The concept of globalisation is one which has caused great debate amongst sociologists, governments and captains of industry alike. For the purposes of this investigation, the writer will refer primarily to the writings of Held et al (1999) in which three theses of globalisation outline the most widely appreciated contemporary ideologies of this complex notion.
The three views noted by Held et al (1999) consider when and how, and indeed if, globalisation has affected all aspects of modern life. To clarify, for the purposes of this investigation, the writer is predominantly concerned with the economic aspects intertwined with globalisation and will refer to any lesser relevant features if and when necessary in an attempt to answer, "What is "globalisation?”
Held et al (1999) makes reference to the three aforementioned ideas concerning the extent of globalisation and heads each thesis thusly;
“Thehyperglobalists, the sceptics, and the transformationalists”
These varying schools of thought reflect an account of globalisation which combines, contrasts and parallels ideas from various social, economic and political factors. The ideas forwarded by Held can be distinguished as follows;
- Hyperglobalist thinking is strongly influenced by an idea encompassing a seemingly global government with whom powers are eroding due to the irreversible economic strength of Trans-National Corporations (TNC's) who have taken control of economic affairs by taking advantage of the seemingly endless possibilities of technological advancements to further expand their capitalist empire with a long term view of a global, consumer civilisation.
- Sceptic opinion is a view which appears to contrast with that of hyperglobalists. Sceptics seem to disagree with the idea of receding government power and opt for increased stature of politicians over TNC's. Moreover, they argue that the current international economy is in fact de-fragmenting into regional economies of Europe, North America and Asia-Pacific in which trade blocks will become well defined and a clash of cultures will exist. In addition, the ideology of globalisation is strictly a myth as they reinforce their arguments against this new phenomenon with previous, precedented examples throughout history in which global economic trade exploded, eg. The Industrial Revolution, or Colonisation.
- Transformationalists take a middle ground approach between the two previous extreme views of globalisation. They debate that globalisation is indeed
apparent in society, however its reaches are not as far-spread as hyperglobalists would have you believe. The turn of the millennium is generally regarded as the era when historically unprecedented social and economic change had a profound affect on the way governments are now conducting themselves. As one would expect with a middle ground thesis, there is no significant extrapolation of future events from transformationalists, indeed as Held (1999) vaguely explains;
“virtually all countries of the world and all segments of society are now functionally part of that larger system in one or more respects.”
From this extract alone from Held it helps us to clarify firstly the sense of freshness about globalisation and its sudden appearance in society, in which transformationalists deliver, and secondly the uncertainty and vagueness of the language used highlights, one feels, the future unknowns surrounding this thought, a clear distinction from the two previous.
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Indeed the whole concept of globalisation is one of much great variation when multiple opinions are taken into account. Hoogvelt (1997) is of the opinion that globalisation was a term created in the 1980's and replaced less concise terms notably; “transnationalisation”“internationalisation” The more precise term of “globalisation”, she argues; and
“(Is) a more suitable concept for describing the ever-intensifying network of cross-border human interaction. The concept covers a great variety of social, economic and political change.”
An excellent starting point for us to uncover the concept of globalisation is provided here. As noted, globalisation refers more than simply the increase of big business across the world. Hoogvelt also adds that;
“the level of integration, interdependence, and openness, of national economies in the present era is not unprecedented…globalisation has proceeded in the last few decades”, which appears from this to be moving towards a transformationalist school of thought, through the idea of a recent, unprecedented acceleration of economic interaction. The idea Hoogvelt portrays seems far more deep rooted in society and the way in which the economic forces are driving cross-border trading to new intensities. One example of the aforementioned cross-border trading intensification is the contemporary business cost-cutting scheme of Export Processing Zones (EPZ's).
This new concept has arisen in the modern economic era as a win-win situation for large multinational conglomerates to massively reduce costs in production, as well as having the added benefit of providing increased employment and GDP of many Lesser Economically Developed Countries (LEDC's) particularly in the Far East and the Indian sub-continent. Klein (2000) explores the effects of EPZ's on the workers inside the factories within them, (this particular one in The Philippines) the example portrayed is a “Nike shoe factory”;
