The best way to learn a language? Have fun with it!

5101-Resources

Student picks

Globalization

Globalization refers to the global economy and the interaction of the different systems that make it work.

With the evolution of transportation and communication systems, information and money travel really fast from one point of the world to another. With the numerous agreements and economic alliances between countries, the same goes for primary resources, manufactured goods and cultural references. These numerous exchanges create links, or invisible bridges, and partnerships between countries.

The simple fact that you can consume products from another country is the result of these links. The powerful countries are the ones who control the exchanges, but the Multinational companies are also key actors of globalization. They consolidate the bonds between countries, sometimes with positive results, sometimes with negative results.

Globalization has some perks if you are in a dominant country: You consume products from everywhere around the world, and you get to know other cultures.

However, globalization also puts all countries in a state of interdependency; they all rely on one another. All economies are linked together, which means if a strong partnership is broken, or if a powerful country’s economy is unstable, so is the economy of the world.

To put it simply, imagine the world as a giant spiderweb, where every string represents a commercial link between the different countries. You have to think of every commercial partner that every country has, whether we talk about Imports or exports. Powerful nations are the main strings. What happens if you pull one of the main strings? The spiderweb breaks apart.

Outsourcing

In the marketing world, “outsourcing” comes from two words:

“outside” and “resourcing," which means finding the resources outside of the company.

Outsourcing is, in a way, a partnership where a bigger company hires a smaller company to complete specific tasks or activities, such as accounting, IT, manufacturing or customer service.

Outsourcing becomes a solution when a task requires specialized skills or infrastructures, or when an activity just isn’t profitable enough for the main company.

Offshoring/nearshoring

Offshoring happens when a multinational company moves one of its factories to another country. The goal behind this movement is for the company to lower its production costs to make more profit.

Consequently, this operation can result in benefits for the foreign country, as it creates; employment, economic partnership and can boosts the country’s general economy by the taxes perceived.

Unfortunately, it can also have some negative effects;

Such as, taking advantage of poor labour laws leading to poor working conditions. Some poor working conditions may include not only low salaries or long workdays like 12 to 16 hours, but also involve inhuman and dangerous work environments.

Another reason for some companies to go abroad may include lower environmental standards, allowing them to pollute without sanction. Not all multinationals respect social justice.

Nearshoring, on the other hand, is moving the factory to a different region of the same country, or a neighbouring country. Some reasons behind this decision may include; boosting productivity, accessing more human resources or finding a more fitting environment. For example, a company managing big data, which consumes a lot of energy, might choose to move closer to a power plant.

Sustainable Development

Fairtrade

With globalization, some powerful countries, with ambitious economic growth, tend to take advantage of poorer countries.

To balance things, some organisms built the concept of fair trade.

Fairtrade is an insurance that everyone who participates in the “trade” gets his or her fair share and that no one has been exploited.

Many basic products, like coffee, chocolate and fruits, and also some manufactured goods, like handicrafts, clothing and jewelry are concerned by this issue.

By joining these organizations, the producers from the developing countries get better conditions and have more possibilities to grow.

Nowadays, fair trade is also associated with environmental issues and concepts such as social justice.

More and more organizations are trying to raise awareness and are engaged in fair trade by supporting the growth producers in developing countries around the world.

You, as a consumer, choosing to buy Fairtrade branded products, can contribute to their success.

free trade

Child labour

Child labour is a sensitive matter.

Child labour refers to any child “working” tasks that could be physically, mentally or morally dangerous for him or her.

In most cases, the working conditions are terrible and unsafe. It implies that children are being exploited, human rights and work ethics as we know them are not being applied. Many of their conditions are considered modern-day slavery.

Child labour not only cripples the future of these children by keeping them away from regular school systems but also prevents them from developing properly.

UNICEF estimates that 200 million children around the world are involved in child labour. Most of them come from developing countries and either work in resource extraction sectors, such as agriculture or mining, or manufacturing sectors, like textile or assembly lines.

The degree of exploitation involved in child labour varies anywhere from a child working in fields, all the way to the sex trade, or even child soldiers.

The Ethics of Collecting Big Data

Social Media and Your on-line presence

Cleaning our oceans: a big plan for a big problem. (10:53)

Two things to get out of this TedED student talk: how to give an inspiring and persuasive talk and what we can do to clean up our oceans.

Report abuse