How Has Globalization Shaped Your Community Essay

The term â€Å"globalization† is a complex concept to define in a single, precise statement as one might find in a dictionary. Although the phenomenon has many facets, it is generally described as the trend whereby countries, on a global scale join socially, politically and economically. This process is facilitated in many ways, like through public and private sector decisions, education and by the ever increasing rate of information transfer via the Internet and social media, which has been a major catalyst in contemporary politics. An example of this would be the ways in which the social media has facilitated the Arab Spring revolutions, as individuals see themselves increasingly as part of the larger picture; as citizens in the global scheme. Globalization is said to bring people of all nations closer together, especially through a common medium like the Internet, and through the common mechanism of economics. Growing up in one of Brooklyn’s most iconic religious communities, I have experienced the many changes to its population and commercialism as it has â€Å"evolved† due to globalization. I have seen the resistance to this change as well, which may be typical of areas where the majority are conservative, religious men and women. However, as all communities eventually yield somewhat to the changing political and social landscape, I have noticed the ways in which Crown Heights Brooklyn has also gave way to the phenomenon of globalization. From a lifelong perspective on my particular block, I have see the changes in the ways my neighbors and I shop, how we interact, and the effects of this change on the community. In particular, I’ve notice mass merchants opening up around my neighborhood. Neighborhoods comprised of a dominant ethnicity or religious majority tend to favor the â€Å"mom and pop† version of food markets, pharmacies, as well as locally owned day cares, schools, banks and other institutions. It is therefore interesting to watch the process of globalization gradually change my community in similar ways it has changed other secular neighborhood. Particularly notable is how the the local hardware store (where we went to buy our batteries and Walkmans) was replaced by a home depot, and the Jewish operated kosher markets give way to (still Kosher) super-centers. Additionally, in the generation of my youth prior to the technological revolution, the idea of a cell phone for every able bodied adult a nd teen was as foreign as the notion of a flying car, Let alone the use of the Internet for recurrent ordering of good and service. Before everyone was on board with â€Å"America Online† and learning the ins-and-outs of the Internet in the 1900’s, the community of Crown Heights had almost blatantly-defined boundaries, and consumers rarely, if ever traversed these invisible lines for their consumer needs- they had no need for Kosher food, or religious materials or traditional Jewish food. In one article, Mele makes an analogy using the Lower east side of New York City to describe the visceral effects of globalization on the urban life (5), explaining the ways big business has reinvented and marginalized the â€Å"local character† of these neighborhoods. When big companies seek to get bigger by opening chains in small religious neighborhoods, the negatives are the same as when they open in secular locales, such as the Lower East side of the New York City- the negatives are blatant. The anti-globalization arguments are also the same region to region; that is, the fear of mistreatment to workers and low wages for them to bring home (Clawson 1) among other things. With respect to my neighborhood, I can recall discussions by a few Rabbi’s about ways to slow or ameliorate such ills of the global market sprawl. But the sprawling of global living is inevitable, and as conservative a community may be, we should look for ways to live with the effects of globalization. We should strive to maximize the advantages while minimizing the harms. I will not claim that this trend in my neighborhood has lacked any appeal or advantage. Price and convenience of products are changing for the better, as we are able to obtain goods and services from the far reaches of the world by a click of a button, a phone call or a trip to your mass retailer. These large businesses offer delivery, savings selection and convenience often not affordable to the mom and pop store. The local butcher, local grocers and authentic, traditional bakeries in my neighborhood were replaced by large supermarkets promoting deep discounts and convenience of â€Å"one stop shopping.† According to recent research, Zhu, Singh and Dukes argue that some stores located near these larger enterprises performed better than those located miles away or more (3). Still, one can not ignore that In a society which is fast paced, local community economies are suffering greatly. The availability of goods and services may be more prolific than ever, but the quality leaves much to be remembered, as I do from the time of my childhood. The citizens of Crown Heights have learned to adapt to change, yet they may be powerless after all. Globalization means you aren’t just competing against the store across the street, but rather someone in another town or other nation, one quite possibly with a lower labor rate, cheaper raw materials and cheaper overhead. In a world like this, how can the small guys survive? Actually, there have been many suggestions for local sustainability