Global Systems And Governing

Question 1

Advantages of the Global Village

Answer 1

• ‘Village’ implies a positive network
• Religion, culture, and heritage all co-existing amicably
• Easy connections, easy trade

Question 2

Disadvantages of Global Village

Answer 2

• Certain people unable to access the village due to inequality
• What about LICs and people without internet access?
• ‘Interdependence’ isn’t a fair representation of the inequality

Question 3

What are flows?

Answer 3

Connections between nations and individuals

Question 4

How has world economy changed after WW2?

Answer 4

-Trade has increased dramatically
- $100bn USD in 1959 to $31trn in 2023

Question 5

How has trade across developed countries changed in 2023 and why?

Answer 5

• North-North has seen smallest change, only a 3% decrease
• South-South has seen the largest decrease of 7%
• Overall, global trade is decreasing, could be due to wars, protectionist policies (Trump), or increasing tariffs.

Question 6

Who made the idea of the ‘Global Village’?

Answer 6

Marshall McLuhan

Question 7

Describe global flows of goods and money

Answer 7

• Growth of TNCs and cross-border trade
• World Bank and IMF lending to support development and globalisation

Question 8

Describe some global flows of technology

Answer 8

• New tech makes some jobs obsolete
• ICT used to support spatial divisions of labour
• Online shopping and data sales

Question 9

Describe some global flows of people

Answer 9

• Changing ideas about gender and sexuality
• International migration and diaspora growth
• New political movements and changes

Question 10

Describe some global flows of ideas

Answer 10

• Diffusion and spread of dominant cultures (Americanisation, Westernisation)
• Glocalisation of goods and services to meet local cultural needs

Question 11

What are the 5 most powerful drivers of change affecting most industries?

Answer 11

• Cultural homogenisation
• Economies of scale and scope
• Tech developments
• Deregulations and lowering trade barriers
• Strong international competitors

Question 12

What is cultural homogenisation?

Answer 12

• National cultures that were very different are becoming less different
• This does not mean everyone in the world is the same

Question 13

What are influences on cultural homogenisation?

Answer 13

• Global media and communication have created similarities in consumer tastes across markets
• This results in customers and markets buying similar products

Question 14

General benefits of tech developments

Answer 14

• No geographical boundaries
• New industries
• Can revolutionise current industries
• Restructuring of global supply chains

Question 15

Benefits of globalisation

Answer 15

• Global tech makes local products available to global customers
• Cheap labour is relative and will disappear over time
• Antiglobalisation has caused manufacturers to improve working conditions

Question 16

Negatives of globalisation

Answer 16

• Power of global brands could drive out local companies
• Cheap labour in developing countries exploited by developed countries
• Rich world still keeps high trade barriers against poorer world
• Theoretical ‘race to the bottom’

Question 17

Is globalisation inevitable?

Answer 17

No, it’s reversible

Question 18

Summarise the history of globalisation

Answer 18

• Not a new idea
• All flows existed for centuries through empires
• Some older flows still exist today (Silk Road, sailing routes)

Question 19

What were David Harvey’s theories?

Answer 19

• Time-space compression due to a ‘step change’ in connectivity

Question 20

What were McLuhan’s theories in 1960s?

Answer 20

World is ‘flat’ and a ‘global village’ where flows have free reign
‘Flat’ meaning no barriers to movement and easily accessible