The Week

In reading this magazine during AP Gov yesterday, I came across two articles that involve globalization.

1. Japan: Toyota falls victim to a clash of cultures

The article is in regards to how Toyota is dealing with the recent recalls of their cars due to “unintended acceleration”. Analysts from various Japanese news sources including Asahi Shimbun and Mainichi Daily News claimed that Toyoda, the executive of Toyota, took a personal approach towards regaining Americans’ trust by framing in terms of personal honor. He “stated candidly that he accepted full responsibility as the company chief, and apologized numerous times.” (Macinichi Daily News) However, this approach does not seem suitable for the American market. American companies “believe that from a crisis-management viewpoint, the sooner a recall is done, the easier it is to contain the damage” in reflection to U.S. consumers’ attitude towards recalls. It is scary to the American market that Toyota has yet to identify the source of the problem and personal responsibility isn’t enough. To the Japanese, honor is of great traditional and cultural importance and personal responsibility may be even more respectable than actually solving the problem. Cultural differences between the U.S. and Japan, the West and the East, are clearly evident in this international business scuffle. With globalization comes what some call the “Clash of Cultures”. In order for smoother transition from individual nations to a globalized world, these cultural differences must be resolved. Personally, I think the best method for this is education about other cultures and traditions, but most importantly, world views. People do not have to necessarily agree with others, but with education comes respect.

2. Issue of the week: Italy cracks down on Google

A video of 4 Italian schoolboys harassing an autistic classmate was shot and posted on Google videos. Although many complaints were filed, Google refused to take the video down because a certain quota of complaints were not met. 2 months later, Google removed the video upon the request of Italy’s government. Italy then prosecuted and sentenced 3 Google executives to 6 months in prison for violating the victim’s privacy. Adam Liptak of The New York Times said this is a case of “when American and European ideas of privacy collide.” “Americans tend to view privacy as a protection against an intrusive government; Europeans focus on protecting people from an intrusive media.” (The Week) The Internet is a wonderful thing that crosses national boundaries even better than economic trade. It provides a platform where people around the world can gather and discuss with a click of a button. But because of this ease, it is also easy for cultures to clash as indicated by the international conflict between privacy and free speech in this case.

Clearly, issues of globalization are current issues. As new unexplored territory of international issues are discovered, cultural barriers disappear. It is my hope that over time, people will realize that cultural differences are ultimately of little importance and that fundamentally, cultures all express the human condition. Someday people will try to tackle the problems that face humanity as the face of humanity.

-Charles

The Daily Show

Although I haven’t had much time lately to watch The Daily Show, I know from past experience that it’s a completely fair and balanced source of information. And so, I’ve watched two clips regarding globalization, one suggested by Mr. Coffee and another I remembered for it’s hysterics to supplement my research.

Video #1: http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/wed-january-27-2010/ethan-watters

Jon Stewart interviews Ethan Watters, the author of the book Crazy Like Us: The Globalization of the American Psyche. Watters analyzes the marketing, especially by the heads of major drug companies, of ideas regarding treatment of psychological disorders. In Japan, the depression drug industry is now around a billion dollars. The Japanese culture tended to “embrace sadness in a way… they think of sadness almost, or they did think it before the drug companies went in there, they thought of sadness as almost a religious state, a way to get moral guidance” (Watters). Stewart then counters with a philosophical argument, “Why should we give deference to something that might be superstition only because it has the value of, ‘Well it’s their culture’” This is actually a fundamental kink in the process of globalization. Is the value of cultural diversity more important than the value of progress, at least in the Western perspective? It is nearly impossible to view from a complete objectivity so certain bias will always affect our judgments, but does that negate action on what we believe to be right or wrong? Cultural sensitivity vs. Action. This conflict is crucial in areas like human rights.

Now to be more lighthearted. If you didn’t watch the first video, watch this one. It’s funny.

Video #2: http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/tue-september-29-2009/deep-space-naan

Aasif Mandvi, supposed foreign correspondent in Bangalore, India, reports about findings of ice by the India Space Research Organization. Inside the subtly that is Daily Show humor, traces of  Western arrogance and condescension can be detected. Mandvi jokes about Americans eventually becoming the frustrating technical support of Indians and the lousy American cab drivers in New Delhi. All jokingly aside, it’s funny because there’s a hint of truth. America is in the process of downfall. Like the superpowers of old, America seems like it will descend to the political background after its golden years. Is this simply a cycle of the reshuffling of powers as we’ve seen in history, or is this an effect of globalization? With more and more previously developing countries completing their transition to the elite group of the developed, more and more competition arises, specifically in areas of science and technology. Globalization appears to be opening the floodgates of humanity across the globe so that innovation can occur anywhere by anyone.

Perhaps the new phrase to say is INDIA F#@K YEAH!

-Charles

The Lexus and the Olive Tree

As I promised, I went down to the Mishawaka Public Library and checked out this book. So far, I’ve only been able to read the author’s note at the beginning, but I already know this will be a valuable resource in weeks to come.

