Bicol University

JESSE M. ROBREDO INSTITUTE OF GOVERNANCE AND DEVELOPMENT

CAL Building, Rizal Street, Legazpi City

MODULE IN GEC 13- CONTEMPORARY WORLD

Class Name: SY 2020-2021 GEC 13

Subject: Contemporary World

Section: BPA 1 A, BPA 1-B, BPA 1- C, BEED 1-C, BSED VAL, EDUC, BSBA MGT. 1-C, BSESS FSM A, BSESS
FSM-B and BSESS FSC –C.

Lesson 1 – Overview and Introduction of Globalization

Learning Outcomes:

At the end of this lesson, the student must be able to:

1. Define and agree on a working definition of globalization for the course

2. Relate experiences on globalization and
3. State the advantages and disadvantages of globalization

A recording of the Orientation/introduction of the course will be sent to the Group Chatroom before the
formal start of the lesson.

Activity:

1. This activity will prove how globalized your home is. First go to your room and do an inventory
of everything you have in your possession. What do you find? Organize your inventory into two
types, first are the things that are made in the Philippines and second, those that are from
foreign brands. What are the other things in your house which are made in the Philippines and
other countries? Write your observations why some products are made in our country and
others are made from other countries.
2. What is your understanding of the word “ Globalization”?

The answers to these activities will be submitted in the chatroom or email on the day of the
discussion.

A recording will be sent to the students regarding the topics below.

Why do we have to study The Contemporary World?

The first reason is to open the horizons and be able to explore the world thereby curing parochialism or
an outlook that is limited to one’s immediate community. The second reason is by studying the world
you can learn more about yourself. When you familiarize with other countries it allows you to compare
the society you are in with others. Experiences of communities outside our country may provide
solutions to many current problems we are all facing. Lastly, you need to study the contemporary world
because sooner or later you will be interacting with it. Do you know that thousands of Filipinos go
abroad each year to work as OFWs? However, those who choose to work in the Philippines must be
knowledgeable about globalization basically because many of you will be working for foreign companies
operating in our country due to the mushrooming of call centers and the business process outsourcing
(BPO). Many Filipinos are really aware of the interdependence due to internet which gives cheaper
travel costs and the large trade of goods and services.

Now let us define globalization. There are many definitions of the term globalization. However, we
have to agree on a specific working definition of this term. How would define globalization? (If on
a synchronous meeting, a few may answer right away, if on a synchronous answers may be
submitted on an agreed deadline.
What is Globalization?

Globalization is the growth of international trade, investment, technology and information all over the
world. It is the merge of all Asian countries with each other. Technology is a big factor of globalization.
The advanced and modern technology can help each nation to access borders and top increase the
economic growth of each country. Globalization expands more in terms of the social, cultural, legal, and
political. Each country has its own cultural globalization and they represent and exchange it to other
countries about the new ideas and values of their country. They also share the development of their
country and help some country if needed. https://lookupgrade.com/en/blog/english-the-impact-of-
globalization-in-the-philippines/

Globalization is the spread of products, investment and technology across national borders and
cultures. In economic terms, it describes the loosening of barriers to the international trade.
(www/Investopedia.com/terms/g/globalization.asp). According to Cambridge English Dictionary
Globalization is the increase of trade around the world especially by large companies producing and
trading.

Wikipedia defines globalization as the process of interaction and integration among people, companies
and governments worldwide. It is a complex and multifaceted phenomenon, is considered by some as a
form of capitalist expansion which entails the integration of social and national economies into a global,
unregulated market economy.

Most accounts view globalization as primarily an economic process. But actually it is not only economic
but a lot of aspects such as political, social, technological as well. It usually refers to the integration of
the national markets to a wider global market signified by the increased free trade.

Ohmae in 1992 stated that “globalization means the onset of the borderless world”.

Ritzer (2015) defined “globalization as a trans planetary process or a set of process involving increasing
liquidity and the growing multidirectional flows of people, objects, places and information as well as the
structures they encounter and create that are barriers to, or expedite those flows.
Manfred Steger described globalization the as “the expansion and intensification of social relations and
consciousness across world time and across world space”. He means that expansion refers to both
creation of new social networks and the multiplication of existing connection that cut across traditional
political, economic, cultural and geographical boundaries. Steger emphasizes that these various
connections occur a different levels. A good example there is the social media which establishes new
global connections between people. Intensification on the other hand means the expansion, stretching
and acceleration of these networks. This means that there is multiplication of global connections and
they become more closely-knit and expanding their reach. A very good example for this is the strong
financial market connection of London and New York. Through electronic trading the volume of trade
increases tremendously since traders can now trade more at higher speed. This connection becomes
accelerated and as the world becomes more financially integrated, the intensified trading network of
London and New York may expand and stretch to cover more cities. This implies that more and more
countries will be involved because of what we call free trade.

