TWIF+Chapter+3

The World is Flat Chapter 3

"There is no time to rest...it is a plug-and-play world." In this chapter Friedman discusses how the new era of technology, due to the 10 flatteners that have been around over the past decade, have changed globalization. The triple convergence is referred to as the “//new players, on a new playing field, developing new processes and habits for horizontal change//”(pg 181) Friedman cites a series of examples, some of which we as modern-day producers and consumers may have experienced (using an online e-ticket system for an airline, videoconferencing), that detail how we are now the agents of change in our modern, global, technological society. The following is a detailed description of these three convergences: Convergence I – The new players ** Due to the 10 flatteners discussed in chapter 2 the world has become flat in that knowledge, skills, workforce, and businesses can work together regardless of geographical locations. People from India, China, and Russia can enter our workforce and provide the same job duties right from their homes. Friedman states that while we/they may not be sure exactly //what// was happening, there were certainly changes going on - "by 2000 they sensed that they were in touch with people they had never been in touch with before, were being challenged by people who had never challenged them before, were competing with people with whom they had never competed with before, were collaborating with people they had never collaborated with before, and were doing things as //individuals// that they had never dreamt of doing before" (204). Convergence I provided an opportunity for individuals all over the world to collaborate, as long as they could "tap-in" to the technology. ** Convergence II – The new playing field  ** Since the world has become flattened, corporations, in terms of hierarchy and collaboration, have shifted from vertical to horizontal. Many corporations are now able to become more efficient and effective by collaborating with other corporations and/or people from all over the world. " The big spurts in productivity come when a new technology, or a new platform of technologies, is combined with new //ways// of doing business, and this always takes time" (205). Convergence II is not just about understanding the newest technologies, but about using those available technologies to your advantage - "using a newtork or a network of networks" (210). ** Convergence III – New Processes and Habits for horizontal change ** Even though the world has become flattened and these new opportunities are available the shift from vertical to horizontal collaboration does not occur overnight. New processes and methods need to be developed in order to utilize this shift in collaboration to “//develop cheaper, easier, more friction free, and productive products.”(pg 200)// In Convergence III, competition also increases to it's height. More horizontal management and collaboration leads to increased work flow and the fight for cheaper tools, including cheaper labor. "Giving so many people access to all these tools of collaboration, along with the ability through search engines and the WEB to access billions of pages of raw information, ensures that the next generations of innovation will come from all over //Planet Flat//. The scale of the global community that is soon going to be able to participate in all sorts of discovery and innovation is something the world has simply never seen before" (211). Friedman also cites the educational boom coming out of India, China, and the Soviet Union as a major factor in competition for education and the global job market. ** Analysis  ** I am in complete agreement with the many points that Friedman makes in this chapter. We are definitely a flatter world and the workforce is becoming more and more competitive then it has ever been. The book discusses how India, China, and Russia are adapting and utilizing this new flat and I truly feel that this adaptation has, is and will continue to occur as technology becomes even more advanced. A huge consequence I see happening over the next 10 years is the loss of work for our country. Currently, jobs are being outsourced to India in terms of customer service and several countries are providing inexpensive programmers for companies to hire (either outsourced or given a work visa). Over the next 10 years, those countries will become even more fluent English speaking countries and may take over more of the jobs we offer here in the United States. This in turn will create an even bigger population of unemployed workers. As educators, we need to prepare our students for what is to come. We need to challenge their minds, increase their knowledge, and offer more then what we are currently offering. It seems that the basic, Math, Science, English, and History classes are not enough for the future. More technology courses need to be incorporated into the curriculum. In terms of students, they need to realize the changes that are occurring and what they are up against. We can train, teach, and challenge their minds, but at the end of the day, it’s up to the students to utilize the education we are offering them. Friedman discusses how other countries are becoming smarter and more educated in order to become a stronger force. From my past 7 years experience, it seems to me that the students in our country (not all of course) do not realize what is ahead of them and really don’t seem to care too much. After reading Friedman's arguments about our changing global society, I began to reevaluate some of the points that I had made in previous posts. Our children DO need to have a technological background and this technology education should in fact be included in our everyday curriculum. I still stand by my argument that children need to have basic reading, writing, and math skills, but communication for our children refers to much more than being able to hold a conversation and write a well-developed essay. I feel that American students need to be aware of some of the points and statistics that Friedman cites, especially in reference to employment outsourcing and the educational boom of other countries, so they may not take their own education for granted. As educators, we need to continue to instill basic morals and values in our children, but we ourselves must be educated and aware of these growing technological trends. In turn, American schools must adapt to this changing global society, whether it be the physical structure, as Friedman states (more videoconferencing labs, improved technological resources) or curricular (infusing technology and global knowledge into the day-to-day happenings.) As our country faces a recession, downward spiraling economy, and loss of jobs on a nationwide level, we must begin to look to outside sources to stay competitive in the global market. -KV (P.S...all of my additions are in blue)
 * The Triple Convergence - Summary **