Edexcel IAL Geography
Going Global
Essential Notes
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The Shrinking World
Globalisation is known as the increasing interdependence between countries through flows of
capital, trade, goods and services as well as culture and ideas. There are many causes for
accelerating globalisation and the apparent ‘shrinking’ of the modern world:
➔ Transnational Companies (TNCs) - with operations and manufacturing across several
different countries.
➔ Increasing Online Shopping
➔ Trade Blocs - encouraging trade and political alliances between member nations (e.g.
NAFTA, EU)
➔ The movement of people internationally (migration, business travel and tourism) has become
easier, with the reduced cost of flights and increasing number of airports.
➔ Social Media sites accelerate the spread of information across the globe.
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Increasing globalisation throughout history
19th and 20th Centuries
Important innovations in transport include:
▪ Steam power – In the 1800s, Britain was leading the world in the use of steam technology. This
allowed the British to move their goods and armies very quickly into key areas, such as Asia and
Africa.
▪ Jet aircraft – Newer and more efficient aircraft have allowed goods to be transported quickly
between countries.
▪ Containerisation – There are more than 200 million container movements every year.
Containers allow large volumes of goods to be transported quickly by train or freight ship.
There were also technological advancements, which include:
▪ Telegraph – The first telegraph cables were laid across the Atlantic in 1860s, which allowed for
almost instantaneous communication and revolutionised how businesses operated.
21st Century
Transport and technology continues to advance in the 21st Century, allowing for instantaneous
communication and interactions across the globe:
▪ Telephones - Mobile phone use is very common across the world with smartphones becoming
even more popular which has allowed better global communication
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▪ Broadband and fibre optics – Since the 1990s, large amounts of data can be transferred very
quickly via cables laid out along the ocean floor. The introduction of fibre optic cabling for
domestic abuse has accelerated telephone, internet and television speeds for the home.
▪ GPS – Satellites have allowed companies and people to track goods across the world. GPS has
become an essential feature of modern cars, and has lead to the success of Google Maps.
▪ Internet – The internet is now extremely important - approximately 40% of the world’s
population have access to it. Social media is extremely influential and, due to their large
numbers of users, has led to the rapid spread of news, knowledge and opinions.
Governance and Decision Making Influences Globalisation
Switched-off areas are usually excluded from global flows of trade, capital, labour and information
and these countries are generally left behind whilst other countries prosper and benefit from
globalisation. Some countries are switched off from globalisation for a variety of reasons:
Environmental Political Economic
- Landlocked countries - The political agenda and - LEDCs, with little finance
cannot be independent in governance of a country may extra, cannot afford to invest
trade (they must rely on its limit flows of people or culture in ports, infrastructure,
neighbours to travel through (anti-migration policies, incentives for TNCs nor
before participating in trade) censorship, etc) education to improve the skills
- Poor fertility of land, - Terrorism or active conflict of its labour force.
mountainous or arid within a region can be hugely - Countries with unstable
conditions, limited land space detrimental to their global markets or weak currencies
can all reduce a country’s connectivity. will deter investment and
ability to produce a - Corruption within the businesses.
commodity for trade government means money is
- Some countries are lost rather than invested.
vulnerable to Climate
Change, and so the natural
environment could change to
unfavourable conditions (sea
level rise, desertification, etc)
In some countries, global flows may be seen as a threat because:
- Importing raw materials and commodities could hurt domestic suppliers and industries
- Migrants from abroad could create tensions as they may not be wanted
- Foreign information could be seen as a threat (e.g. China’s Great Firewall)
Inter-Governmental Organisations (IGOs)
Some organisations aim to enable switched off countries to become more globalised. However,
IGOs can be controversial in their ways.
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IMF – International Monetary Fund
The IMF is an organisation based in Washington that loans money to poorer developing nations.
One of the key conditions for recipient nations is that the country opens up its markets and
industries from government control, which in turn leads to privatisation. TNCs now have the
opportunity to enter those markets more easily which would generate financial activity and tax, but
mainly for their host country (which tends to be an MEDC).
