The World is Flat: a Brief History of the Twenty-First Century | The World is Flat: a Brief History of the...

The World is Flat | The World is Flat: a Brief History of the Twenty-First Century | Thomas L. Friedman

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	• The World is Flat: a Brief History of the Twenty-First Century Thomas L. Friedman Farrar Straus Giroux, 2006 - 616 pages average customer review:based on 10 reviews view larger image
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An interesting look at globalization, taken with a "grain of salt."

Friedman's assertion that the "world is flat" is a metaphor similar to "a level playing field." Globalization has allowed countries like India to catch up with more developed countries like the U.S. and compete for capital spawned from technology and opportunity.

Friedman cites three eras of globalization. The first, from 1492-1800 consisted of innovations including horsepower, wind power, and steam power. The second, from 1800-2000 consisted of the emergence of multi-national companies; first by the Dutch and English, moving forward to more advanced multi national companies marketing cell phones, internet access and a global market. The third era of globalization he cites is from 2000-current. Here, he writes, emerged the ability for individuals to compete, even collaborate, on a global stage. This era includes non-westerners and non-whites more so than in any previous era.

Friedman cites ten forces which led to the world flattening:

1. Fall of the Berlin Wall at about the same time as the release of Microsoft Windows.
2. World Wide Web and easy to use browsers.
3. Various software options made available on a variety of computers, including PCs, which enhanced workflow.
4. Community developed, and sometimes free, software. As well as community based uploads such as Wikipedia.
5. Outsourcing.
6. Offshoring--consisting of manufacturing products overseas and then selling them to various markets also outside of the United States.
7. Supply Chaining. Using Wal-Mart as an example, he explains that Wal-Mart actually manufactures nothing, but retails second to none due to its understanding of logistics and effective supply chain.
8. Insourcing--delegating production operations to a subcontractor that specializes in production. A company may find it is cheaper to utilize its American stores to produce something than its European stores.
9. The proliferation of better internet search engines.
10. Innovations such as bulk storage, instant messaging, file sharing, internet phone calls, video teleconferencing, enhanced computer graphics and computer games, wireless technologies and devices.

Friedman writes that it is due to failures in economics, science, and technologies within the Arab world that incites terrorist thinking. Friedman is well travelled and informed, but his information might have been better articulated with some helpful graphs or charts (he used none) or even a picture (not one in the book). In fact, his 593 page book relies only the written word, no charts, diagrams, pictures, footnote/ endnote/ resources of any kind---just his assertions, his examples, and his facts throughout the book. He advances his argument, selling his theory-- with the same technological capability of authors writing in 1800 or 1492 or 500 A.D.

Recommended. 4 stars out of 5.

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The World is Flat: a Brief History of the Twenty-First Century

The World Is Flat 3.0: A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century

This is a very interesting read! Also a good one i might add! This book was used for a College Class, and although it was required reading, I was very much impressed with how Mr Friedman wrote this book! It is not boring at all, and for me it was very hard to put down. He intertwines all of his fact searching and interlaces it with what his "voice" is in writing and came up with a VERY good book. So if you want to enjoy what you are reading and at the same time be educated with what is going on in our world today, then this is a MUST! ~:D

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The World is Flat

What an fantastic book! Granted, it was outdated when talking about Google...but I was fascinated to learn how dynamic UPS is. It did get a little long in the tooth in parts, but I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in where our world is headed.

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flatreview

Friedman's book is great for someone starting a small busines who is interested in the present situation of the world of business. His information on accessing computer programs to widen your scope as a small businessperson is terrific. I find his view of Engineering schools in India was not as well researched as all his other information in that they do not seem to be putting out the numbers or quality of engineers he predicetd. I think he correctd this assumption in his next book, "The World is Hot, Flat and Crowded." I think his books should be required reading for people who are ionterested in the situation of the world today, especially the business world.

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