Globalization

By Samuel B. Batara
Globalization as a Concept
• a smaller compressed world
• organization of social life on a global scale
• global consciousness, interconnectedness and interdependence
• consolidation of global society
• dissemination of practices, values, human products across regional
boundaries
• influence of global practices over peoples’ lives
• market rule on a global scale
• geographic process - easier, quicker to move around the globe
• temporal process - shorter to move or communicate over the globe
• shrinking of globe to single space, of time to the present

Economic Globalization
• trade and capital flow across national boundaries
• global nature of stock markets and trading blocks
• mobility of capital, companies, labor
• neo-liberalism
• limited state regulation best fosters growth
• advocacy of free enterprise in global markets
• movement of goods and capital unburdened by tariffs and regulations
• transition from Fordist to Post-Fordist forms of production
• internationalized advertising and consumption patterns
• development of TNCs and trading blocks
• TNCs merging, integrating production, sales, research, marketing finance
on global scale
• export processing zones - free trade zones - low tariffs, attract FDI
• manufacturing stages spread to countries to exploit factor cost
• virtual trading communities, e-banking, e-commerce
• information, services more important than manufacturing
• hourly wage replaced by piecework
• unions become powerful due to labor regulation relaxation
• decrease in labor-capital conflict
• shifting industry from mechanical to robotic automation
• polarized labor market - small highly skilled, large low skilled
• increased part-time female workers

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• economic restructuring - privatization of social services, health, housing,
education
• trade relations - GATT, G-7 - import taxes & regulations reduction
• formation of free trade - NAFTA, EU
• banking/credit - Visa, ATM, currency exchange
• international lending agencies - IMF, World Bank
• factors of production - knowledge economy, service sector, tourism,
culture industries
• new technologies for transmission of data, capital, advertising
• new patterns of consumption - McDonaldization of taste, fast, oriented to
convenience over quality
• new advertising, marketing strategies promote means of consumption
(shopping malls, television buying channels, online purchasing, easy
credit)

Political Globalization
• loss of nation state sovereignty
• erosion of national autonomy
• new notion of the “citizen” – world citizen
• new global governance - designed after transnational institutions
• transnational trading blocks - EC, NAFTA, ASEAN
• shared political agreements - taxation, single currency e.g. Euro
• world trade agreements (goods movement, market access, global
economic framework) sometimes override national law
• WTO (World Trade Organization)
- primary rule making body of globalization
- operating principle: global commercial interests supercede all others
- legislative authority strikes down domestic laws, programs, policies of
member nations
- compel nations to establish laws conforming WTO rules
• World Bank (WB) structural adjustment - privatization, deregulation, trade
and investment liberalization
• moving decision making from elected state legislatures to unelected
institutions (IMF, NAFTA, TNCs)
• production decisions relocated from elected governments to TNCs
• International financial economic institutions (International Monetary Fund,
WB):
- design and impose structural adjustment programs, e.g. policy
reducing government expenditures, lowering inflation, limiting imports,
devaluing currency, increasing economic efficiency as condition for
debt restructuring

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 - set conditions to loans - high interest rates, fiscal tightening, raising
taxes

Cultural Globalization:
• wider range of imported goods bought in local shops
• internationally syndicated programs watched on TV
• international release of films, videos seen and books read
• wider variety of continental foods eaten
• computer games played across global internet networks
• imposition of cultural imperialism
• transmitting cultural values across the globe through film industries
(Hollywood) and worldwide TV networks (satellite and Internet TVs)
• imposes world view, values, lifestyles
• dominates others by disseminating ideology of consumerism, materialism,
hedonistic popular culture, remote-control culture
• ‘McDonaldization,’ ‘Disneyization,’ ‘Hollywoodization’ of local cultures
• cultural hybridization - mixing elements from various cultures (eg. tribal
with rock music)
• spread of ideologies through internet and satellite communications
• consumerist, religious, terroristic hate ideologies
• culture industry – creation of leisure, image, entertainment industry alters
cultural practices, modes of cultural expressions, forms of cultural activity,
content of culture
• culture a commodity for sale – historical archives, handicrafts, music,
books, films, tourism, mail-order brides, sex tourism
• powerful new medium with global reach (CNN, BBC, cable, satellite,
internet TV)
• spread of global brands (Nike, Sony)
• global sports (Olympics, World Cup)
• sports marketing (apparel, footwear, equipment) sponsorship, advertising
• global betting, gambling, intercontinental lotto playing

Educational Globalization
• international policies (eg. APEC’s) for evaluation, financing, assessment
standards, teacher training, curriculum, instruction, testing
• pure market mechanisms to regulate educational exchanges