put forth by both the merchants and the consumer culture. The government has attempted tariffs and legislations to promote local industry, and there are myriad anti-globalization organizations such as environmental groups like Greenpeace, and international groups like Oxfam (â€Å"Globalization† 1) However, experience from my community suggests that it is not government agenda, but community action that will bring forth the best long term changes. Studies often result in competing and/or mixed results and conclusions, but it is clear that Crown heights has changed for the worse in many ways due to globalization. For that reason it is logical to site academic studies to explain the causes and cures to this downside of global markets. Conventional wisdom and research may suggest that when large â€Å"Wall-Mart’s† open in a community, local businesses suffer for it. This model may also explain what is going on in Crown Heights- the total drawbacks of globalization outweigh any benefits. The negative impacts of the giant Wall-Mart is often used (perhaps correctly) to generalize the ills of the globalization. One recent study analyzed them once again, making use of national data, finding that the opening of a Wall-Mart reduces local-level (county) retail employment by 150 jobs. Because Wal-Mart stores employ an average of 360 workers, this suggests that for every new retail job created by Wal-Mart, 1.4 jobs are lost as existing businesses downsize or close. The study also found that the arrival of a Wall-Mart store reduces total county-wide retail payroll by an average of about $1.2 million (Flandez 1) So it would seem that local ownership is vital to the livelihood of a community, as well as the survival of the community’s traditions and to prevent global homogenization of consumer products and services. The obvious question for a member of a local community, concerns how to take back the consumer market. Perhaps local supermarkets can offer more comprehensive and effective promotional material or increase the scope of product being sold. A community member can do his or her part by buying from the local Farmers Market. This action has been proven to help local economies, and it is also currently trendy to be a devout â€Å"locavore† in certain places in New York City. The fact that farmers are selling direct to the most proximal residents means revenue stays within the community. Even if every need cannot be fulfilled from a local market, each local purchase has an incremental impact; and, when applied by the masses, grows exponentially. By supporting local food, Tierney (1) points out some benefits to the local community: one does not support shopping malls, chains, and the roads and infrastructure needed to nourish them. Instead, one supports farms, and the natural habitat that comes with them. This is a positive from a conservationist perspective. Lastly, but by far of least importance, is that locally grown food is fresher, and more flavorful. If the model of the farmer’s market can be applied to any other commercial product, it should; and other forms of push-back by consumer behavior modification such as this should be used to enhance the benefits of local markets on their respective communities. The fact that these markets are growing independent of government influence is a sign that people do value their small community enterprises. Every aspiring entrepreneur has big dreams. Many have small budgets, though, and globalization processes have led to the suppression and elimination of these entrepreneurial types to actualize their dreams and help the communities and maintain the cultures they were born into. Globalization has changed the look and feel of my community, as well as the very physical and social definition and boundaries of my community. A visitor in Crown Heights today, taking a stroll down the street intent on some consumer purchase, may have come from much further away compared to decades past. Hopefully, this consumer will consider the affect of his or her dollar on the local economy and chose wisely about where to spend it. Many times one will find that buying a product which is â€Å"grown locally† won’t cost you more than the alternative; and even if it it does, your purchase helps future generations of your community. Even in the slow-changing conservative religious community of my youth, commercial globalization takes a toll on the local economy and eventually effects traditional values, yet we still have choice as a community about where we shop. It is my hope that the small budget entrepreneur of today’s market will make a comeback in my neighborhood! Sources Clawson, Julie. â€Å"Globalization and Consumerism.† Onehandclapping: incantations at the edge of uncertainty. Julie Clawson, 20 Nov 2008. Web. Web. 28 Feb 2013. Flandez, Raymund. â€Å"What Can You Do to Fight Wall-Mart.† Wall Street Journal. 20 Mar 2009: n. page. Web. 30 Jan. 2013. Marco Lauteri, et al. â€Å"Combining Demographic And Land-Use Dynamics With Local Communities perceptions For Analyzing Socio-Ecological Systems: A Case Study In A Mountain Area Of Italy.† Iforest – Biogeosciences & Forestry 5.3 (2012): 1-8. Academic Search Complete. Web. 23 Jan. 2013. Tierney, John. â€Å"Fresh and Direct From the Garden an Ocean Away.† New York Times. 30 Aug 2011: n. page. Web. 30 Jan. 2013. Zhu, Ting, Vishal Singh, and Anthony Dukes. â€Å"Local Competition, Entry, And Agglomeration.† Quantitative Marketing & Economics 9.2 (2011): 129-154. Business Source Complete. Web. 29 Jan. 2013.