6.3.4
The Effects of Globalisation
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The Effects of Globalisation on Work
A globalised economy, including competition for worker and customers, has had a major impact on the way people work and the opportunities available to them.

The globalised economy
- Globalisation refers to the interconnected nature of the modern world.
- Globalisation reflects the uncertainties of the postmodern world some sociologists say we inhabit.

Apple
- For example, Apple products are for sale in the vast majority of countries across the globe, these are global products.
- Apple is also a Transnational Company as it has head offices across the globe, employing people across a variety of countries.

Non-standard jobs
- Beck (2000) argues the above has serious implications because globalisation creates considerably more non-standard jobs.
- Non-standard jobs are those which are poorly paid, zero hours contracts, short-term contracts, poorly paid and insecure.
- This is due to global competition and a global marketplace requiring manufacturers to be more responsive to the needs of consumers (flexible specialisation).

'Wage penalty’
- Edgell (2011) argues this causes a ‘wage penalty’ for the worker.
- Wage penalty refers to non-standard workers not being entitled to sick or holiday pay, being susceptible to inflexible work patterns, night and weekend shifts.
The Effects of Globalisation on Work 2
Sociologists, including Castells and Beck, suggest that globalisation has affected work in the following ways.

Increase in non-standard jobs
- There are fewer standard jobs and more non-standard jobs because global competition means companies require a more flexible approach to employment, resulting in fewer well paid, permanent jobs and more low paid, temporary jobs.

Outsourcing
- Globalisation has led to an increase in outsourcing, where jobs that were once based in the UK have now moved to countries with lower labour costs.

Reduced workers rights
- Because multinational corporations are organised and located across many countries and the workforce is organised locally, there has been a strengthening of the power in favour of owners and weakening power of workers, making it more difficult for workers to protect their rights and jobs.

Devaluation
- Globalisation leads to more migrant workers to and from the UK, potentially devaluing low paid jobs and making these positions hard to fill.
1Theory & Methods
1.1Sociological Theories
1.2Sociological Methods
2Education with Methods in Context
2.1Role & Function of the Education System
2.2Educational Achievement
2.3Relationships & Processes Within Schools
3Option 1: Culture & Identity
3.1Conceptions of Culture
3.2Identity & Socialisation
3.3Social Identity
3.4Production, Consumption & Globalisation
4Option 1: Families & Households
4.1Families & Households
4.2Changing Patterns
4.3The Symmetrical Family
4.4Children & Childhood
5Option 1: Health
5.1Social Constructions
5.2Social Distribution of Healthcare
5.3Provision & Access to Healthcare
5.4Mental Health
6Option 1: Work, Poverty & Welfare
6.1Poverty & Wealth
7Option 2: Beliefs in Society
7.1Ideology, Science & Religion
7.2Religious Movements
7.3Society & Religion
8Option 2: Global Development
8.1Development, Underdevelopment & Global Inequality
8.2Globalisation & Global Organisations
8.3Aid, Trade, Industrialisation, Urbanisation
9Option 2: The Media
9.1Contemporary Media
9.2Media Representations
10Crime & Deviance
10.1Crime & Society
10.2Social Distribution of Crime
Jump to other topics
1Theory & Methods
1.1Sociological Theories
1.2Sociological Methods
2Education with Methods in Context
2.1Role & Function of the Education System
2.2Educational Achievement
2.3Relationships & Processes Within Schools
3Option 1: Culture & Identity
3.1Conceptions of Culture
3.2Identity & Socialisation
3.3Social Identity
3.4Production, Consumption & Globalisation
4Option 1: Families & Households
4.1Families & Households
4.2Changing Patterns
4.3The Symmetrical Family
4.4Children & Childhood
5Option 1: Health
5.1Social Constructions
5.2Social Distribution of Healthcare
5.3Provision & Access to Healthcare
5.4Mental Health
6Option 1: Work, Poverty & Welfare
6.1Poverty & Wealth
7Option 2: Beliefs in Society
7.1Ideology, Science & Religion
7.2Religious Movements
7.3Society & Religion
8Option 2: Global Development
8.1Development, Underdevelopment & Global Inequality
8.2Globalisation & Global Organisations
8.3Aid, Trade, Industrialisation, Urbanisation
9Option 2: The Media
9.1Contemporary Media
9.2Media Representations
10Crime & Deviance
10.1Crime & Society
10.2Social Distribution of Crime
Practice questions on The Effects of Globalisation
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- 2Results of globalisation: Fill in the list
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