Final answer:
Technology is highlighted by Thomas Friedman as the foremost driving force behind globalization, asserting its greater impact on social change compared to other factors such as social institutions, population, and environment.
Step-by-step explanation:
The primary driver behind globalization is technology, according to Thomas Friedman in his book The World Is Flat. Friedman argues that technology's influence on globalization surpasses that of other forces of social change such as social institutions, population, and the environment. He outlines three distinct periods of globalization, with the most recent being driven predominantly by technological advances, especially the proliferation of the Internet. Other social forces like culture, politics, and economics have significant roles, but technology creates the conditions for rapid change that affects all aspects of society including these other areas.