Pros: Great analysis; helped shape my thoughts in regards to outsourcing and the like.
Cons: Does tend to drag in a few spots, but keep reading
The Bottom Line: Friedman has the credentials and writing ability to discuss the changing business/global environment very well, and does so with The World is Flat
ivplay's Full Review: Thomas L. Friedman - The World Is Flat: A Brief Hi...
Outsourcing and open borders has been the topic of many discussions in recent times including several debates during recent elections. Depending on the point of view of the individuals engaged in the discussion, outsourcing can range from a useful tool that American companies can utilize to maximize profit to the single most important threat to the American way of life. Why is it that this one topic can be so widely discussed and yet so widely disputed? I believe the answer to that is that many of the folks discussing outsourcing only know the information that has been provided to them via 10-15 second blurbs on the faux-news channel of choice. Due to my own admitted ignorance on the subject and the vulnerability of my chosen industry to open borders, I thought it a wise investment of time to read through Michael L. Friedman's account of the globalization and outsourcing phenomenon, The World is Flat.
Thomas L. Friedman, three-time Pulitzer Prize winner and current Foreign Affairs columnist for the New York Times, begins his informative book with what he believes led up to the phenomenon of Globalization and soon Outsourcing. There are ten 'flatteners' of the world ranging from political changes (the fall of the Berlin Wall) to technology advancements (creation of the internet and web browsing). The one thing that the 'flatteners' have in common is that they have created an integrated world with the ability to work together in real-time, regardless of the distance. Someone can now start a business in Bangor, Maine, and within minutes be discussing service agreements with someone in Bangalore, India, thanks to the new technology and applications developed around the internet boom. The cable has been laid and the connections made that allow folks from all walks of life and parts of the globe to communicate on demand. Friedman's analysis of the ten flatteners, while not always intuitive, is very interesting and revealing. I had never thought of Netscape as a world force in quite the way I see it now.
Friedman explains that these advancements have fostered an environment in which collaboration can occur at any time, in any place and for any reason. This has made cheaper labor in India much easier to reach for call centers, for example. The call centers in India have opened up new opportunities for folks which never existed before, and also freed up workers in the United States to move up the education ladder to a more specialized line of work. In Friedman's eyes, this is not a bad thing! The living conditions in other parts of the world are being raised up and the intellectual capital of these areas is being tapped for all humanity's gain.
Friedman devotes a section of his book to the analysis of how America is coping with the flat world as well as how it should cope in the future. He does understand that many folks within the US will see their jobs moving overseas as it becomes feasible and profitable, and this is bound to lead to hard feelings and a sense of distrust. His answer to that on the macro scale is simple; educate yourself and move up! Friedman goes on to lay out what America's largest barriers are to surviving in the flat world, the biggest of which is the lack of drive, desire and education in America's youth. I tend to agree with him in this regard after working as a plant manager trying to find good help today. There is a huge disconnect in work ethic between the people brought into the work force in the 60's and 70's compared with those of the late 90's and early 2000's! The drive, work ethic and expectations of the work force are changing, and not for the better in Friedman's or my eyes. This doesn't bode well for America's future in a flatter, more competitive world. When the standards of living in other countries rise to those of the US, we will be on a level playing field, but our decided lack of education and expectation of everything being handed to us will inhibit us competing even then, unless things change. Friedman has some ideas of how to go about this change, and this is an enlightening section of the book.
Friedman also discusses the flat world and how it relates to developing countries and global companies as a whole. He develops the Dell Theory, whereby any country involved in the Dell supply chain will not begin a war due to the risk of losing its spot in the supply chain. While somewhat tongue-in-cheek, the reader can see from the analysis that the countries in question have much to lose in the short term and even more to lose in the long-term. There is no question that this is taken into consideration as India eyes Pakistan or China looks at Taiwan.
One of the more enlightening sections of the book for me was the flat world and how Friedman sees it relating to terrorism. The idea of haves and have-nots has been around forever, but never in the history of the world was it so easy to see how the haves are living. With an internet connection in Saudi Arabia or satellite television a have-not can not only see how the west is living, they can get it rubbed in their noses every time they turn around. When one of the disgruntled have-nots determines to use the tools available to them (Internet, Satellite phones, etc.) to set up their own supply chain of destruction it is a simple thing to do and difficult to contend with. This section of the book deals with the development of the terrorists and how the world should/could deal with them, and I think Friedman is spot-on in his analysis.
Overall, I think Friedman has written a great book that I would hope everyone would read. Regardless of your current position on Globalization, Outsourcing and Open Borders, this book will change your point of view in some way. His back-stories are to the point and his analysis is enlightening. I recommend that everyone who wants to have an opinion on outsourcing and globalization read this book, as it will help to strengthen your knowledge base in this regard.
Globalization Political Science & Government - Version 3.0 Further Updated and Expanded with more pages. - The World is Flat: A Brief History of the T...More at Barnes and Noble
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