Effects of Globalization - the change in the way of doing things by Ruth Thuku

Since 19th century technology has rapidly changed. Technology started with the discovery of fire by the early man. Since then man has been improving his way of doing things example fire helped man keep away wild animals, keep himself warm during the night and later as means of communication.
Later man discovered precious metal like bronze that initiated trade by being used as a means of trade and as store of value it was also used for making weapons for hunting and also initiated war between human beings due to resources that began to be scarce as the population increased. This made it easier for man to acquire the items he didn’t have, man could exchange ideas and improved relationship between different inhabitants in different regions.
However, discovery of computer and its improvement throughout the period from mainframes to micro-computers has accelerated changes in technology hence improving globalization and bringing people closer to one another. Technology has improved communication from messages, smoke horn blowing, use of landlines, mobile phones and the latest is internet.
Internet has enabled e-learning which has made it easier to access higher learning from abroad without traveling outside one’s own country, this has reduced the cost traveling, maintenance and convenient since class attendance are part-time hence giving students to do other jobs as they go on with their education.
It has enabled communication throughout the world. People can now communicate with other people within the same country or in other parts of the world. This has been manifested with the interaction on facebook, twitter, 2go and other interaction channels. Also people get news about situations in the world example is the leakage of Japan’s bombs causing tsunami in the ocean and the killing of Osama Bin Laden by U.S.A troops immediately become known by the whole world within less than twelve hours.
It has led to increased competition in production of goods and services. This is because globalization has opened new markets, easy access to this markets and access of quality raw materials and cheap labor. This become an advantage to consumer as competition has led to improved quality of products and cheap prices since producers are always strive to get a wider market, increase sales and retain these customers.
Through globalization infrastructure has been improved as poor countries can now access cheap quality products to improve their infrastructure like machines and other materials to make roads. They have also helped in improved knowledge on how to make quality roads and maintain them by natives who charge lower prizes. Improved infrastructure helps a country to improve its competition due to low cost of production and ease of transport of products to the market.
Though globalization has great benefits to all people in the world it has also side effects on the world.
Through increased competition it has led to failure of small businesses which couldn’t keep up with the technology rendering many employees jobless and increasing dependency ratio, disintegration of culture and loss of values leading to increased immorality like theft, pornography, homosexuality, rape and other vices. It has also led to pollution of environment by carbon products released to the air damaging ozone layer, land degradation and water pollution that has led to chronic diseases like skin cancer.
Though there are negative effects we can conclude that the benefits out way the cost as there is improved health care increasing child survival, improved communication and manual work, making the world a global village.