The world became Flat in order to eliminate Muda

I will agree with Thomas Friedman that the World IS Flat. However, I found the first chapter much more intriguing than the second. Perhaps it goes into too much detail about internet browsers and optics, but he does use some great examples of flatteners, such as PayPal.
I wonder...Are all flatteners simply new methods or technologies that were developed in order to eliminate Muda? This appears to be the case because the world became flat as result of shared standards and easier communication, both of which increase productivity and eliminate non-value added steps such as transportation.