There has been an historically unprecedented change in the laws of hundreds of countries to remove trade restrictions in the past twenty years. The World Trade Organization has been working to negotiate changes in tariffs, duties and other laws that impede cross border commerce. The North American Free Trade Agreement has made Canda, the US and Mexico the largest open trade block in the world. The European Union is removing thousands of legal barriers to trade among their member countries. Producers and marketers throughout the world have far more choices for raw materials or finished goods to use in production or put on their shelves.
Consumers have access to less expensive goods.
Even though formerly protected industries may be losing ground to foreign competition, the economic benefits outweigh the costs for those who have been able to adapt to new kinds of work. Meanwhile, what began as little more than a toy about twenty years ago has become the engine driving huge productivity gains in large and small businesses throughout the world. Forty years ago, only the largest companies and the government could afford computers. We had a staff of more than 25 computer operators and programmers to help the rest of the company to make use of this marvel of science. Radio Shack soon followed suit and the personal computer industry began.