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What are the pros and cons of global connectivity?
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Some advantages of global connectivity include increased access to information, global markets, and communication between societies and peoples. Some disadvantages include electronic access to valuable information, which can be used maliciously, and a decrease in the ability of small companies to compete with larger, global companies.
One of the greatest advantages to global connectivity is that it allows the maintenance of supply chains all over the world. One can track markets worldwide in real time and adjust orders and prices accordingly. Another advantage is that it allows people all over the world to communicate. This allows for the sharing of ideas and cultural values. People are also able to see the humanity in all nations; hopefully, this will make it more difficult to go to war as people are more likely to unite over shared cultural values and struggles. Global connectivity also makes it possible to receive news from other countries as seen through the eyes of the people who live there. It is important to gain other perspectives on world events.
Global connectivity also has some downsides. Businesses now have to compete with companies all over the world for the consumer dollar. Many small businesses...
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cannot keep up under worldwide competition. Global connectivity also makes the world more vulnerable to cyber attack. An attack in one sector could play havoc all over the world. This makes nations spend more money on their cyber security measures. Global connectivity also makes it possible for stock market panics to be felt all over the world in a short period of time. A small nation defaulting on its debts can affect the U.S. markets relatively quickly even though the U.S. has limited economic or geopolitical interests in the small country.
Global connectivity has been made a reality by the internet, and it means that messages can be conveyed from one side of the world to the other in split seconds. This has huge advantages for people both in the personal and the professional context.
Personally speaking, it means that families who need to live in separate countries for work or other reasons can keep in touch in wonderful ways that were impossible before the global connectivity phenomenon. In addition, thanks to the internet and search engines, you have access to information at the tap of a screen wherever you are in the world—provided that you have connectivity.
From a business perspective, global connectivity enables you to liase with colleagues, suppliers, and customers at the other side of the world with no delay and no hassle. This has both positive and negative connotations. While it enables multi-national companies to grow from strength to strength, it is often to the detriment of smaller, local companies. While the multinationals combine global connectivity with their ability to maximize use of economies of scale and scope to provide the lowest possible prices, smaller companies are not able to compete.
In other words, the success of big companies and availability of a multitude of products comes at the price of small businesses who are trying to survive within their communities.
Both the advantages and disadvantages revolve around the word "connectivity." Global connectivity allows people throughout the world to contact each other, or connect, via the internet. This is an obvious advantage when such connection can save lives (e.g. if someone were lost in the wilderness and needed help) or help prevent disaster (e.g. warnings of a storm headed your way), or facilitate understanding. It's also an advantage in learning. We can not only write to someone on the other side of the globe almost instantly, but also see and talk with them simultaneously. We can take classes in other countries online, or learn a foreign language without leaving our homes, or find a "video pal" instead of a traditional pen pal. Business executives can have a video conference, rather than taking an international flight. Government leaders can communicate faster and easier than ever before.
But connectivity has a down side. The increased global reach of the internet allows anyone to contact each other, including criminals. Nefarious plots can be hatched, illicit materials shared, scam emails generated. In the "dark web," miscreants can connect online by masking their electronic trail. Global connectivity also raises some universal concerns. Could the internet be too intrusive? Do you really want anyone in the world to be able to contact you, or to find your address and see your home on Google Earth? If you're an expatriate, could your home government be using global connectivity to keep an eye on you?
I assume that you are asking about connectivity in the sense of the internet rather than in terms of ships and airplanes and such.
Global connectivity’s major advantage is that it allows rapid communication of all sorts to and from practically any spot in the world. This makes trade much easier. It makes it easier for businesses in one country to deal with firms in others. This increases worldwide efficiency.
The major downside to global internet connectivity is the danger of cybercrime or cyberwarfare. The internet makes it much easier for people in one country to try to scam those in other countries. It allows countries to try to attack one another’s infrastructure using viruses and other malicious software.