Defining the Elusive Concepts of Globalization

Globalization is a trend that has been fully embraced by some and treated as an unwelcome guest by others. The concept of globalization entails the need for change and further development in order to meet its widespread market pressures. Understanding globalization creates a stronger framework for understanding how it impacts international business and underlying perceptions of human capital. Through the development of a greater understanding there is the possibility of better management of global alignment.

Globalization was first mentioned in 1983 when Theodore Levitt explained how technology would drive the world into a single conversational platform that would result in global markets and brands (Govil & Rashmi, 2013). Markets begin to consolidate and new forms of business develop in order to compete in and traverse those markets. Those businesses that do not factor in the changing market and its globalizing effects may be end losers in the international game. 

There are many different ways in which to view the concept of globalization. Globalization can be seen as moving a national state into a global state (Stojanov, 2012). During such transition local workers align skills to the needs of the international community and are capable of working within firms that have international products and services. Companies seek out such local candidates when considering choices of expansion and international investment. 

Globalization is a concept of free trade that fits within a Capitalistic structure (van Meerhaeghe, 2012). Such free trade comes with the movement of products, money, labor, and businesses from one part of the globe to the next. Countries are no longer defined simply by their country of origin but become defined by a more transient global business environment.  More competitive structures create more business interest and investment.

As these products, business, labor, and investment shift from one place to the next there will be locations that naturally lose out on the benefits globalization has to offer. For example, income equality can result in places like South-East Europe or the Commonwealth of Independent States (Elmawazini, 2013). This is due to the loss of investment, poor governmental structures, tax structure, human capital, infrastructure and other factors that make such places more difficult to conduct business and therefore less lucrative for investment. 

As a by-product of greater global awareness human rights and worker rights also become more globalized. For example, globalization of law, legal accountability, human rights, conflict resolution, and doctrines of equal standings become more common (Brysk & Jimenez, 2012). Economics and value systems exist together and as economics become porous across borders the concepts of ethics and human rights also become defined by those new economic assumptions. 

At present, there is no single way to measure globalization. Some indexes measure investment, some economic output, some educational attainment, and others human capital earning power. Each of these indexes has advantages and disadvantages but is limited in scope and effectiveness. Using multiple indexes of important key indicators is more accurate than relying exclusively on a few single benchmarks.

Globalization has both positive and negative effects on economic strength. Those countries that are more capable of aligning their systems to the new global structure are more likely to succeed in the long run. As this transition occurs there will be challenges of basic assumptions, adjustments of wealth, needs for new skills, and times of political upheaval.  What we believe today may not be what we believe a few decades down the road. Times are changing and with this come new opportunities for success or failure.

Brysk, A. & Jimenez, A. (2012). The globalization of law: implications for the fulfillment of human rights. Journal of Human Rights, 11 (1).  

Elmawazini, K., et. al. (2013). Trade globalization, financial globalization and inequality within south-east Europe and CIS countries. Journal of Developing Areas, 47 (2). 

Govil, S. & Rashmi, J. (2013). Globalization of Markets. Advances in Management, 6 (6).

Stojanov, D. (2012). Dialectic of globalization and economic science. International journal of innovations in Business, 1 (4). 

van Meerhaeghe, M. (2012). Globalization: concept, outcome, future-a continental view. European Journal of Law and Economics, 33 (2).

Succeeding With WASC’s New Institutional Review Process

A LiveText Success Symposium

November 6, 2013

Liberty Station Conference Center

San Diego, CA

9:30 am – 4:00 pm 

• Discover:  Understand what the new IRP process means for faculty and the work they do in the classroom.
• Learn:   Gain practical strategies from prominent institutions on how they implemented these changes.
• Adapt:  Hear directly from WASC and other assessment experts how to adapt with the changes in the WASC institutional review process.
• Connect:  Network with other leaders to gain a better understanding of how technology can assist your institution.

Join host, Maggie Bailey, Vice Provost for Program Development and Accreditation, Point Loma Nazarene University, and the following presenters:

Richard Osborn, Vice President, WASC Senior College and University Commission
Why WASC’s New Institutional Review Process Matters for Faculty and Students

Terrell Rhodes, Vice President for Quality, Curriculum, and Assessment, AAC&U’s
Using AAC&U's Learning Tools to Address Core Competencies

Cindy Larson, Dean, College of Business, Argosy University 
Relevant and Measurable Learning:  A Case for Competency-based Education in a New Era

Marilee Bresciani, Professor, Administration, Rehabilitation, and Post Secondary Education, San Diego State University
Institutional and Program Review Process

Joseph Hoey, Ed.D., Executive Vice President and Chief of Staff at Ashford University
Assessing the Creative Arts

Who should attend?

Chief Academic Officers, Deans, Department and Program Chairs, Assessment Directors and Coordinators, Institutional Research, Accreditation Liaison Officers (ALOs) and Curricular and Co-curricular Assessment Coordinators, Faculty who sit on Assessment Committees

Cost:$75 per person if pre-registered, $100 per person day of the event. 

 REGISTER

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Basic College Writing Enhances Business Course Outcomes

Business relies heavily on communication skills used in varying fields of study. Students often lack fundamental writing skills that can transfer into credibility, effectiveness and opportunity in the future. According to a 2013 paper by Dr. Carolyn Sturgeon colleges can do a better job at teaching students higher levels of written communication skills that can translate into productive projects. 

