The Impact of the Internet on Globalization

Globalization, a growing phenomenon that can be described as a “shift toward a more integrated and interdependent world economy” (Hill 7), has been the subject of many books and discussions for the past decade. Along with the development of microprocessors, the Internet is perhaps the most significant technological innovation of our time, playing a substantial role in the growth of globalization. The Internet facilitated the expansion of the movement toward a global village through the creation of cheaper, faster and easier means of communication, the provision of a vast pool of information, and the expansion of e-commerce.

The Internet provides a cheaper, faster and easier method of
Thus, more and more “local identity groups [are] using the technologies of globalization to promote [their] political interests”. An example is the Taliban in Afghanistan with a website, www.talibanreunited.com, containing alleged terrorist information. Thus, as Benjamin Barber mentioned, “the world is becoming more and more divided into two cultural, political, and economic camps: homogenized transnational consumerist capitalism now extended to global information, communication, and entertainment and fragmented tribal identity wars by groups rejecting transnational and international influences (Barber)” (4). This consumerist capitalism is in part driven by e-commerce. E-commerce, a large part of the globalization phenomenon, now constitutes a common business practice. The Web allows business, both small and large, to expand their global presence at a lower cost than ever before. Business can sell their goods and services online cheaper as the tertiary step in production is eliminated. Thus, companies obtain a greater worldwide exposure by setting up a company website with the array of products offered, prices, and means of purchase. The Internet allows companies to gain access to large international markets, build a wide customer base, and generate more revenue. Financial transactions that take place over the Internet requiring credit card information and other sensitive data require an effective implementation of security