Module 8: Computers and Me.

During my education I have used many technological tools that have assisted me in many different ways in school.  Some of these tools include the following: internet, web browsers, Skype, Tortoise SVN repository, and Dropbox.  The tools mentioned have helped me personally as well as assisted in group work.  The following paragraphs discuss how these tools work and how they have helped me accomplish tasks better.

The first couple tools I mentioned are the internet and web browsers.  Without the internet and web browsers, I could not have accomplished as much as I have.  The internet allows me to connect to various parts of the world using established protocols.  The protocols permit me to connect to servers, transfer information to and from databases, email messages and documents to others, and transfer files.  Through web browsers and for the typical user, all of these functions take place while using the web browser.  Although I use stand alone programs that handle some of these functions, all of these functions can be accomplished using a web browser.  I have taken many online classes that would not be available without the internet and web browsers.  Online classes allow me to connect to the classroom, submit assignments, post discussions, and email the instructor from at home or from anywhere I can get an internet connection.  Online classes have made going to school very flexible for people like me that have a family.

Skype is a tool used to call phone numbers from a device to a device.  Many devices support Skype and have to be installed on the device in order to use the service.  I have used Skype in a few different situations.  My first time using Skype was for group work in a computer science class that involved documentation of a new software application.  The group had decided on using Skype for a means of communication when the group was unable to meet face to face.  I downloaded and installed the application onto my laptop, set up an account, and logged in to my account to establish contacts to call.  When my group of four used Skype, each member of the group needed Skype to be installed on their own device.  One of the group members was away from his computer and used a Skype app on his smart phone.  I thought that being able to use Skype on multiple platforms is an awesome idea.  All group members were able to communicate as though we were talking on the phone with a 4 way call.  We were able to divide assignments, discuss issues, and communicate effectively all from different locations.  The best parts of using the software are that it was free, relatively user friendly, connected our group together, and all I needed was an internet connection.

Tortoise SVN Repository is a program that helps software development individuals in a way that many people can work together on the same project.  Tortoise SVN is a cloud based repository tool, but the information in the cloud is viewed on your personal computer.  It is stored in a folder that has access to the repository and one must only update the folder in order to view what has been updated.  Tortoise SVN creates a centralized location for files that developers create.  When a developer creates a file and wants to share the file of computer code to the group, they add it to the repository file.  If any developer wants to update the file, he can commit the change to the repository.  Before committing the file to the repository, the developer can view the differences of the files.  The developer can keep the old version of the file, line by line, or commit the new changes, line by line.  If a developer wants to see who has written code, he or she can open up each file and view the authors.  The file will open and the author of each line of code will be displayed along with the code itself.  If the program stops working with the new change of the file, the file can be reverted back to the original.  This tool has helped me and a group of developers to collaborate by being able to work any project, any file at the same time without worrying about integration of code and files.

Dropbox is a free, centralized folder that can be accessed by multiple users if the owner chooses to let others access the information.  The makers of Dropbox give each user a courtesy two gigabyte storage space.  The user can upgrade to expand the storage space, but will cost the user some money.  The user can create folders and send requests to others by email to view the contents of the folder.  This is a form of cloud based storage, because any user can access the cloud based information if he or she as rights to view the content.  Dropbox is similar to Tortoise SVN; however, comparing and committing computer code is not a part of Dropbox. If I change or update a file in Dropbox, the people that are logged onto their computer will see a notification that the file has been changed.  This has also helped me personally to collaborate effectively with team members.

Module 7: The World is Flat (Chapters 10-13)

Friedman describes how one country is better at some things than other countries.  For instance, when an entrepreneur starts a business, each country has a certain number of days before the business opens.  If the entrepreneur has clients lined up to buy his products or services, the entrepreneur needs a short start-up time in order to keep clients.  If the start-up date takes too long, the clients will most likely go somewhere else so that they can get the product they need.  To start a business in Australia, the duration takes two days, but in Haiti and Democratic Republic of Congo it takes 200 plus days.  So, it is easier to start-up a business in some countries than it is for others.

            Ireland has a competitive advantage over many of its European counterparts. Ireland has put itself in a good position for business development by cutting corporate taxes to 12.5%, moderating prices, aggressively seeking foreign investment, and moderating wages.  Also, Ireland has made going to public college virtually free, which has assisted Ireland with developing a well educated workforce.  By implementing these methods, Ireland has attracted businesses that have had a positive effect. 

