According to Thompson (1995), Globalization ‘refers to the growing interconnectedness of different parts of the world, a process which gives rise to complex forms of interaction and interdependency.’ This definition provides a solid overview of the process of globalization, and asserts that owing to globalization, the world is now growing in its forms of interactions and communications with other countries, which allows for the development of new technologies and the sharing of different beliefs and practices throughout the world.
For my first blogging task, I have decided to interview my mother Karen, who is 55 years old. Being a bookkeeper all her life, and having been in the workforce since her early 20s, she has experienced the information flows of globalization first hand. She explained to me that she feels that new technologies in this day and age are developing at an extremely rapid pace and that she sometimes finds it difficult to keep up.
When asking her how these information flows have affected her life, in particular her work and social life, she explained how when she was younger and in her early 20s, as she is a part of the Baby Boomer generation, being a bookkeeper involved using a typewriter and a calculator, and also a lot of handwriting. These days, it is made much easier for her due to the continuing development of computers and various programs such as QuickBooks, MYOB, and Excel. She also pointed out that whilst a lot of her work and communication through work was done on the phone, a majority of it is also now completed via the use of email.
My mother also explained how information flows in this generation have developed from her generation in terms of social media use, in particular, websites such as Facebook and Twitter. She explains that she appreciates the introduction of the Internet and these social media sites as they have allowed for her to keep in contact with her family, and other friends that she may not see as often.
Sources:
Rantanen, T 2005, "Theorizing Media Globalization', The media and globalization, Sage, Longon pp. 1-18
