The book ‘The World is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty First Century’ can really be referred to the international bestsellers, providing detail analysis of the 21st century globalization. It is necessary to underline the fact that you, as the author, are considered to be one of the most famous American columnists of modern literature, through the legendary travels reflected in major works. The analysis of the book under consideration will give an opportunity to evaluate its basic strengths and weaknesses, and identify possible questions connected with the theme and manner of its disclosure.
The book ‘The World is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty First Century’ is dedicated to the presenting of modern great changes covering technological and communicative lighting swift advances putting people in touch through the wealth exposition creation in China and India; it is necessary to underline the fact that the work reflects fresh commentary and reporting on the basis of travelling throughout the world, giving an opportunity to the readers to understand the book’s purpose of showing the way, through which globalization shifted into drive. The most important aspect to be successfully represented is the disclosure of the core economic concepts and their change under the impact of globalization. It should be noted that the Bangalore journey reflected in the work explained the flattering as a convergence product connected with the work flow software rise. It is interesting to note that the book successfully highlights the interpretations of complex foreign policies as well as economic issues through the detail description of the world flattering experienced in the 21st century.
‘Globalization 3.0 is shrinking the world from a size small to a size tiny and flattering the playing field at the same time’ (Friedman, 95)
The book effectively argues on the point that globalization is considered to be the era where the matter of states is less and the key driving force is concentrated on the playing field for conducting the international trade operations. This field is built up through global fiber-optic network and software providing the space for manufacturing and service rushing of the major companies from India, China, and the states of the former Soviet Union attracting the outsourcing market.
It is necessary to underline the idea, that the book is concerned with the fact that the world is flat; in accordance with the economic research provided, the first globalization wave was concentrated on the competing with the countries throughout the world in the period 1492-1800, the second globalization acted in accordance with multinational companies competitions during 1800-2000, and now, the third globalization era experienced by the humanity and being concentrated on the individuals competing and collaborating globally. The usefulness and strength of the data provided in the book can be disclosed through the identification of ten principle flatteners leveling the global economy playing field. The first event is considered to be the Berlin Wall fall, which tipped the balance between the consensual and democratic governance away from centrally planned economics.
‘…the Berlin Wall was not only a symbol of keeping people inside East Germany – it was a way of preventing a kind of global view of our future.’ (Friedman, 54)
The second flattener is the day Netscape being dedicated to the adoption of the new standards by making the internet interoperable contrasting to heavily patented protocols; the third event is referred to the Work Flow Software contributing to the social collaboration; all the other events disclosed in the book are considered to be the following: uploading, offshoring, outsourcing, insourcing, supply-chaining, the steroids and in-forming. The strong point of the work can be disclosed through technologies and trends convergence providing a huge boost to India and China; it is important to note that both countries are positioned with the status of superpower in technological and business development of the 21st century, having the high educated population creating own marketplace ways.
‘First we will have our young people employed by the foreigners, and then we will start our own companies. It is like building a building. Today, the U.S, you are the designers, the architects, and the developing countries are the bricklayers for the buildings. But one day I hope we will be the architects.’ (Friedman, 36)
The methods of American way to refashioning are dedicated to the basic state purpose of trying to survive in the flattering world. It is interesting to note that principle ways out are directed at the country’s attempts to make investments in scientific education and new policies adoption for the purpose of encouraging leadership and innovation, for example, programs aimed at conservation and alternative energy.
Despite the success of the book, it is necessary to stress that there are certain misunderstandings and concerns connected with the disclosure of economic trends. One should underline the idea that the book provided some exaggerated facts in the illustration of global meaning and promotion of means of communication. In accordance with the reports presented by Foreign Policy Magazine, the greatest percentage of the world’s web traffic and phone calls are of local character, while the author stressed their significance and quality, focusing on introduced opportunities for ‘people can move around the planet faster than ever before, just a fraction of what we consider globalization actually exists’ (Friedman, 113)
Besides, the data is too concentrated on the problems connected with the era of globalization and their promotion throughout the world; while the remedies to be considered are not appropriately investigated and have too little support. The work underlines the idea that the flattering world crisis is to be overcome on the basis of maintaining the working skills updated; the adaptation of the workforce will stimulate the employability of the state. It is necessary to stress that this very point ignore the difficulties connected with economic trends weakened by the crisis and social inadaptability to the new circumstances.
The principle concern is dedicated to the book part disclosing ten key flatteners of the globalization era; it is necessary to stress that these events are not appropriately balanced. To explain this, one should consider the point that three initial flatteners are considered to be presented as the background for the other seven issues; besides, the tenth point is regarded to be the technologies combination is referred to those amplified by other flatteners. So, considering this fact, the data should be based on the three real flatteners stimulating six developments being amplified by several technologies.
The question is connected with the inappropriate determination of the analyzed and reported data in the book; it is arguable, why the books dedicated to the globalization developments cover only the themes like ‘Companies and the Flat World’, ‘America and the Flat World’, ‘Geopolitics and the Flat World’, but never concentrates on the individuals being the basis of globalization, though the third globalization is defined through the era of collaborating individuals…? So, the major misunderstandings of the book are based on the structural organization of the information for its appropriate and clear perception by the reader.
And final part of my letter will be dedicated to the disclosure of the book effects produced on me as the reader; certainly, this masterpiece is referred to the most prominent and successful works of modernity allowing diving into the depth of economical development and globalization impact on the countries throughout the world.
One of the most interesting facts is connected with the disclosure of the supply chains importance, while I had some confusion as to this issue before. It was proved that supply chains can be referred to the incredible flatteners of modern period. They are predominantly aimed at the creation of definite system for the purpose of UPS work with the customers and international offices. The principle purpose and task of modern specialists is devoted to the designing of special supply chain algorithms allowing the people get taken from the UPS store boxes to the hub. It is necessary to stress that they are directed at taking fat out of every joint system; the book presents the experience produced of this method on the Indian business community being eventually filtered to the new business structure in New Delphi.
The most affecting appeared to be the last section of the book disclosing the importance of the flattering process in comparison with business relationships; here the examples of ‘flatism’ in the parallel to Islamic radicalism rise clarified the central thought to be expressed by the author.
‘One of the unintended consequences of the flat world is that it puts different societies and cultures in much greater direct contact with one another.’ (Friedman, 555)
The information strives to show the fact that some countries make use of the collaboration opportunities, while others suffer humiliation and frustration under the pressure of this contact. It was shown that the Muslim fundamentalists and radicals looking at the West leads to their perception of the world openness being viewed by other states as promiscuous and decadent. In case the empowerment of the women, freedom and openness of inquiry and thought are considered to be the basic strength of the West’s economic, the world in which Arab-Muslims live is to be totally changed, while the extremists and fundamentalists have never desired such challenges.
To move closer to concluding part of my letter, it is necessary to stress the significance of the moral virtues highlighted through the role of modern technologies; it is necessary to stress that Internet limited the opportunities for the people to inflate the reputation or lie.
‘Live your life honestly, because what ever you do, whatever mistakes you make, will be searchable one day.’ (Friedman, 345)
So, it should be noted that the book ‘The World is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty First Century’ is an important contribution to the literature treasures, disclosing the real details of the modern world challenges in culture, economics, business, and the society under the impact of globalization movements development.
References
Friedman, T. The world is flat: a brief history of the twenty-first century. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2007.