Friedman talks about the basic formula for economic success. The steps for the success are reform wholesale, reform retail, good governance, education, infrastructure, and the ability to glocalize.  Ultimately, countries succeed more than other countries because of their culture and countries that have less constricting barriers are the ones that will develop most quickly.

           

            Friedman introduces the concept of self-directed consumers, which has revolutionized the way products and services are offered, sold, and bought.  With the help of the internet, self-directed consumers now have an innovative bridge that assists them in searching, finding, comparing, and buying. 

            Searching has come far from when the internet was in its infancy.  When an item is searched, options are available to see pictures, videos, compare prices, and find local shops that stock the item.  After searching for the item or service, the specific product/service must be found.  Finding consists of deciding on the product or service, which will best fit the needs of the consumer.  Comparing can be something interesting to do.  Virtually everything can be found at a less expensive price.  Also when comparing, companies can offer features such as returning merchandise, free shipping, and extended warranties.  To find the right product for the right price, one must compare all features.  These reasons are why comparing products and services take the most time.  Buying is probably the easiest step in the process. So many ways are offered to be able to pay for the product or services wanted, such as PayPal, and every credit card available.  This is how a consumer is a self-directed consumer.  The consumer uses the flat world to his or her benefit.  I consider myself a self-directed consumer as long as I’m not in a hurry.  Of course all of the self-directed steps take time and if I lack time, I simply travel to the nearest location that would stock that merchandise.

            In some ways globalization means Americanization, but in other ways it does not.  Globalization is a global relationship of culture, people, and economics; mostly from an economic standpoint.  When American companies reach out to other countries to extend economic relationships, America is Americanizing the relationship between the country’s economy and the economy of America.  So in a way, globalization is Americanization; however, Americanization does not include Americanizing the other country’s culture.  Only the people and leaders of the other country can change how their country operates.

Module 6: The World is Flat (Chapters 5-9)

            Free trade connects offshore businesses together without the discrimination or interference of government’s tariffs or subsidies to trade services or products.  Free trade is important due to the fact that traders will have fewer barriers to go through.  When more barriers are put in place and enforced, trading becomes difficult and a hindrance to both parties.  The transit duration could possibly be extended due to more barriers, which would affect the receiver.

            Free trade is not important because it allows a company to outsource or offshore easier.  By eliminating certain barriers, a company can easily send work or satellite branches to other countries.  By doing so, the companies eliminate jobs in the United States and employ personnel in a low-wage country.  Comparing the low-wage country to the United States, the employees in the low-wage country are paid well; while the company that outsource or offshore the work pays lower wages and little to no health benefits.  The company may or may not use the difference of the wages to assist in other research and development for that company.  Meaning, the money that is saved from outsourcing and offshoring is not necessarily used to hire other employees inside the United States to further develop products or services.  The savings could pile up to pay higher wages to executives, show massive profits to stockholders, or accomplish any other desire of the company. 

            I have a few questions that, after reading the assigned sections, have sparked my curiosity.  What would happen if all borders, ports and barriers were closed in the United States?  Would we, as a nation, be self-sufficient in every need?  Would we be in a state of panic because we have been dependant on other countries manufacturing the products we buy?  By asking these questions, it really made me think of what I could do to prepare myself if something like this happened.

            Friedman describes how a “new middler” (new middle class) must be versatile to accommodate how the flat world is changing the country.  The “old middler” (old middle class) was an individual that highly specialized in one thing.  When the highly specialized occupation moves to an outsourced or offshored position, the individual that was highly trained in that task becomes unemployable, because the skills he or she possesses are not needed anymore in the country.  When the individual finds and occupation, usually the wage is considerably less than before. 

The “new middler” must have various skills to be successful in a flat world. Because the new flat world has such a diverse technology base, the “new middler” must know and understand various aspects of technology and skills. 

