ACTIVITY SHEET NO.

1 – INTRODUCTION TO GLOBALIZATION

“Let me begin with globalization. [...] Narrowly defined, it is meant to mean the instant movement of
capital and the rapid distribution of data and products operating within a politically neutral environment shaped by
multinational corporate demands. Its larger connotations, however, are less innocent, encompassing as they do
not only the demonization of embargoed states or the trivialization cum negotiation with warlords, but also the
collapse of nation-states under the weight of transnational economies, capital, and labor; the preeminence of
Western culture and economy; the Americanization of the developed and developing world through the
penetration of US culture into others as well as the marketing of third-world cultures to the West as fashion, film
setting, and cuisine… Its disregard of borders, national infrastructures, local bureaucracies, internet censors, tariffs,
laws, and languages; its disregard of margins and the marginal people who live there; its formidable, engulfing
properties accelerating erasure, a flattening out of difference, of specificity for marketing purposes. An abhorrence
of diversity. We imagine indistinguishability, the elimination of minority languages, minority cultures in its Wake.
We speculate with horror on what could be the irrevocable, enfeebling alteration of major languages, major
cultures in its sweep. Even if those dreaded consequences are not made completely manifest, they nevertheless
cancel out globalism's assurances of a better life by issuing dire warnings of premature cultural death.”
― Toni Morrison

“One day there will be no borders, no boundaries, no flags and no countries and the only passport will be
the heart.”
― Carlos Santana

The most important challenges facing the world in the 21 st century are associated with globalization, the
growing interconnectedness of people and places through converging processes of economic, political, and cultural
change. Once distant regions are now increasingly linked together through commerce, communication, and travel.

This unit introduces the various definitions of globalization, understand its key features, and familiarize
you to a variety of factors which have contributed to the process of globalization, its benefits and disadvantages,
and its history and theories.

Lesson 1: Globalization
 In This Lesson

 Develop a nuanced definition of globalization in order to begin to understand the

processes of globalization.
 View a video and develop their own definition of globalization.
 Understand the key features of globalization.
 Identify the pros and cons of globalization.

The Meaning of Globalization

“Globalization” is a catchphrase familiar to anyone tuned in to social media. Every day we hear the term
globalization on the news, read it in the papers, and overhear people talking about it. What does this term mean?
There is no definite definition of globalization or globalisation and the term is used to denote a variety of ways in
which nation-states, regions and people, due to advances in transportation and communication systems, are
becoming more and more closely connected and interdependent, not only in the economic sense, but also in the
cultural, political, social, technological, environmental and spatial aspects.

Shalmali Guttal (2007) defined globalization as “the process of interaction and integration among people,
companies, and governments worldwide. As a complex and multifaceted phenomenon, globalization is considered
by some as a form of capitalist expansion which entails the integration of local and national economies into a
global, unregulated market economy.”

Below are further definitions of globalization:

[Globalization] is “the geographic dispersion of industrial and service activities, for example research and
development, sourcing of inputs, production and distribution, and the cross-border networking of companies, for
example through joint ventures and the sharing of assets.”
– Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development
 [Globalization] is “the word used to describe the growing interdependence of the world’s economies,
cultures, and populations, brought about by cross-border trade in goods and services, technology, and flows of
investment, people, and information.” – Peterson Institute for International Economics

[Globalization] is “the ability to produce any good or service anywhere in the world, using raw materials,
components, capital and technology from anywhere, sell the resulting output anywhere and place the profits
anywhere.” – Peter Jay

[Globalization] is “the increased interconnectedness and interdependence of peoples and countries, is

generally understood to include two inter-related elements: the opening of international borders to increasingly
fast flows of goods, services, finance, people and ideas; and the changes in institutions and policies at national and
international levels that facilitate or promote such flows. Globalization has the potential for both positive and
negative effects on development and health.” – World Health Organization