Although I’m not happy to admit it, the main driving force behind globalization is $. In the author’s note, Friedman talks about how the crash of the baht, the Thai currency, in 1997 caused a pull out of capital in other Southeast Asian markets like South Korea, Malaysia and Indonesia. This then caused the collapse of Russia’s already shoddy economy built mostly on taxes from commodity exports like crude oil. Although Brazil was operating its economy well, investors pulled their capital out of Brazil and other countries including Egypt, Israel, and Mexico to make up for the Russian losses. Heavy investments into U.S. Treasury bonds followed, which drop up T-bonds. Because many hedgefunds based their investments on the work of two Nobel Prize winning economists, which translated into the mathematical analysis and predictions of the global economy, these hedgefunds ultimately bet wrong as the computer models were not able to predict the spontaneous surge in T-bonds.

It is evident that what happens economically in one part of the world causes a chain reaction that will touch the investments/lives of people around the world. In a globalized world, political boundaries have little command of economic conduction.

Here’s a direct excerpt from a Merril Lynch ad in 1998.

“The World is 10 Years Old

It was born when the Wall fell in 1989. It’s no surprise that the world’s youngest economy – the global economy – is still finding its bearings. The intricate checks and balances that stabilize economies are only incorporated with time. Many world markets are only recently freed, governed for the first time by the emotions of the people rather than the fists of the state. From where we sit, none of this diminishes the promise offered a decade ago by the demise of the walled-off world… The spread of free markets and democracy around the world is permitting more people everywhere to turn their aspirations into achievements. And technology, properly harnessed and liberally distributed, has the power to erase not just geographical borders but also human ones. It seems to us that, for a 10-year-old, the world continues to hold great promise. In the meantime, no one ever said growing up was easy.”

Keep in mind though, that Merril Lynch was recently on the verge of bankruptcy and was bought out by Bank of America, who isn’t in that good of a shape either.

Post-Robotics

To all you faithful readers, I apologize for not keeping up with this blog. To be honest, I haven’t had much time in the past 6 weeks as robotics is to my life as a fat boy is to chocolate. Thankfully, robotics is coming to an end and I shall have my life back. I promise to post something interesting within the next few days as I believe I’ve already missed this week’s deadline. I will have you know that I will be checking out The Lexus and the Olive Tree soon per M. Coffee’s suggestion and shall be posting my findings here.

But for now, I bid thee adieu.

-Charles

Cuisine and Architecture

Usually globalization regards the economic integration of countries across the globe.

However, I’d like that a moment and examine two, perhaps, overlooked areas where the effects of globalization can also be felt.

In browsing the video website bigthink.com (A fantastic research site by the way), I found two videos about “How has globalization changed the way we eat”. One of the videos interviews the editor-in-chief of Epicurious.com, a food website, and the other interviews a food/entertaining writer.

The first video examines the development of Fusion cuisine, the practice of “fusing” two styles of cuisine such as Peruvian and Japanese into one and how it has failed in becoming popular. Instead, slow foods, the movement to embrace one’s culture and keep those traditional cuisines as they are part of each region’s history.

The second video views globalization in a positive light as produce is not longer dictated by the seasons. If transportation were not an issue, consumers could eat whatever they want, whenever they want. Even though the seasons are less of an issue today than decades ago, out of seasons produce are still rare. Globalization could potentially completely alter what we eat, when we eat it.

In another field, architecture has also been affected by globalization.

In one video, an architect believes that architecture is part of globalization, part of that spread of ideas across borders. He recalls a time when he discovered the amazing work of a young architect in Argentina. He was trilled to be able to find and know about such terrific architectural work. He says that 10, 20 years ago, this was perhaps impossible.

In another video, the dean of the Yale School of Architecture, considers the how architects should balance modernity and traditionalism in their work in places like the Middle East. There is a clear fissure between the preservation of culture and the advancement into modernized society in the architecture field, mostly due to the effects of globalization.

Obviously, there are pros and cons of globalization in even remote fields like Food and Architecture. The major problem is the desire to preserve and cherish traditional standards, to remember the roots. On the other hand, the positives are diverse and include the spread of ideas and the unification of people around the world. What is necessary to keep in mind is that globalization appears inevitable, and that it is better to embrace the inevitable than to futilely resist. I don’t mean to sound like the Borg, but the more important question is whether the positives outweigh the negatives, and how best to enhance these positives and depress the negatives.

-Charles

P.S. I missed the deadline by 15 min. Darn robotics.

Curious Blog

http://goodbloghrunting.wordpress.com

A blog about the AP Lit blogs? Clever.

Ironic? (Or maybe not…)

-Charles

YaleGlobal: Brain Drain?

In a quick 0.23 second Google search, I’ve uncovered what appears to be a valuable resource.

