TWIF+Chapter+4

Chapter Four – The Great Sorting Out (summary- Sheryl A. Spencer)

At the beginning of chapter four Thomas L. Friedman discusses that as a result of progress and technology boundaries are continuing to become blurred resulting in the identities and roles of consumer, employee, citizen, taxpayer and shareholder are much more difficult to define. This change in traditional expectations and understanding will need to be “sorted out.” Ironically, although many of this development seem relatively recent, when Friedman was conducting an interview with political theorist Michael J. Sandel, it was pointed out that Karl Marx, author of the Communist Manifesto published in 1848, essentially predicted the “world flattening”. After reviewing Marx’s work Friedman determined that there is a definite link between the Industrial Revolution to the current advances in technology and the manner in which future communities and business will operate.

Chapter four questions if outsourcing is actually an exploitation of people from other countries while simultaneously denying US citizens from various job opportunities; or if it is simply a form of globalization that is providing opportunity for individuals from other countries while preventing cost from the US consumer. Friedman gives several examples of stories but one in particular describing the events of outsource an unemployment computer system in Indiana leaves the reader to ponder "who is the exploiter and who is the exploited in this India-Indiana story?"(Friedman, 2007 p. 241). The answer to this question is quite complicated and could cause a great deal of debate.

In “sorting out” Friedman discusses patent and intellectual property law, and how to protect innovative ideas while still enabling them to be shared so that the most individuals may benefit from them. He notes that the online world has radically changed how business is conducted and may eventually make significant impact on politics aligning various individuals who know have a common goal although their inner motivation may be vastly different. "For all these reasons, the ceilings, walls, and floors that will define us in the future are likely to be blended, collaborative models, which combine the old and the new" (Friedman, 2007 p. 239 ).

Chapter Four-The Great Sorting Out (Analysis- Laura Chegwidden)

I would have to say I do agree with Friedman's points in chapter four. He made many valid observations about how the world is changing, "moving from a vertical command and control system for creating value to a more horizontal connect and collaboration". ( Friedman, 2007 p. 233) It will not only change society it will change the way business is done. Moving to a horizontal connection and collaboration, makes it more of an level playing field in the business world. However, the boundaries and roles will become blurry. People will have to change their practices and ways that worked in a round world, to survive in the flat world, where a big part of business is becoming global and being outsourced. There is a lot of "sorting out" to do and it can become very complicated, and conserversal. One final statement I really agreed with Friedman on is that we have to take the old and new and work together, in order to sort out the new norms, roles, and boundaries. You can't totally exclude the "old," when making advances with the "new". (Friedman, 2007 p. 239)

One of the potential consequences over the next tens years, may be the need for different social contracts to govern the relationship with the global business and outsourcing. Who owns what company? For example who owns HP? Is it an American company when the majority of it's employees and customers are located out of the country? (Friedman, 2007 p. 243) There is still a lot of sorting out to do when determining relationships between different groups involved in the business, as well Who owns what? (workers, the company, the communities in which they operate) Another example of a consequence is that a lot of American workers will suffer and become unemployed, because it is cheaper for companies to outsource to India. Are they exploiting or empowering employees based out of India? It depends which side you look at it from, from the American's side they are hiring cheap labor to do the nitty-gritty work, however from the Indian's perspective they are getting an opportunity to succeed and advance. Therefore, "in a flat world one's economic liberation could be another's unemployment". One final consequence has to do with the internet and technology with the world becoming flatter it is easier for the "big man", to do the "small guy's" work. You can do more on your own, you may not need people to work below you when you can do their job. More bosses can now do their own research because of the flatter world. One thing you need to be able to sort out is the information you find on the internet. Anyone and everyone can put whatever they want up on online. More and more people read the news online (make sure it's reliable), don't get me wrong the internet is great for social, and global networking, however people need to be aware of what they are "sorting out". One last job that may see some negative consequences or have to change the way things have traditionally done things is the real-estate business, internet has changed the way we buy and sell houses. People don't need a real-estate agent to get information, it's all online for FREE!

Overall, there are many issues that will have to be sorted out over the next ten years, so we as teachers may want to prepare our student to be able to step up to the plate and take on that challenge. Our schools need to provide the students with the necessary skills to survive in a flat world. If roles and boundaries are changing, people have to change the way they do their jobs. Therefore, we have to change the way we teach. Along with teaching the traditional basics as a foundation for education, we need to teach skills such as design, social skills (empathy and communication), creativity, and problem solving. We as teachers can't expect our students to be prepared to function and survive in the world, if we don't work on learning and improving our teaching skills and knowledge. For us as educators, it means going to professional workshops to continuing our education ourselves. We never stop learning, and just when we think we can there it something new to sort out.