teachinggeographyworkshop8globalforceslocalimpact.docVIP

Teaching Geography Workshop 8: Global Forces Local Impact – Part 1: Guangdong and Southeast Asia JIM BINKO: We begin this program in the province of Guangdong on China’s southern coast. This area has sustained extraordinary economic growth in the past two decades. Standard 3: how to analyze the spatial organization of people, places and environments on the earth’s surface helps us understand the importance of Guangdong’s proximity to Hong Kong in determining its position at the epicenter of Chinese economic development. Understanding the patterns and networks of economic interdependence on Earth’s surface shows us how advancements in communication and transportation have allowed Guangdong to thrive in a global economy. After watching this case study, you should be able to explain why optimum plant location decisions in a commercial economy take into account labor costs, transportation costs and market locations. The impact of globalization is complex. Better international communications may lead to social progress, democratization and a heightened awareness of human rights. Yet at the same time, a homogenous consumer culture enveloping the world puts local diversity at risk and may aggravate the disparity between rich and poor. Awareness of these contrasts helps analyze and evaluate issues related to the spatial distribution of economic activity. We close this half hour in Fred Walk’s World Geography classroom. Using an ARGWorld inquiry lesson centered on Southeast Asia, he guides his class as they explore the factors that determine quality of life. NARRATOR: Many observers argue the costs and benefits but few dispute that globalization is the most profound reorganization of the world since the Industrial Revolution. The driving force of globalization is economic and at the core of the global economy is the global production system. Du Neng Ji makes Nike shoes-- one of tens of thousands of Nike employees scattered across the world. Du Neng Ji