I suppose that we all have certain skills that we have acquired over the years by either trial and error or you might just have a gift. So the argument is in what environment do these skills flourish? Let’s take the question to the next level - in what country do these entrepreneurial opportunities grow that can create innovation freely. There are nation states that encourage innovation and I believe one might say that maybe it’s their culture to be that way.
However, the reality is that there are countries that produce certain products or even specialize in textiles. If the country has a comparative advantage in textiles, it could specialize in textile production. For example China can produce certain items at a lower cost than most countries and still make a profit for everyone from the production to the sale to the end users. Nevertheless, having a comparative advantage does not necessarily mean that you have quality products but simply a product that was produced a lower cost and/or cheaper cost than other countries.
If there is an enough time research via the internet I would consider myself a self-directed consumer. Sometimes, I believe that there is overabundance information that is thrown at us as the consumer concerning products and/or services to purchase. The problem that I find now is having the time to decipher which is reliable and true for me to make the right decision. But my reality is in most cases I’m pressed for time and I primarily look for conveniences in my buying process. Therefore, I wish I was a more a self-directed consumer but unfortunately I’m a non-self-directed consumer…shame on me.
I believe that most of the world thinks that today’s globalization mean Americanization depending on who you are speaking with around the world. I travel quite a bit for my business and meet folks around the world. I was really excited from my last trade conference that I attended a week ago. During the conference I had a several opportunity to meet with potential clients from Australia, Germany, England, China, India and Singapore. One particular encounter I had was with a reporter from the Singapore Press Holdings (SPH), I wanted to share my new knowledge from this class concerning Thomas Friedman flat world theory. We had a pleasant discussion on globalization according to Mr. Friedman’s point of view of our flat world. She didn’t agree with Friedman’s point of view or maybe it was my delivery of the concept – probably a combination of both. However, I was very interested in listening to her perspective of America influences in her part of the world. Much to my dismay I was unsuccessful to articulate Mr. Friedman theories after a lengthy conversation Ms. Ming from (SPH) was still convinced that globalization means Americanization. I discovered that I should probably keep my mouth shut when it comes to globalization debate until I finish this class.
It is very interesting to see how foreign people view America. It is as if they are all trying to become like us. I didn't think that globalization was synonymous with Americanization, but as you demonstrate, foreigners clearly do.
ReplyDeleteI think it is great that you are applying this class to your travels worldwide by discussing some of the concepts with people. I once heard that the best way to learn is to apply the study of a topic to life experiences. I certainly have learned substantially about Friedman's view of the world and it has been something good for me to think about.
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