The World is Flat – Thomas Friedman

1. Do you agree or disagree with Friedman’s assessment that the world is flat? Be sure to justify your answer I agree with Friedman that technology has made the world flat. But there is another point of view disagree with Friedman stating that there are still many people that do not have access to technology and for them the world is still round.
2. What are the potential impacts of a flat world for a student performing a job search? In a flat world it is far more difficult to get a job because competition will be increasing at an incredible rate. There are currently 1 billion people online in 2006. It is anticipated that 4 billion people will be online by 2010. As the next 3 billion people come online in the next 4 years competition is going to dramatically increase. But the truth is that Students can now perform a global job search right from their apartment. A student in Chicago can accept a job in Tokyo and never leave the apartment, even when the job starts.
3. What can students do to prepare themselves for competing in a flat world? Businesses operate using technology and understanding how business and technology relate will help them achieve success. They can use it as advantage in their completion. And they will gain more skills and learn new ideas

4. Identify a current flattener not mentioned on Friedman’s list Videophones and collaboration tools allowing people to meet face-to-face even when they are in different parts of the world Technologies such as Voice-over-IP that offer a cheap alternative to traditional long-distance carriers