Mac Donald's i Hong Kong part 2

Continuing the last blog that I published, was about Mac Donald's in Hong Kong. I found it interesting that Mac Donald's coming into Hong Kong changed the work ethnic there. According to the article, before Mac Donald's came to Hong Kong, the norm there was to crowd in front of a food stall to order food, but after Mac Donald's entry, the people have developed a sense of forming lines to order food. I also thought that it was weird that fast food places in Hong Kong do not have straw and napkin dispensers, instead they have employees distribute napkins to ensure tht customers do not take a stack home.

Mc Donald in Hong Kong

We were reading an article in sociology about the chain of Mc Donald's restaurants that are located in Hong Kong. According to the article, Mc Donald's in HOng Kng is most busy during breakfast and lunch time, and their most sold food is just plain Hamburger. I thought it was interesting how the older generation thought of Mc Donald's as a new age for Hong Kong. The older generation saw the popularity of Mc Donald's as Hong Kong coming into the new age and developing very rapidly, whereas the newer generation sees Mac Donald's as a place to have a social gathring.

Globalization at its greatest

I think it is so interesting that there are so many people living in Minneapolis that have come from foreign countries. For example, there are people from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Somalia, Sudna, Nigeria, Guyana, and Kenya working in the nursing that I work at. I was surprised to find so many different nationalities living in Minneapolis.- that is globalization at its greatest.

Healthcare disparity

We are studying about the health care disparities around the world in Sociology. I was interested in knowing that there was so much disparity between the avg health care that people received here in the US versus around the world in developing countries. I was also shocked to learn that there are 45 million people here in US that do not have health insurance. I think that health care in the US is too much driven by legal issues. (too many health care professionals are afraid of being sued by there patients, and they take out insurance that drives prices for patients. I also think that doctors are running unnecessary tests for patients that is driving up the cost of health care.

Dangerous Chinese Toys

These days, we are getting a lot of news about children's toys that are made in China, and have lead in their paints, and are sold as nontoxic, but are actually poisonous. Thus, children are sent to the hospital. This is the backlash of globalization. As more and more manufacturing is outsourced, it is difficult to control the manufacturing conditions, an safety testing of products that are made. I think that safety testing of products is the responsibility of the American companies before selling them here. At the same time, Chinese manufactures also have the responsibility of making safe products and do testing themselves before selling them to the US. Lastly, I think that Chinese govt. should be controlling the safety of the products made.

State of Emergency in Pakistan

Although this does not directly have to do with globalization, I think that it is wrong for Musharraf to declare a state of emergency in Pakistan. I believe that Pakistan should be democratic, and should not be ruled by a military ruler like Pervez Musharraf. Also, I think that US should provide negative sanctions to Pakistan like not providing weapons or aid to the country until Pakistan switches to democratic rule. I think that it is wrong for the US to make an exception to Pakistan and at the same time going against Iran or North Korea on its ruling. (Especially b/c Pakistan is already a nuclear state that has military rule)

IMF not fair

I feel that the International Monetary fund is not a fair organization. The IMF is a world money lender that lends countries money as short term loans for restructuring their economies. However, I feel that the IMF is doing more harm than good. This is because unlike the UN, the IMF is based on a point system, where the more the money a particular country puts into the bank, the more the money it can withdraw. Although this sounds financially good, it means that many of the poorer countries like African countries that need the money for their development cannot receive it because the governments are too poor to invest money in the bank. I feel that the IMF should be run like the UN where each country gets to vote on financial decision. Things are changing now as China, India, Russia and Brazil are developing very quickly, there share of the monetary system will increase, and thus they like the developed countries will be able to make important financial decision.

I feel that it is interesting to see how culture, values and practices spread from one part of the globe to another. In sociology we were studying how culture and values spread from the more developed countries top the less developed countries. This took place especially during colonization
when many of the curently independent countries have adopted education system and sometimes styles of dressing like the European. However, today, this is beginning to revers. The culture is spreading from less developed countries to western countries. An example of this is Chinese and Asian food that many of us eat regularily. Dressing fashion especially in Europe are coming from South Asia. I think that in the future, we will be a more interconnected world, and as time goes by, we will live parts of lifestyle from different parts of the world.

World Is Flat

I read Thomas Friedman's World is flat, and I though that was a very interesting book. It talks about how technology has enabled places around the world to be connected together. Information can travel from one part of the world to another in a split second. It discusses how due to the technology and the flow of information, many American companies are starting back offices, and even research and development centers in countries like India, China and Mexico. The book explains how Americans must be well educated in order to compete with developing countries like Mexico, China and India. I personally felt the book was interesting and recommend it.

