Global Systems and Governance CASE STUDIES Flashcards
What TNC is your Case Study for this topic?
Apple Inc.
What is the spatial organisation of Apple?
Apple’s $5 billion HQ in Silicon Valley in California USA. European HQ in Cork, Ireland. Component part suppliers distributed throughout HICs like Japan & USA and NEEs like Thailand & Philippenes. Assembly is outsourced to manufacturing businesses like Foxconn in Shenzhen, China. Apple stores located globally.
What are positive economic impacts Apple has had?
In Europe, Apple employs 22,000 highly skilled workers. Meanwhile, 350,000 people employed in Zhengzhou, China with higher-than-minimum wages.
What are negative economic impacts Apple has had?
- Repatriation of profits or economic leakage with Apple’s overall $4 million profit.
- Uneven distribution of wages with China’s workers averaging $2.20 per hour compared to USA’s $27.00 per hour.Criticism that these are insuffficient to cover basic needs in China.
What are positive social impacts Apple has had?
In countries where Apple employs directly such as USA & UK, workers are generally treated well and paid to a good standard of living.
What are negative social impacts Apple has had?
- In countries Apple has outsourced employment to e.g. Foxconn in China, it increases rural-urban migration and lack of investment in rural areas.
- In 2010-11there were several suicides among Foxconn workers which led to protests and raised awareness to excessive working hours and forced overtime.
What positive environmental impacts Apple has had?
- GreenPeace 2017 ranked Apple 2nd most eco-friendly electronic appliances company.
-Apple’s goal is to make all Apple products using 100% renewable energy by 2030 and in 4yrs the use of plastics has been reduced by 58%.
What are negative environmental impacts Apple has had?
- Apple’s dedicated customer base and regular changing of production means consumers switch out products more often, before the end of the device’s life.
- In 2018, dangerous chemicals from Apple’s factories contaminated wastewater which were linked to higher cancer rates in China.
-Mining pollutes soils, increases habitat and biodiversity loss and contaminates waterways.
What is the world trade in one food product you need to know?
Bananas
Describe the distribution of major banana exporters.
Uneven. Only equitorial LICs and NEEs due to specific climatic conditions along equator. Largest exporter is Mexico, Central and South America.
Describe the distribution of major banana importers.
Uneven. Majority in Northern Hemisphere as they cannot farm their own. Also has largest consumers e.g. USA, West Europe. Small portion imported by Southern America.
What are environmental impacts of banana farming?
- Chemical use of pesticides.
- Deforestation with agricultural expansion losing 2+ million ha in Central America.
- Biodiversity decline due to monocultures and habitat loss.
What are economic impacts of banana trading?
Trade Wars and Fair Trade.
How did banana trading result in a trade war?
A 6yr trade quarrel between the US and EU as US complained about EU scheme giving former coloniee special access to markets in exchange for bananas broke free trade rules. In 1997, the WTO agreed with the USA despite only 7% of EU’s 2.5 billion tonnes of bananas coming from Caribbean.
How does banana trading result in fair trade?
Banana trade has global exports of $7 billion which 450+ million people rely on in LICs. Fair trade is meant to benefit the farmers and workers of plantations. 90% of all Fairtrade bananas come from Caribbean and South America. They generated £114 million to a fund e.g. Panama improved housing and education for worker’s families.
What are some major banana TNC’s?
USA = Chiquita, Dole, Del Monte.
Ireland = Fyffes.
Ecuador = Noboa
Share in market makes up 45% and 90% of price of banana estimated to stay within HIC.
What is the United Nations?
Intergovernmental organisation consisiting of 193 member states with the purpose to maintain peace & security and promote global cooperation.
How has the UN worked to promote growth (development)?
Millenium Development Goals in 2000. Upgraded to Sustainable Development in 2015.
2.6 billion people gained access to improved drinking water since 1990, havling proportion without access 5 yrs ahead of schedule. World Bank, IMF and General Assembly associated with UN provides humanitarian services, financial aid and the Declaration of Human Rights.
How has the UN worked to promote stability (peace)?
The Security Council send out peacekeeping conflicts into areas with recent armed conflict. Worldwide fewer peoplr died in conflict in first half of 21st century than any decade in 20th century. Un peacekeepers negotiated 172 peaceful settlements with 17 active peacekeeping missions.
How has the UN exacerbated inequality?
- Some countries met MDGs and those that didn’t have a much lower QoL & SoL in comparison.
- Unfair to allow permanent members ability to veto.
- UN system should be more effective to represent countries without large financial contributions influence in government.
- Not all improvements are solely attributed to UN.
How has the UN exacerbated injustice?
- MDGs often failed to help global poorest.
- Only 75 members considered free democracies.
- UN failed to stop US abandoning Kyoto Protocol or Biological Weapons & Nuclear Testing.
What is a successful example of UN peacekeeping?
Sierra Leone. Mission established 1998 and intervention successful in 2014. Disarmed 75,000+ ex-fighters including child soldiers. Destroyed 42,000 weapons and 1.2 million rounds of ammunition.
What is an unsuccessful example of UN peacekeeping?
Rwandan Genocide, 1994
Failed to prevent mass murder, rape and ethnic cleansing of 800,000 Rwandans.
Describe Antarctica’s geography and climate.
Coldest, Driest and Windiest continent on earth.
Average temp is -49°C but goes as low as -89°C.
Average 166mm of rainfall per yr.
Average wind speeds 50mph, gales can reach 200-300kmph
Lower West split from Greater East by TransANTARCTIC Ridge. Ronne and Ross Ice Shelf with Peninsula contracting & expanding. Atlantic Convergence splits currents from Southern Ocean. Antarctic Circumpolar Currents flows Eastward due to winds.
What are threats to Antarctica?
- Mineral Extraction
- Whaling & Fishing
- Climate Change
- Tourism & Scientific Research
How does Mineral Extraction threaten Antarctica?
1991 Madrid Protocol banned commercial farming until 2048. Despite many precious ores no future plans to exploit resources.
How does Whaling & Fishing threaten Antarctica?
Krill fishing catches average 100,000 tonnes per year, peaks in 1981 being 5 times the amount. By-catch kills other fish species and albatrosses, and depleting major food source can cause collapse of food webs.
Whaling was very profitable for oil and whalebone which depleted many whale stocks in Southern Ocean. A lot of illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing takes place and tensions with Japan, Icelabd and Norway over Southern Ocean Whaling Sanctuary.
How is Whaling & Fishing being managed?
Krill fishing does not have quotas or limits and is fully legal. Whaling was banned in 1985 by International Whaling Comission (1985) and the Southern Ocean Whaling Sanctuary covers 50 million sq km surrounding Antarctic despite opposing Japan, Iceland and Norway. Can only whale with scientific collection permit as animals are protected by International Antarctic Treaty. Boats must be licensed with marked equipment and ready for inspections.
