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Summary: Understand globalization & its impact
Review: Outstanding book about globalization that impacts us all whether we are aware of it or not. The positives and the downside. Plus Mr. Friedman is a great writer, very enjoyable to read.
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Summary: The Global Village, the Internet, free markets,in a Nutshel
Review: What does globalization mean?
What are the effects of eCommerce and the Internet?
How did the Cold War end, and what does the fall of the Berlin Wall mean?
Who are the 'shapers' and 'adapters' in the financial world?
Why do currencies in developing nations fluctuate and what factors control them?
What does liberal democratization, free markets and free enterprise mean?
What does bribery and corruption do to your country's financial ratings?
Why is striking workers and an unstable work force bad for your country's economy?
How does crime and violence influence investment decisions?
Why is it important to have a free press?
Why it is important to practice internationally accepted accounting principles, and full disclosure?
Why globalization will benefit the majority of the people in a country, and how it will bring more opportunities, prosperity, security and stable governance to more people and countries around the world. If you want to know why, then all this is narrated in the book
"The Lexus and the Olive Tree" by Thomas L. Friedman. "The Lexus and the Olive Tree", is a brilliant guidebook to the new world of "globalization" by Pulitzer-winning New York Times columnist Friedman (From Beirut to Jerusalem, 1988).
In simplest terms, Friedman defines globalization as the world integration of finance markets, nation states, and technologies within a free market capitalism on a scale never before experienced.
Friedman's discussion is wonderfully accessible, clarifying the complex with enlightening stories that simplify but are never simplistic.
Artful and opinionated, complex and cantankerous; simply the best book yet written on globalization and world markets. This book should become a textbook in universities, schools and colleges, and be required reading for people in government and management positions, it will spark lively debate,
and enlighten people on a subject that some regard as taboo, but a subject that we have to learn to embrace, as we all become members of the 'global village'. In my opinion, the book narrates what would take a lifetime of experiences in one book, and therefore is a great teacher. This book has a lot of wisdom, and is worth it's weight in gold!...
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Summary: If I read one more cute acronym, I will scream!
Review: This could have been a good book, as the author offers some useful insights into the process of globalization. Unfortunately, it is so riddled with cute acryonyms (i.e. DOSCapital 3.0) and repetition that it was difficult to take the author seriously. I don't like to critize other authors, being a writer myself. However, the author's penchant for constant self-reference and annoying acronyms made the book unreadable (for me anyway). Plus, much of the material is dated, as the book is filled with references to now defunct (or nearly defunct) Internet companies, which are held up as shining examples of the New Economy. While this book offers some useful insights into global economics, I would not recommend it.
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Summary: A fascinating look at globalization
Review: I saw Mr. Friedman interviewed by Tim Russert and was so impressed with him that I went out and purchased this book not really knowing what it was about. Once I saw what it was about I thought that I wouldn't know what he was talking about and that the book would not hold my interest. Wrong! You don't have to be a financial wizard or a rocket scientist to understand this book. It held my interest from beginning to end and has left me with a better understanding of world affairs and what the future holds. I liked it so much I'm sending one to my son.
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Summary: Must Read for Our Times
Review: You may not agree with everything Friedman has to say in this book, but that has nothing to do with why you need to read it. For Friedman fingers with uncanny accuracy the greatest threat to the west, the U.S., and Capitalism in general when he identifies the potential (now kinetic) destructive energy seething within "the super-empowered individual(s)," who are a clear product of our times and technology. (The anarchists were with us at the turn of the last century -- but they didn't have the technology of today, and they shunned organization. All they had were hand-held bombs). Friedman wrote this book well before 9/11/01. Its pretty tough, therefore, to argue a whole lot with someone who was this "right on target." And his being "right on target" ought to make all of us think long and hard about the rest of things he has to say.
The topics he covers in this book could easily have taken volumes to write. Indeed, the economic, political, and social aspects discussed are each, in and of themselves, complete areas of study for Ph.D's and other individuals. But if one wanted to set out to convey to the "rest of us," in as simple a form as possible, the inter-relation of all these considerations there are few who could have pulled it off as successfully as Friedman has in this book. Be prepared for some "stream of consciousness" writing -- Friedman really gets on a roll.
There is only one major point that he makes that, in my opinion, remains much more debatable than Friedman perceives, and that is the importance of the internet to globalization. Friedman wrote this book when it "looked like" the internet was going to be the equivalent of the invention of the wheel. And in many respects, the interntet and email has certainly increased the speed at which we can communicate, and transactions can take place. But when you think about it -- it hasn't sped things up all that much. The bursting "bubble" of the internet is proof of that. The increased speed at which communication and transactions can take place was happening pretty fast (and faster everyday) anyway -- internet or no internet. Therefore, the point he is making is not only valid, but certainly the internet has added to these capabilities.
