Globilization
By Seth Aumann, D period
What is it?
Globalization is the exchange of ideas and products throughout the world resulting in better communication and overall relations throughout the world.
Essential to the way we live life
My product: The Swiss Army Knife
- The Swiss Army knife is an iconic tool for millions of people, but it starts as elements within the earth. Miners and others likely from China Or the EU gather the necessary resources and send them away to be processed into stainless steel and plastic. The materials are shipped to the factory in Switzerland in huge coils where they are cut into the tools and stregthened to the quality standards to go onto the iconic multi tool and the plastic goes onto the red casing. The tools are manufactored with the upmost care for quality and aesthetic appeal. Victorinox then exports the knives all over the world, with the biggest market In the United States. They are distributed to thousands of stores (in my case Bass Pro) where the consumer buys them and uses them for whatever they need it for.
Pros and Cons of globalilization and geography
Connects distant people
More education opportunities
More healthy population
People can get distant products easily
More diverse all together
Ideas are constantly transferred
More amusement opportunities
Kept up to date with world
Can travel anywhere in hours
Cons:
People rely on technology
People do not try in school because they can look it up
Pollution grows as technology innovates
Environmental resources are draining
People are pushed into conflict
people are forced to work for nearly nothing
Companies outsource jobs damaging economies
Can be used for anti productive things like cyber attacks
Cultural globilization
Cultural Globalization is the sharing of ideas, traditions, and values throughout the world that allows for stronger connections. Cultural globalization brings the world together and forms how countries communicate.
My claim is Cultural Globalization effects why and where my product is made. It effects why because it was originally made for military life and use, and military life is essentially a culture. This means the product is and always be meant for military use so it will always be multiuse and compact. It effects where because the maker of the first knives was from Switzerland so they've kept them made in Switzerland ever since. His culture and life decided the manufacturing location.
Technological Globilization
Technological Globalization is the sharing of knowledge, products, and methods of communication throughout the planet. In today's world everything we do uses technology, even the computer you're reading this on. Essentially without technology globalization the world would be nearly at a standstill.
My claim is without technology I would not have my trusty tool. Tech allows for the raw materials to be made into stainless steel and plastic. It is used to get the material to the factory and it s used to construct the knife itself. Without technological globalization most of our daily routine would not happen.
Economic Globilization
Economic Globalization is the growing and connection of world economies. The world today relies on this type. Trade, stock exchange, money and more are all part of this. Countries give materials and resources to countries that don't have them so they can continue to operate and in return those countries give materials the others lack. This is importation an exportation. When countries tax, when people purchase things, are all contributions of Economic Globalization.
My claim is the type of globalization plays a giant role in my product. When Victorinox employs people and they get paid and go out and buy things, when they purchase supplies money goes to the supplier to continue working, and when they export their products money goes to them and they can continue to do their functions. These are some of their co contributions to this.
Environmental Globilization
Environmental Globalization is the idea of enhancing the world and preserving it. People work collaboratively to stop pollution, recycle and do what is better for the long term. We all work together to save our world. This way we connect and work together for a solution.
Where is my product made and why?
Switzerland
Ibach Switzerland
Europian Union
Victorinox factory
Resources
Problems and Solutions
Technologically speaking one problem is the Swiss Army Knives are made by more machine than manpower this causes depleted jobs because companies would rather operate a machine than pay 5 men to do that job.
My solution is too limit machine use to only the completely necessary to keep up with demand like cutting the steel and strengthening. By doing this the company could hire more people which would help expand economy because more people would be able to spend money. Also if a company hired more people they could gain personal insight on specific tweaks and things they could do to make a product better.
Cultural problem:
The cultural problem with Swiss Army Knives is the factory in which they are made can take away land that people liked or needed for their cultural use, like when Native American land is taken for our use. This can cause conflict between industry and Cultures
As a solution we could simply consult with people who live in possible build areas to find out if it is of cultural signifigance to them and if so we work out what we can do to solve that particular issue.
Economic:
The problem relating to economics with my product is other companies continue to clone or copy the design of these tools so the company loses lots of money to people knowingly or unknowingly buying fakes. This takes away from the economic value Victorinox has in Sweden.
My proposed solution is that we crack down on fakes and do whatever we can to keep the tools as real as possible. We could take legal action for patent infringement. Doing this would bring business back and help the economy and the business.
Environment:
The environmental problem is in order to make these we have to take resources and eventually we are going to run out and we all will suffer from that. Steel and Plastic making material is some of the most used in the world so without it we would have a problem
I propose that we find alternate more abundent ways to create them. We could find other materials of similiar strength but that are less used and more abundant so we preserve the other essential resources like steel that are used. This way we wont have to suffer the consequences of overuse for that much more time.
How does it affect me?
Good effect
My life is constantly effected by globalization, on a day to day basis I connect to all 4 types. On the average day I way up and check my phone which is a miracle of today's technology then I get dressed in clothes that I bought contributing to economic globalization. Then I have a breakfast generally, with food brought through from cultural globalization. Then I go to school on a bus so I don't have to walk 8 hours to school. I go to class and learn new things and meet with my friends where we talk and share ideas. I then leave school on the bus and go home and watch TV, other than my phone the TV connects me to the outside world more then anything else. I know who won the primaries, I can hear about new innovations, and be entertained by "reality TV". In the end my entire life is directly linked to Globalization.
Bad effect
There aren't many bad effects of globalization in my day to day life. The biggest one is my constant use of technology like my phone, computer and TV. This could effect my ability to communicate effectively in person. I tend to find myself on my phone rather than sitting with my family and talking.
Future
In the future I think the word will rely more on electronic based technology but in a good way, we will learn more efficiently, be more connected and live better. I think my kids will be extremely reliant on technology and its possible they will have a bad time getting jobs because everything will be robotically made which is kind of upsetting because we are losing the American dream in a way. Hopefully they can innovate and open up a new realm of opportunity