To sum it all globalization is actually a concept that is hard to define because in reality it has a rapid
nature. Its complexity and multifaceted nature can be influenced by the people who define it.

We can see clearly that globalization is real. It is rapidly changing as human society develops. It has
happened in the past and happening today, for sure it will happen in the future.

We have given many definitions of globalization and these gained various views from many authors and
scholars. These diverse definitions can affect how one can appreciate globalization as a process.

Activity:

1. Enumerate at least three most recent songs you have listened. Who are the artists and from
what countries?
2. How did you access these music? Did you listen through YouTube, Spotify and other channels?

With this activity you will realize that some if not all that you see, hear, feel, touch, smell are coming
either made in the Philippines or from countries around the world. This explains the meaning of
globalization.

As we experience the emerging challenges of globalization everyday let us determine whether it is

of an advantage or a disadvantage to us, to the society, to our country and to the whole world.

The advantages of Globalization:

Globalization can have more opportunities to increase in employment. This advantage of globalization
can help the Philippines to increase the employment of Filipino people because of the opportunities that
many foreign countries put up a business here and many job vacancies for Filipino are available. There
are a lot of multinational companies who really open up business in the Philippines and hire many
Filipino people to work at their companies. Also, globalization has an advantage in opening jobs in
abroad. There is a lot of overseas Filipino worker who is work abroad and can be successful in working in
another country.  Because of the World Trade Organization of the nation, each person can work in a
different country and have the opportunity to live there and be a citizen in the country they live in. In
the Philippines, foreign companies are build up here and many Filipino is now working in foreign
companies. This means that globalization really affects positively to the Philippines and to the economy
of the Philippines.
Globalization can also help the Philippines education to improve more. In the Philippines when it terms
of education we improve more and we offer higher education and skilled people. The education in the
Philippines is now recognized outside the country. And many foreigners are going here to study because
the quality of education is higher while the cost is lower and can accommodate all foreigner who wants
to studies in the Philippines. One reason also is the lower cost of living while studying here. The Filipino
people are smart and can communicate well to other foreigners. Speaking English in the Philippines is a
natural language of Filipino because it is one of the subjects of all schools. At present, the Philippines
has a large outsourcing foreign companies, especially in Metro Manila.

Globalization improves the flow of information technology. When in terms of information technology
of the Philippines it flows very well and help the Filipino to have knowledge and updates about the latest
technology that all countries use. The impact of globalization in the Philippines technology brings more
positive effect because it helps to increase the economy of the Philippines. Because of the information
technology with the latest and modern use, it improves the flow of all company products and also it
minimizes the work of every Filipino.
Globalization improves the quality of goods and services. Being connected to other country means
good to our country. It helps to do good quality and give the best services to them so that we bring
dignity to the Filipino people. Improving our services and give more quality goods and products to other
countries can boost the Philippines and its nation. The Philippines can offer a good quality product
outside the country and Filipino people can serve their best to others. Through globalization, the service
of goods and product is easily served and done to deliver it to each respective destination.
The Effect of Globalization in the Philippines

Globalization can help Filipino people to know the international status and rights of each country
nationwide. The Philippines are also been friendly to the foreign country and they now stay connected
in terms of exchange of product and some investment. Globalization has also a big part in the
improvement of local and social culture in the Philippines. It also connects relationship in other
countries through investments and some business opportunities.

The impact of globalization in the Philippines changes a lot in terms of the culture, values, and economy.
It also helps the improvement of infrastructure in the Philippines. It gives more opportunities to all
Filipino to work abroad and help each country to stay connected. Globalization has also helped to let
know the people about global warming, climate change, and the natural resources of the Philippines.

The effect of globalization can help a flexible communication and greater understanding in terms of
improvement and development of each country condition. It also helps the local and international
 market to create flexible labor across the miles. Globalization affects the international market and
enhances economic growth.

