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1.1 Author: Thomas L. Friedman Thomas L. Friedman • Born July 20, 1953 • Is an American political commentator and author • Served as a Foreign Affairs columnist for New York Times • Became famous for coverage of ArabIsraeli conflict • Three time Pulitzer Prize winner • Famous book: The Lexus and the Olive Tree, The Worls is Flat 1.2 The book: The world is flat First released in 2005, was later released as an updated and expanded edition in 2006, and was yet again released with additional updates in 2007 as further updated and expanded: Release 3.0. Won the inaugural Financial Times and Goldman Sachs Business Book of the Year Award in 2005.It is an international bestselling book
DYPLOMATIC ACADEY OF VIETNAM REVIEW BOOK The World is Flat Vũ Minh Phương Gmail: Student ID: KT44C-090-1721 Instructor: Hanoi, April 18th, 2019 Outline CHƯƠNG General introduction 1.1 Author: Thomas L Friedman Thomas L Friedman • Born July 20, 1953 • Is an American political commentator and author • Served as a Foreign Affairs columnist for New York Times • Became famous for coverage of Arab-Israeli conflict • Three time Pulitzer Prize winner • Famous book: The Lexus and the Olive Tree, The Worls is Flat 1.2 The book: The world is flat First released in 2005, was later released as an "updated and expanded" edition in 2006, and was yet again released with additional updates in 2007 as "further updated and expanded: Release 3.0" Won the inaugural Financial Times and Goldman Sachs Business Book of the Year Award in 2005.It is an international best-selling book CHƯƠNG The main content of the book 2.1 How the world became flat While I Was Sleeping As we are introduced to Friedman’s theory that the world is flat, we accompany him on a journey to the various locations around the globe that led him to this conclusion We start off in Bangalore, India, where he finds himself surrounded by advertisements of traditionally American companies such as Pizza Hut, Epson, HP and Texas Instruments during a round of golf Traveling with a crew from the Discovery Times channel, he encounters Indian workers and businesspeople working for American companies, speaking in American accents and even adopting American names in their own country A visit to Infosys Technologies Ltd leaves Friedman in wonder at the massive conferencing system they have created that allows people from around the globe to congregate and collaborate in one giant room via satellite and teleconferencing technology Friedman guides us through the different eras of globalization as he has defined them in an historical narrative from the days of Columbus to our present day state We see the ever increasing pace of globalization through his encounters with people such as Jaithirth “Jerry” Rao, an outsourced businessman in India, and others Through Jerry, we learn about the process of information exchange online and the effect it has on businesses to perform various duties from remote locations with everything from tax preparation to hair appointment scheduling to hospital bookings cited as examples of outsourcing As Friedman travels through Japan, China and back to America, we study various examples of the business outsourcing phenomenon and its impact, positive and negative, on the players involved Homesourcing and military outsourcing are explored as Friedman explains the sheer prevalence of outsourcing in our society The Ten Forces That Flattened the World Friedman writes extensively about what he calls the 10 Flatteners He explains that ''The world has been flattened by the convergence of ten major political events, innovations, and companies.'' These are: • Fall of the Berlin Wall - This event liberated millions of people and signaled the end of communism It also shifted much of the world from centrally planned economies to democratic free-market oriented governments • World Wide Web and the Internet - Users can now save, retrieve, send and share intellectual content electronically and instantly The internet created a platform for connectivity and the web made information sharing possible • Workflow Software - People were now able to collaborate while working remotely Users were able to design, display, manage and collaborate on projects and share data that was once handled manually and locally • Uploading - Provided free access to community developed software Computer applications were no longer 'bought' They could be downloaded for free off the web • Outsourcing - Specific functions or tasks performed in-house such as tax preparation, research or call-center operations are now performed by another company at a lower cost • Offshoring - Different from outsourcing, offshoring moves an entire operation, factory and function to a completely different location All things are equal expect for labor costs, lower taxes and subsidized energy The combined savings creates a lower cost product • Supply Chaining - Collaboration among suppliers, retailers and customers to create value during the production and distribution of a product Supply chain methodologies also forces the adoption of common industrial standards • Insourcing - Small and mid-sized companies are able to provide services to large supply chains without prohibitive expense, such as UPS fixing computers for Toshiba • Informing - Provides universal access to knowledge information and research Anyone with an internet connection can access knowledge from the world's libraries • Wireless Connectivity - Wireless access created a mobile society so work was no longer tethered to a hard-wired connection All content could now be digitized, shared remotely and reshaped The Triple Convergence Convergence I: The combination of the ten world flatteners created a new global platform This new platform allowed us to collaborate and communicate in ways in we never have before This new platform allowed us to collaborate without regard to geography, time, or distance It is interesting to see how the ten seemingly unrelated flatteners came together to create a new global platform It was as if the world was revolving right before our eyes and we did not really realize what was happening until after it was said and done Convergence II: This new platform would not be useful if we did not change the way we did business What it took business process to change, adapt and benefit from new technologies is what is Friedman refers to as “horizontalization” In globalization 3.0, we moved from a vertical chain of command to a horizontal chain of command for value creation These lead companies to focus less on chain of command and more on connection and collaboration Companies have begun to realize the advantages created by thinking horizontally and have begun to use collaboration to their advantage Convergence III: Before the flattening of the world, the global economy consisted of about 2.5 billion people The flattened world allowed another 150 million people to be added to the global