Globalizationcanbedescribedas‘…awidening,deepeningandspeedingupofworldwideinterconnectednessinallaspectsofcontemporarysociallife,fromtheculturaltothecriminal,thefinancialtothespiritual’(HeldandMcGrew1999:2). 　　Inthesepagesweportraysomeaspectsofeconomicglobalization,meaningthegreaterglobalconnectednessoflivelihoods,andoftheproductionofgoodsandservices. 　　Internationaltradeisthecross-bordertradeingoodsandservices.Onthesepages,itismeasuredbythesumofimportsandexports,dividedbytheGDPofanationaleconomy.Thegrowthofinternationaltradeisastraightforwardindicationofeconomicglobalization.WhenUSresidents,forexample,readlabelsontheirclothesshowingtheyaremadeinChina,MalaysiaorMexico,ordecidetopurchaseacarmadeinSouthKorea,theirsenseofglobalconnectednessisimmediate. 　　Investmentistheconversionofmoneyintosomeformofpropertyfromwhichanincomeorprofitisexpectedtobederived.Foreigndirectinvestments(FDI)areflowsofmoneyintoacountrythatpurchasealastingstakeinanenterpriseforaforeigninvestor.Theseinvestmentsaredirectinthesensethattheinvestorpurchasesownershiprightsinaspecificcompany,ratherthaninaportfolioofstocksheldbyabroker,say.FDIdoesnotincludeshort-terminvestments,portfolioinvestmentsorcurrencyflows. 　　ForeignDirectInvestmentisanindicationofgrowingtransnationalownershipofproductionassets.Itisaleadingedgeofeconomicglobalizationinthesensethatincreasingforeignownershipofproductivemaygivedirectinfluenceoverlivelihoodsandproduction.Theimplicationsofforeignownershipofproductionmayincludebothpositiveandnegativeelements,dependingontheperspectiveoftheobserver.Foreigninvestmenthasoftenbeenanimportantavenueforthetransferofskillsandtechnology.Atthesametime,foreigninvestmentputsworkersunderforeigncontrol,andleadstoforeignappropriationofprofits. 　　经济全球化的过程早已开始,尤其是80年代以后,特别是进入90年代,世界经济全球化的进程大大加快了.经济全球化,有利于资源和生产要素在全球的合理配置,有利于资本和产品在全球性 　　相关图书 　　[1]流动,有利于科技在全球性的扩张,有利于促进不发达地区经济的发展,是人类发展进步的表现,是世界经济发展的必然结果.但它对每个国家来说,都是一柄双刃剑,既是机遇,也是挑战.特别是对经济实力薄弱和科学技术比较落后的发展中国家,面对全球性的激烈竞争,所遇到的风险、挑战将更加严峻.目前经济全球化中急需解决的问题是建立公平合理的新的经济秩序,以保证竞争的公平性和有效性.经济全球化是指贸易、投资、金融、生产等活动的全球化,即生存要素在全球范围内的最佳配合置.从根源上说是生产力和国际分工的高度发展,要求进一步跨越民族和国家疆界的产物.进入21世纪以来,经济全球化与跨国公司的深入发展,既给世界贸易带来了重大的推动力,同时也给各国经贸带来了诸多不确定因素,使其出现许多新的特点和新的矛盾.为此,研究和了解这一问题有着一定的现实意义.