Module 7

“I've always enjoyed traveling and having experience with different cultures and different people. But it's also a wonderful thing to be able to benefit and enable research, not only in our country but around the world.” - Laurel Clark

I love to find quotes that have a relation to the way people are affected by the flattening of the world. I think one thing that gives a country comparative advantage over another is it’s proximity to their countries. For example, Canada still remains the number one exporter to the United States due to it’s low shipping costs. Because if it’s proximity it’s able to use trains and semi-trucks to keep it’s costs extremely compared to China that remains number 2 because it has to rely on the ships and plains to export goods. Another advantage a country can have is the right laws and policies that allows companies and small businesses to thrive. Due to China changing it’s laws and policies it was able to enter itself into the world market and produce high-quality low cost manufacturing better than any other country.

“Consumers were getting a taste of power, and once they tasted it, things went from companies being in control of consumer’s behavior to consumers being in control of companies’ behavior. The rules of engagement changed, and if you did not respond and offer customers what they wanted, someone else would, and you would be dead.” (Friedman 456) This quote perfectly illustrates the effect self-directed consumers have on businesses these days. It used to be that companies had all the control and marketed what they wanted consumers to buy and tell them what they needed. These days it’s flip flopped and the consumer has all the control. I know of only one company that is an exception to this and that is Apple. They still market and produce what they want their consumers to buy. The only reason I can see for this is that they’ve always had a large fan-base now matter what they produce. However, if you at their number one competitor, Samsung, they follow consumer direction. They listen to what their customers want and then produce it. 

Now, am I, myself, a self-directed consumer? After a little introspection, I’d probably have to go with no. I look around at things that I own and when it comes to electronics, most are apple devices. Now I’m not saying I just swallowed everything that apple advertised and got it, but when it comes to wanting computers and phones that will last longer than 3 years I had to go where the history led me. Yes, my family has owned apple products ever since the very first “personal” mac computer. So, in part, it is because of the way I was raised, but also because I wanted quality products. I guess I’m a little self-directed in the fact that I did my research on what electronic devices last the longest and was pointed in the direction of Apple. However, Apple IS a company that does like to direct their consumers and tell them what they need before they know they even want it. I’m a little conflicted on this point.

Friedman brings up a valid worry across the globe as the world gets more and more flat.  Does globalization mean Americanization? He points out that America was prominently the nation exposing their brands, movies, songs, and even fast-food chains out across the world. Because of this the world seemed to think that if they accepted these things flooding their markets then they’d have to accept the inevitability of losing their own cultures. I don’t think that’s the case at all. America was just the first country to really take advantage of globalization. Doesn’t mean the we were trying to Americanize the world. If you look at what’s flooding the market these days, I’d say that it’s trending more towards China’s exports than America’s. Which is fine. It means more and more countries are realizing their potential with globalization.

Source:

Friedman, Thomas L. The World is Flat, Further Updated and Expanded, Release 3.0 New York: Picador, 2007