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 Globalization is on the rise.

se. In this day and age, one country can not survive without another, and this simple principle affects everyone on the globe. It is likely that one day,
you will become friends with someone who speaks an entirely different language or grew up in an entirely different culture. These people may even be your future co-workers.
If you want to be able to foster deeper connections and broaden your network, understanding global issues and other cultures is key.
 Global issues are your issues, too. Let’s talk about the situation of adolescent girls in Guatemala again. Did you know that more than 2 million girls in Guatemala do not attend
school due to social boundaries? If you believe in gender equality, you can understand why the fight of rights of women in other countries is part of your fight for gender
equality, too. Dare to expand your horizons by learning about the issues you believe in fighting for- in an entirely different country.
 While one country can not survive without another, one person can not survive without another either. Giving back or volunteering in your community can give you
invaluable experiences. But if you extend your service to the entire world, there is no telling what amazing differences you will be able to make. Understanding global issues
and further using your talents to help solve these issues will not only make you a more sensible and well-rounded person; it will help the world take one step closer towards a
brighter future.
Not necessarily. You can practice “Head-In-The-Sandism”

1) We are self-medicating ourselves into getting more sick

In many parts of the developing world, the ability to purchase antibiotics without a
prescription is the norm, and consumers enjoy the short-term benefits of using
antibiotics. Unfortunately, this trend is becoming a global crisis as the vast majority of
antibiotics people use are gradually losing effectiveness against infectious diseases.
According to one review of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) by the United Kingdom, 10
million lives and $100 trillion are projected to be lost by 2050 as a result of AMR.

The bitter truth is that the burden of increased infections will fall on the developing
world as many developing countries lack the proper diagnostic capabilities and
infrastructure to address these concerns.

2) Global pandemics are getting faster and more furious

Following the devastating Ebola crisis in 2014, developing countries were left wondering
if they have the capacity to survive something like it in the future. I had the opportunity
to experience first-hand the United Nation’s frantic effort to set up the United Nations
Mission for Ebola Emergency Response (UNMEER). Every day, representatives from
Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea would warn of the climbing death tolls. While the
international response eventually picked up, it was slow to come.

There are multiple lessons to be drawn. The first is that while international support is
necessary, it is not sufficient. In the long term, there is a need to build healthcare
capacity in developing nations and that is a process that must be led by the countries
themselves. The effort can only be truly impactful if they have national policy makers
and change-makers in both the health and security ministries who can proactively
maintain momentum. As in the case of Ebola, if neighboring countries impose a blanket
travel ban, it is challenging for help to come in from the outside. Hence, change must
begin at home.

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3) Terrorists and criminals are watching closely

Call it biodefence, biosecurity, bio-risk management or bio-threat reduction. Whatever


iteration makes the most political sense, the fact remains that degrading security
situations and the rise of terrorist organizations are a concern for many developing
countries like mine. Even those free from terrorism can become unregulated breeding
grounds for bioterrorism or even bio crime that thrives on vulnerabilities in the security
systems. The universalization of technology has made it even easier to order biological
parts online, contributing to the growth of the largely unregulated do-it-yourself design
labs. Looking at the scores for the limited number of countries that have gone
undergone the Joint External Evaluation exercise, only 9% have any demonstrated
capacity while 76% of countries have limited capacity with respect to having a whole-of-
government biosafety and biosecurity system in place. The majority of these countries
are developing economies.

This reality is made even more complicated by the fact that the nature of bioterrorism
(while of low probability) makes it difficult for authorities to identify the actor
responsible. Because the lethal nature of the threat makes it appealing to terrorists and
responding to bioterrorism is challenging, the focus must shift to prevention in
developing countries where facilities are poorly protected and laws and enforcement are
lax. While an internationally coordinated strategy to prevent bioterrorism is still lacking,
developing countries like Pakistan should make their national action plans on
counterterrorism more robust and effective by accounting thoroughly for bio-threats as
well.

4) Climate change is going to make it harder to stop outbreaks at the source

Climate change has resulted in a number of significant catastrophes, and the world
continues to pay selective attention. Increases in temperature pose a threat to health
security globally. For developing countries, this challenge is even greater because
although they might not be the biggest contributors to climate change, they will bear the
brunt.

Developing countries have the highest incidences of climate-sensitive diseases such as


malnutrition, diarrhea and malaria. A particularly significant impact will be felt on the
pathogen and vector dynamics that can indirectly exacerbate the spread of disease. This
paired with the fact that developing countries have the highest population densities
exposed to zoonotic diseases due to loss of tree cover is a recipe for disaster. These direct
and indirect impacts on health outcomes create a significant challenge for health
security and must be on the radar.

Countries with low incomes, weak health systems, and poor education systems are the
most vulnerable to infection and disease. Unless health security is made a priority and a
dedicated effort is made to provide clear direction for planning and investment at the
national level, the future will look bleak.

