For centuries, certain countries have excelled in certain areas of goods and trading. China was one of the few countries that produced silk, since the silkworm only thrived in the orient; certain spices were only grown and produced in India. Location also helped in moving products, as the European countries had the financial ability to built ships and travel to these surrounding countries. It is a different story today. Most countries can produce or import materials to make products; not longer is the location of goods limited to where their elements are grown. Location doesn’t seem to apply anymore, as Friedman pointed out when discussed the differences between Mexico and China. Ideally, one would think that Mexico would be a prime candidate for controlling cheap imports based on the fact that it is located next to the United States. The US would be a large importer of cheap Mexican goods, and in a way, is the gateway to trade throughout the world. Instead, China has become the leader in manufacturing and exporting cheap goods. This goes against all reason and logic. Friedman explains this as “intangible things”, or the ability of a society to solely focus on economic growth and to have leaders that have the drive to push for change. China has done this and has left Mexico in the dust.
The self-directed consumer is one who creates their own shopping experience. This concept has come about thanks to the internet. Before most people had easy access to the World Wide Web and before merchants started listing their wares on-line, consumers had to settle for the price of an item that was local. It was harder to compare pricing when there was not a common place where prices were listed from competing stores. Since the rise of the Internet, consumers can now shop online and compare prices of stores not only in their local city, but across the world. This allows the consumer to pay what they want, how they want, and determine how long it will take to receive the item. This has created a competitive atmosphere amongst merchants, both large and small. The customer now feels in charge of their shopping experience, which is seen as a plus for both the customer and the merchant.
The question of “Globalization meaning Americanization” is addressed in Freidman’s book. For years, many have felt that globalization meant that the world would be taken over by America; cultures would be lost to the foods and pop culture of American traditions. For a while, this seemed true, but this was due to the fact that America was one of the first cultures to attempt to instill globalization. American also had some of the richest corporations such as McDonalds and Coca-Cola that were able to open shop and sell to other countries. I noticed this trend when I visited Japan in the late 1990’s. Many of the students in Japan wanted American goods such as Levi’s. For many years, blue jeans were not common in Japan, but as America started leading the globalization revolution, the Levi’s brand became huge in countries throughout the world. There was concerned that American and western traditions were taking over the native traditions of other cultures. This has gradually slowed, and now these cultures are getting their traditions in the mix of globalization. This can be easily seen today with the Japanese culture becoming very popular in the United States. My three year old daughter knows more about Hello Kitty than Garfield, and my thirteen year old niece is a huge fan of Japanese anime. No longer are our youth attending Star Trek conventions- they are now traveling hundreds of mile to attend Anime conventions. As more countries educate themselves in the way of the Internet and on-line communications, they too will have their culture and traditions in the lime light.
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