Understanding Globalization and the World’s Economic Powers
1. Globalization
Globalization refers to the process of increasing interdependence of the world’s economies and societies.
Characteristics:
- Huge expansion of international trade
- Business concentration (companies merge to become more competitive)
- Global organization of production
- Large multinational companies
2. Globalization Factors
- Information society (new information and communication technologies are in use)
- Cheaper transportation (facilitates the flow of goods and people)
- Liberalization policies (are
Current Industry Structure, Location, Trends, and Areas
Current Industry Structure
Key characteristics of the current industry structure:
- Reduced Average Size: The average size of firms and industries is reduced, with a prevalence of small or medium-sized companies.
- Insufficient Research and Innovation: Research and innovation efforts are insufficient.
- Inadequate and Dependent Technology Creation: The creation of technology is inadequate and dependent on external sources.
Current Industry Location
Current location factors:
- Proximity to important natural resources
Industrial Evolution: From Mechanization to Globalization
**Modern Industry**
- **Labor:** The first characteristic of modern industry is the prevalence of wage labor.
- **Mechanization:** The second is the use of machines, which began to use new energy sources to operate.
- **Division of Labor:** The third is the division of labor.
**Globalization of the Economy**
- Much production goes to market through global companies.
- Many large firms’ industrial processes are multinational.
- Production is also global.
The various tasks necessary to produce a product are separated,
Read MoreUrbanization’s Impact on Family and City Life in Britain
Urbanization’s Impact on Family Structure
The function and the shape of the family were completely transformed by life in the industrial city. Ties between members of households loosened, and among the working class, the institution of marriage tended to break down.
Women’s Changing Roles
- Women of the upper and middle classes in Britain faced increasingly higher levels of isolation, although their lives were made easier by domestic maids who cooked, cleaned, and cared for young children on low wages.
Impacts of Human Activity on Wildlife and Ecosystems
Timber Harvesting
Deforestation is the large-scale destruction of forests by human action. It is advancing at a rate of about 17 million hectares per year. While the forest area is generally stabilized in Europe and North America, the rate of transition from old-growth forests to other forms in North America remains high. Deforestation affects the livelihoods of 200 to 500 million people who depend on forests for food, shelter, and fuel. Furthermore, deforestation and forest degradation can contribute
Read MoreSpain’s 19th Century Economic Transformation and Industrialization
Economic Transformations in 19th Century Spain
Confiscation, Agrarian Change, and Industrialization
The 19th-century Spanish economy experienced significant economic changes influenced by liberal ideology. However, it did not reach the level of other European countries, remaining largely agricultural and dependent on foreign powers by the end of the century.
The agricultural sector underwent a transformation in property ownership due to the abolition of the feudal regime and the process of confiscation.
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