GLOBDEV Entry #2

We look at what we learned regarding push-and-pull factors. It makes sense given the globalized economic environment and capitalist systems in place. The principle behind this is simple: Many workers in certain developing countries are being "pushed" out of their own territories or rather they are pushing themselves out of their countries due to a lack of opportunities or employee benefits while some developed countries are 'pulling' those aforementioned workers and laborers in because there is a lack of manpower to fill-in for these jobs.

In fact, such behavior is quite apparent and can be easily observed. Heck, I personally observed this myself. During my trip to Singapore, I was quite puzzled as to why there quite a number of Indians and South Asians working as blue-collar workers there. Aside from that, the Singapore Police Force has a Gurkha contingent where its officers and members originate from Nepal. In Hong Kong, I noticed one or two guards who were South Asian. In Taiwan, they've started hiring a few construction workers from Thailand (to work on train stations in Kaoshiung). Additionally, there is Macau. It appears that all the casinos have hired all possible workers originating from Macau and a few from Hong Kong and Guangdong Province in Mainland China. With that said, they have started hiring workers from South East Asia and it is no surprise that you will see many Filipinos working there (such as in Venetian Macau where 1/5th of the employees there are Filipino). Heck, if you look at Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, more than 90% of construction workers are from South Asia (from places such as India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, etc.). It probably is because they really need the cheapest labor costs possible or that there are just not many construction workers of Middle East origin.

So with that said: Is it a good thing or a bad thing? Well, it depends on your perception and point-of-view. I do admit at first that I found it puzzling as I questioned as to why these countries and territories need to hire foreign workers. Yet later on, as I learned more about economic and labor systems, I started to realize as to why it is like that. So yes, now I understand.