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• policies reduce state sponsorship, financing (privatization, voucher
system, subsidizing private and parochial schools)
• imposing management/efficiency models borrowed from business sector
as framework for educational decision making
• reductions in educational expenditures due to externally imposed
austerity (by IMF, World Bank, Word Trade Organization)
• notion of cosmopolitan citizenship - encourages travel, foreign language
study, multicultural tolerance, student and manpower exchanges,
overseas training
• increased reliance on the media, popular culture, new communications &
information technology, digital media for easy transfer, DVD and HD
technology
• new and varied skills for changing job demands/ changing jobs over a
lifetime
• competitive international labor pool demands
• preparation of students as producers and users
• shaping consumer attitudes and practices
• increasing commercialization of school environment
• “doing more with less”
• market approaches to schooling process (vouchers, study now-pay later,
online seducation, distance learning)
• deregulation encourages new providers of education (online providers,
online college degrees)
• changes in culture affect educational policies, practices, institutions
• multiculturalism as citizenship education
• proficiency in several languages expands intellectual horizons,
encourages tolerance for various cultures
• education’s role in shaping attitudes, values, understandings of
multicultural democratic citizenship as part of cosmopolitan wold
• Crucial role of education: address internationalization of global conflicts,
crime, terrorism, environmental issues, human consequences from growth
of global cooperation, global mobility, global communications, global
expansion

Changing Roles of Educators:

• less transmitters of information
• more designers of learning environments and experiences, expert guides,
coaches
• practicing master learners

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• facilitator of knowledge and modern technology
• emphasis on student learning and outcomes
• engaging in more community service
• conducting applied research
• becoming an expert user of technology
• more constant contact with students via e-mail, mobile phone, personal
meetings, caucus conferencing, etc.
• aware of misunderstandings, stereotypes, prejudices and conflicts that
exist among members of world communities
• aware that the vast world has become a small village
• meets the need of existing multi-ethnic, multi-cultural, and multi-linguistic
student population
• Teacher’s tools to teach global competency
– methodology shifts toward team teaching
– development of more interdisciplinary curricula
– increased options for learning new languages
– nationwide requirement for languages as vehicle for learning culture
– development of global system of institutional certifications and student
certification of competencies comparable to what ISO 9000 has done in
industry
– worldwide standard to facilitate the import and export of best teaching
and learning practices across borders

The Globally Competent Learner

• able to understand the interconnectedness of peoples and systems
• have a general knowledge of world history and world events,
• accept and cope with the existence of differing cultural values and
attitudes,
• celebrate the richness of global diversity
• empowered to make a difference in society, if not in the international
community
• committed to lifelong learning
• aware of diversity, commonalities, interdependence, interconnectedness
• recognizes geopolitical and economic interdependence of our world
• accepts the importance of all peoples regardless of color, creed,
affiliations
• appreciates impact of native cultures on particular national life
• capable of working in diverse teams
• understands the non-universality of culture, religion and values
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• accepts responsibility for global citizenship and accountability
• multi-skilled, flexible to adapt to multifaceted diversity of global society

The Global School

• provide educational experience which advances knowledge and
understanding in
– global interdependence
–human resources, values and culture
–global environment and natural resources
–global peace and conflict management
– change and alternate futures
• Emerging role of schools
–training new class of workers: knowledge workers, users of information
–developing society’s human capital: the educated multi-skilled
manpower

• Infusion of technology into instruction through:

–distance learning
–access to the world wide web, Internet, databases of information,
networks, etc.
–online courses
–self-paced instruction
–online tutoring
–caucus conferencing
• Global curriculum and classroom activities
– perspective consciousness
– state-of-the-planet awareness
– cross-cultural awareness
– knowledge of global dynamics
– awareness of human choices
- environment friendliness and understanding of global warming

Components of new knowledge learning

• focus on abstract concepts
• uses holistic, as opposed to discrete, approach
• enhances student’s ability to manipulate symbols
• enhances student’s ability to acquire and utilize knowledge
• produces increased quantity of scientifically, technically trained
manpower

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• blurs distinction between mental and physical labor
• encourages students to work in teams, and through cooperative learning
• interconnects virtual teams around the world
• agile and flexible system
• breaks space-time boundaries

Outcomes and benefits of training in global work skills:

• to be most productive and adaptable citizens by bridging cultures, time
and attitudes
• to adapt to international work by making confident informed career
choices
• to act upon global issues appropriately responded to in the work place
• to effectively work as part of geographically dispersed international team
• to confidently work in non-traditional alternative methodologies, beyond
own cultural boundaries
• to pursue continuous cultural learning about others and self