Peer Review

The Globalization Website

Material Detail page

Reviewed:: Mar 11, 2005 by Business

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Ratings

Overall Rating:

Content Quality:

Effectiveness:

Ease of Use:

Overview:: This is an extremely thorough website providing an extensive amount of
information on globalization and global change. It includes links to sites on
issues of globalization, a glossary of terms, key theories, current books and
articles, relevant players and organizations in globalization, etc. Each site
contains numerous links to other websites with yet more links and additional
information.

Specifically, this site contains information on six issues regarding
globalization.
1. What is globalization?
2. How does globalization affect women?
3. Does globalization cause poverty?
4. Why are so many people opposed to globalization?
5. Does globalization diminish cultural diversity?
6. Can globalization be controlled?
For each of the issues there is a number of additional links to additional
information sources.
Type of Material:: Reference Material
Recommended Uses:: The site is a supplement to class lectures and readings. Instructors could use
the material as a homework assignment by asking students to answer the 6
questions themselves after researching each area. It is a very good
introduction to the topics surrounding globalization.
Technical Requirements:: Standard Internet Browser
Identify Major Learning Goals:: The website has the following goals:
-To shed light on the process of globalization and contribute to discussions of
its consequences.
-To explain the many meanings of globalization and clarify the debates
surrounding the direction and impact of global change.
-To serve as a guide to the social scientific literature and other currently
available resources on globalization.

The site discusses the major principles, issues and varying opinions around
globalization.
Target Student Population:: The material would be useful for any business/management class focusing on
international issues such as international management, international marketing,
international human resource management, international economics etc. It could
also supplement a chapter on Globalization in an Introduction to Management
class. It can provide a countervailing voice to the dominant pro-capitalist
expansionist notion that globalization is value neutral and beneficial to
society.
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:: No specific prerequisites are required but students should have a basic
understanding of the principles of international trade.

Content Quality

Rating:
Strengths:: Globalization is a complex but timely topic, and this site does a good job of
identifying, describing and discussing some of the main issues around
globalization. It also provides links to excellent international sites and
reports from which students can read original data. It provides a rich source of
information for students interested in learning more about globalization.
Concerns:: It seems after reading this material that the author does not favor
globalization. It would be unfortunate for students to be persuaded too
strongly to adopt this view without the instructor providing reference materials
supporting the other side of the issue. However, most textbooks in business
present a pro-capitalist expansionist view, so this site could be used as a
counterbalance. Also, well over half of the links are no longer working.

Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool

Rating:
Strengths:: This site provides insight into some of the key issues of concern around the
growth of globalization. Students need to understand some of the social
ramifications of multinational corporations rather than just focusing on the
perceived financial benefits of expanding internationally.
Concerns:: While this website provides interesting information, it is geared more closely
to an international relations/social policy perspective. The author is a
Sociologist, and therefore it is understandable that the material would be
interpreted in that framework.

Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty

Rating:
Strengths:: The site is very well organized
Concerns:: The main concern here is that so many of the links are no longer in working
order. There are many links that sound interesting but users will be unable to
find them.

Other Issues and Comments:: A very rich source of information on globalization, with numerous links to a
multitude of other sites.
Creative Commons: