What is



Globalization - Explanation and definition of globalization

What is globalization

Globalization is the process of global integration to cultural, social and economic level as a result of developments in transport and telecommunications as well as the unity and support of government policies and institutions worldwide.

It is unquestionable that today we live in a globalized world increasingly connected where companies from around the world offer their products and services in every corner of the world, so media such as television and Internet has allowed us to connect and learn about the customs, festivals and cultures from all over the world as well as personalities from different regions which have influenced us with his way of thinking and living.

On the other institutions and global organizations such as the WTO (World Trade Organization), OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development), the IMF (International Monetary Fund), the UN (United Nations) and WHO (World Health Organization) have driven globalization acting globally and which in turn are composed of various representatives of all nations on the planet.

Globalization is not a new phenomenon, the ancient Silk Road and the spice route are clear examples of the concept of globalization on existing old age where hundreds of thousands of people traveling from one point to another in Europe, Asia and Africa transporting products and transmitting knowledge and practices throughout the 3 known continents. With the discovery of America in 1492 globalization was spread throughout the world by exchanging new products such as cocoa and corn from one continent to another and discovering and sharing new knowledge and customs.

Later in the nineteenth century the development of the steam engine and the railroad promoted the movement of people and goods greatly reducing transport times from one point to another point of the world, so does the development of new telecommunications systems such as telegraph and telephone promoted communication between different regions of the continents.

Over the last century the development of the automotive industry and aerospace remarkably reduce the time allowed for transport from one point to another world, finally the expansion of the Internet throughout the globe has linked to billions of people of all regions, countries, ethnic groups and cultures.

The phenomenon of globalization has influenced our lives in two distinct dimensions:

  • Economy

  • Sociocultural

Economic globalization.

With advances in the field of transport and telecommunications in the early twentieth century, the exchange of goods and services internationally grew exponentially promoting what we know today as the global economy.

The establishment of government policies as free trade and the removal of economic barriers have been contributed to economic globalization, allowing the sale and purchase of many products and services to millions and millions of people spread around the world, so expansion international business it led to the creation of multinational companies operating in all or much of the world, multinationals such as Ford, Mercedes, Cemex, Coca-Cola, Bimbo, Google or Apple are examples among others.

On the other hand political and economic arrangements of different countries where taxes, fees or charges are eliminated have boosted the global market economy.

As a result of the free market many companies have established manufacturing processes and outsourcing in countries where labor is cheaper than in their countries of origin encouraging a process of de-industrialization in certain areas of the planet with a high cost of living to countries emerging as China, India or Brazil. For example almost 50% of world steel production in the world is manufactured in China and it is manufactured in this country almost 30% of world production of plastics.

The close relationship and interconnection between countries around the world because of economic globalization makes that any crisis originating in one country affects the other more or less directly generating a new phenomenon known as global economic crisis, such as financial crisis originated in the US in 2008 that has crossed US borders affecting many countries and continents around the world such as Europe, China and South America.

Sociocultural globalization.

The media and Internet based in social networks have driven the transmission and dissemination of ideas and values and have intensified and extended the social relations of millions of people regardless of country, ethnicity or religion that they belong. On the other hand the availability of means of transport such as car, plane or high-speed rail has allowed us to travel from one point to another planet in a few hours.

This has enabled the people to know new cultures and traditions which have merged or even implanted in the culture of the countries themselves, thousands of restaurants of Sushi and Wok distributed in Spain, guacamole, fajitas and tacos distributed throughout central Europe or American hamburger restaurants in China are examples among others where the kitchen of certain regions of the world have been successfully implanted in other areas located thousands of kilometers. Who thought 10 years ago that the American holiday of Halloween is celebrated in every corner of Spain?

On the other hand personalities like the Colombian singer Shakira has exported its music in different languages to all parts of the world is an example of musical icon that much of the world's population knows thanks to the phenomenon of globalization, others such disparate personalities as footballplayer Maradona, physicist Albert Einstein, actress Marilyn Monroe or artist Frida Kahlo are examples among many other familiar characters worldwide.

The phenomenon of globalization has influenced even the language, imposing English as the language most often used to speak and communicate in different countries and regions.

Global competitions such as the Olympics or the World Cup, university exchange programs where students from all over the world perform their academic studies in different countries ... these and other examples have led to globalize and exchange ideas and values throughout the around the globe.

Finally issues such as global warming has driven international cooperation in the environmental field to stop the dreaded weather effects worldwide, awareness and spreading ideas and ecological values on a global level.


what is globalization




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