6.2 - Globalisation, Free Trade & Protection Flashcards
Globalisation
The economic integration of different countries through increasing freedoms in the cross-border movement of people, goods/services, technology & finance
What has globalisation lead to/impacted?
- impacted national cultures
- spread ideas
- speeded up industrialisation in developing nations
- led to de-industrialisation in developed nations
De-industrialisation
The process by which manifacturing declines in a society/region as a proportion of total economic activity. Usually accompanied by a rise in the proportion of those working in the tertiary sector.
Four main characteristics of globalisation
- Increasing foreign ownership of companies
- Increasing movement of labour and technology across borders
- Free trade in goods/services
- Easy flow of capital (finance) across borders
Multinational corporation
A business that has production facilities in two or more countries e.g. Apple
Advantages of MNCs (name 4)
- Economies of scale
- Increased profit
- Create employment
- New markets
- Reduced transportation costs
- Good risk management
- Tax incentives
- Avoidance of protectionism
Economies of scale (advantage of MNCs)
Global operation -› increase their output -› benefit in lowered costs from economies of scale
Create employment (advantage of MNCs)
New jobs in host country -› rease income for workers -› improve standard of living of locals
Increased profit (advantage of MNCs)
Much of profit is sent back to home country -› benefitting society (though debatable whether they have offshore bank accounts and do not send money back)
New markets (advantage of MNCs)
Identify potentional markets -› begin to sell there -› increase product diversity
Reduced transportation costs (advantage of MNCs)
MNCs set up facilities close to their customers -› lowers transportation cost which would occur as customers travel to the company
Risk management (advantage of MNCs)
Selling in many national markets globally -› reduced risk of failure
Tax incentives (advantage of MNCs)
MNCs able to increase profits by setting up in countries with low corporation tax
Avoidance of protectionism (advantage of MNCs)
MNCs established bases in countries that are operating protectionsim measures -› thus avoid measures (such as import tariffs)
Disadvantages of MNCs
- Worker exploitation
- Resource plundering
- Political power
- Reduce competition
- Lack of local knowledge/culture
- Over-reliance on MNCs for jobs
- Diseconomies of scale
- Exchaneg rate fluctuations
- Negative externalities
Worker exploitation (disadvantage of MNCs)
Many provide poor working conditions and pay very low wages -› sweathsops, depreciating standard of living
Resource plundering (disadvantage of MNCs)
Many extract large quantities of host nation natural resources and provide very little compensation
Political power (disadvantage of MNCs)
Many enjoy revenue that is higher than the GDP of the host country -› gives immense political power which can be used to their benefit
Reduce competition (disadvantage of MNCs)
So large that they out-compete domestic firms in host country -› puts many firms out of business -› reduces competition -› increase unemployment
Lack of local knowledge/culture (disadvantage of MNCs)
May result in problematic local relationships or flawed advertising campaigns/product offerings
Over-relaince on MNCs for jobs (disadvantage of MNCs)
Developing nations place too many workers into MNCs -› if they leave it creates significant unemployment
Diseconomies of scale (disadvantage of MNCs)
Challenges of operating a business over different time zones and cultures can create diseconomies