What Is Globalisation?


The term Globalisation is now a common phrase that people will recognise; this said not too many of these people will know what it truly means or what it involves. This confusion isn’t helped by the fact different variations of the process have been created & many people have attempted to define it.

Study of the concept has lead many to describe it as indefinable, ‘ there are few terms that we use so frequently but which are fact as poorly communicated as globalisation’(Giddens, 1996).

To find a definite answer to its meaning would be impossible as to ask everyone to conform to a single idea or viewpoint would contradict the research many have done on the subject. With the amount Authors that have researched Globalisation & its history it’s easy to see how many different viewpoints there are. A very basic idea could be that taken form Collins Dictionary who define it as a ‘process enabling financial & investment markets to operate internationally, largely as a result of deregulation & improved communications’.(Collins, 9th Edition)

The simple and basic nature of this meaning doesn’t give anywhere near a true reflection and understanding of the issues involved with Globalisation, to enable a true reflection of this process the need to look at where it stared, what has led to its growth over the last 50 years & the implications that it has had on the world.

Although many people might not know what it means or what it involves in today’s society chances are they have been affected by the process, some in a positive & other s in negative way. The term Globalisation has only been used more frequent over the last 40 years with the years after the war having an effect on how the process started, the progression it has made since then has been catastrophic with the development of global markets, increased and improved methods of production along with enhancements with technology.

The reason why there is so much confusion with what globalisation is can be put down to other phrases that are similar, this is like internationalisation, liberalisation & westernisation.   Although these processes contain elements relating to each other they all have different end result, this said Globalisation can be seen to have developed from these processes.

Internationalisation is the term that’s predominantly mistaken for being the same as Globalisation, like Globalisation interpretations of its meaning can be varied, but they’re key differences between the two terms. For certain authors, like Paul Hirst and Graeme Thompson, ‘globalisation is an especially intense form of Internationalisation, so that the global is a particular subset of international’. (Hirst & Thompson, 1999)

With authors looking at Internationalisation as a less intense form of Globalisation the differences can be seen between them. Globalisation tends to be more geared towards the bigger nations & big organisations rather than the smaller developed countries. Whereas with internationalisation it could be seen as more looking at decreasing international barriers but with the goal of improving economic climate for everyone, not just the western & developed nations. A clearer view might be that globalisation involves the short term goals & internationalisation is more concerned with the longer term.

Liberalisation is geared towards the flexibility & relation of governments; this is usually within areas of need to improve in social & economic areas. The restrictions that have been in place in previous years are looked to be reduced enabling the development for the benefit of the country. It’s evident that this process plays a part in Globalisation, but it just a part as Globalisation is more complex process with other influences.

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Westernisation has mean that western cultures have been adopted by other nations to include & follow technologies, values, politics, lifestyles, industries and even language. Like the other terms they all interlink with each other but it’s only a single part of Globalisation.

Although through these wordings it is easy to see how many get confused with globalisation, but there are clear border between the terms and although it doesn’t answer in full what globalisation is not it might easier from this perspective to say this is what globalisation is not.

Globalisation can have two main forms that it ...

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