Globalization Has Had Positive Impacts On Most Workers In The Third World - Essay Example

? OVERALL, GLOBALIZATION HAS HAD POSITIVE IMPACTS ON MOST WORKERS IN THE THIRD WORLD. DISCUSS. By Lecturer: of Affiliation: City and State: Date: Abstract This essay will discuss the issue of globalization and the impacts it has had on workers in the third world. The key term will be defined and the background information provided. This will reveal the way globalization has become the centre of study and the way it has contributed to varied aspects across the globe. The brief history of globalization will be briefly examined beginning from the first phase to the last phase of globalization, whereby the research will argue on both sides by presenting the positive impacts of globalization and also arguing against these positive impacts. Lastly, the conclusion par will offer the summary of what the researcher discussed and the conclusion will put the stand by revealing the extent in which globalization has benefited workers in the third world economies. Globalization Has Had Positive Impacts On Most Workers In The Third World. Discuss. Introduction Globilisation is interaction process and integration of varied aspects driven by the global trade, which is also supported by information technology. It is the process that affects everyone across the globe and it is results due to technology expansion across the sphere. The process of globalization contributes to varied changes on the environment, political system, cultured and economic growth in diverse communities across the globe. Globilisation has contributed to the transformation of the society in varied aspects and it has created a global village through interaction process. Globilisation is perceived as significant because many countries including the third world nations have progressed in terms of economic growth because of global trade. However, globalization is a widely used term employed by academia; thus it is charged differently because this concept varies across disciplines. Those who believe that globalization is a magical, which is transforming the globe offer strong arguments for supporting the positive impacts of globalization. Consequently, those against it also offer strong arguments for supporting the negative impact of globalization; hence both arguments have led to confusion. Although globalization has contributed to increased environmental consequences and widened the wage gap, it has contributed to the high demand for employment opportunities, increased competition and cultural diversity; thereby, creating instantaneous changes within the social structures of many cultural societies. History of Globilisation Globilisation can be traced back to the historical process, which began during the immigration of people from Africa to other parts of the globe. The migration process of merchants and labor force across the borders contributed to new changes including the new ideas, cultural diversity and new products. The first phase of globalization began in the 16th century during the pre-modern period where there were some improvements in maritime technologies (Lindio-McGovern and Wallimann (2009, p. 123). This period contributed to varied changes including maritime exploration, discovery, and centralization tendencies associated with monarchies and development of modern states. The second stage of globalization started on the late of 18th century, and this phase was marked by extensive Industrial Revolution. This was the time when human technology began flourishing, productivity increased and the consumption level for commodities increased. Globalization increased in 19th century and major developments were experienced in all sectors across the globe. The economic growth in many countries started expanding in the mid 1980s and the earlier 20th century. The modern globalization is the latest age of globalization that began in late 19th century throughout the 20th century; thus this period can be marked with rapid industrialization that allowed cheap production and labor force (Roberts and Hite 2007, p. 56). The globalization the 20th century has been characterized by increased global trade and mass production of commodities from multinational companies; this contributing to increased investments. Globilisation and its Effect on the Workforce in the Third World The expansion of trade, migration, capital or investment flows, effective communication and international business activities have contributed to major developmental changes. The world has become industrialized with varied changes taking place due to increased world trade whereby many companies in the developing nations have expanded their business into the international markets. This is vital because it has contributed to increased employment level in third world countries; thereby reducing poverty levels. Many scholars have attempted to raise the argument that globalization contributes to diverse impacts on most employees in the third world nations (Roberts and Hite 2007, p. 71). However, many significant questions have been raised not only about the past aspects of globalization but also the future workforce trends in the third world economies. Therefore, the issue of globalization and its impacts on the workforce have been debated whereby varied opinions have been raised on both sides. Positive Impacts of Globilisation on the Workforce The research study offer varied arguments regarding the aspects of globalization and the associated positive impacts that it has contributed to the third world economies. First, globalization has had impacts on production and the real incomes on labor force as a