The World is Flat: A Book Review

The world is flat?! What are you talking about Laura?! Everyone knows the world is round. Well, yes, geographically the world is round (don’t worry; I’m not challenging Colombus’ findings!), but when Thomas L. Friedman named his book, he was referring to a different kind of flatness.  He was talking about a global flatness or, as some people call it, globalization. This refers to the “a process whereby an increased portion or economic or other activity is carried out across national borders.” (www.developmenteduction.ie/glossary/) In other words, most businesses are no longer limited to one country.  They are global companies, manufacturing, producing and marketing in many different countries all across the world.  And those businesses that do choose to stay in one country are no longer competing with only local companies.  They are now competing with huge global companies that have extended their reach into many countries.

How did this flat world begin to occur?  A lot of factors helped it along, but the main development was technology.  With this new century has come the rise of the internet, personal computers, PDA’s, cell phones and endless amounts of electronic gadgets.  This has connected everyone more quickly and easily.  Before this time, international phone calls were expensive and international mailing was slow.  Now, anybody with a computer is only a click away from instant messaging or e-mailing someone halfway across the world.  New software technologies have also allowed companies to share documents, photos and files more easily and collaborate on projects over the internet.  All of this has allowed businesses to communicate more easily and effectively with employees in different locations.  Essentially, it has knocked down the barriers that stood between different countries.

Because of these developments, more countries are entering the industrial world, namely China and India.  In those countries, a pool of talent sits willing and able to work for less.  Many companies have begun to out-source certain parts of their work to Bangalore and Hong Kong factories and phone centers.  Almost every company in this modern world takes part in out-sourcing.  Probably 95% of the items you use every day were in some way designed or manufactured in a country other than the United States.  This flattening of the world is revolutionary for industrialization.  It makes things possible that were inconceivable several decades ago.

This is the world that we live in, and this is the business world that I will be trying to find a job in.  So what does this mean for me?  To put it simply: We now have competition.  America is no longer at the top of the manufacturing world.  China and Japan are catching up, and we need to be ready for them.  America as a whole needs to be able to keep up its high academic standards and continue to churn out top-notch engineers, scientists, educators and business majors.  American youth need to apply themselves to studying and learning, so that with further training, they will be able to rise in the ranks of the world and compete globally.  Much of America has fallen into complacency, and we need to shake out it and continue to compete globally, because we have no other option in this flat world.