[Globalization] is “the inexorable integration of markets, nation-states, and technologies to a degree

never witnessed before – in a way that is enabling individuals, corporations and nation-states to reach around the
world farther, faster, deeper, and cheaper than ever before and in a way that is enabling the world to reach into
individuals, corporations, and nation-states farther, faster, deeper, and cheaper than ever before.” – Thomas
Friedman

[Globalization] is “the process of greater interdependence among countries and their citizens. It consists
of increased integration of product and resource markets across nations via trade, immigration, and foreign
investment – that is, via international flows of goods and services, of people, and of investment such as culture and
the environment. Simply put, globalization is political, technological, and cultural, as well as economic.” – Robert J.
Carbaugh

[Globalization] is “… a process in which geographic distance becomes less a factor in the establishment
and sustenance of border-crossing, long distance economic, political, and socio-economic relations. People
become aware of this fact. Networks of relations and dependencies therefore become potentially border-crossing
and worldwide. This potential internationalization of relations and dependencies causes fear, resistance, actions,
and reactions.” – Rudd Lubbers

[Globalization] can thus be defined as “the intensification of worldwide social relations which link distant
localities in such a way that local happenings are shaped by events occurring many miles away and vice-versa. This
is a dialectical process because such local happenings may move in an obverse direction from the very distanciated
relations that shape them. Local transformation is as much part of globalization as the lateral extension of social
connections across time and space.” – Anthony Giddens

Now it’s your turn. What is globalization to you? What are the words which are repeatedly used in the
abovementioned definitions? Use the box below to create your definition of globalization.
 My Definition of Globalization

Converging Currents of Globalization

Most scholars agree that the most significant components of globalization is the economic reorganization
of the world. The characteristics of this new world arrangement are:

1. Global communication systems that link all regions of the planet instantaneously and global transportation
systems capable of moving goods quickly by air, sea, and land;
2. Transnational conglomerate corporate strategies that have created global corporations more economically
powerful than many nation-states;
3. International financial institutions that make possible 24-hour trading with new and more-flexible forms of
monetary flow;
4. Global agreements that promote free trade;
5. Market economies that have replaced state-controlled economies, and privatized firms and services, like
water delivery, formerly operated by governments;
6. An abundance of planetary goods and services that have arisen to fulfill consumer demand (real or imaginary);
and, of course,
7. An army of international workers, managers, executives, who give this powerful economic force a human
dimension. (Rowntree, Lewis, Price & Wyckoff, 2008)

Factors That Have Contributed to Globalization

There are a variety of factors which have contributed to the process of globalization. Some of the most
important globalization drivers are numbered below.

1. The price of transporting goods has fallen significantly, enabling good to be imported and exported more
cheaply due to containerization and bulk shipping;
2. The development of the internet to organize trade on a global scale;
3. TNCs have taken advantage of the reduction or lowering of trade barriers;
4. The desire of TNCs to profit from lower unit labor costs and other favorable production factors abroad has
encouraged countries to regulate their tax systems to draw in foreign direct investment (FDI);
5. Transnational and multinational companies have invested significantly in expanding internationally;
6. The collapse of communism in the Soviet Union; and
7. The opening of China to world trade.

Advocates and Critics of Globalization

 Globalization is one of the most controversial issues of our times. Supporters generally believe that it
brings in greater economic efficiency that will eventually result in bring prosperity for the entire world. Critics think
that it will largely benefit those who are already rich, leaving most of the world poorer than before. Economic
globalization is generally applauded by corporate leaders and economists. But opposition to economic
globalization is widespread in the labor and environmental movements for it has promoted exploitation of
workers, children, farmers, and the environment.

Advantages of Globalization Disadvantages of Globalization

 Productivity increases faster when
countries produce goods and services in
which they have a comparative
advantage. Living standards can increase
more rapidly.
 Global competition and cheap imports
keep a constraint on prices, so inflation is
less likely to disrupt economic growth.
 Millions of workers have lost their jobs
because of imports or shifts in
production abroad. Most find new jobs
that pay less.
 Millions of workers fear getting laid off,
especially at those firms in import-
competing industries.