whole; the economists argue that free trade has been one of the effective aspects that has contributed to increased employment opportunities for many people across the third world nations; thereby raising their real income levels (Panchal (2006, p. 56). Many have realized the significant of specializing in production process in order to achieve a competitive advantage because the benefits accumulate to all trading associates; this means that the free trade and the capital and investments flows at the international level have widen the competition in the individual state level. The expansion of competition to the global sphere widens the scope increasing the distributed efficiency; thereby contributing to effective business performance. The benefits of this to employee are the increased real income or wages at varied working organisations. Secondly, globalization has contributed to changes in incomes as companies have increasingly found access to international markets that offer outsourcing. Therefore, wages or income has tremendously changed for most workers in the third world nation; hence enabling them to improve their standards of living. Companies have realized the benefits of outsourcing and this has not only benefited the firm but also workers. The contemporary economic conditions have forced firms to employ effective strategies that can enable them to reduce costs and increase operational efficiency. The benefits of employees in outsourcing includes time saving, risk reductions and it allows workforce to focus on way they do best in the business process. Moreover, the current world demands employees with high and innovative skills, as well as qualified personnel in order to meet the objectives of the company effectively. This is because the increased technology advancement that keeps on changing requires people with highly and qualified training skills to handle work effectively in the ever changing technology environment. Moreover, offshore sourcing of commodities has been inevitable because of globalization; thus companies are avoiding wage payment, health and safety, as well as, environmental policies developed by the first world nations. Environmental issues have been the major concerning aspects in the working conditions; thus the international policies have been developed in order to protect employees from harmful and unhealthy working conditions. Many developing nations are now able to outsource their activities in order to avoid consequences or resource depletion and environmental pollution. This is vital because it is among the varied ways that companies in developing nations employ in order to reduce environmental problems that can create adverse impact in the society. Harris (2012, p. 45) argues that global environmental issues that have risen due to increased industrial activities; thus a call for strict environmental policies. The implementation of global environmental policies have enabled many developing nations to reduce pollution and achieve greener production policies in production process, this is crucial because this policies have enabled corporate leaders to safeguard the environmental by ensuring health and safety standards in the work places are highly maintained. Globilisation has enabled companies to create a ventilated work environment and technology equipment employed in the work places. This equipment has been used in handling hazardous commodities; thus contributing to reduction of work related injuries while increasing the production rates. Carter (2007, p. 79) argue that corporations should consider hiring temporary workforce or part-time employees in order to increase productivity. This is crucial because it will enable the company to increase their production without enforcing permanent employees to work for long hours; thus, achieving a competitive advantage. Temporary employees can relieve the pressure from working full time; thus contributing to healthier working conditions in the working environment. The economic reform policies imposed on the third world nations with an aim of generating economic growth have had positive impact on majority of workers especially women in urban areas. Gender-neutral policies have been employed to benefit both men and women in the work places. Influenced and shaped by gender, race, class and cultural perceptions by western nations, issues of discrimination against color and gender aspects especially discrimination against women have significantly reduced. Berkhout, Leach and Scoones 2003, p. 91) argue that ethnicity and gender in development are among the key aspects of understanding the role of women in the history of economic development. Racial or ethnicity has operated together with gender and class; thus given the gender roles in the society, gender-neutral policies will create positive or negative impact to both men and women differently. In addition, worldwide labor policies and human rights seem to offer a guarantee for protecting women against all havoc of globalization in the third world nations. The labor force acts and human rights have achieved the predominance aspects in the recognition, protection and promotion of human rights for women. These policies have protected women in the workplaces against sexual harassments from male counterparts and protection against poor payment or income inequalities. Women have been for a long time been not only discriminated but also ill-treated across working organisation but thanks to the international human right policies. These policies are a result of globalization; thus women are nowadays able to get better access to education and equal pay in the work place. Globilisation has