The World is flat : Analysis of Thomas Friedman's book

Thomas Friedman has written a book named The World Is Flat which is a good basis for analyzing globalization in the 21st century. It views the world as a place where all competitors have an equal opportunity. Because of this, countries and companies have to change in order to remain competitive in a global market where historical and geographical divisions become more and more irrelevant. In his book, Friedman describes a journeyto Bangalore in India, when he understood globalization has affected the core economic concepts. He named this period “Globalization 3.0”, distinguishing this period from the previous Globalization 1.0 in which countries were the main protagonists, and the Globalization 2.0 in which multinational companies began driving global integration. In his book, Friedman reports many instances of companies based in India and China that, by offering labor from typists and call center operators to accountants and computer programmers, have become integral parts of complex global supply chains for companies such as Dell or even Microsoft. Friedman always uses lists, usually numbered, as an organizational device to communicate key concepts. Thomas Friedman believes that to fight this crisis of a flattening world, the U.S. work simply force should keep updating its work skills. Friedman argues that making the work force more adaptable will keep it more employable. He also recommends that the government make it easier to change jobs by making retirement benefits and health insurance less dependent on one's employer, and by offering insurance that would partly cover an eventual drop in income when changing jobs. Finally, Friedman also believes there should be more inspiration for youth to be scientists, engineers, and mathematicians due to a decrease in the percentage of these professionals being American.