Question

After watching a Ted talk actually the world isn't flat in reading the supplemental materials about the original book the world is flat I think about how the differences between the promises of the flat world and the reality that we are not there yet if we are not there yet will we ever be? What will it take to get there? do we want to get there? Benefits and challenges of obtaining a flat world from Friedmans perspective?

Answer 1

Question 1: The reality that we are not there yet if we are not there yet will we ever be?

Answer:- In the book 'The World is Flat:A Brief History of The Twenty First Century' Thomas L Friedman analyzes contemporary globalization and its positive impact on Progress of Mankind.He list down ten forces that have made possible the flattened world namely Collapse of Berlin World,Netscape,Workflow Software,Uploading,outsourcing,offshoring,supply chain,in sourcing,informing and steroids(Digital revolution of Voice over internet protocol technologies).

The overall inclusive Human and technological development by breakdown of all the physical constraints and disparities of communication is what He means by 'Flat World'.He advocates technological innovation as mandatory for continuous improvement in all walks of lives on pan global level and criticizes those Nations or Groups who hesitate to Change.

But amidst of all such enumerated driving forces In reality Experts do not agree that we have finally reached a flattened world seeing a sharp gap between the advanced and developing Nations Economic growth but seeing the past vibrant growth and progress in past 21st Century we can assess that we are actually living a better life compared to lives of people of previous centuries .So seeing the promising potential of positive aspect of harnessing the technological growth there is scope that we can actually create the envisaged flat world concept provided that we can also prevent the deficiencies arising with such technological advancements.

Question 2: What will it take to get there?

Answer:- It will take comprehensive well planned actions by Individuals,Government and private sector if we want to get into the envisaged concept of flattened World.

Some of the actions which could lead us to there are as follows-

i.Work skill improvisation- Employee will need to shed older work methods and be well trained to work with latest equipments and software.

ii.Workforce Adaptable- Corporate world would need to properly accustom employees from diverse backgrounds and would not try discriminatory practices in case of employing people instead it should welcome the best talents to reap benefits.

iii.Employability- The skill development should be focussed especially for developing nations which boast of its demographic dividend so that large segment of Youth populations be trained and be able to be placed in Multinationals companies and abroad.

iv.Government Social security Cover- Government should come with pro business legislation which could give freedom to employees to make career switch and insurance cover be provided by government to workforce so that sustainability be ensured.

v.Youth inspiration- Society,Government policies and academicians should provide an environment to Students where Youth are inspired and motivated to become scientist,engineers and mathematicians because there is significant shortage of those professionals in United States of America and other such advanced Nations too.

Question 3: Do we want to get there?

Answer:- Seeing the prosperous and positive aspect of technological advancement which have made our lives significantly better to large extent we wish to get there(Flattened World) but with preventing the negative outcome and evils of technological advancement which poses threat to security and privacy of individuals.

Question 4: Benefits and challenges of obtaining a flat world from Friedman's perspective ?

Answer:- Benefits of obtaining a flat world are:

i.Greater collaboration of competencies and best practices across the world.

ii.Harmony and not rivalry would occur even amidst rival nations.

iii.Talent exchange would benefit both the parties of foreign trade.

iv.Regions or people left behind in the former progress would be joined to the mainstream development.

v.International trade will give developing nations scope to have their equal say in international forums.

Challenges of obtaining a flat world are:

i.Security concerns- With greater involvement of multinationals in every aspect of trade lines strategic concerns of nations would get compromised as confidential matters would be in knowledge of multinational corporate.

ii.Economic risk-With linking to Dollar or other major international trade currency and global market all the nations would equally suffer the business risk and recession periods thus any small impact on any one corner of world would also affect all the nations equally.

iii.Nationalist agenda- Several Nation may view globalization in negative lens, they might think globalization is taking up jobs of their locals and giving employability to expatriate thus they may take stern actions like imposing trade barriers thus obstructing the reality of getting flat world.

iv.Mistrust issues- There will always be constant suspicion among the nation in their business due to past bad experience or history even an honest move will be viewed in mistrust thus causing reluctance in getting connected globally.

v. Social growth over technological growth- Poor and developing nations first need to cater to their socioeconomic growth first and then only they could explore technological advancements.