Essay Example on Globalization Brings Cumulative Crisis in African Nations: A Study

Introduction

Globalization is a process of expanding economic, social, cultural and political associations across international borders. It is an evolution that has continuously restructured the interactive phases of countries in relation to their culture, communication, and commerce. It gives organizations a competitive advantage and minimum costs of operation to gain more products, and services. The result of globalization to African nations has been cumulative crisis in the division of labor and distribution of political and economic power making the common African feature to unemployment, squalor, diseases, and poverty. This paper examines the positive and negative impacts of globalization on African countries and makes a suggestion of recommendations that could improve the process of democratization and contribute to poverty eradication.

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Globalization forces businesses to familiarize with ideological trends that balance the interests and rights of the community and the individual. These changes allow businesses to operate and compete beyond boundaries as it introduces the business to borderless business opportunities. Globalization reorganizes the mode of doing business at all levels that include global trade and national level (Ibrahim, 2013). It integrates financial markets and global trade and impacts heavily on social relations and capitalistic economic trends such as competition and integration of businesses among countries.

Globalization is viewed as a threat to low-skilled employees and developing countries because most of the supported changes borders on automation and technological advancement. It has not achieved the desired goal as compared to developed nations because Africa has been bedeviled with mismanagement of resources and exploitation. Despite the increased collaboration between global superpowers and African countries, poverty and malnutrition are still common cases in these countries. The African resources are plundered by a few elite cases living the rest of the population to scamper for leftovers and aid from global nongovernmental organizations. Primarily, globalization was viewed as an agent of positive change across the globe through the sovereignty of countries, but there are opposing developments towards the beliefs.

Positive Impacts of Globalization

Globalization has seen several inventions come up instantly for the better in numerous fields across African countries. Activities that were mere imaginations in the nineties to many nations are now commonly practiced and viewed as the norm, such as owning and communicating through mobile phones (Ibrahim, 2013). Several fields have been positively impacted and changed the lives of citizens across Africa.

Information technology and computers are the most visible gadgets and true agents in the face of globalization as there is no area in the fight for growth and development among African countries that has not felt their arrival. Personal computers give freedom to its users and offer them the rare opportunity to venture into emerging technologies through the internet by surpassing government interventions (Eze & Nkwede, 2012). Africa is now able to access the internet without restrictions thereby creating an element of a web through which people across the continent are connected by sharing ideas through the cyberspace. The availability of personal computers in homes has fueled internet access and made sharing of information more accessible than before the internet era. The advent of new technologies of communications such as Facebook, twitter, and Instagram has made communication easy and revolutionized the way of doing business.

Globalization is referred to as the information age, and the media has been the main player in controlling the type and amount of information that is accessed by the people. A few multi-nationals own the media that can set agendas for public discourse towards change among nations (Koffi et. Al., 2005). The media has been a key player in catalyzing the violence or an advocate of change for the better. Many people have access to televisions, and technology has enabled people to watch the news on the move.

Continental health has been easy to handle, where global infections can attract global attention within a short period. Globalization heightened awareness of health risks and enabled non-governmental organizations to join hands in providing help to the menace across many African countries. Nations across the globe are now able to instantly share health information that reduces the spread of deadly diseases such as Ebola.

Trade and labor have been the primary beneficiary of globalization as competition has intensified. Labor markets across the globe are experiencing integration courtesy of globalization. The workers shared purpose and vision can be communicated to a large population across the continent (Ibrahim, 2013). Competition in trade among African countries has intensified as more economic players have come up with new technologies and modes of transacting, such as the Alibaba group that has been the giant in online trade and PayPal for wireless payments.

Negative Impacts of GlobalizationGlobalization has polarized African societies where a few can access social amenities while the many people lack employment easily. Globalization encourages an uneven spread of economic opportunities among African countries (Eze & Nkwede, 2012). The marginalization and discontent among the urban poor have led to increased crime and social upheavals that are the source of growing rebellion against ruling governments in many African countries.

The spread of illicit drugs in the face of globalization has been intense as producers aim to make more profits. As the businesses have grown, the controlling power of the drug traffickers has increased and given birth to worrisome developments such as the growth of several criminal enterprises (Koffi et. Al., 2005). Globalization has had its share of positives and negatives on the continent. The benefits and damages will be determined by how the youth in Africa choose to consume information going forward.

References

Eze R. & Nkwede J. (2012). The Effect of Globalization on African Countries: An over View of Nigeria. International Journal of Asian Social Science Vol.2, No.4, pp.394-401. doi: 10.5897/AJBM12.828

Ibrahim, A. (2013). The Impact of Globalization on Africa. International Journal of Humanities and Social Science Vol. 3 No. 15. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/322753263_The_Impact_of_Globalization_on_Africa

Ibrahim, A. (2013). The Impact of Globalization on Africa. International Journal of Humanities and Social Science Vol. 3 No. 15. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/322753263_The_Impact_of_Globalization_on_Africa

Koffi, S., Ping, Z. & Gahe, Z. (2005). Globalization Effects on Sub-Saharan Africa: the Impact of International Trade on Poverty and Inequality. International Journal of Innovation and Economic Development Volume 4 Issue 3. doi: 10.5897/AJBM12.828