The IMF can be seen as more of a hindrance than help; LEDCs fall into debt with their industries
privatised, which in turn could lead to profits leaving their country and potential environmental or
workforce exploitation. Countries which struggle to pay their debt will have to cut back on funding
in key areas such as education and healthcare, which further damages the country’s economy and
welfare.
The World Bank
The World Bank, similar to the IMF, loans money to developing nations with the aim of improving
development, and so enabling globalisation. Like the IMF, The World Bank is also seen as
controversial and many critics say both these organisations don’t benefit developing countries.
Instead, they promote LEDCs to increase their debts and limit the government’s sovereignty.
The WTO – World Trade Organisation
The WTO is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland which aims to liberalise trade by removing
tariffs, subsidies and quotas. The WTO has been criticised because it has failed to prevent the
EU and USA from implementing protectionist measures like subsidies, and so it has been
unsuccessful from creating equal opportunities for all countries to trade.
Attitudes and Actions of National Governments
There are many ways that a government can encourage globalisation, with different success:
Free Market Liberalisation - It is the belief that government interventions in markets would
hinder economic growth and development in the long term.
Privatisation - Government-owned assets - water companies, banks, energy plants - are sold to
private companies, providing the government with revenue but can cost the quality of service
provided or the price to consumers.
Encouraging business start-ups - Around the world, incentives (grants, tax breaks, infrastructure
constructed) are provided by governments in order to attract businesses.
Foreign Direct Investment - There are several kinds of FDI, all of which involve TNCs increasing
economic or industrial activity within a country.
▪ Offshoring – TNCs set up production facilities in developing countries, which have large, cheap
workforces (e.g. Bangladesh)
▪ Foreign Mergers – TNCs from different countries join to form one larger company
▪ Foreign Acquisitions – A TNC acquires another company from abroad, often in a hostile way
(may involve local job loss, lack of interest in the local environment, etc)
Alternatively, national governments can hinder or limit the effects of globalisation through policies.
Censorship - The government restricts the flow of information and knowledge through
state-controlled media outlets and internet restrictions. Censorship can be used to limit a
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population’s knowledge of foreign culture and ideas (such as democracy) which could undermine a
dictatorship government.
Limiting Migration - Most countries have some sort of border control and migration monitoring.
With the rise of right-wing, extremist views, (as discussed later in the notes) more countries have
adopted strict migration controls.
Trade Protectionism - Trade protectionism involves subsidies, tariffs and quotas which help a
country to protect domestic industries. For example, in 2016 Chinese steel flooded global
markets at very low prices - “dumping” - due to Chinese government subsidies. This caused major
problems for steel industries around the world including the UK Tata Steel Works, which closed and
sold all of its plants as it lost £1 million every day.
Free Trade Blocs
In order to trade more freely between nations, governments may sign agreements with each other
in order to reduce restrictions of the flow of capital and goods. Free trade may also encourage
the movement of people, culture and knowledge.
Benefits of Trade Blocs: Disadvantages of Trade Blocs:
▪ Businesses have a larger potential market ▪ The interests of countries within major trade
to sell to, and so larger potential revenue to blocs are focussed upon themselves.
make. Outside trading countries become
▪ Trade of essential materials or services excluded and find it very difficult to join in
become more reliable within a trade bloc. trading.
There may be less economic risk and ▪ Trade Blocs still don’t guarantee fair
better pathways for essential imports treatment within. For example the
(food, energy, etc). relationship between Mexico and USA has
not strengthened through trade bloc
NAFTA.
Trading products is expensive due to the
controls and restrictions put on imports
and exports. These restrictions include:
- tariffs (a tax for importing and exporting
goods);
-non-tariff barriers (NTBs), such as
quotas (a limit/fixed number of goods) or
requirements;
- and outright bans on products or country
import/exports.
To lower the costs of trade, countries can
enter trade agreements, which work to
benefit all parties that are involved. In trade
agreements, certain restrictions can be
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removed or lessened in return for another country doing the same. All trade agreements are
overlooked by the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to ensure they are fair.