Students often resist courses in writing and English composition because they view these skills as secondary to their goals. Similar to the difficulty of getting your teenage children to throw out the trash these students are not excited about the tedious tasks of grammar, spelling, formatting, sentence structure, and citations. There is no denying that such classes are often boring and uninspiring and on the surface appear to be unnecessary.

Some students may need to complete 5-6 composition courses before effectively moving into their respective fields of study. There are other students that may not have mastered basic writing in high school and will need further remedial courses to perform at a college level. High school graduates who start at a lower rung will naturally need additional time, money and resources to improve their skills. Poor high school preparation equates directly to higher college costs. 

From the authors experience she has seen 90% of students avoid thesis writing and move more toward projects.  There is a natural avoidance of written work in classrooms as students lean more heavily on other skills. She suggests that students should be required to learn writing skills before entering their majors as this will make them more effective in their programs. 

The paper doesn’t move into this concept but it is possible to see an integration of more writing into traditional courses. For example, instead of 5-6 composition courses it may be possible to have 3 compensation courses and integrate graded writing into the colleges classes. This would require professors to understand the use of language and provide appropriate direction to students once their English composition requirements have been fulfilled to ensure they are developing their grammar, spelling, tense, clarity, formatting, and depth skills. 

Furthermore, online education is more heavily reliant on writing as part of the curriculum. It makes one wonder if graduating students are stronger at writing from an online institution than those coming from other types of universities.  Students are more likely to be judged on their individual writing skills than relying on an elite writer of a group assignment or a few assignments.

Sturgeon, C. (2013). Service courses: forays to bridge the gulf and invite new “citizens”.  CEA Forum, v42 n1 p208-245.

Sending Brain Waves over the Internet

Concepts such as remote viewing, transference of brain waves over the internet and actually controlling another person’s movements through technology have now become a reality.  University of Washington scientists Rajesh Rao and Andrea Stocco have developed a brain-to-brain communication method over the internet. As one participant thinks of an action the other will move their finger from some remote location. 

Before the brain can send the signal it takes some time to train it to send the right signals that the computer can capture. The sending participant thinks about shooting at some object on the screen and the cursor begins to move as the computer picks up on this signal. As the sender thinks such information the receiver in a different location will take the information from the internet and know to press the “shoot button”. 

Previous studies have shown similar results between rats, a human and a rat, and for the first time human to human. Since the beginning of man the only way to transfer thoughts was through language or actions. Now humans are able to directly control the actions of another person over the Internet. Both participants have to be willing and trained participants. 

There are some advantages for learning in the future. Complex concepts transferred through words often take high levels of energy and time to master. Yet with the use of new technology it may be possible to show people how to complete certain functions remotely and in ways that help them learn quickly. If this technology gives you a bit of a shiver you might not be the only one. At least for now no one can tell you how to act over the Internet.

University of Washington Press Release

Hegel: Reason in History

Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel was a German-Prussian romantic in the sense that he saw the finite man as an element that moves toward the infinite. To him self-consciousness comes from thoughts thinking about themselves and this becomes a path to Absolute Knowledge. Absolute Knowledge is the highest form of spirit as a free thinking and logical rationality. Society is seen as pushing people closer and closer to the development of an ideal where thoughts and reality are intertwined. Understanding history helps mankind to understand the overall development of society and governmental systems as synonymous with the development of the freedom of spirit. 

Hegel discussed three analytical approaches to understanding history in his work Reason in History. His argument is that history can be seen as original history, reflective history, and philosophical history. Each provides a different vantage point and way to look at historically significant events. 

Original History: The unadulterated history as offered in manuscripts, facts, etc… of the time. 

Reflective History:  Reflective thought and interpretation of history. 

Philosophical History: Using philosophy to see events as a path to development. 

The author argues that all actions within the world are based upon reason. It was reason that caused the events and it is reason in which they are interpreted. Even the plans of God should be interpreted through the philosophy of development and reason. 

The only true form of freedom that people can realize is the freedom of spirit. As human actions and passion are subjective experiences they can be interpreted in many different ways. Yet as these passions and actions mesh with underlying principles (truths) the true freedom of spirit comes to know itself and become aware of its existence. 

The spirit can realize itself within the State. The State is the governmental and cultural systems of people. The State is a material aspect in which the spirit comes to actualize itself in varying forms. The historical development of people is based within the development of the state through the course of history. As the spirit changes so will the state or that state will decline as it no longer manifests the development of spirit. 

Human kind is on a continually path to realize its spirit in self-conscious, rational freedom. Societies may come and go but all will be subject to the manifestation of spirit.  To look and analyze history is the same as analyzing the development of citizens and their spirit. Where humans are not developing the nature of the state begins to decline. 

If we look at places in the world that are suffering under the weight of their own existence we may come to find that true development of the inhabitants is generally lacking. Using Hegel’s philosophical framework it is possible to see that a contained spirit is one that is not manifesting itself into higher states of existence. The development of society and the human spirit is also the development of the innovative and economic development of an area. Societies that allow thoughts, words, and constructive actions to flow freely are also likely to develop economically and socially. Those that are bent on control or subjugation are likely to decline and suffer the weight of impoverishment. Thus, the thoughts and actions of leaders impact the lives of their followers and this can only change through environmental forces or the forces from within people themselves. History determines the success of all social experiments.

Hegel, G. (1837). Reason in History. NJ; Prentice-Hall, inc. ISBM 0-02-351320-9