Module 8

            My first semester in college after being out of school for twenty-six years was an eye-opening experience.  I took an anthropology class as one of my first classes.  Once I started reading the material that was required, I found it to be very intriguing.  What I also discovered was that there was so much information and terminology in the required text book that I did not understand.  There were topics that were not clear to me.  I pondered as to how to go about researching the information so that I could make sense of what I was reading.  I was thinking about the possibility of going to the library, the old school way of research, but then remembered that I had the internet readily available.  That is when I went to my laptop, opened the internet browser and began to research the topics that I needed clarification on.  Within seconds information on the subject matter came up, giving me many web sites to choose from.  I was able to review several web sites and clear up the questions that I had.

            Thinking back to when I was in school as a teenager and what our source for preparing our papers were.  Our medium was pen and paper or, if you were lucky, a typewriter.  I am amazed every time I think about it and how my school papers are prepared now.  There is so much information at our fingertips today.  Not having to go to the library to research the topic for the paper is a big time savings.  The resources on the internet are also larger and easier to research than going to the local library.  The library, depending on its funding, may not have particular books on their shelves that you need to complete your research.  Using the internet gives the person the ability to search many different sources in a short period of time.  I enjoy the ease of searching for information on the internet as it has drastically changed the way I researched the information for my papers.

            The computer has also changed the way the papers are prepared.  Preparation of school papers has gone from being hand-written and turned in to the teacher/professor to being typed on the computer using software programs such as Microsoft Word and emailed directly to the teacher/professor.  Preparing the papers using the computer has also cut down the time it takes to prepare the paper.  I have developed typing skills and I can type twice as fast as I can write.  By using the computer for preparation of these documents an electronic copy of the paper can be kept instead of storing the actual paper. 

            The computer has been a positive and welcome change to the way that my school papers are prepared.  Researching information with the internet has made the process of preparing the papers much easier.  There is so much information at our fingertips that the research can be completed in a more expeditious manner.  The use of computer software to prepare the papers has also increased the speed with which I am able to prepare my school papers.  The advances that have been made with computers are mind boggling to me.  A computer that I bought five years ago is obsolete and slow compared to what is being produced today.  The ability to surf the internet and gather information from the comfort of your own home is also a luxury that I quite enjoy.

Module Seven

            Comparative advantage is having the ability to produce an item at a much lower cost than anyone else.  The country/region that have well educated workforce, laborers with strong work ethics, lower taxes and offer incentives to potential customers are the most successful.  It is not just about the cheap labor anymore.  It is more about the quality and price.  The consumer is demanding a higher quality product for a much lower cost.  In order for a country/region to be able to provide this, it needs to take a close look at its way of conducting business.  According to Friedman, the country/region, its people and government need to engage in brutally honest introspection.  They need to determine to what extent they are taking advantage of the flat world in order to become more competitive. 

Successful businesses need to engage not only in wholesale reform but retail reform.  Friedman states that a country needs to focus on four basic things to develop, which are having the right infrastructure such as cheap internet, mobile phones, airports and roads.  The right educational system to get their people innovating and collaborating.  The right governance – a quality bureaucracy to channel, govern, and enhance the creative energies of a country.  The right environment – preserving the green spaces to attract the knowledge workers.  They need to adopt more market-friendly macroeconomic policies according to Friedman.  A country also needs to address retail reform as well.  The country needs to make it simple for a company to conduct business in order for them to be competitive in a flat world. 

Self-directed consumers, according to Friedman, are those that serve themselves in their own way, at their own pace, in their own time, according to their own tastes.  Consumers have learned that they can now control how they purchase items, from whom they purchase those items and the cost of those items.  The consumer has essentially now become the employee of the company they are seeking to purchase an item from and is paying that company for their products.  Businesses are having to change the way they do business in that they need to act like a small business and let the consumer believe that their product is being tailored from their needs and giving the consumer more options.  The consumer is now looking for the one-stop shopping experience.  They are looking for web sites that offer more than just one services. 

