“The Bible tells us that God created the world in six days and on the seventh day he rested. Flattening the world took a little longer” (50).
Friedman finds himself recalling the ten events which flattened the world:
Fall of the Berlin Wall: Before this point, communism and other oppressive governments kept their countries from joining the world. When the Wall fell, the people of these countries were able to contribute to the global dynamic.
When Netscape Went Public: Netscape, the internet browser company, changed the way the internet worked. It allowed for people of all ages to browse internet pages and sites by allowing for open communication between developers. Their efforts were directly propelled by the idea that Microsoft, the company monopolizing the internet market, wouldn’t be able to dominate the internet completely.
Interconnectivity of Computers and Web-Based Applications: The computers and different web applications were able to inter-connect with each other. Before this point, people were limited to only connecting if they had the same web browser. For example, a person with a Netscape browser couldn’t interact with a person using Internet Explorer. Even in a business, every department had to work with the same internet software. When different companies started merging their internet software with others, people had a level of connectivity never before possible.
Open-Source Movement: From different types of uploading, from internet applications to information, people have wanted to participate and contribute to the world’s conversation. The internet is the perfect place for them to allow their voice to be heard. Because many technical engineers only want to further the technology, many teamed up and allowed for free use and improvement on their ideas. This freedom allowed many people to work on the technology, thus advancing the ideas and applications. The most popular user-driven open-source content provider is Wikipedia, which allows anyone to modify or edit their encyclopedia of knowledge. Even though the changes are moderated, the website is still a unique force in the internet community.
Outsourcing to India for Y2K: Y2K was the first time that India was able to become a force in the technological world. The workers in India could reach American computers and reset the computers’ internal clocks to the right date so they would not crash. It was cost-efficient, and it gave India a chance to show that they were eager to become a leader in the world economy. Ever since Y2K, businesses realize that outsourcing their basic functions is a smart move financially. The outsourced employees are smart and efficient, and they work for less than Americans due to lower costs of living.
Offshoring to China: Much like outsourcing for India, China became a manufacturing hub once the country lifted its strict regulations on trading. Companies could make the same quality products for much less because the economy in China isn’t as inflated as in America. It was difficult to get the workers and manufacturers to understand the concept of exceeding quotas. However, the work started flowing smoothly once Chinese managers realized that more products meant more money.
Walmart and Supply Chains: Walmart is the prime example of a supply chain, a company which hosts multitudes of items for very little cost to the consumer. Supply chains cut out the middle man and deal directly with the manufacturer. Even using its own delivery trucks shrinks the product cost down by a significant amount. This process, along with other shortcuts, ensures the lowest prices and beats competing stores.
UPS and Insourcing: UPS is a leader of insourcing, where the company will hire its own workers to work in factories of manufacturers in order to ensure the swiftest delivery. Friedman explains that UPS hires employees to work as liaisons for the companies that hire them for delivery. UPS has people working in computer repairs and shoe selection, among hundreds of other capacities.
Google and Informing: Everybody with internet access has the ability to find out any information with a few clicks of a button. Because of search engines, people are more informed than any previous generation and people have become self-empowered. There is no longer a need for direct contact with field experts because their ideas can be found in a few mere seconds.
Mobile Access: Personal mobile devices allow the freedom to have the world at your fingertips on a single device. The Digital Age has revolutionized with its ability to have connectivity at any point in the world. Although there have been cell phones and other mobile devices, the integration of the internet and other applications has allowed for all kinds of actions. From downloading to file-swapping, there is nothing a user cannot do at any second of the day.
