Debating Globalization

Learning Activity #1

UMUC presents students classes in a virtual environment that requires students to exchange ideas with others.

Explain how this experience will help you in managing employees in a virtual environment. Be specific by addressing the problems that face virtual managers and teams.

Using the lessons learned from the UMUC experience, how is it possible to overcome the problems faced by virtual managers and teams.

Learning Activity #2

Georgia is thinking of choosing human resources as her major at UMUC.  She comes to you for advice as to whether this is a good choice.

Explain to her the role of the human resource manager in an organization and some of the challenges they might face.

2.  Debating Globalization

Read the following:

1. Chapter 2 Debating Globalization from from "Globalization: The Transformation of Social Worlds" Third Edition by Eitzen and Zinn.

2. Friedman “The World Is Flat”

3. Pankaj Ghemawat “Why the World Isn’t Flat”

Critical Questions:

1. Are the arguments presented more persuasive for the position that globalization is good or that it is bad? Why?

2. What additional evidence can you provide for Freidman’s "flat world" thesis, especially in the non-Western world?

3. Ghemawat disagrees with Friedman’s view of information technology in the global age as profoundly liberating. What do you think the reasons and evidence he gives to make the argument that the world’s playing field is not leveling?