Globalization and Lifelong Learning
Just finishing up Peter Jarvis’ Globalization, Lifelong Learning, and the Learning Society.
He provides a really interesting look at the relationship between capitalism and education. In brief, he sees the Americanization of the world as a central force of globalization that is amplified through control of capital markets and information technology. He further argues that education is increasingly being influenced by the globalization/Americanization force. He describes his view of how multinational corporations wield influence on national and local political leaders through corporate investment (eg., We’ll build a factory in this area that will increase jobs and revenue, if…). Similarly, he sees these corporations also influencing the university via grants, funding, and other investment; the primary result is an increased university focus on teaching and scholarship that results in graduates that can be employed in those fields (eg., engineering) and less focus on areas that are not associated with business interest (eg., arts).
Jarvis then goes on to illustrate how education has become the “handmaiden” of corporate interest. He argues that one of the main factors behind the development in adult education, or lifelong learning, is the need for companies to have increased access to human capital. Essentially, if organizations didn’t require more knowledge workers, then there would be considerably less need for lifelong learning.
He then contrasts this with the humanistic efforts of UNESCO that focus on individual development and empowerment. From this perspective, there definitely seems to be a tension between these two ends of the spectrum of lifelong learning:
Corporate Need <—————> Human Empowerment
The optimistic side of me wants to these less as 2 ends of the same spectrum and more as 2 threads that can be interwoven to meet an end that is a win/win for both the individual and the corporation.
———————> Corporate Interests
———————> Human Empowerment
My sense is that the smart organizations have already figured this out and are doing everything they can to marry their business goals with the objectives of the individuals they employ. As the talent crisis continues, I think we will see more and more of this process. People will want to work where they feel they are growing, making real contributions, and solving real problems. If companies can harness that by aligning their goals with their people, then they should be able to capitalize on it and, in the end, create value, help their employees, and be good global citizens.
