GlobalisationGlobalisation

Concepts and ideas

What is globalisation?What is globalisation?

• An economic phenomenon?

• A social, cultural and technological exchange?

Some definitionsSome definitions

• The sociologist, Anthony Giddens, defines globalisation as a decoupling of space and time, emphasising that with instantaneous communications, knowledge and culture can be shared around the world simultaneously.

Some definitionsSome definitions

• A Dutch academic, Ruud Lubbers, defines it as a process in which geographic distance becomes a factor of diminishing importance in the establishment and maintenance of cross border economic, political and socio-cultural relations

Some definitionsSome definitions

• Left critics of globalisation present it as worldwide drive toward a globalised economic system dominated by supranational corporate trade and banking institutions that are not accountable to democratic processes or national governments.

Some definitionsSome definitions

• Globalisation is the rapid increase in cross-border economic, social, technological exchange under conditions of capitalism.

Some definitionsSome definitions

• Simon Reich defines globalisation as:

• A historical epoch

• A confluence of economic phenomena

• The hegemony of American values

• A technological and social revolution

Some definitionsSome definitions

• David Held and Anthony McGrew write in their entry for Oxford Companion to Politics that globalisation can be conceived as a process (or set of processes) which embodies a transformation in the spatial organization of social relations and transactions, expressed in transcontinental or interregional flows and networks of activity, interaction and power.

Our concernsOur concerns

• Globalisation of world economy

• Globalisation in manufacturing industries

• Globalisation in the Third World

• Globalisation and sustainability

Globalisation in manufacturing ind.Globalisation in manufacturing ind.

refers to the processes whereby

• Capital is moved across the world

• Highly skilled labour, esp. those with professional & IT skills are moving around the globe to find employment where they are in demand.

Who are the supporters?Who are the supporters?

• International organisations, e.g, WTO, World Bank, OECD, etc

• Business sectors, e.g. International Chamber of Commerce

• Developing country governments

• Internet and telecommunications industry

Who are the opposition?Who are the opposition?

• Environmentalists

• Social development agencies, e.g Oxfam

• Left critics of capitalism

• Business organisations threatened by international competitions

• Unions in rich countries

Look at the present situation.Look at the present situation.

Global ManufacturingGlobal Manufacturing

Global ManufacturingGlobal Manufacturing

• Is highly concentrated in the highly industrialized countries – the MEDCs (More Economically Developed Countries)

Highly industrialized countriesHighly industrialized countries

Found in the mid-latitude regions settled by Europeans

• USA, Canada,

• UK & EU countries e.g. Germany, Belgium, France

+

Japan

Highly industrialized countriesHighly industrialized countries

• Between 1953-1995, the older industrialized economies’ share of world manufacturing output declined from 95% to 80%

• These core industrial nations still dominate the world economy in terms of their output.

Newly Industrialized CountriesNewly Industrialized Countries

The Newly Industrializing Countries have experienced very rapid growth in manufacturing industries since the 1960s

NICsNICs

• Asian ‘tigers’ e.g. Hong Kong, Singapore, S. Korea, Taiwan

• Thailand, China

• Latin American NICs e.g. Brazil, Mexico, Venezuela

• European NICs e.g. Portugal, Greece

NICsNICs

• Today they are undergoing changes in employment structure that MEDCs went through some time ago

• The process is similar but the NICs are experiencing it later and much, much faster than MEDCs did in the 19th century.

Less industrialized countriesLess industrialized countries

• Are the ELDCs (Economically less Developed Countries)

• Slow growth of manufacturing

between 1938-50, 3.5% growth in manufacturing.

between 1950-70, 6.6.% growth in manufacturing.