Why did you take pains to launch a new edition of the preface to the reprint less than a year after it was published?I can offer a simple answer: because I can, and because I have to.It is precisely because of the powerful scientific and technological forces introduced in this book that the publishing efficiency has been rapidly improved, and the adaptation of the entire book has become relatively easy, which is why I said "I can do this". The reasons for "I have to do this" are threefold: First, the forces of flattening the world were not at rest when this book was published in April 2005, and I wanted to document them as part of the manuscript.Second, I hope to answer questions that are frequently asked of me by readers, most of whom are already parents, when I promote this book around the world.They asked: "Mr. Friedman, thank you very much for telling us that the world is flat -- but now, what should I tell the children?"

Readers will find a lot about education and the flat world in the new edition.In the end, I found the feedback provided by many readers and reviewers to be thoughtful and useful, and I hope to incorporate some of the best parts. At some point, I'm going to stop writing this book.But now, I'm happy to have the opportunity to share what I'm learning--and thankfully the flat world has made this process a lot easier than it used to be. Thomas.Friedman Washington, DC January 2006 sequence Friends from the domestic business community often discuss with me the issue of "development".The areas of concern of these business elites often go beyond their current business scope and focus on the surrounding and even the competitive environment of the world market.in discussion.

I once suggested that they read this book. At that time, this book was only available in English. I believe that Mr. Friedman's views will bring some new references and inspirations to their strategic thinking.I am very happy that the Chinese version is officially released in China, because more people will be able to read and be inspired by Mr. Friedman's views. Mr. Friedman uses his unique perspective to describe the process of the world being flattened.In the book, he cites many hot topics and introduces many eye-catching markets and hot industries.Open source code, outsourcing, offshore production, supply chain and search technology are described as the top 10 driving forces to level the world, while China, India and other countries and some companies and institutions standing at the top of the world are described as changing A pivotal role in the flat world.Many of the phenomena described in the book are fresh but not unfamiliar, and some of them are business practices that we have come into contact with or even directly participated in in our work.But when Friedman weaves it all together, it reveals a profound and exciting change that is taking place globally.With these dynamics he is marching unstoppably all over the earth, and the world has thus been flattened from a sphere.It's interesting that the power hasn't brought much roar and noise over the past two years.Instead, they quietly change the world without people knowing it, and let us feel the power of them being close at hand.

This new trend of globalization will undoubtedly have a huge impact on existing business models, organizational structures and business processes, and will also bring new opportunities and challenges to enterprises.In fact, it is from IBM's own development that I have a deep understanding of how companies grow in a flattened world: from an international company to a multinational company to a globally integrated company.In the stage of internationalization, the enterprise bases itself on the local market and takes profit in the international competitive market as the primary goal; in the stage of multinational enterprises, the success of the enterprise is achieved by branches with complete institutions and independent businesses, but located in different countries and regions; When we enter the stage of a global enterprise, the advantages of each region will be fully utilized, and the enterprise will become an entity with a unified global structure, and different countries and regions will undertake a certain part of the entire work, thus truly realizing an optimal optimal combination. It is to put the most suitable work in the most suitable place at the most suitable cost.That is the so-called "adjust measures to local conditions, appropriate to the place".

IBM has gone through a difficult transition in this process, and "innovation" has always been the driving force behind this process. From the implementation of "e-commerce", to "on-demand", and today's core value of "innovation", IBM is always exploring and practicing, examining and adjusting its own development strategy.We deeply feel that a flattened world will allow every individual to stand on the same level, and any enterprise, organization or even individual will participate in a globally integrated business environment.In a flattening world, businesses that are constantly re-examining what is changing, what it means to innovate, and how they run their business.

We believe that all of this can trigger Chinese readers to think more deeply: how can Chinese companies "innovate" to surpass their role as "makers" in the world pattern and move up to a higher and more diversified value chain, So as to become a real "innovator"?How can they grow and become leaders in an increasingly flat world, so as to become the center of gravity of the world's economic development in the future? Let us open this book, think together, and explore together. Zhou Weikun Chairman and CEO of IBM Greater China (The preface of this book is only the personal opinion of the author of the preface)

Table of contents How the world became flat ///001Chapter 1 When I was asleep///003Chapter 2 10 motivations to flatten the world///042Chapter 3 Triple Convergence///155Chapter 4 Great Rectification///180 America and the Flat World///201 Chapter 5 America and Free Trade——Is Ricardo’s Theory Still Correct///203 Chapter 6 How to Avoid the Impact of Flattening——Looking for the Emerging Middle Class/ //216 Chapter 7 Essential Knowledge ///238 Chapter 8 A Quiet Crisis ///256 Chapter 9 This Is Not a Drill ///288 Developing Countries and a Flat World ///315 Chapter 10 Our Lady Guadalupe /// 317 Corporations and the Flat World /// 343 Chapter 11 How Corporations Respond to Flattening /// 345 Geopolitics and the Flat World /// 371 Chapter 12 Local Culture in Globalization -- The Cultural Revolution is about to begin ///373 Chapter Thirteen Dale Theory and Conflict Prevention -- Past and Present ///381 Conclusion: Imagination ///401 Chapter Fourteen November 9th and September 11th// /403 Acknowledgments//423 Postscript//427

The World Is Flat How the World Became Flat how the world became flat