1. Globalization and the Changing World

2. A small speck in time Human beings are c. 500,000 years old
Agriculture is c. 12,000 years old
Civilizations are c. 6,000 years old
In a 24-hour world:
23.56:00 – agriculture
23.57:00 – civilizations
23.59:30 – modern societies
More change in final thirty seconds than hitherto

3. Pre-modern Societies Hunting and gathering societies
50,000 BC, almost disappeared
Small numbers; fishing, hunting, edible plants
Agrarian Societies
12,000 BC to present, losing their identity
Small and rural, some inequality, rule by chiefs
Pastoral societies
12,000 BC to present, now subsumed in larger states
Domesticated animals, distinct inequalities, chiefs
Traditional societies
6,000 BC to 19th century, all now disappeared
Settlements in millions, cities, trade and agriculture, kings

4. The Modern World Industrial societies now dominate:
Majority of employed now in factories, shops and offices, not agriculture
90% of population live in towns and cities
Urban life impersonal and anonymous
Political systems more developed and intensive; transport and communications lead to more integrated nation-state

5. Global Development
1600s-1900s Western nations established ‘colonies’ in areas once first occupied by traditional societies, often by force
In North America, Australia, New Zealand, Europeans become majority population
In Asia, Africa and South America, the original populations stayed in majority
Three Worlds:
First world = industrialized West
Second world = communist countries of former USSR
Third world now ‘developing countries’, former recipients of colonialism
New group of ‘newly industrializing countries (NICs)

6. SOCIAL CHANGE Change becomes significant when there are
alterations in underlying structures,
modifications of basic institutions.

7. Social Change Three main influences: Cultural factors
Religious beliefs (Max Weber)
Communication systems (invention of writing)
Charismatic leadership (e.g. Gandhi)
Physical environment
Climatic conditions and availability of plants and animals
Political organization
Democratic ideology or military power

8. Globalization Factors contributing to globalization:
Information and CommunicationsTechnology (ICT)
Cable technology, satellites, information flows
Economic Factors
Weightless economy, transnational corporations, global commodity chains (Barbie), electronic economy
Political Factors
Collapse of Soviet Union, growth of international government (EU) and non-government organizations (UN)

9. Globalization Debate Hyperglobalizers Sceptics Transformationalists
Global capitalism
Global governance
Global civil society
World less inter-dependent than in 1890s
‘Thick’ (intensive and extensive) globalization
National governments declining in power
National governments power reinforced or enhanced
National governments reconstituted and restructured
Driven by capitalism and technology
Driven by governments and markets
Driven by combined forces of modernity
Erosion of old stratification hierarchies
Increased marginalization of South
New architecture of a world order

10. A Global Culture? Five forces:
Television brings British and American culture to world audience
Unified global economy with structures spanning continents and countries
Global citizens who identify with cosmopolitan culture rather than own nation
International organizations
Electronic and instantaneous communications

11. Conclusion
Contradictions: local values and global infrastructure - glocalization
Globalization not just ‘out there’ but ‘in here’
Increased globalization accompanied by increasing individualism
Problems and challenges that now require global governance

12. Globalisation Definition:
An economic phenomenon?
A social phenomenon?
A cultural phenomenon?
The movement towards the expansion of economic and social ties between countries through the spread of corporate institutions and the capitalist philosophy that leads to the shrinking of the world in economic terms.

13. Globalisation
Globalisation could involve all these things!

14. Integration of Economies
The increasing reliance of economies on each other
The opportunities to be able to buy and sell in any country in the world
The opportunities for labour and capital to locate anywhere in the world
The growth of global markets in finance
Stock Markets are now accessible from anywhere in the world!
Copyright: edrod, stock.xchng

15. Integration of Economies
Made possible by:
Technology
Communication networks
Internet access
Growth of economic cooperation – trading blocs (EU, NAFTA, etc.)
Collapse of ‘communism’
Movement to free trade

16. Trade versus Aid? Benefits of Trade: Increased choice
Greater potential for growth
Increase international economies of scale
Greater employment opportunities
Trade has led to massive increases in wealth for many countries.
Copyright: budgetstock, stock.xchng

17. Trade versus Aid? Disadvantages of trade:
Increase in gap between the rich and the poor
Dominance of global trade by the rich, northern hemisphere countries
Lack of opportunities for the poor to be able to have access to markets
Exploitation of workers and growers
How far does trade help children like these?
Copyright: clesio, stock.xchng

18. Corporate Expansion
Multi-national or trans-national corporations (MNCs or TNCs) – businesses with a headquarters in one country but with business operations in a number of others.
No matter where you go in the world, certain businesses will always have a presence.
Copyright: mkeky, stock.xchng

19. Corporate Expansion Characteristics: Expanding revenue Lowering costs
Sourcing raw materials
Controlling key supplies
Control of processing
Global economies of scale
                                                                                                                                                  
Controlling supplies may be one reason for global expansion.
Copyright: rsvstks, stock.xchng

20. Corporate Domination Key Issues: Damage to the environment?
Exploitation of labour?
Monopoly power
Economic degradation
Non-renewable resources
Damage to cultures
Shell and Nike’s activities have come under severe criticism in some quarters.
Copyright: Homsel, stock.xchng

22. Other Issues: Accountability of Global businesses?
Increased gap between rich and poor fuels potential terrorist reaction
Ethical responsibility of business?
Efforts to remove trade barriers
There are plenty of people who believe that globalisation is a negative development, protests at the G8 summits, pollution, poverty and concern over GM crops are just some of the issues.
Copyright: stock.xchng