The document discusses several aspects and impacts of globalization, including: 1. It provides examples of international economic integration through companies operating across borders and using resources from around the world to build industrial plants. 2. It raises issues of equality and inequality in global operations, with varied pay and conditions for managers, supervisors, and workers from different countries and regions. 3. Cultural features are disappearing with globalization, which helps communication but may threaten local cultural values and minority cultures.

1. Globalization: an introduction Arthur Hall Nümbrecht September 2011

2. thematic overview

3. integration of economies A company is formed in Germany to build an industrial plant It tenders for and gets a job in Turkey for a Turkish client Part of the plant is built by Czechs; another part is built by Slovaks The materials used are selected in quality and price balance from all around the world Is this a healthy globalization system?

4. equality and inequality Inside all of these companies there is a workforce comprised of top European engineers Managers from Turkey and Germany Supervisors from Czech and Slovakia Workers from Eastern Turkey (Anatolia) What sort of equality / inequality in payments and conditions do you expect?

5. communication Mobile phones from Samsung in South Korea Lenovo computers from China Siemens telecoms system from Germany Java from Sun Systems in America

6. brand recognition McDonalds (hamburger – America) McDonald‘s regional variations to suit local tastes – worldwide) McDonald‘s symbols recognizable everywhere

7. trade versus aid Which brings a country more: when we trade with them? when we give them aid money? What does the country need to do to turn trade or aid into a successful economy?

8. outsourcing I phone up to complain or just get information – it‘s a hotline number – I am in Gummersbach – the person I speak to could be in China, India, Singapore – anywhere… Why do companies do this and how does it make economic sense – or does it?

9. brands Some brand names have established themselves worldwide: Mercedes the dollar McDonalds Apple Which advantages and problems does this bring with it?

10. exploitation I am Indian and live in Mumbai I work a 14 hour day for a few dollars per day But I produce shoes or clothes for a world-wide brand My fellow workers in America and Europe get very much higher wages Is this fair – if not how can it be stopped?

11. growth Some countries are growing their economy very fast: India, China, Bangladesh and Vietnam are good examples Who benefits from this? Is it the ordinary workers? Why isn‘t our economy or America‘s growing like this?

12. poverty Poverty is the state of one who lacks a certain amount of material possessions or money Absolute poverty or destitution refers to being unable to afford basic human needs, which commonly includes clean and fresh water, nutrition, health care and education About 1.7 billion people are estimated to live in absolute poverty today; how can we end this?

13. environment Deforestation Water pollution Overpopulation Air pollution Global warming etc. Any ideas what to do?

14. monopoly power Examples like the Chinese state Large oil companies e.g. BP, Shell & Standard Oil What are the effects of monopolies? How can this be prevented?

15. capitalism Capitalism is the dominant method the world uses today. Is that acceptable? Are the Euro, large banking corporations and casino banking in need of change? How could we change that?

16. culture In the past, when I went to Japan or China, I experienced totally different culture patterns With globalization, cultural features are disappearing which helps communication Is it also good for the survival of local cultural values - especially minority ones?

17. free trade? Powerful blocks like Russia, China, America and the EU can determine who trades with whom and at which prices Is that helpful for the free trade idea which globalisation is supposed to develop?

18. technology and the internet Worldwide communication Speed Social networking Planned 9/11s What are the advantages and disadvantages of technology and the web?

19. shrinking world I can be in America in a few hours? My money can be in Australia in seconds Is this only positive or are there negative sides too?

20. terrorism There are various kinds of terrorism: State as in e.g. Libya, North Korea Interest group e.g. animal rights Political group e.g. Jihadists They are partly a consequence of world-wide links? What can we do to control or end them?

21. accountability In a global world of multimedia connections, fast transport, multinational companies, national and international governments Who is responsible, answerable and accountable for what? Does the individual have any power nowadays or are we helpless?

22. These have been some of the themes raised by ‚globalization‘ In pairs select one of these themes, or another approved by me. Discuss it now with your partner, and start to prepare a powerpoint presentation and handout together on that theme The pairs should all contain one person who is good at English and one who is weaker Each theme can be handled only once.

23. Thank you for listening and participating Any more questions?