connected workforce More importantly globalization is now being driven by the individual not by governmental agencies Because of the new flat world we now have access to collaboration tools and raw information As I stated in a previous post it is necessary for us to accept and adapt to this new flat world in order to be competitve In India these individual are referred to as Zippies Zippies are the Indian youth who have come to age since India shifted away from socialism Instead of trying to get a Visa to work or study in the U.S this generation has discovered they can now stay in India and be just as successful The point is clear then that the ten world flatteners have enabled Indians, Chinese, and Russians to innovate without having to emigrate The Other Convergence: The other convergence helps to explain why the triple convergence occurred and so many of us did not seem to notice it I personally believe that it takes time for the world to adjust to new trends and it is not something that can happen over night We did not miss it we were aware of it but distracted by other global events Friedman points out three smokes screens the caused us to “miss” the triple convergence The first thing he attributes to the smoke screen is dot-com burst So many people associated dot-com with globalization that when it failed we believe globalization as well I agree with him that this is ludicrous but I not think that many people associated this with globalization The other two factors attributed to the smoke screen were 9/11 and the corporate scandals This just support my theory that we were distracted by other world/economic crisis at the same time that the triple convergence occurred The Great Sorting Out Discusses the fact that as the world “flattens,” it is not only business practices that will be affected Other dilemmas are created within communities and their identities, individuals’ identities, and the role of governments He states that although the world becoming more “flat” is a good thing and will ultimately require the elimination of most inefficiencies, there are certain ones that should be kept These are the inefficiencies that allow people and nations to define their identities, such as religion, national pride, and social practices 2.2 America and the flat world America and free trade Does free trade still exist in a flat world? As he sets out to explore this dilemma, Friedman considers the banning of outsourcing, an action called for by many, to protect our country’s workers and the effect such an action would have on globalization He concludes that erecting borders and walls would be detrimental to our goals and that Americans must instead be prepared to compete on a global playing field Friedman encourages better education and training, as Americans now compete not only with other Americans, but with the most brilliant minds around the globe for positions We explore the “lump of labor” theory and new job creation in a global economy He identifies the workers that will suffer most, should they be unable to keep ahead of the globalization trend, and offers large-scale suggestions to remedy this problem Using the history of the American agricultural industry as an indicator of future trends in various industries today, he stresses the importance of an ability to adapt and specialize where there is a need We learn that fear stimulates change and that this is a good thing The Untouchables Friedman addresses a concern shared by many Americans: what we tell our kids? As the competition for jobs stiffens, how we prepare them for the increased competition? His suggestion that we must make ourselves “untouchables” is explored in detail as he identifies three broad categories of workers who will have job security in the flat world Synthesizers, explainers, leveragers, versatilists and more are identified and explained as viable career options, as well as strategies for preparing for these positions The Right Stuff In a frank discussion of the fear amongst Americans regarding competition and education, Friedman explores the “right stuff”; the educational requirements needed to survive in the flattened world and more importantly, the availability of said education in our current system Stressing the importance of self-learning and learning to learn, Friedman offers valuable advice to parents unsure of their children’s educational and professional futures He recommends building right-brain skills, or those that cannot be duplicated by a computer, and explores different vehicles to higher learning, including music Friedman examines the factors necessary to create the right environment for this learning and contemplates methods of achieving this in modern day America The Quiet Crisis An interview with Shirley Ann Jackson, 2004 President of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, demonstrates that a quiet crisis is happening slowly but surely as multiple and complex forces are at work creating the perfect storm; demographic, political, social, cultural, economic, etc., that could lead to America falling behind in innovation, science and technology This Is Not a Test Friedman stresses the importance of shoving political barriers aside in what he calls “compassionate flatism” to prepare our country for what lies ahead He questions leadership and education; who will lead us into the forefront of this new globalized economy? The necessity for lifelong learning and benefits to allow workers to remain mobile and adaptable is very real, though it seems to be at the bottom of our to-do list 2.3 Developing countries and the flat world 10The Virgin of Gualalupe We see the Chinese manufacture of statuettes of The Virgin of Guadalupe and their subsequent importation into Mexico as an example of the problem created when one developing country competes with another, as China replaced Mexico as the U.S.’s number two importer in 2003 Friedman discusses the need for developing countries to put policies in place to create the right environment for their companies and entrepreneurs to succeed in the flat world He states that countries must be brutally honest with themselves in determining their place in the world market if they are to adapt and survive A comparison of countries who have opened their borders and adopted free trade policies versus those who have not and been left behind illustrates his point 2.4 Companies and the flat world 11 How Companies Cope Friedman opines that companies willing to change and accept change are more likely to things than have things done to them In profiling Jill and Ken Greer, creators of Greer & Associates multimedia company, we learn of their experience with the rise of freelancers as their competition, as well as the fact that technology that should have simplified their operations made it more difficult by requiring more of them 2.5 Geopolitics and the flat world 12The Unflat World Friedman shares stories of the world flattening but humbly announces