Globalization Globalization means increasing the interdependence, connectivity and integration on a global level with respect to the social,

cultural, political, technological, economic and ecological levels of societies around the world. Unfortunately "Globalization" has become a somewhat negative term when it should not be at all. Why? Well, probably because of all the greed in the economic domain, that is nothing new however plus globalization should not be mistaken with capitalism. This page does not focus on the economic angle that goes along with globalization, but rather looks at the big picture of what globalization really is i.e. its technological, ecological, sociocultural and political opportunities next to pure economic ones.

Introduction
Our world is shrinking every day, thanks to more trade between nations and faster and easier travel. The smaller the world gets, the bigger the repercussions of globalization seem to be. So, is this a good or a bad thing? Read on... I, a cosmopolitan, I like science, fiction is fun to me and entertains me. So, of course I like science fiction movies. What do they have in common with globalization? Well, if we take Starship Enterprise for example, what is presented there is the strong notion of unity and believe in one another the optimists among us call this teamspirit ;-] It does not matter whether you are young or old, male or female, human or Vulcan, straight or gay, tall or short, skinny or fat or all the shades in between... I think those are the opportunities globalization brings us... unity, peace and prosperity. It might not happen during the next three or so years, not everywhere and not for everybody, but in general, I think that is what we will see for the majority of people in a few decades from now something that just is not the case right now and thus needs to improve.

Effects and Changes

If we talk about globalization we are also interested in effects and and changes caused by globalization, something this subsection takes a closer look at. Migration Only a few decades ago, traveling abroad from the Indian subcontinent was so rare that the adventurous traveler's entire family would accompany him to the airport along with much pomp and circumstance, including occasionally a brass band, to bid him farewell. Today, people think nothing of having breakfast on one continent and dinner on another. And many people go abroad to work, either permanently or temporarily. The money they send home helps their families and boosts their home country's economy. On the other hand, greater international labor mobility increases risk of brain drain. But several developing economies are attracting their educated citizens back by creating good business environments for people to use their entrepreneurship.

Trade Trade drives globalization. Modern transportation and telecommunications have made it easier to export to and import from far-away places. But international rules, regulations, and practices can still make it difficult for developing countries to compete against developed countries. For example, there is the problem of Dumping. For instance, some manufacturers dump goods in other countries at prices lower than the goods can be manufactured, undercutting local producers. One example occurs when farmers who receive subsidies export surplus crops and drive down international prices Then there is the problem with Market Access and Regional Trade Agreements. Countries often try to protect their industries by imposing taxes on goods from other countries. These import tariffs make imported goods cost more and make it harder for poor countries to compete in richer markets. RTAs (Regional Trade Agreements) are transnational trade deals, and are becoming increasingly widespread. A regional free trade agreement removes all barriers to trade. Unfortunately, when these agreements happen between developed and developing nations, they often do not benefit the weaker economy. Poorer countries can not develop their own industries with cheap imports from rich economies entering their markets. To ultimately reduce poverty, international trade negotiations need to uphold the interests of developing economies. We also see issues with Labor Rights. Globalization has brought millions of people into the workforce and raised living standards in developing countries. But some believe it has undermined labor standards in developed countries/regions like for example Europe and the USA, and increased pressure to work faster, longer or for less money. Overall, global trade has grown dramatically over the past three decades, and developing countries have now become important players in the global marketplace. Their share of world trade has increased greatly over the past 30 years. For example, China's share of the global marketplace has risen to 5% in 2010, that is three times as much as it was in the mid-1980s. India and several Latin American countries seem ready to make similar jumps in global trade. Health Globalization has had dramatic effects on health. Treatments for diseases such as HIV/AIDS are more widely available, and their prices have fallen thanks to international agreements. Modern medical equipment to detect, measure and treat known and emerging diseases is being used all over the world. The Internet with its many tools and applications, the WWW (Wold Wide Web) and email amongst the most widely used and popular, spread knowledge of health issues, while global action among national institutes, international bodies, and civil society is helping to increase awareness, monitor developments and create solutions to health problems.

On the other hand, cross border travel more easily spreads AIDS, SARS, and other infectious diseases, and could hasten a pandemic. The movement of meat and poultry products spreads diseases such as mad cow disease and avian influenza, especially in countries where regulations are weak and food standards are poorly enforced. Globalization also means that harmful products, such as cigarettes and alcohol, can wreak devastating consequences worldwide. The movement of qualified health professionals from developing to developed countries has weakened the health systems of some developing countries, which now face shortages of qualified health providers. Environment It is said that the movement of a butterfly's wings can create atmospheric changes that could cause a hurricane at the other end of the world. Sure, this is all mathematical and/or philosophical theory but did you know that brown tree snakes from Australia are causing power outages in Guam on a regular. Ha! International travel, trade and transport have become leading causes of invasive alien species. While many of the species that reach new lands do not survive in their new environments, others thrive. Left unchecked, they can transform entire ecosystems and even threaten other species to the point of extinction. Globally, the estimated costs of invasive alien species are in the area of $350 billion USD they say... it is probably three times that, but who knows. That is for another story. Globalization is linked to the environment in many other ways as well. Strict environmental regulations in some countries lead corporations to move their operations to countries with less stringent rules, something that has been common in the financial sector for a very long time already and has to do with OFCs (Offshore Financial Centres). In other cases, free trade agreements prevent governments from adopting legislation to protect the environment. Destroying forests to produce timber and crops for consumers in other countries is another example. Climate change, of course, is a big issue associated with globalization, as it affects everyone, and it is in every country's interest to combat the threat it poses. Culture Thanks to globalization, we know much more about other cultures today than people did in the past. It has opened our minds to other ideas and traditions, and has made this a very exciting time for our generation and those to come. However, many argue that today globalization merely equals westernization and will soon be replaced by sinicization this might take generations though... Some fear losing their values and languages to external influences and are threatened by the influence of other cultures on their own. Miscellaneous Other effects and changes caused by globalization are

enhancement in the information flow between geographically remote locations the global common market has a freedom of exchange of goods and capital there is a broad access to a range of goods for consumers and companies worldwide production markets emerge free circulation of people of different nations leads to social benefits global environmental problems like cross-boundary pollution, overfishing on oceans, climate changes are solved by discussions more transborder data flow using communication satellites, the Internet, wireless telephones etc. international criminal courts and international justice movements are launched the standards applied globally like patents, copyright laws and world trade agreements increase corporate, national and subnational borrowers have better access to external finance worldwide financial markets emerge multiculturalism spreads as there is individual access to cultural diversity but at the same time this diversity decreases due to hybridization or assimilation international travel and tourism increases worldwide sporting events like the Olympic Games and the FIFA World Cup are held enhancement in worldwide fads and pop culture local consumer products are exported to other countries immigration between countries increases cross-cultural contacts grow and cultural diffusion takes place there is an increase in the desire to use foreign ideas and products, adopt new practices and technologies and be a part of world culture free trade zones are formed having less or no tariffs due to development of containerization for ocean shipping, the transportation costs are reduced subsidies for local businesses decrease capital controls reduce or vanquish there is supranational recognition of intellectual property restrictions i.e. patents authorized by one country are recognized in another