A Flat World: Leveling the Global Competitive Playing Field

I agree with Friedman’s assessment that the world is flat. According to Friedman a "flat world" mean that there is now a level global competitive playing field. It has now become very possible for many people around the world to collaborate and compete in real time with each other on many different kinds of work, markets and products from many different corners of the planet and on a more equal footing than at any previous time in the history of the world. Due to technological advances, the global financial market has been refined with electronic exchanges, networks, institutions, and communications. While each country may have its own financial market, the world is now so closely tied together, causing global effects when one market is prospering or suffering e.g the Euro crisis. Whereas innovation and scientific inventions used to be done in the developed world, the developing world is now catching up as more and more people are being trained in the vitally important fields of mathematics and science. Globalization that used to be largely controlled by European and American individuals and businesses is now being driven by a more diverse non-Western, non-white group of individuals Technology has also leveled the playing field and made the world to be flat in that any company can make its products available to the whole world in a matter of seconds. It is up to the to consumers to choose from whom to buy from. The internet and related technologies make it possible to conduct business across the organizations' boundaries almost as efficient and effectively as it is to conduct business within the organization. Location is no longer a limiting factor in how organizations design , develop and produce goods and services. With the internet it is now possible to maintain close relationships with suppliers and other business partners at great distances. Countries like China and India have really redefined the way business is being conducted all over the world. Many