Being in control of how you are purchasing an item and at what price is a very addictive feeling.  The empowerment that you feel is very gratifying.  I have not fully grasp the idea of the self-directed consumer as of yet.  I am slow on the take-off, but I am getting there.  I have learned that I can have my bank pay my bills for me when I tell them to and I don’t have to worry about them.  This is an amazing discovery for me being a single mom who doesn’t have time to sit and write out checks for all the bills that I need to pay.  I love to sit down at my computer enter the bill to be paid and what date it is to be paid on  and leave it up to the bank to take care of sending it off.  The advancements in customer care and/or customer control are fantastic and give the consumer a feeling that they are in control of some aspect of their lives.

As globalization continues to grow, the perception that globalization is Americanization will diminish.  There are currently American made or produced items across the world such as McDonalds in Japan or being able to buy Coca-Cola products in many areas of the world.  This could lead to the misconception that globalization is Americanization.  I agree with Friedman in that there will come a day where the influence of other countries will be just as strong world-wide as America.  America had the advantage in that we were able to get a quick start, but as the other countries continue to develop and embrace globalization their cultures, songs, opinions, etc. will be known world-wide.

Module Six

            Free trade is the ability to freely trade goods and services with other countries without the intervention of the government. This gives American’s as well as other countries the opportunity to trade goods and services which would otherwise cost more if their country produced it.  It also increases the profit margins of the businesses involved.  Free trade may cause the loss of some jobs in America and abroad; however, the benefits of free trade outweigh the cost in loss of jobs.  The loss of jobs in one area can be made up in another area.  There needs to be a different way of viewing what possible employment opportunities are out there and the individuals need to be flexible in what is chosen as a career. 

            Free trade can give not only the American entrepreneur the opportunity to build successful business, but provide better opportunities for businesses in other countries.  I think that free trade is extremely important to America and other countries.  It gives everyone world-wide the opportunity to grow and succeed.  I think that sometimes Americans believe that they are entitled to certain privileges just because they live in America.  It is a privilege to live in America, but we cannot sit back and expect things to be handed to us and not have to put forth any effort.  Americans will be left behind if the attitude that I deserve this just because I live here is not changed.  There are many people in other countries fighting to come here for the opportunity to work.  They have the strong desire to work and will do what it takes to get the job.   I understand that a lot of people believe that free trade is ruining America and we need to buy more American products.  If there are ways to have items produced at a much lower cost why not purchase those products and gain a profit?   There are products that other countries produce that cost much less than if it were produced in America.  There are products that America produces at a much lower cost than other countries are able to produce it and this is where free trade comes in and gives the businesses the opportunity to make a profit.  There are advantages to items being produced at a much lower cost and Americans should not be afraid of the idea of free trade.  The false perception that Americans will go under if free trade continues is simply not true.    

            According to Freidman the new middler is someone who is not afraid to learn a new skill and develop that skill.  They have a passion for their work and curiosity that drives them to improve on an idea.  They are adaptable to various situations and hunger for something new.  They are led by ambition and a drive to know how something works and how to improve on it.  They have the ability to stay one step ahead of the latest computer improvements that are eliminating jobs.  The new middler can design a program that makes other individuals work faster and smarter.  They are able to continually design programs that make them untouchable. 

            The new middler has the ability to explain a product to a potential customer in a way that the potential customer can see that the product will benefit them and provide a profit to their business.  They have the ability to collaborate with others both inside their business and outside of their business to increase both profits and efficiency.  They have the ability to manage a highly efficient supply chain and maintain that efficiency.  The new middler also needs to be able to navigate the Web and use proper judgment in discerning the accuracy of the information needed among all the information that is on the Web.  The new middler is not afraid of change but welcomes it and has the drive to learn new skills.

            CQ+PQ>IQ, is curiosity quotient plus passion quotient is greater than intelligent quotient.  Employers find it far more profitable for them to hire an individual who has a higher curiosity and greater passion for what they are doing.  A person with the higher intelligence quotient is still important, but not nearly as profitable to a company, most times they do not have the passion and curiosity that is needed.  The individuals with the passion and curiosity seem to be more productive and are able expand their knowledge in many areas.  They will delve deeper into a situation and discover what works, what does not and what they can do to improve on it.  They thirst for knowledge and are not afraid to do what it takes to discover new and better opportunities.  These individuals are highly motivated and have a very strong desire to succeed.  These individuals are very valuable to a business and usually provide greater profits for a business.

