It is the process of rapid integration or

interconnection between countries. There is one more way through which

countries are becoming closer and that is Movement of people between countries. People usually move from one country to another in search of jobs or better education. This is also a result of Globalisation.

Greater competition among producers -both local and foreign producers has been of advantage to consumers. There is greater choice before these consumers who now enjoy improved quality and lower prices for several products. Foreign investment has increased.

TECHNOLOGY:Rapid improvement in technology has been one major factor that has stimulated globalisation process. Due to technology there has been improvements in various fields as in :

1. TRANSPORTATION TECHNOLOGY.

In past fifty years this technological improvements has led to faster delivery of goods across long distances at lower caste.

• Containers for transport of goods: have led to huge reduction in port handling costs, increased the speed with which goods can reach markets

Airlines: the cost of air transport has fallen, this has enabled much greater volumes of goods being transported by airlines.

2.INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY:

IT, has played a major role in spreading out production of services across countries.

Remarkable improvements have in the areas of telecommunications, computers &internet.

Telecommunications: facilitated by the satellite communication devices, facilities as telegraph, telephone including mobiles, fax are used to contact around the world, to access the information instantly,& to communicate in the remote areas.

Computer and internet:computers have entered in almost all the fields.

Internet allows one to share information on almost every thing, we can send instant e-mail and talk through voice-mail across the world at almost negligible cost.

Function or purpose offoreign trade?

Foreign trade creates an opportunity for the producers to reach beyond the domestic markets i.e., markets of their own countries.

Producers can sell their produce not only in markets located within the country but can also compete in markets located in other countries of the world.

REASONS / FACTORS FOR THESE RAPID TRANSFORMATIONS?

Middle of twentieth century:Production was largely organized

with in the countries.What crossed the boundaries was

mainly the raw materials, food stuff and finished products.

Trade was the main channel connecting distant countries.

TRADE AND FOREIGN TRADEHISTORY

Various trade routes connecting India and South Asia to markets both in the East and West & extensive trade that took place along these routes.

It was trading interest which attracted various trading companies such as East India Company to India.

EFFECTS OF FOREIGN TRADE

There are various positive & negative effects of foreign trade. Its positive effects are

With the opening of trade, goods travel from one market to another.Choice of goods in the markets rises.

Prices of similar goods in the two markets tend to become equal.

Producers in the two countries now closely compete against each other even though they are separated by thousands of miles.Foreign trade thus results in connecting the markets or integration of markets in different countries. The economies of various countries are getting interlinked.

How foreign trade benefit to India & to China?

To China: Chinese got an opportunity to trade and expand their business.

As they were selling it at high selling price, they got high profits.

Within an year 70-80% of toys shops have replaced Indian toys with Chinese toys.

To India: Indian buyers have more choice now.

--Prices are cheaper now.

--designs are new.

--But due to the cheaper prices & new designs , the Indian toy makers face losses, as their toys are selling much less.

MNC’S—Multi national corporations

It is a company that owns or controls production in more than one nation.

MNC’s set up offices & factories for production in the regions where they can get cheap labour and other resources.

• This is done so that the cost of production is low and the MNC’s can earn greater profits.

• Many MNC’s have wealth exceeding the entire budgets of the developing countries , with such enormous wealth they have immense power & influence.

FACTORS/ CONDITIONS TO SET UP A MNC

MNC’s set up production where it isclose to the markets.

where there is skilled labour available at low costs.

where the availability of other factors of production is assured.

They look for the government policies that look after their interests.

List of Multinational companies

INVESTMENT:The money that is spend to buy assets such as land, building, machines and other equipment is called investment.The investment made by MNC’s is called foreign investment.

VAROIUS WAYS IN WHICH MNC’s ARE SPREADING THEIR PRODUCTION:

There are variety of ways in which MNC’s are spreading their production and interacting with local producers in various countries across the globe. They do this by various means:

By closely competing with local companies or buying them -the most common route for MNC investments is to buy up local companies and to expand production. With their huge wealth they can easily do so..

As a result, production in these widely dispersed locations is getting interlinked.MNC’s are exerting strong influence on production at these distant locations

MNC’S are playing major role in the Globalisation

process.

MNC’s have been looking for locations around the world , which would be cheap for their production

As a result of greater foreign investment and greater foreign trade ,has been greater integration of production and markets across countries.

More and more goods and services,

Most regions of the world are in closer contact with each other than a decade back

Foreign investment in the countries has been rising.Foreign trade between the countries has been rising.

WTO-world trade organisation

The functions of the WTO are as follows:Establishing rules for international tradeEnsuring the rules are followedPromoting removal of restrictions on trade

barriersWTO is against barriers on trade in the form of tariffs and import duties as these impede the flow of capital, investments an technology. These mechanisms prevent the functioning of free trade.

FOREIGN TRADE POLICY

Trade between two or more nations is called foreign trade or international trade

Foreign trade is also known as external trade.

Foreign trade transactions are classified under three categories:

Import Trade

Export Trade

Net Exports