• “Globalization 3.0″ is our current era, beginning in the year 2000. The convergence of the personal computer, fiber- optic Internet connections, and software has created a “flat- world platform” that allows small groups and even individuals to go global. The world has shrunk from size “small” to size “tiny.” According to Friedman, this third era of globalization was brought about, in many respects, by information technology. Some of the specific technologies include: • Graphical user interface for the personal computer popularized in the late 1980s . Before the graphical user interface, using a computer was relatively difficult, requiring users to type commands rather than click a mouse. By making the personal computer something that anyone could use, the computer became a tool of virtually every person, not just those intrigued by technology. Friedman says the personal computer made people more productive and, as the Internet evolved, made it simpler to communicate information worldwide. • Build-out of the Internet infrastructure during the dot- com boom during the late-1990s . During the late 1990s, telecommunications companies laid thousands of miles of fiber optic cable all over the world, turning network communications into a commodity. At the same time, the Internet protocols, such as SMTP (e-mail), HTML (web pages), and TCP/IP (network communications) became standards that were available for free and used by everyone through their email programs and web browsers. • Introduction of software to automate and integrate business processes . As the Internet continued to grow and become the dominant form of communication, it became essential to build on the standards developed earlier so that the websites and applications running on the Internet would work well together. Friedman calls this “workflow software,” by which he means
Information Systems for Business and Beyond (2019) pg. 236
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