An example of a trade agreement is the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). This
agreement has lowered and removed tariffs on imports and exports between Canada, the USA, and
Mexico. NAFTA has been criticised for its effectiveness.
(Source:http://www.visualcapitalist.com/nafta-
mixed-track-record/)
Uneven Globalisation - Winners and Losers of Globalisation
Measures of Globalisation
KOF Index AT Kearney Index
The KOF index measures globalisation of AT Kearney Index is a measure of globalised
countries for political, economic and social cities, by a London business. It considers
indicators. It’s measured on a scale from 1 to political, communication, technology and
100, where 100 is the most globalised nation. political factors.
Other Measures
Simple measures are based upon one single factor, and are the most common statistical measures
of wealth and productivity:
● GNI (Gross National Income) is the value of goods and services by a country; similar to
GDP, but GNI also takes into account overseas earnings.
● Income per capita is the mean average income per person (income of the country by
population size). This average can easily hide inequality; the few high earners have a larger
influence of GDP than a majority of low earners.
● GDP (Gross Domestic Product) measures the total value of goods and services produced
in a country. Using GDP as a simple economic measure may be inaccurate as GDP doesn’t
include any informal earnings or black market economies. Furthermore, GDP is measured in
US Dollars, therefore can vary as exchange rates vary daily.
Alternatively, composite measures consider a range of factors, therefore are more reliable
statistical measures of development:
➔ Gender Inequality Index (GII) measures female participation and treatment within society
and considers:
● Reproductive health – Maternal mortality ratio, adolescent birth rates
● Empowerment – Proportion of parliamentary seats held by women,
● Employment – Labour force participation rates of women
➔ Human Development Index (HDI) is a measure of social development and considers:
● Life expectancy
● Wealth (GDP per capita)
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● Education (Literacy levels and average number of years in education)
Winners and Losers - TNCs
TNCs, to put it simply, are companies operating across multiple countries. These companies
usually work by having their headquarters, production, and sales all in different countries across
the globe, meaning they are a crucial aspect of globalisation.
👍
👍 TNCs produce raw materials, goods and services efficiently
👍 Provide jobs and help to develop a country’s economy
👎 TNCs can contribute to the spread of culture
TNCs can gain political influence, pressuring governments to provide incentives and relax
👎 There is inequality in opportunities provided by TNCs - Headquarters and Research and
regulation
Development tends to be based in MEDCs, whereas manufacturing plants tend to be based
👎
in LEDCs
Can be prone to exploitation of workers and the environment, to keep their costs minimised
TNCs create links between countries and with other companies. Linkages are created in order to
benefit the TNC, and often includes expanding the company. TNCs are likely to outsource or
offshore their operations, to best benefit their business and minimise costs.
● Outsourcing: Paying another company to complete part of the TNCs product, producing a
specific part of a product or offering a service (e.g. call centres).
● Offshoring: Moving operations to another country, often to reduce costs.
Glocalisation
The adaptation of goods or services by a TNC is to meet local needs or tastes, which would
increase custom within a select region. There are many examples of glocalisation:
- Grocery shops based in Bangladesh don’t wrap their vegetables, because customers judge
their purchases on the feel of the food (called a wet market)
- McDonalds have created a menu without any beef or pork burgers in India, due to the large
population of Hindus and Muslims
- Car makers must change the orientation of the car to suit which side of the road a person will
drive on.
Winners and Losers - Economic Change
The global shift refers to how manufacturing and industrial activity has shifted from different parts
of the world. Prior to the 1960s, manufacturing industries were located in the west in Europe and the
US. However, after the 1960s, industries relocated to the East in countries like China and India, due
to their large, unskilled workforce.
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Deindustrialisation
During the 1970s, many factory workers in Europe and America lost their jobs as TNCs relocated or
outsourced their manufacturing to the East. This caused a variety of social and economic
impacts, which can be seen in cities such as Detroit and Glasgow:
▪ Dereliction and Contamination - Many textile companies located in UK Northern cities closed
and so the building they previously occupied became abandoned and derelict. Other areas
suffered from abandoned chemical and industrial waste, which has infiltrated the soil and local
waterways.
