The World Trade Organization (WTO) is an American effort to avert another World War, which is the driving force for globalization, explained Dr. Yinlong Zhang during a lecture on globalization and marketing in China The lecture was sponsored by the University of Texas at San Antonio’s East Asia Institute.

             “From an economic perspective, globalization seems to be the unstoppable trend,” Zhang said.

“So our students can be better positioned in a globalized market, they should be offered the knowledge and tools on how to conduct business and, more importantly, how to compete in increasingly globalized marketplace. Globalization is one [of] the strategic initiative for the College of Business.” 

            Zhang’s lecture covered topics regarding the importance of understanding how to market to China, which can differ drastically from the tactics used to market to Americans. 

            He also discussed the history and inevitability of globalization. 

“As human beings, we seem to move back and forth between trade (the driving force for globalization) and war (human aggression).  I think the greatest thing this country (United States) did for world peace was [establishing] the Marshall Plan after World War II, which reflects the strong faith in the free market principle,” Zhang said.