( https://lookupgrade.com/en/blog/english-the-impact-of-globalization-in-the-philippines/)

Other advantages:

 BPO is a major revenue earner

 Without OFW remittances the country would be significantly poorer
 Knowledge transfer including both technical and soft skills. This occurs both through
inward investment and OFW when they return home
 Opportunities for major Filipino companies to grow internationally
 FDI which brings jobs, infrastructure, goods and services
 Competition means that companies have to provide good products / services at reasonable
prices
Opportunities

 Greater competition in areas such as telecoms where a duopoly is harming the country
 Improved banking including lower interest rates on debt and / or higher interest rates on
savings
 Increased corporate social responsibility

The disadvantages of Globalization:

Global economic instability. A financial crisis in one country easily affects the economies of countries
close to it. Look into the Asian financial crisis of 1997 for a dramatic illustration of this. Also global
recessions are more common under globalization for the same reasons.
In some area, if there is the advantage of globalization there is also a disadvantage of it. Some of it is the
distraction of the Philippines environment and the effect on human nature. Globalization is not also
good terms of exporting rice product in the agriculture sector. Because we all know that Filipino farmers
can produce much rice if the government will help them in providing a modern technology that can
create or produce as many rice grain in every quarter of the year. The Philippines has a lot of natural
resources and if the government teach all Filipino how to value and preserve our natural resources we
don’t need to export some product to other countries. Filipino are talented and hardworking if one of
each Filipino support the government of the Philippines we can be the number one of the richest
country in Asia. But the effect of globalization sometimes helps Filipino people to be lazy and not
productive because of the modern technology it has to give.

 Also when in terms of Filipino who work abroad there are many Filipino workers who have faced
many problems and they are stranded to a foreign country and far away from the support of the
Philippine government.
 Some effects of globalization to the Philippines is the lack of Filipino traditions and values that
most younger Filipino don’t appreciate and they don’t even practice it to their daily life. They become
more familiar with Western mentality than being a pure Filipino.
 Because of the globalization, the effect of these to all Filipino people sometimes is not good
especially in the health of Filipino like the rapid spread of AIDS that mostly comes from the outside the
 country. Filipino who have a sexual intercourse to a foreigner sometimes gets this kind of disease it can
spread fast to other people without their knowledge.
 Social media has also a big side effect in the Philippines when it comes to cybercrimes and the
increase of sex videos.
 The standard of living of a Filipino has a negative effect because of the globalization. Like some
moral values that most Filipino has was forgotten. Some young Filipino is now liberated like other
countries in the way of their living. A lot of them especially those couples are living in with marriage.
 Global political instability. See World War 1: the nightmarish culmination of the world’s
first attempt at globalization.
 Increased Co2 emissions. More production means more emissions which means more
climate change. Climate change is a global externality which unfairly affects the countries that
have the most to gain from development.
 Increased inequality within developed countries. Employers and investors find better
returns in emerging markets where labor is cheaper and growth rates are higher. This tends
to hurt domestic economies in rich countries and leads to greater disparities between the
social classes.
 Global currency devaluations. Countries all try to become net exporters which leads to
currency devaluations, either intentionally (e.g. quantitative easing) or through paying lower
wages in order to sell goods and services cheaper abroad. This creates asset bubbles as the
money supply is out of wack with the real value of goods and services (See Great Recession
2007- 2009).
 Difficulty imposing regulations. The wealthy can transfer their savings to a tax haven; a big
polluter can jump borders if hit with burdensome environmental regulations, etc.
Governments compete to woo corporations who are in turn disincentivized to act
responsibly.
 Social disruption for the working classes in developed countries. Factories move away and
the new jobs pay less and are easily replaced by immigrant labor. This leads to social
dislocation of the working class who may lash out politically by electing unqualified
demagogues.
 Increased immigration to developed countries creates social tension. Immigrant labor
competes with a downwardly mobile working class creating tension and resentment toward
immigrants. Immigrants that are culturally, religiously, or ethnically distinct from the majority
of the domestic population engender in the majority a sense that their dominant culture is
under threat. (David Mitnick. Policy Analyst, book lover, January 2018)
For more information of this topic please visit this site:

https://sites.google.com/site/lindsiewasadoptedbyphilippines/home/globalization-of-the-
philippines

References:

1. Claudio Lisandro E. and Abinales Patricio N., The Contemporary World. (2018) C
and E Publishing, Inc. Quezon City
2. Aldama, Prince Kennex Reguyal, The Contemporary World, First Edition, Rex Book
Store Inc., Sampaloc Manila (2018)
How do you view globalization? Is it an advantage or a disadvantage? Please answer in 50
words and submit 2 days after discussion.

PREPARED AND SUBMITTED BY:

CYNTHIA O. MENDOZA, Ph. D.

Subject Professor. GEC 13 Contemporary World