5) Penny wise, pound foolish

If adequate resources are not devoted to preventing the health-security, the money
needed to effectively respond to them could cripple the developing economies.

A case in point is the recent Zika scare. Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Carey
Business School[1] find that the social and economic cost of Zika in Latin America and
the Caribbean could cost the region between $7 billion and $18 billion from 2015–2017,
while affecting some 4 million people. Strategic investments in disease surveillance,
community engagement, trained epidemiologist workforce, emergency operation
centers, and periodic training simulation exercises all can help save lives and reduce the
financial burden in the long run.

Another success story came out of Nigeria, which was able to rely on a mobile biosafety
level 1 facility to test samples in the immediate vicinity of suspected meningitis cases in
a recent mystery outbreak. This is one example of how African states are learning from
the Ebola experience to devote more resources to building strong laboratory and
diagnostic systems that can contribute directly to the timely surveillance of and
response to disease outbreaks. The economic and social costs of doing so is far less than
they would be once an epidemic strikes.

6) We are the generation to shift the mentality

Working at NTI, I have come to terms with the responsibility we have as world citizens
to help make a difference. Millennials are increasingly accused of having great ideas but
lacking the tools to put them into effect. While the challenges may seem
insurmountable, we must forsake our ability to develop and implement a shared vision
of the future. As one of my favorite Richard Linklater characters sums up:

“The world might be evolving the way a person evolves. Right? Like, me for example.
Am I getting worse? Am I improving? I don’t know. When I was younger, I was
healthier, but I was whacked with insecurity. Now I’m older and my problems are
deeper, but I’m more equipped to handle them.”

So as we get older and wiser, and issues such as health security become even more
complicated, let’s not forget we can be – and must be – the agents of change that society
needs.

[1] "Economic Impact Of Zika Outbreak Could Exceed $18B In Latin America,
Caribbean". 2017. The Hub. https://hub.jhu.edu/2017/05/08/zika-economic-impact-
latin-america-caribbean/.

What Is Globalization?
Globalization is defined as a process that, based on international strategies, aims to expand business operations on a
worldwide level, and was precipitated by the facilitation of global communications due to technological
advancements, and socioeconomic, political and environmental developments.

The goal of globalization is to provide organizations a superior competitive position with lower operating costs, to gain
greater numbers of products, services, and consumers. This approach to competition is gained via diversification of
resources, the creation and development of new investment opportunities by opening up additional markets and
accessing new raw materials and resources. Diversification of resources is a business strategy that increases the
variety of business products and services within various organizations. Diversification strengthens institutions by
lowering organizational risk factors, spreading interests in different areas, taking advantage of market opportunities,
and acquiring companies both horizontal and vertical in nature.

The Economic Impact on Developed Nations


Globalization compels businesses to adapt to different strategies based on new ideological trends that try to balance
the rights and interests of both the individual and the community as a whole. This change enables businesses to
compete worldwide and also signifies a dramatic change for business leaders, labor and management by legitimately
accepting the participation of workers and government in developing and implementing company policies and
strategies. Risk reduction via diversification can be accomplished through company involvement with
international financial institutions and partnering with both local and multinational businesses.

Harmful Effects
Non-economists and the wide public expect the costs associated with globalization to outweigh the benefits,
especially in the short-run. Less wealthy countries from those among the industrialized nations may not have the
same highly-accentuated beneficial effect from globalization as more wealthy countries, measured by GDP per
capita, etc. Although free trade increases opportunities for international trade, it also increases the risk of failure for
smaller companies that cannot compete globally. Additionally, free trade may drive up production and labor costs,
including higher wages for a more skilled workforce, which again can lead to outsourcing jobs from countries with
higher wages.

Domestic industries in some countries may be endangered due to comparative or absolute advantage of other
countries in specific industries. Another possible danger and harmful effect is the overuse and abuse of natural
resources to meet new higher demands in the production of goods.
Rising Interest Rates in the U.S.
Unlike in Europe, the U.S. Federal Reserve has already raised its interest rates slightly several times in recent
years. Rising interest rates in the U.S. make it attractive for international investors to invest their money in the
U.S.. For other countries this means a capital deduction. Rising interest rates make it difficult for highly
indebted developing countries in particular to pay interest on their loans. In the event of a capital withdrawal
and rising interest rates, there is a risk of national bankruptcy. High interest rates are also a problem for the
southern European countries with a high level of debt.

#7: Technological Disruptions


In addition to economic globalization, technological progress is also changing the scarcities in an economy. At
present, technological progress primarily means an increasing capital intensity of production. In highly
developed economies, the demand for labour is therefore declining. Low-skilled workers in particular can then
be affected by unemployment and loss of income. This in turn leads to social tensions with the economic
effects already mentioned.

ECONOMIC ISSUES
Economic issues facing the world economy, as well as regions and countries, include prospects for growth, inflation, energy
and the environment, inequality, labor issues, emerging markets, and the impact of new technologies.

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