 An open economy promotes technological 

Workers face demands of wage
development and innovation, with fresh concessions from their employers,
ideas from abroad. which often threaten to export jobs
abroad if wage concessions are not
accepted.
 Jobs in export industries tend to pay about  Besides blue-collar jobs, service and
15 percent more than jobs in import- white-collar jobs are increasingly
competing industries. vulnerable to operations being sent
overseas.
 Unfettered capital movements provide  Workers can lose their competitiveness
workers access to foreign investment and when companies build state-of-the-art
maintain low interest rates. factories in low wage countries, making
them as productive as those in the
developed countries.
(Business Week “Backlash Behind the Anxiety over Globalization,” 2000)

A number of experts argue that both the anti-globalization and the pro-globalization stances are
exaggerated. Those in the middle ground tend to argue that economic globalization is indeed unavoidable. They
point out that even the anti-globalization movement is made possible by the Internet and is, therefore, itself an
expression of globalization. They further contend that globalization can be managed, at both the national and
international levels, to reduce economic inequalities and protect the natural environment. Such scholars stress the
need for strong yet efficient governments and international institutions (such as the UN, World Bank, and IMF),
along with networks of watchdog environmental, labor, and human rights groups. (Rowntree, Lewis, Price &
Wyckoff, 2008)

Globalization is one of the most important and complicated issues of our time. Now it’s your turn to take
a position. Are you in favor or against globalization? Use the box below to create your position about globalization.
 My Stance on Globalization

Name___________________________________________________________ Score _________

Subject and Section ________________________________________________ Date _________

Essay: “Globalization I - The Upside” Video Evaluation Chart

Watch Crash Course World History #41: Globalization I - The Upside hosted by John Green during your free
time. Use this link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SnR-e0S6Ic and then read the instructions below carefully
and answer the following questions cogently.

I. Reaction (Check the blank below)

____Very Favorable
____ Favorable
____Unfavorable
____Uncertain
II. Your response to the video in six words:

_______________________________________________________________________________

III. In just six words, explain the purpose/theme/aim of the video as you see it.

_______________________________________________________________________________

IV. Make a summary of the video in ten words.

_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________

V. In ten words, what are the values you learned from this video?
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
RUBRIC
3 - Full Participation - Students wrote their reflection essays about the video in a clear and consistent manner.
2 - Substantial Participation - Students wrote their reflection essays about the video and do so in a somewhat consistent
manner.
1 - Little or Partial Participation - Students have difficulty writing their reflection essays about the video consistently
Name___________________________________________________________ Score _________
Subject and Section ________________________________________________ Date _________

Essay: “Globalization II - Good or Bad?” Video Evaluation Chart

Watch Crash Course World History #42: Globalization II – Good or Bad? hosted by John Green during your
free time. Use this link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_iwrt7D5OA&t=497s and then read the instructions
below carefully and answer the following questions cogently.

I. Reaction (Check the blank below)

____Very Favorable
____ Favorable
____Unfavorable
____Uncertain

II. Your response to the video in six words:

_______________________________________________________________________________

III. In just six words, explain the purpose/theme/aim of the video as you see it.

_______________________________________________________________________________

IV. Make a summary of the video in ten words.

_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________

V. In ten words, what are the values you learned from this video?
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________

RUBRIC
3 - Full Participation - Students wrote their reflection essays about the video in a clear and consistent manner.
2 - Substantial Participation - Students wrote their reflection essays about the video and do so in a somewhat
consistent manner.
1 - Little or Partial Participation - Students have difficulty writing their reflection essays about the video
consistently.
Name___________________________________________________________ Score _________
Subject and Section ________________________________________________ Date _________

Quiz: Essay

Explain the process of globalization in the given figure below. Answer in exactly 140 words.