Changing Places Flashcards
Multi-national corporations
MNCs are an external force that can have major impacts on the demographic, social and economic characteristics
Detroit 1960
Detroit had the highest per capita income in the US as it was a major global centre of car manufacturing.
Investment from MNCs such as Ford, General motors and Chrysler were all located there and offered a large number of jobs with high wages.
The effect of MNCs on the demographic of Detroit
MNCs altered the demographic of Detroit as it was viewed as an attractive place to live and work e.g. many African Americans migrated from rural areas to the city to look for jobs.
Manufacturing decline in Detroit
In the 1960s manufacturing in Detroit went into decline:
Asian companies like Toyota and Honda produced more desirable models
MNCs moved to Mexico for cheap labour
The 1973 ‘Oil crisis’ meant that the price of oil rose so people bought cars with better fuel economy.
Consequences of the manufacturing decline in Detroit
Huge population decline: 1950s = 1.8 million, 2010 = 700,000
According to the 2010 Census, 24.8% were unemployed
Social deprivation meant high crime rates
“Murder capital” of the USA
Detroit filed for bankruptcy in 2013.
MNCs in Bristol
Aardman, Defence Procurement Agency (employs 10,000 people), Aerospace
How do connections shape the character of places?
Example: London and New York
They were connected to each other and other cities by sea trade routes. This helped them to become more wealthy, attract more people and be more closely linked to other cultures.
Connections meant that they gradually became world cities.
New connections
Example: London and New York
New connections have strengthened their character as world cities. They are now more closely connected through industries such as finance and banking because of the internet and faster air travel.
Past development - location
Many settlements in the UK initially developed because of factors to do with their location.
e.g. Sheffield originally located at the confluence of two rivers, near to coal and iron ore reserves - there would have been important factors in the early development of industry.
Past development - industrial revolution
Large industrial cities developed that were globally connected through the trade of goods produced. This resulted in large scale rural-urban migration as people moved to cities to work in factories. These old industrial centres remain large cities today.
e.g. Sheffield - steel industry, trading items such as cutlery around the world and attracting people who wanted work.
Past development - deindustrialisation
Cities affected by deindustrialisation remained population centres but were less connected globally due to the loss of trade, and suffered economic and social decline.
e.g. Sheffield - steel and mining industries collapsed in the 1970s and 80s, resulting in abandoned factories, mass unemployment and a reduction in population.
The character of places
Shaped by a mix of all the connections and developments they have undergone throughout their history, and the present-day connections are developments that are occurring.
e.g. the character of Sheffield is now a mixture of its industrial past and the redevelopment work that is being done today.
Sheffield as an industrial city
Steel work such as Sheffield Forgemasters still supple steel to international markets.
The heritage of the city has been retained by creating the Cultural Industries Quarter - an conservation area to reserve historically significant roads and buildings.
New art installations around the city such as the Cutting Edge sculpture reflect the industrial character of the city.
High tech industries - Sheffield
The Advanced Manufactured Research Centre carries out research into cutting-edge manufacturing techniques.
In 2017, the car maker McLaren Automotive announced that will build a plant near to the AMRC to build carbon fibre chassis for its new vehicles.
Sheffield - Rebranding
‘The Outdoor City’
The aim is to encourage tourism and boost events surrounding activities such as running, cycling, climbing and walking.
