“What is the phenomenon of globalization...? Fundamentally, it is the closer integration of the countries and peoples of the world which has been brought about by the enormous reduction of costs of transportation . . . and the breaking down of artificial barriers to the flow of goods, services, capital, knowledge, and (to a lesser extent) people across borders.”

Joseph E. Stiglitz, economist, Globalization and Its Discontents, 2002

Which of the following contributed most directly to the trend described in the excerpt?