Globalization: Challenges

“Globalization can be identified as the widening, intensifying, speeding up, and growing impact of world-wide interconnectedness.”1 It has transformed society in many ways. Not only has it disrupted some of the social and political practices but it also has changed the work habit, lifestyle, and culture of people influenced by it. There are some who view this as a threat in the Philippines because of how it has changed the country’s otherwise more conservative and respectful culture. In addition, the government may develop policies, which will not be beneficial to the country and its people in the long run just to attract more foreign investors. Even when some people view these transformations negatively, it can’t be denied that globalization has brought more positive changes.

Globalization has brought several countries together. Because of globalization one product no longer originate in any particular country but is a fusion of an elaborate international web of suppliers and assemblers. An example would be an electronic product assembled in the Philippines could have parts that are made from other countries. Only a few products if any at all could originate from a single country.

This phenomenon has been beneficial particularly to our country in some areas. Through globalization, multinational companies have invested in our country, creating more jobs, more competition among local and foreign brands, thus, developing the market and improving the quality of life. McDonald was officially introduced to our country. The standard of the food services and decent business competition was encouraged. At the outset, when McDonalds was eyeing and contemplating a future expansion in the Philippines, it had already started to challenge the local business competitors therefore raising the standard of the food services. Take Jollibee, for instance. Tony Tan, Jollibee’s founder and CEO, visited America to study his “future enemy,”2 upon learning that an American fast food restaurant was coming to launch its business in the Philippines. By the time McDonalds opened their first store in the country in 1981, Jollibee had already taken its roots.

What was first perceived as