steam engine and the railroad, and in the second half by falling telecommunication costs – thanks to the diffusion of the telegraph, telephones, the PC, satellites, fibre-optic cable and the early version of the World Wide Web. It was during this era that we really saw the birth and maturation of a global economy, in the sense that there was enough movement of goods and information from continent to continent for there to be a global market, with global arbitrage in products and labor. The dynamic forces behind this era of globalization were breakthroughs in hardware – from steamships and railroads in the beginning to telephones and mainframe computers toward the end. And the big questions in this era were: Where does my company fit into the global economy? How does it take advantage of the opportunities? How can I go global and collaborate with others through my company? Right around the year 2000 we entered a whole new era: Globalization 3.0. Globalization 3.0 is shrinking the world from a size small to a size tiny and flattening the playing field at the same time. And while the dynamic force in Globalization 1.0 was countries globalizing and the dynamic force in Globalization 2.0 was companies globalizing, the dynamic force in Globalization 3.0 – the force that gives it its unique character – is the newfound power for individuals to collaborate and compete globally. People all over the world started waking up and realizing that they had more power than ever to go global as individuals, they needed more than ever to think of themselves as individuals competing against other individuals all over the planet, and they had more opportunities to work with those other individuals, not just compete with them. Where do I as an individual fit into the global competition and opportunities of the day, and how can I, on my own, collaborate with others globally? 1 Which sentence characterises the era of ‘Globalization 1.0’ the best? A Countries with better energy resources had better chances to compete. B The economy depended on great explorers like Columbus. C The most important sector was agriculture, especially horse breeding. D Wind power or steam power increasingly replaced human muscle power. 2 How long did ‘Globalization 2.0’ last? A around 2,000 years B around 800 years C around 200 years D around 400 years 3 Which companies were important in pushing ‘Globalization 2.0’? A companies which produced weapons for World Wars I and II B companies which produced their goods in the UK and the Netherlands C small and relatively dynamic companies D companies which produced and sold their goods in several countries 4 What was one effect of the introduction of steam-powered trains? A The transport of goods and people became cheaper. B Telecommunication became cheaper. C Many people found work in railroad construction. D Railroads connected several continents. 5 In ‘Globalization 2.0’, who was most interested in participating in the global economy? A continents B countries C companies D individuals 6 Which sentence characterises the era of ‘Globalization 3.0’ the best? A It’s getting harder to take part in the global economy. B Nowadays, it’s easier for individuals to work together globally. C Only multinational companies can protect people from the dangers of international competition. D People without computer skills can’t take part in the global economy. Language skills Extras Explore 3 The changing world of work 37 Nur zu Prüfzwecken – Eigentum des Verlags öbv
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