Global Paradox

by John Naisbitt

Book Overview

In the tradition of his bestselling Megatrends books, John Naisbitt explores the new wave of global economic change predicted as a result of the breaking apart of the Soviet empire--and the... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0688127916
• ISBN13: 9780688127916
• Release Date: January 1994
• Publisher: William Morrow & Company
• Length: 304 Pages
• Weight: 1.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 6.6" x 9.5"

Customer Reviews

The Optimistic Jew

Popular Futurism in the vein of Alvin Toffler, but even more journalistic and accessible. The title is the theme of the book as well as its own powerful metaphor of what is happening in the globalized world. His thesis is encapsulated in the subtitle of the book: "The Bigger the World Economy, The More Powerful Its Smallest Players". The ever-increasing speed of change provides ever smaller economic entities - businesses and countries - with greater opportunities given the flexibility inherent in being smaller. Pink talks about this in "Free Agent Nation". Naisbitt relates it to countries. It was this idea that inspired me (in my book "The Optimistic Jew") to think of Israel as a disproportionate (to its size) driving force in the world economy and to aspire to the highest median income in the world by 2030.

Post-Industrial Age of the micro-entrepreneur

Paradoxes surround us in the big/little, global/local, corporate/personal, and public/private contexts. You can find here insights for the emergence of the post-industrial global culture and economy. Because of the global integration, small businesses have even more hope of becoming successful in the future. Here are a few of my favorite quotes: --A famous paradox in architecture that has served the profession well is "Less is more," meaning that the less you clutter a building with embellishments, the more elegant it can be, the greater a work of architecture it can be. --The entrepreneur is also the most important player in the building of the global economy. So much so that big companies are decentralizing and reconstituting themselves as networks of entrepreneurs. --The principle of the global paradox--the bigger the world economy, the more powerful its smallest players--applies especially to business. Huge companies like IBM, Philips, and GM must break up to become confederations of small, autonomous, entrepreneurial companies if they are to survive. Big companies and "economies of scale" succeeded in the comparatively slow-moving world of the four decades to the mid-1980s. But now, only small and medium-sized companies--or big companies that have restyled themselves as networks of entrepreneurs--will survive to be viable when we turn the corner o f the next century. Already 50 percent of U.S. exports are created by companies with 19 or fewer employees; the same is true of Germany. --Economies of scale are giving way to economies of scope, finding the right size for synergy, market flexibility, and above all, speed. ...What is going on in American corporations today is the "ODD effect" : outsourcing, de-layering, and deconstruction. --In the years ahead all big companies will find it increasingly difficult to compete with--and in general will perform more poorly than--smaller, speedier, more innovative companies. Create a niche brand for yourself, and win!

Individualism

1. The European Community will not adopt a common currency-not in this century and beyond-because our money, both paper and coin, which we imprint with national symbols and national heroes, is the one thing that distinguishes us from others. 2. World trends point overwhelmingly toward political independence and self rule and economic alliances 3. The bigger the world economy, the more powerful its smaller players: virtual corporations, smaller the components, communication interconnection, global commerce, the demise of the nation-state, and self-rule of individuals are transforming corporations and countries. The entrepreneur will emerge as the powerhouse of global productivity. Over 50 percent of global GDP is produced by small entrepreneurs with less than 19 employees or fewer employees. The entrepreneur is the most important player in the building of the global economy. 4. Downsizing, reengineering, creating networking organizations, virtual corporation's results in dismantling bureaucracies to survive. Economies of scale are giving way to economies of scope, finding the right size for synergy, market flexibility, and not above all, speed. Jack Welch says, "What we are trying relentlessly to do is to get that small-company soul-and small company speed-inside our big company." With following results: employee reduction of 100,000 over 11 years to 268,000; sales have gone from $27 billion to $62 billion and income from $1.5 to $4.7 billion. "We are trying to get the small-company benefits of quickness in time to market, decision-making and the elimination of bureaucratic activities." 5. As the world integrates economically, the component parts are becoming more numerous and smaller and more important. The bigger and more open the world economy, the more small and middle size companies will dominate. The more choice, the more discrimination in choice, the more appetite for additional options and the more we integrate the more we differentiate. 6. Tribes have returned. Democracy greatly magnifies and multiples the assertiveness of tribes. Email is a tribe-maker. Electronics makes us more tribal at the same time it globalizes us. Think locally and act globally. In the future most armed conflict will be ethnically or tribally motivated, rather than politically or economically motivated. 7. Asians are learning to become affluent: Ferragamo-designed shirts, Rolex, Cartier, Louis Vuitton, BMW, Giorgio Armani, Christian Dior, Nia Ricci, Estee Lauder, Bruno Magli, Tiffiny, and Sony. Paris-based Cartier opened its first China outlet with annual sales of $1.5 billion. Vietnam's most popular band sings Bruce Springsteen songs. At any time the top 10 films in any major city in the world are American made; the American movie industry has $4 billion trade balance, and earns more than 40 percent of its revenues from abroad. 8. China has 56 different nationalities and five of China's 30 provinces are autonomous. 9. Kenichi Ohmae has proposed bre

