Global versus Local

             Globalisation is a fact of modern life. We asked four very different people to talk to us about globalisation in their lives.

A Matt Townsend, IT director

I work for a large multinational corporation, so doing business on a global level and co-operating with colleagues around the world is part and parcel of the job. It’s fascinating how international teams of people can communicate with each other and work together to reach common goals and make bigger profits. It’s not always plain sailing, though, as sometimes cultural differences can cause misunderstandings. That's why it’s so important that executives travel regularly to other countries in which we have offices. That way we can get to know each other better and understand how people in different countries think and operate. Personally, I love travelling and coming into contact with new cultures. Although to be perfectly honest, most of the time we hardly ever venture outside the hotels we’re staying in. It’s really our local colleagues in each destination that give us a taste of what life is like in their country.

B Jan Cooper, MP

Over the past century, we have certainly witnessed a boom in globalisation. International trading has become a fact of life, and as consumers we have become more demanding because we now expect to be able to buy the same products as residents of foreign countries. Also, as tourists we expect to find the products we usually buy at home when we travel abroad. However, the current economic crisis, which is crippling Western societies, has meant that we need to protect our own economies. The word on most MPs’ lips these days is ‘localisation’. It seems to make sense that, given the state of local economies, people should consume goods that have been made in their own country. We all have to make a bigger effort to buy closer to the source in order to support local producers and manufacturers and not dwelling on cultural boundaries. That way, more jobs will be created in our region and the economy will benefit.

C Anne Banks, Founder of Horizons Global School

I’ve always been a keen traveller, so when my daughter was born I began to think of solutions for combining travelling with bringing up a child. So, we set up Horizons. It’s a global school because students here come from all over the world and each term they study in a different country. We partner with private international schools in each country we operate in. The idea is that students learn about the world by seeing and experiencing the sights, smells and tastes of the countries that make it up. One of the subjects they study is Global Culture. This term, they’re in Vienna, so in Global Culture they will concentrate on how the people of Vienna live on a day-to-day basis. They’ll examine the similarities and differences of Vienna in relation to other cities they studied in during previous terms. Students at the school certainly broaden their horizons in ways that wouldn’t be possible if they went to their local school, which in turn will lead to more tolerance.

D Ron Carlton, Football player

I come from a long line of football players: my great-grandfather, my grandfather and my dad all played for our local club. That’s what you did back then. You supported your local team and, if you were lucky and talented enough, you got to play for your local team. But not nowadays, I started my career at my local football club, but I was soon snapped up by a talent scout for a French team. I was only seventeen when I signed my first contract with them. It was a bit scary at first, being so young, but I soon got used to it and even picked up a bit of French. I also learnt the lyrics to some French songs! Three years later, I found myself in Italy. That was hard to get used to. I found it really difficult to adjust there. Even on the pitch it was hard. The players there have got a completely different mentality. I only stuck it out for one season. It was a bit of a relief when I signed a contract which brought me back to Wales. I’m thoroughly enjoying being back on native soil and I’m not planning to move in the foreseeable future.

Which person

35 finds it fascinating how international teams manage to communicate?

36 has a suggestion for improving life in his/her own country?

37 is someone who prefers his/her own country?

38 talks about an unusual approach to education?

39 loves travelling and wants to offer new cultural experiences to young people?

40 wants a move away from Globalisation?

41 has experienced problems due to cultural differences?

42 is a person who travels on a regular basis