Module 6

       Friedman now discusses free trade.  Free trade is in a sense merging two countries, trading between them jobs and opportunities.  Friedman gives a really illustrative example of this.  He compares it to two countries-America and China.  Imagine that the American economy has only 100 people.  Of those 100 people, 80 are well-educated knowledge workers and 20 are less-educated low-skilled workers.  Now imagine that the world goes flat and America enters into a free-trade agreement with China, which has 1,000 people but is a less developed country.  So today China too has only 80 well-educated knowledge workers out of that 1,000, and it has 920 low-skilled workers.  Before America entered into this free-trade agreement with China, there were only 80 knowledge workers in its world.  The American workers feel like they have more competition, and they do.  But if you look at the prize they are going after, it is now a much expanded and more complex market of 100 people to a market of 1,100 people, with many more needs and wants.  (Thomas L. Freidman, The World is Flat, pg. 266).  This really put it into perspective for me.  He further discusses how this market could be very beneficial for people with more of an idea type of business such as consulting, marketing, entrepreneurship, etc.  Having a bigger market means you can reach more people.  However for the individuals whose jobs are more labor driven, free trade would not benefit them, it would just bring more competition.  Labor jobs are easier to replace than idea based jobs.  I plan to become an entrepreneur, so I would like the thought of free trade to allow more of a market for my business.

       Friedman gives some counsel to those people who want to keep their jobs.  He says to become “untouchable”.  These are people whose jobs cannot be outsourced or automated.  One of the ways that you can stay untouchable and ahead of the curve is through personal customer service.  To add your “personal touch.”  He discusses three quotients; these are IQ, CQ, and PQ.   IQ, or intelligence quotient is more of a structured attribute.  An attribute taught in various schools.  Schools produce cookie cutter individuals to fit nicely into a corporate pyramid.  CQ, curiosity quotient is an attribute of becoming an untouchable.  It is an attitude of youth and the curiosity that they have, and seem to lose when we all get older.  The curiosity of wondering how things work, and how they would work if they were changed in various ways.  PQ, known as passion quotient is also very important.  When someone has a true passion for something it is hard to ignore, and even more contagious.  Have you ever been around someone who is passionate about a sport, project, hobby, or even work or school?  Have you noticed how their passion transfers to you?  I know I have, and it can be hard to ignore.  People with high CQ and high PQ are hard to replace.  They often earn that status of being an untouchable.  The best part about it is the fact that there isn’t a limit on obtaining these attributes.  Freidman lives by the equation CQ + PQ > IQ.  I completely agree with him once again.  I would also take an individual who is passionate about the work I give them, and has a sense of curiosity to help grow the business.  With this being said I would still hope that people and myself would focus on improving each of the quotients, benefits would surely follow.