contributed to increased cultural diversity; thus companies in the third world nations have been able to deal with varied cultural diversities within the workforce. Many companies have been able to learn and communicate effectively across diverse cultures, as well as, adopt new regulations foe employees. The increased cultural diversity has also provided varied benefits as corporate gain new insights into diverse cultures from management to marketing aspects. Although female workforce in the third world nations is based on formal labor and informal-sector of production, cultural diversity has broken these cultural norms. Cultural diversity has contributed to new changes and women international policies developed to protect their rights have enabled them to develop a sense of empowerment. Lindio-McGovern and Wallimann (2009) point out that globalization has contributed to the high demand of employment opportunities for women in the developing nations; thereby, creating instantaneous change within the social structure of many cultural societies. Many developing nations still adhere to strict cultural perception about the role and the position of women in the society. For instance, in many African nations, the position of a woman is viewed as being in kitchen and doing other jobs such as nursing, teaching and other household core jobs. Women could not be allowed to contest for parliamentary seat or join politics and perform other major jobs such as engineering but globalization has significantly broken these cultural norms. Therefore, globalization has created change and now women are able to participate in politics or take any roles similar to male counterparts. This is vital because it as significantly helped women to reduce poverty because many of them are being impacted by poverty issues. It is through globalization that women have become educated and many of them are now able to offer support to their family and become independent, as well as, contribute to economic development of the nation. Negative Impacts Although globalization has had positive impacts on most workers in the third world economies, there have been also varied negative impacts associated with globalization aspects. Globilisation has created a tremendous impact on the lives of many women in the third world nations for the past two decades; the research study reveals that, with the establishment of free trade policies, transnational companies are using the profit motives to guide their industries towards developing nations in search for cheap female workforce. Many companies prefer female labor force over male labor force because they consider women as compliant workers who are willing to obey production demands at any price (Gangopadhyay and Chatterji 2005, p. 67). For instance, certain jobs such as fabric and textile assembly work are considered an extension of women household jobs in many developing nations. This can also be viewed from cultural perspectives which are dominant in the third work nations; hence cultural influences in the work places tend to impact employment stratification. Capitalist competition among diverse companies has sparked their interest for cheap labor overseas, which enables them to gain higher revenues from cheaper production costs, and despite the increased employment levels due to industrialization, capitalist competition has contributed to varied problems especially in terms of payment (Rahman 2013, p. 102). The poor continues to be poor because the rich want also to be rich; thus the reason behind the slow economic growth in the third world nations. Companies are required to pay workforce at least minimum wage, but this varies across the states. Wages earned in export firms are usually higher than those in farm labor and domestic firms; the huge income inequalities or variations between developed nations and developing nations have contributed to brain drain. This is because many skilled and well educated people in developing nations have migrated to developed nations in search for greener pastures; thus a term known as brain-drain. This is a great impact and loss to the developing nations because many of them are a gain forced to higher expatriates who can manage knowledge in the ever changing technology world. Moreover, globalization has had a negative impact on employment level because of the use of technology in the workplace, which makes work easier; hence replacing human labor. The use of technology has become common in many workplaces because technology enables companies to perform multiple work faster; thus the use of technology tools have replaced human labor. This has contributed to increased unemployment level because many employees have been retrenched. It has also contributed to increased competition level in workplaces because technology demands people with high technological skills to operate some of the sophisticated machines. Moreover, some of the multinational companies have realized that inhabitants of third world nations are living under poverty conditions and are desperate for job opportunities; therefore, this has made multinational corporate managers to place their own profit and growth ahead of the needs of their host economies. Instead of bringing their production firms to economies that demand most economic aid, corporations are merely concerned with which nation can allow them to maximize profits at cheap labor and from cheap resources. Although economists denies that globalization has had negative impacts on the third world countries, very often investments in developing nations are a consequence of relocations from developed economies (Adams, 2009). Local producers cannot