Friedman manages to discuss some very complicated economic, political, and social considerations by using metaphors such as "the golden strait jacket," and the "electronic herd." You might need to read his definitions of all these simple terms over a few times before proceeding. But once you have them conceptualized, the use of these short, simple comparisons does help one to understand some very complicated and important issues. But you better know what an "operating system" is before you start or you won't be able to follow much of what Friedman is talking about. In other words, if you are computer illiterate, you're going to have more trouble gleaning Friedman's points than if you are computer literate because he uses a lot of computer terminology as metaphors.
In the end though, he was absolutely "on target" about the present danger to the world. So agree or disagree, I wouldn't dismiss his observations easily. The man obviously knows what he is talking about.
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Summary: Praise of global capitalism in the utmost inefficient way
Review: Thomas Friedman conveys many ideas that are in the end common sense to the rest of the world. Although globalization may come across as some sort of new discovery, Friedman hasn't introduced anything new to this changing global, social and economic picture.
A huge critique of this book is Friedman's roundabout way in presenting his arguments. He repeats himself constantly and retells the same stories too often to be considered a keen observer in serious study of our world business economy. More than often Friedman comes across as an simplistic and edgy typewriter who punches away at its keys as loud as it could to draw attention.
Perhaps a series of articles on his impressions journeying and reporting abroad could have sufficed. It is quite ironic how he praises efficiency and the need to speed things up, i.e. technological advances, yet he comes nowhere near such efficiency with his words. Get to the point Friedman. To which he should have just simply replied: Global capitalism, capitalistic globalization vice versa.
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Summary: Incredibly timely!
Review: How globalization intersects with tribalism to give power to individuals is one of the timely themes of this book. An interesting analysis of Osama Bin Laden and some of his motivations and sources of power is only one of the fascinating and relevant issues covered.
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Summary: One of The Top Ten Must-Reads for Today's Leaders
Review: You could travel thousands of miles around the world, gain access to some of the most influential thinkers in the world, and
read of the any of the hundreds of academic treatises on globalization and still not have the clarity of thought that Mr. Friedman expresses in The Lexus and the Olive Tree. Herein lies a voice yelling into the wilderness: "Let's be careful here, not everyone thinks our way is the only way...don't underestimate the resolve of man...we've got to do a better job communicating this...we'd better..." Sure - even recent history is full of such admonitions, but so many are "candy-coated" and academic that the true message of the author become blurred. When local businesses complain of the entrance of a major market chain into your community, this is only a very small-scale example of what happens when "the Lexus" flattens the "olive tree". More often such incidents take place on a global scale in places where people are wary of Western values and feel that values are being forced upon them and the resulting anger often triggers much more sinister responses than a mailbag of letters to the mayor. Mr.Friedman's analysis gives us is the information from which to make our own judgements. An excellent work.
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Summary: A Compendium of Analogies for the Economics/ IR Student
Review: As the title indicates, Tom Friedman ably places many of the complex issues in international relations and economics into easy to understand examples and analogies. His story telling comes alive based upon his extensive experience as a foreign correspondent and journalist, and he ably describes the post Cold War international environment. His book is a major contribution to defining how technology and globalization are shaping a new world order. He also does an adequate job of portraying how U.S. cultural and economic influence (some would say imperialism) is impacting many cultures across the globe. My one criticism of the book is the author's overkill of the use of analogies. He continues to drive his point home in many chapters by offering several more examples to support his opinion. Although entertaining, I became bored reading several more analogies after getting his initial point. Otherwise, the book definitely made me think about many of the issues, which I experienced when living overseas for over three years, from a different perspective. Anyone who is interested in economics, international relations, political science, or national security issues should read this book. It provides many examples and analogies of the effects of globalization. Well worth the read.
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Summary: A Book That Defines Our Times
Review: Thomas Friedman is the voice of one crying in the wilderness. Whether via his columns in the New York Times or as a guest on CSPAN, he is one of the leaders of reasoning in these earliest days of the 21st century. In the Lexus and the Olive Tree, the author explores the meaning and implications of globalism. Whether it is in the despicable manner in which one man named Usama bin Laden can wreak terror and go to war with the mightiest nation on earth or how the small, remote village of Robib in Cambodia can triumphantly dare to tell the world that they measure their marketing efforts to those of Amazon.com, ours is a world in transition at a rate that would astonish even Alvin Toffler. Unfortunately, far too many don't recognize the signs that the future belongs to those who understand the changes and harness the power of the internet, telecommunications and interactive economic development. While some of what Friedman writes will prove wrong in the long run, far more often than not he hits the nail on the head. This book should be required reading for every college freshman as well as for anyone who isn't exactly sure why a Palm Pilot or on-line bill paying should be a part of their daily lives. This reviewer suspects that the Lexus and the Olive Tree is destined to become one of those classics that future generations will consult to understand how we lived.
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