5 - service economy and social / economic impacts

Question 1

how has technology changed central urban areas

Answer 1

• internet shopping decreased high street footfall, decline and closures, clone towns created as chain shops can survive
• cars and fast trains = easier access
• increase of quaternary and tertiary
• changes type of work predominate in urban areas
• increase in importance of agglomeration economies

Question 2

how has affluence changed central urban areas

Answer 2

• more suburb/rural population wanting access to out of town shopping centres so more vacancy and less environmental quality in CBD
• higher levels of income = re-urbanisation and gentrification
• spending habits more volatile as globalisation = trends felt quicker

Question 3

how has leisure and tourism changes central urban areas

Answer 3

• less disposable income spent in high street shops = closures and homogenisation
• development of 24 hour consumption of services
• tourism increase
• boom for central apartment buildings as desire to be in city centre (multiplier effect of construction)

Question 4

who benefits from changes in central urban areas

Answer 4

• new & increased opportunities in skilled technology benefits white middle class more
• older people/young families use 24hr services
• older people less likely to feel social benefits as less likely to go out
• new job opportunities benefit working age people but areas of identity may lose identity
• older people feeling decline of CBD more as online shop less

Question 5

what is gentrification

Answer 5

process by which change in social structure and housing market occurs in areas

wealthier people move into/renovate/restore housing and sometimes businesses in deteriorated areas formerly home to poorer people

revival of an area subject to environmental/socio-economic decline

Question 6

what does gentrification happen through

Answer 6

• people investing in and improving property for profit
• gov incentives and initiatives to revitalise areas
• wholesale replacement of low income housing with higher quality

Question 7

how does gentrification happen

Answer 7

• first step = urban pioneers, people looking to invest in restoration
• urban pioneers redevelop run down areas = higher prices, lower income people priced out replaced with middle/high income
• these people demand greater amenities and housing stock and businesses change to meet demand/ preferences

Question 8

why are central areas experiencing re-urbanisation

Answer 8

• people live closer to work
• decrease in time and cost efficiency of cars from suburbs
• initiatives to revitalise and rebrand inner city and CBD areas

Question 9

advantages of gentrification

Answer 9

• improves image, increase local business, residents with higher spending power buy more
• people owning homes instead of renting, more stability
• less vacant buildings as demand increases

Question 10

negatives of gentrification

Answer 10

• force out original residents
• cultural loss eg brixton
• increase in community division
• building monocultures (loss of building diversity)

Question 11

what is reurbanisation

Answer 11

people moving back into inner city areas after decline

Question 12

what is the burgess model

Answer 12

model showing
CBD in centre of city
then factories/industry
then low class residential
then middle class residential
then high class residential

Question 13

what causes gentrification

Answer 13

• individuals who invest and improve property
• government incentives and initiatives to revitalise areas eg: subsidies for buying/renovating and investment in making an area safer and more attractive to attract wealthier people
• wholesale replacement of low income housing with higher quality housing

Question 14

how does gentrification affect social, demographic and cultural and economic characteristics

Answer 14

DEMOGRAPHIC:
- increase in middle income families = decline in ethnic minorities and working class groups
- average household size decreases as low income families replaced by couples or singles
- proportions of those working in high earning employment sectors increases as low income earners pushed out by high prices
SOCIAL/CULTURAL:
- changes types of people and businesses in area
ECONOMIC:
- housing market increases
- land use altered - previous low income light industry areas now high end housing with offices, retail, restaurants and entertainment

Question 15

why have there been changes on high streets

Answer 15

decrease footfall because:
- rise of e commerce
- rise of convenience of out of town centres (parking)
- tax incentives encourage large businesses to relocate to shopping centres
- ability to have on site warehouses out of town so its cheaper

Question 16

why has e commerce rapidly increased

Answer 16

• confidence in online safety eg paypal
• greater access to devices eg phone tablets laptops
• investment in delivery services eg amazon prime
• easier access to global markets eg goods from US

Question 17

what are the impacts of a changing service economy

Answer 17

• low level service industry receive low level pay to make profits
• often seasonal work
• zero hour contracts
• clone towns from reduction of local business, economies of scale mean smaller businesses forced out
• greenfield land often taken by shopping centres and business parks
• decline in high streets due to lack of investment and upkeep

Question 18

why are law firms moving to out of town locations

Answer 18

• cheaper rent
• easier access for staff/customers
• greater access to transport areas so greater variety of high end workers
• easier access to national and international travel networks (important in globalised world)
• high end facilities and services help attract high end workers