            In this day and age an individual is able to take their curiosity to a much higher level as the tools they have at their fingertips are much greater.  The Web provides the individual with tools needed to gather information and discover new possibilities.  The curious individual is able to grow and learn at a much faster rate and with a deeper knowledge.  They are apt to keep themselves untouchable as they have the ability to adapt to new situations. 

            Free trade is a valuable tool in today’s flat world.  A business can increase its profit margin and allow better opportunities for other less fortunate countries by the use of free trade.  I think that those who grasp on to the idea of free trade will benefit most from it.  With all of the technology available the new middler is required to constantly change and grow in new ways in order to become the untouchable employee.  They need to stay on top of their game to avoid being replaced by computers.  They need to possess a strong passion for what they are doing with the curiosity to push them along. 

Module Five

There are three parts to Friendman’s triple convergence, the first part being when computers started performing duties that a human being used to perform. Around the year 2000 is when the first part of the convergence began to take effect. Businesses and individuals began developing skills to produce items more quickly and more efficiently. A person can now reserve a seat on his/her airline flight in the comfort of their own home with a computer instead arriving at the airport early to stand in line and be greeted by a ticket agent. As Friedman said, you, the individual are paying the airlines to be their employee. The consumer is now performing duties, using a computer, that a human being used to perform.

The second part Friedman’s triple convergence is the merger of the new playing field for doing business and the new ways of doing business. The use of computers to make our daily lives easier has opened up new opportunities world-wide. Companies are able to complete daily work in a much cheaper and expeditious manner. The work is now being done by computer programs instead of being complete by the individual. Businesses in the United States are able to employ workers from another country to perform the same duties as Americans at a much lower cost.

The third part of the triple convergence is China, India and the former Soviet Union emerging onto the playing field. The final part has given people around the world opportunities to play, connect, collaborate and create with people in a cost effective and powerful way. With the emergence of these three countries, the playing field became much more flat. Businesses now have the opportunity to collaborate with other businesses in other countries to produce an item at a much lower cost in a more equitable manner.

The triple convergence has made it possible for businesses to tap into a larger pool of highly skilled workers from all over the world. The cost of labor in a foreign country is much cheaper and the skill level of those workers remains high. Businesses are able to gain more profits here in the United Sates while giving workers in another country the ability to earn a good wage without having to leave their country. This type of business practices supports the progress of both countries.

In the India versus Indiana, it is my opinion that the exploiter is Gov. Joe Kernan and the exploited are the people of Indiana and India. The State of Indiana had the perfect opportunity to have a better computer system at a much lower cost, saving the taxpayers of Indiana a substantial amount of money. The fear that America is going to be taken over by another country ruled what was decided in this case. Fear of the unknown drives man to extreme lengths and this story is perfect example of that. There were obvious advantages for people in both of the countries to gain from the contract being fulfilled. Instead the politician took the information and distorted the end result and used it as a basis for his campaign to gain his seat in government. The politician immediately began to destroy the contract that was entered into with the company from India. He used this stage to strike fear in his constituent’s heart for his own personal gain. The possibilities that could have come from the collaboration with India were overlooked. The Engineers from Indiana had an opportunity learn from the engineers in India and vice versa. It could have been a win-win opportunity.

Intellectual property is a creation of the mind or invention such as computer software, music, and art. Intellectual property is the basis for the world as we know it. The computer and its programs are the foundation for businesses today. Without the inventions/ideas of the individual or intellectual property businesses would not be as prosperous as they are today. It gives businesses the ability to collaborate with people across the world to achieve a similar goal.

The ability for businesses to communicate and collaborate across the world was the result of the triple convergence. Allowing business to grow and earn profits like never before. Inventions being created and expanded upon to create a more competitive arena for businesses.