Spread of Chinese culture

I feel that food is a good example of globalization is the spread of food. I feel that the spread of Chinese food around the world is a good example of globalization. Chinese food has become very popular around the world including in different parts of South and West Asia. However, this food is different in different countries. For example, the Chinese food in the United States is more sweet- orange chicken and Sweet and sour chicken. On the other hand, Chinese food in South Asia has many local spices to many it more flavourful and spicy. As people have accepted Chinese food, this Chinese culture has changed as it has crossed boundaries. I think it is very interesting how Chinese food has adapted to different tastes in different countries.

Outsourcing of culture

Culture can also be outsourced. Material cultural like films, music, fashion in clothes is often times spread over boundaries. For example, many people in Western Europe including in countries like Sweden watch American Hollywood films and listen to American music. Foreign countries especially European countries have been very open to American movies, music, clothing a foods (like McDonald's). However, in other parts of the world, American culture is not being accepted. In countries like China, Middle East, India and Africa are not embracing American culture very readily. For example, in the Middle East and parts of Africa, Bollywood movies from India instead of Hollywood movies are being accepted.

I feel that with the American relationship with the Middle East would deteriorate further if there is not a culture does not flow between the two countries.

Her is the article if you are interested

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/22/business/22scene.html

Chicken Nuggets outsourced

This article shows the shocking reality of where our chicken nuggets comes from. According to me, this is the height of globalization. The article shows how the chicken nuggets are processed in a production plant outside Bangkok. here, at the 'factory' chicken parts from Spain, China, Brazil are brought in and processed until the parts are indistinguishable from one another. According to the article unlike other meat, processed chicken nuggets are processed together maintaining the 15% fat, 30% bone and rest meat ratio. Thus, the texture has to do with the different parts of chicken added.

The article goes on to talk about the terrible working conditions of the workers working in these factories. It talks about how many workers lose their fingers by the blades used for cutting meat.

Lastly, the articles talks about the antibiotics added to the chicken processed in Thailand or China. These antibiotics are illegal in Europe, and thus, many European countries inspect the chicken nuggets before they reach the shore.

Next time you bite into McChicken nuggets, think again!

The Production of McNuggets article

Medical Tourism Disadvantages

This link, shows a news report on Medical Tourism that was shown on ABC news. It talks about Medical Tourism, are traveling to other countries to receive same surgery at a fraction of the cost. The video shows that patients not only travel for cosmetic surgery, but also for major surgery like hip surgery and orthopedics. However, according to the video, one major set back of medical tourism is that patients may get complications after surgery. Furthermore, many surgeons advice, patients not to travel right after surgery as this may cause complications. Some countries do not practice strong malpractice laws, and patients may not be able to sue the doctor if the surgery does not go well. Therefore, although medical tourism is a tempting choice for patients, patients should consult travel agencies and do research before traveling.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6807942641511856849&q=medical+tourism&total=439&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=0

Medical Tourism

Medical Tourism is the idea that patients travel from more developed countries especially from UK, Canada and United States to less developed countries like Malaysia, Thailand and India. Most patients with chronic ailments come to these countries because the cost of healthcare can be much cheaper than that at home. Other medical tourists also go to other countries for treatment because they are accommodated much quickly, versus remaining in their home country would mean waiting for months before a surgery can be carried out. A classic example of this is Britain with its National Health Services (NHS).

An example of the cost benefit of medical tourism can be seen by comparing the cost for angioplasty in the United States that is around $47,000. This same procedure can be done in Thailand for US$6,400 and in India for US$4,600.

Many patients that go for medical tourism also go sight seeing in that country as part of rehabilitation therapy. Many of the tourist destinations sell themselves as both medical tourism sites and relaxation sites. Medical Tourism is a combination of low cost procedures and a sight seeing gateway. Although medical tourism does not fit the traditional definition of outsourcing, it still moves services to other countries due to their low cost advantage.

This is a BBC article on Medical Tourism:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/2524665.stm

About The Blog

This blog is mainly about economic impact of outsourcing. Outsourcing is the process by which jobs are sent abroad from one country (many times developed countries) to another country (mostly developing countries) because of the low cost of labor in that country. Some of these countries include China, India, Brazil. Outsourcing can affect the the economies of both the developed and developing countries.

The post will contain some posts of news articles that connect to outsourcing, it will contain articles and videos related to the topic.

Internet Videos

This is a hilarious video that I found on the internet. I would probably rate this video as one of the funniest one I found.

The video was aired on the Conan o Brien Late Night Show on NBC It is about an employee traveling to India because he was having problems on his computer. It shows the affect that outsourcing has on the average person who needs to use IT tech support. It also shows the effect that outsourcing has on United States.

This is the URL for the video:
http://www.jengajam.com/r/Conan-India-Hd