Globalisation and the effect on corporatisation

Neoliberalism

(as defined by the free dictionary)

n

1. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) a modern politico-economic theory favouring free trade, privatization, minimal government intervention in business, reduced public expenditure on social services, etc

Retrieved from: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/neoliberalism

 

New Zealand is governed under a neoliberalist view, therefore corporatisation is flourishing as it requires minimal government intervention, and it places the responsibility of education in the hands individual. This helps corporations to sell childcare to the consumers as they market themselves as being desirable, thereby bringing in more profits.

Education has become a valuable resource, especially early childhood education as it is increasingly being recognised as an essential foundation for future learning.  The corporatisation of early childhood is therefore on a steady rise.

Retrieved from: http://www.hssr.mmu.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/41EmLKbrWpL__SS500__2.jpg



 



Globalisation is also an influencing factor on the rise of corporate childcare. Globalisation has been seen as an extension of mass media and the universalisation of western culture.

The effects of globalisation on education is explored in an article here

This article here suggests that one of the effects that globalisation has had on early childhood education is that they have become areas to be branded and sold to the public. Early childhood centres now have to compete for children in order to retain government funding. Early childhood care is being marketed by corporations in order to boost their enrolment’s, and ultimately, the profits they make. Due to neo-liberalism and globalisation, education is now becoming seen as the responsibility of the individual as it is for the private good.

The article suggests that “learning has increasingly been seen as a commodity or as an investment rather than as a way of exploring what might make for the good life or human flourishing”.

This had led to an emphasis on children achieving and being ‘school ready’ in order for the parents that are paying for their children’s education, to see results. Duhn (as cited in Smith, 2008) points out how early childhood is seen as maximising the child’s potential and generating a skilled work force for the future. This also contributes to the emphasis on school readiness in early childhood education.

As education is now being seen as a commodity, corporate childcare centres are able to ‘sell’ their centres to the consumers or parents of children. Corporate childcare market themselves as being able to achieve school readiness for children. Parents of children in early childhood  feel that this is an important goal to have, therefore the rolls are boosted, and corporate childcare reaps in the profits.