The World Became a Smaller Place in the 20th Century. Trans-

T HE WORLD BECAME A SMALLER PLACE IN THE 20TH CENTURY. TRANSportation technology caused physical distances to shrink by several orders of magnitude, and telecommunications technology made terrestrial distances insignificant. The transformation of the world into a global village caused revolutionary changes in the physical and social infrastructure, rivaling those of the industrial revolution. Even the types of jobs people did changed or disappeared, replaced by new jobs that had never existed before. Other results included great changes in society's economic infrastructure. Computer technology further supports globalization by radically changing the economics of communication , so geographic proximity is even less a requirement for effective collaboration and business interaction. Moreover, globalization of computer technology makes possible new forms of technical and social organization that influence the efficiency of business enterprises as well as the quality of life of ordinary citizens. However, our ability to influence the evolution of globalization depends on our understanding of the technology of globalization and its social implications. Globalization occurs at both the national and international levels. Infrastructure is initially developed