What are the impacts of globalisation for countries, groups of people and cultures, and the environment

Question 1

what is meant by global shift?

Answer 1

global shift refers to the outsourcing and offshoring of industry, through foreign direct investment.

Question 2

what are some benefits of global shift for Asia

Answer 2

+ a shift from informal, insecure employment to waged employment with a set income and some security
+ TNC’s invest in training and skills development to improve workforce productivity, and some skills are transferable
+ As more people in formal employment pay taxes, local and national governments invest in public services such as education and health.

Question 3

what are some social and environmental costs of the global shift for Asia

Answer 3

• Urban sprawl leads to a loss of productive farmland and forests as industry and cities expand and accommodate space for industries and worker’s housing
• Pressure on natural resources, especially water supply as new factories and offices demand resources
• Rapid loss of tradition such as local foods and dress as the place of urban and industrial change is so rapid.

Question 4

what are some of China’s environmental issues?

Answer 4

• severe pollution (esp in Beijing) ranked way above the Worlds health organisation safety limit- the pollution is estimated to reduce life expectancy by 5 years
• close to 50% of the world’s coal is burnt in China
• the WWF reported in 2015 that almost half of China’s land-based vertebrates species have been lost in the last 40 years as biodiversity has suffered as habitats have been destroyed.

Question 5

for developing countries, what has the global shift led to (amongst their industries)?

Answer 5

deindustrialisation - closure of manufacturing industries such as steel, shipbuilding and engineering.

Question 6

what is meant by economic restructuring?

Answer 6

when one sector such as the secondary industry is replaced by another such as the tertiary industry; this leads to a widespread change in job types.

Question 7

what is meant by migration?

Answer 7

the movement of people from one place to another.

Question 8

what is a mega-city?

Answer 8

a city with a population of over 10 million

Question 9

what does globalisation cause in terms of migration?

Answer 9

connections created by globalisation has caused an increase in global migration as there is a greater ‘churn’ of people migrating for work.

Question 10

what are some social challenges of megacity growth (rapid urban growth)?

Answer 10

• housing is in short supply, leading to a growth of slums and shanty towns that lack water, sewers and power supplies.
• poverty is rife; wages are low and jobs are in short supply meaning many people are employed in dangerous informal jobs.
• lack of taxes means city governments struggle to supply essential health and education services.
• lack of water and sanitation means disease and illness are common in slums.

Question 11

what are some environmental challenges of the growth of megacities?

Answer 11

• sprawling slums at the city edge cause deforestation and loss of farmland and increased flood risk.
• wood fires, old vehicles and industry mean air pollution levels are high
• rivers and lakes are polluted with sewage and industrial waste, making health problems worse.
• critical resources, especially water, are in short supply because of soaring demands.

Question 12

what is a global hub?

Answer 12

a city like London, New York or Dubai where there is an unusually high density of transport, business, political and cultural connections to the rest of the world.

Question 13

what are 2 examples of migrants and how do they connect?

Answer 13

-global elite migrants: high-payed professional workers are attracted to global hubs
-low skilled migrants: elite migrants often employ low skilled migrants as maids, cleaners drivers etc.
they are also used for construction workers for apartments and office blocks in the global hubs.

Question 14

what are examples of elite migrants?

Answer 14

Russian Oligarchs

wealthy business people (billionaires) who invest in property and business in global hubs like London.

Question 15

what are some positive and negatives of ECONOMIC migration for the host and source countries?

Answer 15

source
+ remittances- boost incomes of families
- loss of skilled and educated workers

host
+ low waged workers to fill gaps of jobs not wanted
- some host population workers can’t get jobs as they’ve been taken.

Question 16

what are some positives and negatives of SOCIAL migration for host and source countries?

Answer 16

source
+ contact and integration with different culture
- families are broken up as young males tend to migrate for education and employment

host
+ migrants can counteract an ageing population
- demand for education, health and housing rises

Question 17

what are some negatives of POLITICAL migration for host and source countries?

Answer 17

source
-mass emigration can be viewed as a failure to provide for people at home

host
-cultural tensions with migrating population

Question 18

what are some positives and negatives of ENVIRONMENTAL migration for host and source countries?

Answer 18

source
+ reduces pressure on resources if the population is decreasing

host
- can lead to a demand for more housing and therefore loss of green space and possible overcrowding. an increasing population also sees an increase in pollution etc.

Question 19

what is the westernised global culture based on?

Answer 19

• earning money in order to buy consumer goods
• private enterprise- where people earn businesses rather than the government owning them
• success measured by how wealthy you are
• an attitude that the physical environment should be exploited for its natural resources to create wealth

Question 20

what is cultural diffusion?

Answer 20

the exchange of ideas between different people as they mix and interact as a result of globalisation

Question 21

what are other factors other factors besides from migration that contribute to cultural diffusion?

Answer 21

• tourism: brings people into contact with new cultures
• TNC’s: spread their brands and products around the world
• global media organisations: e.g Disney and BBC spread a western view on world events

Question 22

what are some positives and negatives of Westernisation (western culture)?

Answer 22

• spread of western diet: fast food (McDonaldization) encourages an unhealthy diet, thus increasing health issues like obesity
• western consumerism: discarding fast food packaging or only wearing/using fashion items once- links to deforestation, excessive water use in industry and air/water pollution.

+ western culture has improved opportunities for traditionally disadvantaged groups:
women
disabled
LGBT groups
global media coverage of Paralympics, Gay pride marches and high profile cases of sexual discrimination may help to erode discrimination and prejudice in developing and emerging countries.

Question 23

what are some oppositions to globalisation?

Answer 23

• increased resource consumption through the exploitation of natural resources leads to problems like deforestation, water pollution, global warming and biodiversity loss
• exploited workers, especially in emerging countries, suffer low wages and dangerous working conditions
• passed political and economic power into the hands of TNC’s at the expense of ordinary people
• increased inequality i.e small group of very rich and powerful people (sometimes known as the 1%)
• caused cultural erosion, meaning the traditional lifestyles are degrading by the spread of western culture.

Question 24

what is meant by culture?

Answer 24

refers to the commonly held views, traditions and lifestyles of a group of people