compete with multinational companies, which offer low prices because many of them enjoy the economies of scale. They have also adverse consequences not only to consumers but also to labor force. The unrestricted entries of foreign products have been proved disastrous the local indigenous commodities. The numbers of people living under poverty level continue to increase because many of them produce indigenous commodities such as small sale farmers. This is because they are unable to compete with multinational companies, which offer innovative commodities in the marketplace; thus the consumption level for local products reduces. This impacts their income level; thus leaving many local people dissatisfied and unable to generate better and higher income because of high competition in the market. Globilisation has also contributed to increased environmental degradation and this result due to increased pollution and emission of gaseous substances from varied industries. This has posed threat not only to workers working in such environmental places but also creating environmental consequences to the surrounding communities. Industrialization has contributed to global problems including climatic changes and increased diseases due a lot of poisonous gaseous emission from industries. For instance, most workers in developing nation work under poor environmental conditions and some of them work without effective protection equipments. This has contributed to increased health problems and some of employees have ended up developing health complications while many have lost their lives in the line of duty. Therefore, there is need for increased and strict environmental policies, as well as, the need for companies to in employ greener production strategies in order to achieve environmental sustainability. The research study indicates that globalization has significantly increased the amount of economic activities taking place across national boundaries, however, this has had huge impact on the lives of labor force and other communities everywhere. This is because the current globalization with diverse international policies and regulations underpinning it has contributed to increased hardships and poverty to millions of employees particularly those in the third world economies. The policy consequences have been diverse; thereby impacting the third world nations; for instance, Chile attempted to employ sustained economic growth, but instead this ended up widening inequalities in many societies. Many developing nations have criticized the globalization aspects but basing on political and cultural traits rather than on business aspects. Khor and Third World Network. (2001, p. 121) globalization has left many people in third world nation in dilemma; thus it has been considered as the crisis of sustainable development. This is because of the costs associated with an attempt to achieving sustainable development; thus third world countries are still lagging behind because of globalizations issues. For instance, the capital owners transfer capital not only for creating markets but also for low cost labor, and the product markets sometimes fails to match with the needs of the respective economies. Conclusion In conclusion, although globalization has contributed to increased environmental consequences and widened the wage gap, it has contributed to the high demand for employment opportunities, increased competition and cultural diversity; thereby, creating instantaneous changes within the social structures of many cultural societies. Therefore, to a larger extent, globalization has had impacts on the third world countries and many of them are positive impacts, which have contributed to economic growth in many of the third world nations. Developing nations have benefited from globalization because of increased employment opportunities and many of them are able to compete favorably with their competitors. It has also promoted free trade and increased cultural diversity, as well as, changes in income levels has companies have increasingly found access to international markets that offer outsourcing. However, to a smaller extent, globalization have contributed to increased environmental degradation, created capitalist society, widened income inequalities and increased poverty levels as capital flows are repatriated to the companies investing in developing nations. Bibliography Adams, W.M. (2009). Green development: environment and sustainability in a developing World, 3rd edition. London: Routledge. Berkhout, F., Leach, M., & Scoones, I. (2003). Negotiating environmental change: New perspectives from social science. Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar. Carter, N. (2007). The politics of the environment: Ideas, activism, policy. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Gangopadhyay, P., & Chatterji, M. (2005). Economics of globalisation. Aldershot, Hants, England: Ashgate. Harris, F. (2012). Global environmental issues. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley-Blackwell. Khor, K. P., & Third World Network. (2001). Globalisation & the crisis of sustainable development. Penang, Malaysia: Third World Network. Lindio-McGovern, L., & Wallimann, I. (2009). Globalization and third world women: Exploitation, coping and resistance. Farnham, England: Ashgate Pub. Rahman, M. (2013). Impact of Globalization on Rural Development. GRIN Verlag, Panchal, R. K. (2006). Globalization, its impact on rural development. New Delhi: Sumit Enterprises. Roberts, J. T., & Hite, A. (2007). The globalization and development reader: Perspectives on development and global change. Malden, Mass: Blackwell Pub. Read More