International Competitiveness, Politics and Policy



International Competitiveness, Politics and Policy

Question 1: The end of the cold war and the beginning of a new century brought about a number of changes around the world. Explain how the dimensions of globalization - financial markets, politics, national security, technology, the environment - will impact the future of business opportunities?

Answer:

The term Globalization is used to describe this phenomenon. The term is being used in a variety of contexts. In a very broad context, media use it almost daily to refer to a wide variety of political, sociological, environmental, and economic change.

The business world, however, uses this term in a much narrower context to refer to production, distribution, and marketing of goods and services at an international level. Everyone is impacted by the continuing increase in Globalization in a variety of ways. The types of food we eat, the kinds of clothes we wear, the variety of technologies that we utilize, the modes of transportation that are available to us, and the types of jobs we pursue are directly linked to Globalization. Globalization is changing the world we live in.

And also aware to provide current and future generations with the political voice, social choices and economic opportunities they need to build a better future for themselves and their families. Arab states still need to go in order to join the global information society and economy as full partners, and to tackle unemployment, which afflicts Arab countries as a group more seriously than any other developing region. Over the last 20 years, hydrocarbons have helped the ruling families of the Gulf consolidate and expand their political power. During the next 20 years, however, it is expected that competition from other global suppliers of oil and the economic pressure to continue developing the sector through privatization and denationalization will undermine this political power.Question 2: Do you agree with Friedman that in this age of globalization, Saudi Arabia matters more, not less? Give concrete examples of a “Lexus” and an “olive tree” that impact your ability to successfully market products. Be specific and detailed?

Answer:

"Lexus" represents the drive for sustenance, improvement, prosperity, modernization, global markets, financial institutions, computer technologies. The biggest threat to one olive tree is not another olive tee (that was in the Cold War days). Nor is it from the Lexus. It is from all the anonymous, transitional, homogenizing, standardizing market forces and technologies of today, which tend to break down communities, steam-roll environments and crowd out traditions. And this can create a real "olive tree" backlash; yet one really cannot completely escape the system.

Yes I agree with the Friedman that in this age of globalization, Saudi Arabia matters more, not less because globalization is driven by the idea of a free-market system, and as such, it is subject to or better yet, demands certain rules. Simply put, these are economic rules that require the user to open and privatize the economy to make it more competitive and attractive to other ...