Two Opposing Views: The World is Flat vs. the World is not Flat

Thomas Friedman (2007, p. 8) argues that "the world is flat."He claims that globalization has flattened the world over the years, and it will continue to do so. On the contrary, Pankaj Ghemawat(2012) argues that "actually, the world isn't flat."

Instructions: read the brief excerpt from Thomas Friedman'sbook,"The world is flat 3.0: A brief history of the twenty-first century" and watch PankajGhemawat's TED Talk,Actually, the world isn't flat.

Full citations:Friedman, T. (2007). The world is flat 3.0: A brief history of the twenty-first century. New York: Picador.

Ghemawat, P. (June, 2012). PankajGhemawat: Actually, the world isn't flat. [TED Talk Video File]. Retrieved fromhttps://www.ted.com/talks/pankaj_ghemawat_actually_the_world_isn_t_flat?language=en

ans the questions

Journal Questions:

1. What does Thomas Friedman mean by globalization and why does he argue that "the world is flat"? What are Friedman'smain reasons for his argument that the new era ofglobalization is producinga "flat world"? Explain his argument and describe some of thespecific reasons and examples he provides to support his position.
2. According to Pankaj Ghemawat,what does he mean by globalization and why does he argue that the world isn't as flat as Friedman claims? Explain Ghemawat's argument and describe some of the specific evidence andexamples he gives to support his position.For example, what are some of the assumptions we make about globalization that are untrue?What dolevelsof internationalization (cross-border activities)tellus about how "globalized"the world actually is?Why is it important to be accurate when making claims about globalization?
3. In your opinion, is globalization making the world flat? Between Friedman and Ghemawat, whose argument do you find more compelling, and why? Briefly compare and contrast the two authors' positions on this critical debate about the extent of globalization, and clearly explain why you find one point of view more convincing than the other.