The “new middler” needs a desire to learn all of the time.  New technologies are released all of the time, and if I am not proactively learning and understanding the new technologies, I will fall behind and find myself in a challenging spot to keep myself employable.  In order to keep myself employable, I must continually act on a process of what I call forever learning.  Forever learning is a concept that has shown me that no matter how much I know or understand about a topic or subject, there is always something else to learn.  Whether learning in depth about that specific subject or topic or choosing different topics of interest to further enhance knowledge and understanding.

Friedman describes one of his concepts of being employable as CQ + PQ > IQ.  Where CQ is curiosity quotient and PQ is passion quotient.  The two quotients coupled together are greater than the IQ.  Friedman introduces this concept and argues that an individual that possesses both curiosity and passion outperforms an individual with a greater IQ. 

Curiosity can keep an individual focused on a new task, method, or technology.  Curiosity also assists in learning new things.  When I am curious about a subject, I read and study about that subject.  Passion is a strong emotional desire toward something.  Hopefully after having curiosity about a subject, passion will kick in and I will develop a desire to fully understand that subject so that I will be well versed in it.  Being passionate and curious about new things can train us to be in a state of forever learning and be forever employable.

Module 5: The World is Flat (pages 200-259)

Friedman’s The World is Flat describes a triple convergence as how the ten flatteners (fall of the Berlin Wall, the rise of the PC, Netscape, work flow, outsourcing, offshoring, uploading, insourcing, supply-chaining, and in-forming) have come together to make the world a little easier, and efficient.  Since this convergence, the world will never return to be the same.  The first convergence describes how the ten flatteners collaborated to create work flow efficiencies.  Since many did not understand or have knowledge of how these efficiencies would benefit them, they had to learn how to operate this new technology.  This is the second convergence.  The third convergence describes that 3 billion people suddenly were able to collaborate to the outside world due to the falling of the Berlin Wall.  With these new players collaborating, new processes and habits are developed.  

Through these convergences, businesses can operate at a more horizontal level than from a vertical aspect.  Bosses no longer have to ask their secretaries to research, search, and find.  They have the tools to operate simple tasks that before, would be pushed to secretaries or other personnel. 

In the story of India and Indiana, Friedman depicts how the state of Indiana outsourced an upgrade for their division of unemployment to India.  After the public found out about the outsourced project, many protested to keep the work in the states.  Thus, the project would cost more taxpayer dollars.  I think both India and Indiana were exploited.  India had already started on the large task of updating the system; they trained professionals, sent them to Indiana, and had begun the process of gathering data.  India would hire subcontractors from the United States to accomplish some of the work and also save the state of Indiana eight million dollars.  Indiana cancelled the contract with India, paid India almost one million, and contracted with many companies inside the United States to accomplish the upgrade. 

One ironic thing that happens more often than not is that the state of Indiana’s unemployment division outsourced the upgrade project outside the United States.  Again, the unemployment office sent work outside the United States.  That does not make much sense.  Instead of creating jobs and decrease the unemployment rate, the work was sent outside.  Yes, some work was to be contracted to companies inside the United States; but after outsourcing to an outside firm, Indiana had no control what was to take place.  A downfall for Indiana is that the project cost much more than what was quoted by India, thus costing taxpayers more resources.  This situation is known as a catch-22.  Since the state decided to cancel the contract with India, and contract with companies inside the United States, the state ended up paying India for the work that was done, then spend more time and resources on contractors; thus costs increase dramatically.  To me, both were exploited.

According to the government website www.stopfakes.gov, intellectual property consists of “any innovation, commercial or artistic, or any unique name, symbol, logo or design used commercially.”   As the world becomes flatter, protecting intellectual property is becoming more difficult and harder to keep as one’s property.  When information, tasks, or projects are sent outside the United States, the information sent can be taken, used, manufactured, and distributed.  The entities outside the United States do not fall under U.S. jurisdiction and can do anything with the information sent to them.  For this reason, it is not a good idea to send all outsourcing material to one vendor.  That outside vendor can take all the sensitive material, copy, manufacture, and distribute the product; and in most cases, cheaper, quicker, and with equal quality.

The reading this week (pages 200-259) was very interesting.  Many good points were brought up including why preserve some boundaries in the flat world.  Reasons why some boundaries still remain are because people want some information to be private.  Some don’t want all of their secrets to be disclosed, because if their system is better than their competition’s system.  Their competition could possibly adopt a similar system, which could be detrimental to the success of the company.