YaleGlobal is a publication of the Yale Center for the Study of Globalization. They publish articles, neatly organized by topics including economics, health, science/technology, etc, essays, books, multimedia, and related websites. And as we all know, because Yale is an Ivy League school, it’s gotta to be legit.

Today, I shall examine one article in particular,

Is a US Brain Drain on the Horizon?

It seems that the direction of brain flow is changing in the world. No longer is America viewed as the supreme land of opportunity as more foreigners return home for reasons of “better economic opportunities and better chances for career advancement.”

The article cites the following quantitative data:

“foreign nationals residing in the United States were named as inventors or co-inventors in one quarter of WIPO patent applications filed from the United States in 2006.”

“16.8 percent of international patent applications had an inventor or co-inventor of Chinese heritage and 13.7 percent had an inventor or co-inventor of Indian heritage. By way of comparison, ethnic Chinese and Indians collectively represent less than 3 percent of the total US population.”

“In 2006, immigrants contributed to 72 percent of the total patent filings at Qualcomm, 65 percent at Merck, and 60 percent at Cisco Systems.”

“during the 2004–2005 academic year, roughly 60 percent of engineering Ph.D. students and 40 percent of Master’s students were foreign nationals.”

“one-quarter of all technology companies in the US have at least one founder who is a Chinese or Indian immigrant.”

“in 2005, immigrant-founded tech companies generated $52 billion in revenue nationwide and employed 450,000 workers.”

“In a similar study of over 1,200 foreign national students matriculating in the US, we found that only 6 percent of Indian, 10 percent of Chinese, and 15 percent of European students said they want to stay permanently.”

“On average, these company founders had lived in the US for 14 years. The average returnee in our survey was in their mid-30s.”

Steve Chen, the co-founder of Youtube, was born in Taiwan and moved to the United States when he was 8.

Although xenophobia should be abandoned on the grounds of morality, there is a clear economic benefit in accepting globalization. However, as countries like India and China implemented policies and mounted campaigns in order to draw residents abroad back home, many immigrants who wish to stay worry about “restrictive immigration policies (that) have left roughly 1 million immigrants and their dependents in a limbo that could go on for over a decade with no promises that they will ever obtain citizenship.”

I suppose my family and I could be counted in this 1 million. I know I’m just a wee bit biased, but personally, I feel that my family and I would not be a hindrance, but a benefit to American society. American society thinks differently. (Semi-tangent: Obama mentioned immigration once in his State of the Union address, only in terms of securing national security. Apparently, immigration, especially the legal kind, is nothing of importance.)

As previously third-world countries begin the road to industrialization, America must be aware that perhaps the old ways of inclusiveness isn’t going to cause success in a globalized world. America must be welcoming of innovation and intelligence, as they can always go somewhere else, perhaps the new America of the 21st century.

There is hope though. Political unrest, governmental corruption, and pollution have been cited as factors that keep immigrants here. Plus, the federal government appears to be investing greatly in science and technology, encouraging innovation to stay. Cultural readjustment have also played it’s role in deterring emigration. But these things are merely temporary. What happens when India and China builds further infrastructure and political stability? What happens when adventure is no longer worth losing the comfort of home?

I’m not saying that after I get my Ph.D in Biochemistry, I’ll go back to China. Or that Stephen will go back to South Korea after obtaining his Engineering degree even though that seems to be his plan. Or that Josh will go back to Canada even though it’s merely a few hours away, but hey, I’m just saying (Definitely ripped that off of M. Coffee)

Question for thought

When was the last time Penn didn’t have an immigrant or the son/daughter of an immigrant as at least one of it’s valedictorians?

-Charles

P.S. In before the midnight deadline. Yes!

New Direction

So I’ve decided that immigration was too limiting to my research. My new topic will be “Learning to Embrace Globalization”. In my research, I will identify the origins of globalization, why it has occurred, it’s effects on the various facets of society including politics, religion, science, art, etc, and where it seems to be heading in the future. Big stuff, I know. I think I’ll be able to handle it.

New research will be posted as soon as I get around to it.

-Charles

An Alteration of Topic?

So I think I may have realized that I find globalization to be of much greater interest than immigration. Whenever I do research that excites me, it’s never about the logistics of immigration but always about the ever expanding global consciousness. The immigration portion of the topic feels too constricting. I know, globalization is a very big topic and doing my senior exit project on the “Effects of Globalization” will result in a massive paper and presentation. Any suggestions are welcome, especially from Mr. Coffee.

Oh dear, Langfeldt is coming over. Gotta run!

-Charles

Pale Blue Dot

I shall keep this post short and simple.

I have been a promoter of this video for quite a while now. It is a narration by Carl Sagan of his book, Pale Blue Dot.

If I had a hero, Carl Sagan would most likely be it. I’m not posting this just because it’s related to globalization, but rather, I find it to be almost a moral obligation to spread this message. Please watch, I promise it will be worth your time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmMUuR–Qvo