exchange information and goods more quickly and in a less complicated way.
(R)But what are the downsides of the global market? And how will it affect jobs
in the future?
Dis:
(C)When we talk about globalisation it means we have access to more goods
and at more affordable prices, but it comes at a cost. When a company moves
production to an economically disadvantaged country because of the lower costs
involved, people in industrialised nations lose their jobs. Meanwhile, workers in
places such as Bangladesh and China earn low salaries and the working
conditions are often poor.Big fashion companies, for example, sell well-known
brands at a sizeable profit, but the people who make the clothes earn only a
fraction of the price at which they're sold.
Interdependency also means that if there is a problem in one country, it can have
far-reaching effects elsewhere. Many multinational corporations obtain raw
materials in one country, manufacture their products in another and sell all over
the word. If these materials are not available, there can be economic
repercussions across the globe.
What's more, globalisation causes ecological problems. The number of planes,
ships and lorries that are used to transport goods from one country to another is
constantly on the increase, which means more carbon dioxide is released into the
atmosphere. That in tum, leads to global warming.
Adv:
(R)The good news is that consumers are becoming more aware of the issues,
especially when it comes to how products are made. Increasingly companies are
being pressurised to improve ethical standards. Levi's, the iconic jeans maker
recently announced a plan to offer financial incentives to businesses in
developing countries if they improve conditions for their employees and their
environmental performance.
So while globalisation encourages economic growth, especially in developed
countries, it also presents new challenges. Which is why companies are
beginning to consider the skills that young people will need to become the
business leaders of the future. It seems that it may no longer be enough to get
the best exam results to succeed in the global workplace. In a recent survey of
executives and directors, 79% said that knowledge and awareness of the wider
world were more important to them than academic qualifications. In particular,
they valued the ability to think critically about global issues, to understand
different perspectives and to interact well with people from diverse countries,
and many were concerned that young people were not aware of the importance
of global thinking.
Conclusion: