Globalization refers to the increasing integration and interdependence of world economies through increased cross-border trade and investment. It includes the globalization of markets, where national markets are merging into a huge global marketplace, and the globalization of production, where companies source goods and services globally to take advantage of lower costs. Global institutions like the WTO, IMF, and World Bank help manage and regulate the global economy. Technological advances in transportation and communication have reduced costs and barriers to global trade and investment. While globalization offers benefits like lower prices and more economic growth, critics argue it can also result in job losses and greater inequality between nations.