that he does indeed realize the world is not yet flat He wants to draw attention to the flattening and the everincreasing pace at which it is occurring Part of this understanding must come from a recognization of factors that are preventing globalization from occurring in some people 13Globalization of the Local Friedman believes that globalization serves more to enrich and preserve culture than to destroy it, as each person is given their own voice and vehicle of expression through podcasts, websites, etc 14The Dell Theory of Conflict Prevention Friedman’s theory is that two countries invested in a business together by being part of the same global supply-chain are less likely to go to war, as they are now heavily invested in the success of the business venture Any interruption to that supply chain would be critical As we reflect on the evolution of supply chains and the effect they have had on politics and the stability of countries they affect, we remember that Asia, as opposed to much of the Middle East, has become more stable because they are part of many supply chains and therefore more interested in doing good business Overall, the price of war is higher than it used to be and countries will have to consider the effect of a war on their place in the business world Friedman explores both the China-Taiwan relations and India-Pakistan as examples of how the flattening of the world and supply chain have a calming effect and cause countries to think rationally about the true cost of war, making diplomatic solution more likely 2.6 Conclusion: Imagination 1511/9 Versus 9/11 The September 11 attacks (also referred to as 9/11) were a series of four coordinated terrorist attacks by the Islamic terrorist group al-Qaeda against the United States on the morning of Tuesday, September 11, 2001 11/9 and 9/11 have had two huge competing forms of imagination, one a creative one while the other a destructive one The dismantling of the Berlin Wall on 11/9 dared to imagine an open world where everyone would be free to realize his or her full potential, while the other 9/11 dared to imagine the wrath that could be brought in this open world In today’s world where small can act big it’s not only the imagination of the leaders, but now of the people that can shape the way the world moves This new idea makes it important to stimulate positive imaginations We can see how the aim of the imagination can effect the outcome when you look at how Neeleman worked hard and used his intelligence to create a successful airline, while at the same time Khalid Sheikh Mohammed was using his imagination to scheme up a horrific set of acts to inflict hard on innocent people The attacks of 9/11 worked through a global supply chain like any other business would in the global world The ease of communication, travel, and connection made it possible for terrorists all over the world to collaborate This is what we are facing in today’s open world CHƯƠNG Comment about the book When reading "The Flat World", readers will realize that the world is "Flat" "Flat" means removing the barriers of politics along with the great progress of information technology and science and technology, helping people closer together By telling interesting and lively stories, Friedman explained clearly and very convincingly about the process of flattening the world: when the world began, how it happened, what factors flattened the world The more I read the book, I feel fascinated by extremely practical examples and extremely subtle words As I went through each page, I saw a vivid picture created from the events of the past and partly understood the causes of what I am seeing now Following, The author helps readers learn about the effects of the flat world on life and society, from its role to nations as well as political and economic division, to its role to personally, give very honest and grounded advice on how you can thrive in an increasingly flat environment He summed up a very special thing: the 21st century is the most livable, most exciting period ever, the period for young people to express their will and intellect yourself in the world Everyone can collaborate together in global supply chains to create greater value added He led readers to believe in the goodness of globalization and the process of connection To write this book, I didn't know how many places he had to go, how many people he met, how many books he read and how much time he spent studying I really admired and appreciated him When I read the last page of the book, I felt really happy because I discovered so many new things Besides, I felt a little worried and a little thoughtful: "I will need what to to be successful in this world” CHƯƠNG Contact my self and apply it practically Thomas Friedman emphasized that globalization gives us the confidence, agility and flexibility of an open world, you just need to open a computer with an internet connection, you can change whole the world With the flat world things are no longer any distance and we are being enjoyed too much benefit from the internet It is your and mine's job to ride on the wave of globalization and make the most out of the internet benefits There are millions of jobs, thousands of chances for us to become bosses, mistresses, celebrities As long as we dare to dream and fulfill that dream every day, there will surely be one day that we dream wish will come true I realize that the world today has main types of work including repetitive work and nonroutine work The repetitive work is getting narrower, there are even robots to these things, and non-routine things like lawyers and doctors So the new challenge we face is to create jobs that are not repetitive for ourselves Each person needs to create his own unique added value, only that way can exist in a world of competition today The way the world works makes us need to be aware of our position once again as part of the supply chain Globalization also has a downside When you are not strong or not ready to be strong, you will be mercilessly devoured or left with only small pieces in the bread piece of global commercial interests Currently, Vietnam has been participating in the process of globalization If young people understand the opportunities that they have in today's world, it will help greatly in understanding the country's development path and contributing to that development ... theory that we were distracted by other world/ economic crisis at the same time that the triple convergence occurred The Great Sorting Out Discusses the fact that as the world “flattens,” it is. .. more of them 2.5 Geopolitics and the flat world 1 2The Unflat World Friedman shares stories of the world flattening but humbly announces that he does indeed realize the world is not yet flat He... of the book 2.1 How the world became flat While I Was Sleeping As we are introduced to Friedman s theory that the world is flat, we accompany him on a journey to the various locations around the