Globalisation Concepts and ideas

What is globalisation? An economic phenomenon? A social, cultural and technological exchange?

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

Some 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 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 concerns Globalisation of world economy Globalisation in manufacturing industries Globalisation in the Third World Globalisation and sustainability

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? 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? 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.

Global Manufacturing

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

Highly industrialized countries Found in the mid-latitude regions settled by Europeans USA, Canada, UK & EU countries e.g. Germany, Belgium, France + Japan

Highly industrialized countries Between , 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 Countries The Newly Industrializing Countries have experienced very rapid growth in manufacturing industries since the 1960s

NICs 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

NICs 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 19 th century.

Less industrialized countries Are the ELDCs (Economically less Developed Countries) Slow growth of manufacturing between , 3.5% growth in manufacturing. between , 6.6.% growth in manufacturing.