Globalization, technology, and inequality: It’s the policies, stupid
Zia Qureshi - February 16, 2018
We are living in a time of mounting societal discontent and political divisiveness—a “fractured world,” as captured in the theme of the recent World Economic Forum meeting in Davos. In many countries, social disaffection with economic outcomes is up sharply, roiling the political landscape and stoking populist and nationalist sentiment. Brexit and the outcome of the 2016 United States presidential election are but the more dramatic examples of these socio-political dynamics that hold wider sway.
Bash Brothers: How Globalization and Technology Teamed Up to Crush Middle-Class Workers
Derek Thompson - August 13, 2013
Globalizationandtechnology is often referred to like a monolithic thing. A new study shows they're very separate. Globalization increases joblessness. Computers increase inequality.
The five key challenges in implementing ICT for development
Devex Impact Editor - December 12, 2013
Information and communications technology (ICT) represents an enormous opportunity to introduce significant and lasting positive change across the developing world. The rapid penetration of mobile access in particular has resulted in considerable improvements in the lives of the poor in both rural and urban contexts. All evidence suggests that this trend is going to continue, as the availability expands and the cost of access continues to decline.
Even in a Digital World, Globalization Is Not Inevitable
Pankaj Ghemawat - February 01, 2017
In the aftermath of the UK’s Brexit vote and Donald Trump’s election in the U.S., globalization is seen as apolitical hot potato rather than a hot ticket to prosperity. This populist backlash reminds us that the rewards of globalization are not evenly distributed, and as a result there has been some questioning of the idea that borders should be open to trade — as well as concerns about what might happen instead. In the week since Trump was elected, the number of Google searches for “trade war” has jumped sevenfold and continues to climb.
Future of Globalization: Technology's Progress
Vinika D. Rao - April 18, 2017
Recent political developments in the world’s largest economy have warranted a rethink about the future of globalization. Following soon after the Brexit shock, this has shaken the assumption of an increasingly integrated global economy, which a large part of the world had steadily progressed towards for the preceding decades. Globalization has positively impacted economic growth rates, poverty alleviation, and quality of life for both developing and developed nations, though inequalities persist and some among them remain more vulnerable than others. Perhaps more important than the economic implications, it has fostered the sharing of ideas, cultures and values across national boundaries.
The End of Typing: The Next Billion Mobile Users Will Rely on Video and Voice
Eric Bellman - August 07, 2017
The internet’s global expansion is entering a new phase, and it looks decidedly unlike the last one. Instead of typing searches and emails, a wave of newcomers—“the next billion,” the tech industry calls them—is avoiding text, using voice activation and communicating with images.