CURS

Factori economici particulari semnificativi n procesul globalizrii

Se poate considera c de cteva decenii exist un nou stadiu n dezvoltarea economiei
capitaliste, un nou tip de capitalism dezvoltat la scar global. Acesta poate fi descris
prin apel la mai muli factori economici particulari. Firete, factorii n cauz sunt
strns legai ntre ei, dnd natere unui proces pe care l putem aprecia ca fiind
organic.
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de exemplu, un telefon mobil este important (dac nu chiar decisiv n

zilele noastre) din punct de vedere economic, att ca produs finit, n sine,
ca obiect ce este cumprat de anumii oameni pentru a fi posedat de ei, dar
i ca un facilitator de contacte / tranzacii economice, de schimb de
informaii financiare etc. cu alte cuvinte ca mediu de afaceri sui generis.

n plus, factorii economici ce vor fi evideniai n continuare sunt individualizai doar

din raiuni pedagogice, cci ei fac parte dintr-un complex funcional ce cuprinde i
ceilali factori semnificativi: politici, culturali, sociali, demografici etc.
Dac e s plecm de la concepia n aceast privin a lui Giddens, principalii factori
economici care au favorizat procesul de globalizare sunt urmtorii:
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Dezvoltarea tehnologiilor informaiei i ale (tele)comunicaiilor: nlocuirea

tehnicii analogice cu cea digital n transmiterea informaiei; comunicaiile
prin cablu i prin satelit; telefonia mobil; internetul etc. Efectele acestui
proces sunt economice, financiare, dar i politice, culturale, sociale, chiar
antropologice; la modul general, aceste efecte au fost descrise David Harvey
prin comprimarea spaiului i a timpului (space-time compression).
o Un exemplu: Some of the most gripping events of the past two or
three decades - such as the fall of the Berlin Wall, the violent
crackdown on democratic protesters in China's Tiananmen Square and
the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001- have unfolded through the
media before a truly global audience. Such events, along with
thousands of less dramatic ones, have resulted in a reorientation in
people's thinking from the level of the nation-state to the global stage.

Individuals are now more aware of their interconnectedness with

others and more likely to identity with global issues and processes than
was the case in times past. (Giddens 130)
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Apariia unui tip nou de economie, caracterizat alternativ ca prin expresii ca

societate postindustrial, societate informaional, societate bazat pe
cunoatere sau noua economie ceea ce presupune o economie lipsit de
greutate (weightless economy Quah), n care decisiv valoarea
informaional sau cognitiv inclus n produsul finit i, ntr-o msur
descresctoare, materia prim propriu-zis).
o Iat cum definete Quah conceptul de weightless economy:
By the weightless economy, I mean that part of the economy comprising

the following four categories:

1. Information and communications technology (ICT), including the
Internet.
2. Intellectual property, including not only patents and copyrights but more
broadly, namebrands, trademarks, advertising, financial and consulting
services, health care
(medical knowledge), and education.
3. Electronic libraries and databases, including new media, video
entertainment, and broadcasting.
4. Biotechnology, which includes carbon-based libraries and databases, as
well as pharmaceuticals. (Quah 1)

apariia unei astfel de economii nu ar fi fost posibil fr configurarea unui

nou tip de individ care s susin, prin consum, producia i comercializarea
unor asemenea produse, a unor oameni care s i desfoare propria via
prin(tre) acestea:
o The emergence of the knowledge society has been linked to the
development of a broad base of consumers who are technologically
literate and eagerly integrate new advances in computing,
entertainment and telecommunications into their everyday lives.
(Giddens 132)

o Trebuie remarcat faptul c individul-consumator este i un efect i

totodat i o cauz a economiei capitaliste globale actuale, fiind un
element care accelereaz procesul evoluiei acesteia.
o Exist unele teorii care situeaz n zona consumului esena procesului
globalizrii. Dup Edward Comor, the edifice of the contemporary
political economy is, in fact, built on the grounds of a consumptiondependent framework. In the context of the contemporary globalization
project, this frameworks construction is secured more through
consumerist identities than workplace satisfactions, more as a result of
acquisitive aspirations than civic achievements. (Comor X)
1. Acelai autor adaug: Despite the ecological implications of
our systemic compulsion to produce and consume evermore,
and the geopolitical ramifications of this dynamic (involving a
deepening dependency on both oil and cheap labour),
consumption itself arguably has become the core indice of not
just individual success but also national development.
Capitalist consumption - as a historically constructed way of
thinking, acting and relating - constitutes an essential but
contradiction-laden institution. Its core agent - the muchvaunted sovereign consumer - is ideally free to do virtually
anything except withdraw from consuming. After all, if that
choice were acted upon, the edifice would collapse. (Comor
X)
2. Astfel c, n viziunea lui Comor, devine justificat s ne
ntrebm dac asistm la crearea unei global civil society sau a
unei global consumer society, cu alte cuvinte dac ceea ce
susine procesul globalizrii este existena unei contiine
politice cosmopolite i democratice sau faptul c avem de-a
face cu resorturi de tip consumerist abil speculate i ntreinute.
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Apariia unui nou mod de desfurare a afacerilor i de a nelege

