The world is flat?...
Reading the book "The World is Flat" by Thomas Friedman (NYT journalist) on globalization, I can't help but wonder what this author and people in general mean by that. This is an excellent, very well written, extremely informed point of view on the effects of technology and innovation on the XXI century world. Besides, I'm sure Friedman will be launching his campaign for president soon (he even has his own philosophical approach to government called "compassionate flatism" ;-)
Interesting enough, Friedman's analysis of technology effects on trade and commerce is full of examples on China, India, Russia and Europe, but when it comes to Latin America and Africa there are few mentions. Truth is that one whole chapter is dedicated to the "underdeveloped world" (which I'm reading now), but it focus on how countries belonging to this category should learn the lessons of globalization and become more competitive. In other words, how to become flat and be a part of what is happening in other regions.
My question is: How can we talk about globalization ignoring what is going on in the "underdeveloped" world? What I meant by "ignoring" is that I believe one thing is to preach to Guatemala (or Angola, Bolivia, Tunisia) what they have to do with their labor laws in order to become more competitive, and another very different is to get to understand what is happening in this country (or any other) and "include" that learning as part of your analysis of what globalization means. There's a word that I think appropiate and that is INCLUSIVENESS. It takes time and energy to understand what does not so easily fits into our point of view, but I believe there will be no comprehensive understanding and therefore global solutions, if we don't pay enough attention to what is different. We cannot talk about globalization and ignore what is happening in the half of the world that doesn't fit into our standards.
Putting it in marketing terms, we can expect that our potential audiences get interested in our very smart strategies and learn how to communicate with us, or we can do better and learn how to communicate with them based on their needs and their reality...
Or, what do you think?...
Reading the book "The World is Flat" by Thomas Friedman (NYT journalist) on globalization, I can't help but wonder what this author and people in general mean by that. This is an excellent, very well written, extremely informed point of view on the effects of technology and innovation on the XXI century world. Besides, I'm sure Friedman will be launching his campaign for president soon (he even has his own philosophical approach to government called "compassionate flatism" ;-)
Interesting enough, Friedman's analysis of technology effects on trade and commerce is full of examples on China, India, Russia and Europe, but when it comes to Latin America and Africa there are few mentions. Truth is that one whole chapter is dedicated to the "underdeveloped world" (which I'm reading now), but it focus on how countries belonging to this category should learn the lessons of globalization and become more competitive. In other words, how to become flat and be a part of what is happening in other regions.
My question is: How can we talk about globalization ignoring what is going on in the "underdeveloped" world? What I meant by "ignoring" is that I believe one thing is to preach to Guatemala (or Angola, Bolivia, Tunisia) what they have to do with their labor laws in order to become more competitive, and another very different is to get to understand what is happening in this country (or any other) and "include" that learning as part of your analysis of what globalization means. There's a word that I think appropiate and that is INCLUSIVENESS. It takes time and energy to understand what does not so easily fits into our point of view, but I believe there will be no comprehensive understanding and therefore global solutions, if we don't pay enough attention to what is different. We cannot talk about globalization and ignore what is happening in the half of the world that doesn't fit into our standards.
Putting it in marketing terms, we can expect that our potential audiences get interested in our very smart strategies and learn how to communicate with us, or we can do better and learn how to communicate with them based on their needs and their reality...
Or, what do you think?...
posted by contemporánea @ 12:55 PM
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