Sure, this book is no thriller, but...

Narrative is indeed the most salient feature of this book, and apparently there is nothing too exciting about it-- in any rate, that was the my impression when I first read it some ten years ago. This time, it really amazed me: the predictions made some ten years ago are so correct, particularly the part concerning Asia and China where I live. Furthermore, when the author quoted, he epitomized.... I don't know much about Futurism, but I am not sure if analysis or theories could contribute much in a book of this nature. Anyway, had I paid better attention to this book, I could have an extra edge in my investment portfolio particularly in Greater China... And so, I will waste no time in checking out his other books.

how individual power will dominate as globalization occurs

Three major points in Chapters 1-3 : (D.J. Smith) (1)The bigger the world's economy, the more powerful its smallest players. As globalization occurs, people seek linkages which cater to smaller, more "tribal" concerns: language, culture and/or niche markets. (2)Individualism will prevail over government-run structure. The person can influence the direction of economic consumption and governance: both tribal and global concerns, not one or the other, can be addressed. (3)Technological driving forces: blending old and new technology allows ubiquitous, anytime access to everyone. This allows community groupings to develop based on desire to share certain knowledge, rather than in a predetermined or overtly mediated fashion. A mixed-use approach to education and technology will give fluidity and greater access to learners, educators and anyone who desires to know something; and do so in a manner appropriate to the moment; e.g. my laptop works well on a LAN (access to networks and the Internet is immediately available) but I'd be much happier to take a book to the beach (no batteries to run down, and no sheaf of printout to be blown away by the offshore breeze.) In either case above, I'd be learning something, and without the confines of the traditional classroom and across global domains.Comments on Chapters 4-6: (F. Rendon)Chap 4: New Rules: A Universal Code of Conduct for the 21st Century. The "new rules" are drawn from the smallest players. There is a trend toward greater corporate social responsibility; political leaders have been ousted because of unethical actions. Ethics will play a big part in the global economy. Integrity and the bottom line will coexist in Codes of Conduct. "The point is that as companies become more global, with factories, sales and marketing, and back-office operations in far-flung places, convincing socially conscious customers that they are not exploiting the disadvantaged, disturbing the environment, or destroying a country's cultura! l heritage will become critical to the success of their product." (p.226).Chap 5: The Dragon Century: The Chinese Commonwealth-Gaining Power from its Parts. Deng Xiaoping developed China's economic reform in 1992--more an entrepreneurial capitalist business environment than the state controlled economy. By opening up to the global market, plethoras of foreign businesses have converged into China, with thousands and thousands of small operations. They even now have two stock markets. However, they depend upon outsiders for power generating equipment, technology, etc. Why is China able to grow economically whilst Russia just lumbers along? Using a metaphor, China has PC's rather than mainframe mentality.Chap 6: Asia and Latin America: New Areas of Opportunity. America and Europe have mature economies. Japan will have moderate growth. The Pacific Rim and Latin America will have booming growth. Asia Pacific is destined to lead the global economy into the next century. (p. 336). David O'R