Approach of Thomas L. Friedman and William Duiker towards Globalization

Approach of Thomas L. Friedman and William Duiker towards Globalization

Introduction

Thomas L. Friedman

The World is flat “A brief history of the twenty first century” is the outstanding internationally recognized book written by Thomas L. Friedman in 2005. The books basically examine globalization in the sophisticated and business oriented era of 21st century. The title is an allegory for analyzing the world as an equal and flat playing field in context of trade and commerce because entrepreneurs can enter the business with any country at anytime provided with the proper access to technology (Friedman, 2005). The theme of the book is that computer and modern technologies have completely flattened the world which he symbolically calls playing field(Leamer, 2007). He emphasizes in his book that historical and geographical divisions have now become exceptionally extraneous because companies, entrepreneurs and countries are drawn extremely closer globally leading to a sophisticated competition all over the world (Friedman, 2005). His discussion on the “Dell Theory of Prevention has become the most distinguishing and significant feature about his book”.

William Duiker

William Duiker is a Foreign services Officer and a past history professor who wrote his book named as “Contemporary World History” in 2009. The book provides an extensive interpretation for the events we come across in news in our daily lives. Duiker has covered a very decisive aspect of globalization by putting forward the implications integrated in globalization at individual and national basis (Varadarajan, 2005). His book thoroughly depicts the advantages and disadvantages of globalization. He has discouraged the approach of considering globalization as a magical panacea for the world's political, social and economic stability (Duiker, 2009).

Friedman's Arguments in Favor of Dell Theory of Prevention

The Dell theory of Conflict prevention states that “No two countries that are both part of a major global supply chain, like Dell's will ever fight a war against each other so long as they are both part of the same global supply chain”(Friedman, 2005, p25). By presenting his theory of conflict prevention he coined the fact that interconnected national economies and the integration of global trade will act as a barrier to war among the countries hence commercial globalization is a strong solution to the conflicts existing among the countries internationally (Leamer, 2007). By exemplifying McDonalds and Dell, Friedman accentuates that supply chaining have turned the world flat (Varadarajan,2005). The Dell theory of conflict prevention is reliant on the idea that countries' entrance in the arena of global commerce and the enhanced cost of war resulting from improved standards of survival has posed serious obstacles to breaking into war. His theory reflects the idea that the current competition among the countries for gaining economic prosperity and enhancing international trade channels has diminished the danger of war internationally because the countries who are fraction of a same global supply chain will hardly think on distorting their diplomatic relations with the respective alliances (Leamer, 2007).

Globalization and Simultaneous Fragmentation

Duiker talks about the scenario of globalization by saying ...