Global Shift, Third Edition: Transforming the World Economy

Rating:
Summary: Attempting to De-Mystify Globalization
Review: Global Shift is an ambitious look at the changing world geography through the lens of the economic geographer. The book is divided into four major sections that allow for a detailed exploration of the various arenas that Peter Dicken emphasizes. The text is wrought with details that make it occasionally dense to the non-economist or geographer but one of the most compelling elements of the text is the fact that in an ever-changing global civilization the text is applicable to many different academic disciplines. It provides an important background for understanding the process of globalization in its many manifestations. Ultimately the text comes back time and again to the idea that transnational corporations and political states inside a volatile world of ever-changing technology dominate the globalization processes. Although the text focuses on the idea that the economic world is global and transnational corporations are driving the globalization, Dicken states that the idea of a faceless/placeless corporation is really not an accurate description of what is occurring. I was reminded of Tip O'Neil's famous statement that all politics is local. In much the same way Dicken emphasizes that regardless of the multi-national face of corporations there is an important local element that makes the corporation more accessible than one might think. Another important element of the work is the idea that much of what is occurring is not new. There have been tends in multinationals for years and Dicken does a good job of historicizing these ideas before he discusses the current situation. Throughout the book Dicken emphasizes the three important factors of his argument. First, that there are new centers of production and power around the world. Secondly, that there is an emergence of new global finance dominated by transnational corporations. Finally, that technology, the center of industrialization is changing at a rapid pace that creates more and more flux in the global markets. The book is dense with facts, figures, charts and graphs, but its detail in numbers is immediately useful in looking at the other texts related to this subject. This text is less focused on the cultural ramifications of its observations but to understand fully the cultural context of the globalization process we must first understand the economic processes in play.

Rating:
Summary: Attempting to De-Mystify Globalization
Review: Global Shift is an ambitious look at the changing world geography through the lens of the economic geographer. The book is divided into four major sections that allow for a detailed exploration of the various arenas that Peter Dicken emphasizes. The text is wrought with details that make it occasionally dense to the non-economist or geographer but one of the most compelling elements of the text is the fact that in an ever-changing global civilization the text is applicable to many different academic disciplines. It provides an important background for understanding the process of globalization in its many manifestations. Ultimately the text comes back time and again to the idea that transnational corporations and political states inside a volatile world of ever-changing technology dominate the globalization processes. Although the text focuses on the idea that the economic world is global and transnational corporations are driving the globalization, Dicken states that the idea of a faceless/placeless corporation is really not an accurate description of what is occurring. I was reminded of Tip O'Neil's famous statement that all politics is local. In much the same way Dicken emphasizes that regardless of the multi-national face of corporations there is an important local element that makes the corporation more accessible than one might think. Another important element of the work is the idea that much of what is occurring is not new. There have been tends in multinationals for years and Dicken does a good job of historicizing these ideas before he discusses the current situation. Throughout the book Dicken emphasizes the three important factors of his argument. First, that there are new centers of production and power around the world. Secondly, that there is an emergence of new global finance dominated by transnational corporations. Finally, that technology, the center of industrialization is changing at a rapid pace that creates more and more flux in the global markets. The book is dense with facts, figures, charts and graphs, but its detail in numbers is immediately useful in looking at the other texts related to this subject. This text is less focused on the cultural ramifications of its observations but to understand fully the cultural context of the globalization process we must first understand the economic processes in play.

Rating:
Summary: The Best Book on Globalization
Review: In light of the other reviews of this book, I am inclined to agree that this is a heady, academic look at globalization. If globalization to you means Mitsubishi cutting down rain forests or Nike exploiting workers, this book may not be for you. It is, as has been pointed out, a textbook and it is one that will challenge your view of globalization. Having come to the book as an opponent of globalization, this book awakened me to the complexity of the problems raised by a rapidly globalizing economy. As a result, I was forced to re-examine my opposition and hone my arguments against globalization. This unbiased, empirical approach makes the book highly recommended for those interested in putting forth the best possible argmuments about the global economy. It is, however, highly academic and not necessarily for most activists.

Rating:
Summary: The Best Book on Globalization
Review: In light of the other reviews of this book, I am inclined to agree that this is a heady, academic look at globalization. If globalization to you means Mitsubishi cutting down rain forests or Nike exploiting workers, this book may not be for you. It is, as has been pointed out, a textbook and it is one that will challenge your view of globalization. Having come to the book as an opponent of globalization, this book awakened me to the complexity of the problems raised by a rapidly globalizing economy. As a result, I was forced to re-examine my opposition and hone my arguments against globalization. This unbiased, empirical approach makes the book highly recommended for those interested in putting forth the best possible argmuments about the global economy. It is, however, highly academic and not necessarily for most activists.