▪ As a direct consequence of companies moving away, rates of unemployment will increase.
This can lead to depopulation, as residents migrate away to find alternative employment.
Furthermore, deprivation of inner city areas especially will increase and crime rates may
increase.
Global Population and Migration
Global Population
It is thought that the population of the world will
continue to grow, with the population reaching 11.2
billion by 2100.
Predictions become more uncertain the further into
the future scientists try to predict. This is mainly due to
uncertainty in birth and death rates.
Growing global populations could have implications
for the planet since:
- Land available to live or grow food will be
reduced.
- There could be shortages for food, energy and clean water sources.
- Waste management could become increasingly difficult.
- The risk of pandemics and the spread of contagious disease will rise.
Future Challenges for Populations
Countries face different future populations and challenges. For ageing populations (large
proportion of the population are over 50), the country should expect:
● Increasing pressure on medical care as elderly people need more prescriptions, GP visits
and can suffer from isolation.
● Skills gaps, since the working population is small and so some industries may suffer loss of
productivity, some public-funded services may be reduced or international migration
encouraged to fill employment gaps.
● Dependency on younger relatives can put pressure on them to support their elders.
Japan and Russia both have ageing populations, which are set to worsen in the future due to the
long life expectancy in Japan and the lack of inward migration into Russia.
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Alternatively, a population could have an growing working population. This is good for a country’s
economy and productivity, as businesses and TNCs will be attracted to the large available
workforce. However, a younger population demands education, housing and health services,
especially if they are on a low-income so the government must subsidise these services.
India and Nigeria are both examples of populations with large working populations.
Types of Migration
There can be a variety of reasons for migrants to move, either internally or internationally. The
cause of migration can affect how governments treat them or how the public perceive them.
International migration can result from a variety of causes:
● Voluntary Economic Migration → People relocate to try to improve their wealth and quality
of life.
● Often, an economic migrants’ family may follow them in the aim of joining their family.
● Refugees → People forced to relocate due to war, conflict, persecution.
● Asylum seekers →People fleeing for international protection.
● Environmental Refugees → People specifically relocating due to tectonic disaster, natural
events (wildfires, flooding) or Climate Change’s impacts (desertification, sea level rise, etc.)
● International Students - Within recent years, there has been a large increase in the volume
of young people migrating to study elsewhere.
● The rise of smugglers in recent years means that migrants need money to migrate illegally
across borders. Smugglers only operate across strict international borders, such as the
Mexican-US border or across the Mediterranean Sea (towards Europe).
The flows of international migration will continue to change over time, as environmental, political
and economic events occur and a country’s development improves or declines.
Rural → Urban Migration
The migration of people within a country to seek better employment opportunities or a better
perceived standard of living tends to be from rural areas to urban cities.
Urban Pull Factors - Migrants are attracted to the city for:
▪ Employment Opportunities
▪ Services
▪ Infrastructure
▪ Transport links
Rural push factors - Migrants are deterred from rural living by...
▪ Poverty
▪ Lack of employment opportunities
▪ Conflict (e.g. Darfur, Sudan)
▪ Agricultural Modernisation
▪ Climate and Natural Disasters
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It is important to remember that push and pull factors are only perceptions; it is not definite that
migrants will experience a better quality of life in urban areas. Often, migrants are disappointed
when they reach the urban city, potentially struggling to find employment, affordable living and
tensions between themselves and prior residents.
Challenges faced by growing cities:
▪ Strain on services like education and healthcare
▪ Overcrowding and the development of “slums”
▪ Rising crime rates
▪ Poor sanitation due to open sewers and defecating outdoors
▪ Lack of green space
▪ High levels of congestion, which causes air pollution
International Migration
If migration occurs over a border, there will be both benefits and costs for both the host (migrants
move here) and source country (migrants are leaving here):
Host Country Source Country
Benefits - Can help fill skills gaps. ▪ Migrants send back remittances which
- Working migrants contribute to can aid in development and reduce
the economy through paying taxes poverty without government
and buying goods and services. intervention.
