Defining Global Integration...and this blog

A few of you guys have asked me: "Exactly what is the focus of this blog and exactly what is "global integration"?

 

Excellent question.

 

Global integration is the growing field that deals primarily with helping people, organizations, nations and even civilizations adjust to life in a new "world economy."  

 

Let me give you a simple example:

 

Tire company "T" in Detroit, Michigan hires a team of web-designers "W" in Bangalore, India to design their website for $7,000 paid in two installments.  After two weeks, the website is completed but T, unhappy with the website's appearance refuses to pay the second installment. 

 

What is W's recourse? 

 

If the two companies have not entered into an international arbitration agreement, W would be forced to take legal action in either American State or Federal Court.  The cost to W of hiring an attorney to file a lawsuit on their behalf and pursuing the claim would be extremely burdensome and most likely not worth the trouble to gain the payment. 

 

The above example involves business, law and even language elements.  If we add a small wrinkle into the above example and change the client "T" from a tire company to "S" a branch of the State Department, it is easy to see how politics could be involved as well.

 

This is a global integration issue.  I wrote about another very interesting integration issue last week that further illustrates the nature of these issues. 

 

With the outsourcing movement gaining ground with medium and even small businesses, the need for a sturdy system to deal with these issues is becoming more apparent.  Is this "system" primarily legal, business, diplomatic?  I don't know but I'm willing to find out with you guys.  Think the above mentioned hypothetical is unlikely or rare?  Check out Thomas Friedman's NY Times Best Seller The World is Flat, or websites such as: Brickwork India, Elance, or RentACoder which are completely devoted linking up clients and freelancers for all different types of projects, wherever they may be physically located. 

  

This blog attempts to address integration in its entirety, thus it includes subjects dealing with: law, business, politics, language/culture, and issues dealing with advocacy and philanthropy.  I intend to identify and discuss the most pressing and cutting edge integration issues.  Furthermore, this blog is designed for the people that will rise to careers devoted to helping solve these integration issues—the new generation of "global integrators" and that is why there are postings devoted to self-improvement, continuing education and such. 

 

Cheers!