competitivitatea economic, bazat pe cooperare / colaborare cu alte firme n
atingerea scopului propus (n dauna unei independene totale), ca i pe
apartenena decisiv la reele economico-financiare:

o In order to be competitive in globalizing conditions, businesses and

corporations have restructured themselves to be more flexible and less
hierarchical in nature. Production practices and organizational patterns
have become more flexible, partnering arrangements with other firms
have become commonplace and participation in worldwide distribution
networks has become essential for doing business in a rapidly changing
global market. (Giddens 132)
o Un exemplu: alianele realizate de companiile de transport aerian: Star
Alliance, Skyteam etc.
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dezvoltarea companiilor transnaionale, i.e. a companiilor care i desfoar

activitatea n mai mult de dou ri. Aceste devin n multe cazuri factori de
decizie mai importani dect multe dintre ri, condiionnd i chiar
subordonnd politicile economice ale acestora (introducerea de modificri
legislative: economice, sociale, legate de mediu etc.).
o Pentru a nelege ce determin aceast stare de lucruri, oferim un citat
din Giddens: Some 500 transnational corporations had annual sales of
more than $10 billion in 2001, while only 75 countries could boast
gross domestic products of at least that amount. () In fact, the
combined sales of the world's largest 500 transnational corporations
totalled $14.1 trillion - nearly half of the value of goods and services
produced by the entire world. (Giddens 133)
o Condiionarea apare i n sens opus, n msura n care falimentul unei
singure companii transnaionale puternice poate duce la reacii n lan,
antrenarea unei ntregi crize economice locale, regionale, naionale sau
chiar globale. Vezi, n acest sens, falimentul Lehman Brothers, a patra
banca din SUA la momentul respectiv (dar care oferea servicii
financiare la nivel global) din 2008, care a dus la declanarea unei
crize la nivel mondial, ale crei efecte le resimim nc i astzi.
o Un rol fundamental n acest proces de dezvoltare a companiilor
transnaionale l joac (cf. Giddens) existena a aa-numitelor global
commodity chains lanuri globale de producie, i.e. faptul c pentru
realizarea unui produs finit concur mai multe etape de producie care
se realizeaz n ri diferite, n funcie de profitabilitatea producerii
acestora n locaiile respective (materiile prime, costul i calificarea

pentru mna de lucru, reeaua de transport, facilitile economicofinanciare etc.)

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existena unei economii electronice din ce n ce mai dezvoltate, care modific

structural economia clasic.
o aspecte semnificative: posibilitatea de a te informa despre existena
unor ageni i activiti economice (accesul la informaia economic);
posibilitatea de a contacta practic instantaneu acele entiti din aproape
toat lumea care pot susine propria activitate economic, pe toate
palierele, de la uniti de extracie a materiilor prime, operatori de
transport, organe statale intermediare, firme de angajare personal,
firme de consultan economic i financiar, comercializarea
produselor finite etc.; posibilitatea de a face publicitate produselor n
toate regiunile globului printr-un sistem de plat electronic deosebit
de facil.
o Un aspect extrem de important este tocmai sistemul de plat
electronic, care conecteaz bnci, firme, clieni, instituii ale statului
etc.

Teme recapitulative:

Dai exemple de efecte ale procesului de dezvoltare accelerat a tehnologiilor

informaiei i comunicaiilor n varii domenii.

Ce nseamn o economie lipsit de greutate?

Prezentai i comentai un caz concret viznd legtura dintre o companie

transnaional i politicile la nivel naional

Bibliografie:

Edward A. Comor, Consumption and the Globalization Project : neo-imperialism and

the annihilation of time, Palgrave MacMillan, Houndmills / New York, 2008
Anthony Giddens, Sociology, 6th edition, revised and updated with Philip W. Sutton,
Polity Press, 2009
Ray Kiely, Industrialization and Development, UCL Press, London, 1998

Danny T. Quah, The Weightless Economy in Growth, The Business Economist,

Vol. 30, No. 1, pp. 4053, March 1999 (se gsete la adresa:
http://econ.lse.ac.uk/~dquah/)