- Increase in cultural and ▪ Migrants become skilled and can
demographic diversity. come back to set up their own
- Young migrants can help to businesses, encouraging local
balance an ageing population, or economic growth and employment
increase a dwindling population opportunities.
over time. ▪ Reduced service spending for the
- Businesses have a larger pool of government as population declines
potential employees or customers.
Costs ▪ Rise of far right organisations, - Brain drain due to skilled workers
hate crime and racial tensions leaving
IF lack of understanding - Migrants tend to be young, so elderly
between migrants and original family are left behind and can become
population. isolated
▪ There could be strains on - Decline in services due to low customer
services (e.g. healthcare, numbers, which can lead to the negative
education) due to an increasing multiplier effect, in turn reducing other
population businesses and services
▪ House price inflation due to - Agricultural land not taken care of, with
higher demand potential dereliction
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Attitudes to Migration
Some countries wish to restrict migration into their country, for different reasons or perceptions:
National Culture - Migration can lead to cultural diffusion, which could lead to the loss of their
national culture or historical demography.
Employment - Some governments may encourage migrants to fill skills gaps or improve economic
activity. However, especially in areas with high unemployment rates, locals may blame immigrants
for the loss of job opportunities in their area.
National Security - Recent events (such as terror attacks on major cities and the so-called War on
Terror) has caused political controversy regarding national security. Many people fear that freely
allowing migrants to enter their country could pose a security risk.
Culture and Social Globalisation
Historically, cultural imperialism and government control over religion has been necessary for
successful imperial control. However, through the increasing interconnectivity of nations, a growing
‘global culture’ is emerging.
Culture is composed of several key features:
▪ Language – National languages as well as different dialects and accents.
▪ Traditions – Everyday behaviour and manners that have been passed down through
generations.
▪ Religion – There are major religions across the world.
▪ Food – National dishes and diet reflect animals, crops, spices that are found locally.
Culture can be influenced by the media, migration, TNCs and businesses and social media.
However, within recent years, there has been large change to cultures and ideologies for developed
and developing populations.
Cultural Erosion
Communities being exposed suddenly to a new culture can face sudden change or reduction to
their own culture. Young people are especially vulnerable to cultural diffusion or erosion. Due to
the sensitivity and value of culture to some communities (such as indigenous communities) this can
cause conflict.
Globalisation Causing Growing Conflict and Degradation
Within Europe, far right parties and organisations have become more popular and support for them
has increased. This has accelerated since the expansion of the EU in 2004 (eight Eastern
European countries have been added) and so an increase in the flow of migrants.
Globalisation has not eased environmental or political conflicts between nations. The Mekong
River, for example, flows from China through Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia and Thailand. Since the
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1990s, various dams have been constructed along the river, causing increasing political tensions
between the countries. Increasing pressures for national governments (increasing population, desire
to develop, etc) will increase conflicts between states for: fossil fuels, rivers, islands for naval bases,
land for living or farming.
Protecting Cultural Identity
Despite cultural diffusion and erosion, some cultures and indigenous communities have
strengthened their identity. Tourists are attracted to experience their culture or witness their
traditional lifestyle (e.g. Papau New Guinea). Alternatively, indigenous (live in one location) or
nomadic (travelling between locations) have grouped together, to support each other and maintain
their traditional lifestyles. Despite TNCs threat to drill for oil within their territories, indigenous
communities continue to prosper in Canada (called the First Nations), Siberia and Alaska.
Urbanisation
Increasing migration towards global hubs leads to rapid growth of cities. Rapid urbanisation can
impact the surrounding lands and people:
- Resources and people are moved from rural to urban areas mainly for construction -
timber, construction workers, etc.
- In the event of limited housing for a large influx of migrants, slums and shanty towns may
be constructed by the migrants themselves. This may be in unfavourable locations (steep
hillside, next to railways) and constructed poorly (using corrugated steel, little planning).
- The logistics in moving resources and people across the urban city can cause a decrease
in air quality, causing increased respiratory conditions within the population.
- Services can be put under pressure as more people demand services such as education,
healthcare and employment.
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