Global Systems, Connections and Flows

Question 1

What are global interactions?

Answer 1

= global networks of connected places and people

- network mapping focusses on varied level of interconnectivity for different places

Question 2

Flows of food, resources and manufactured goods

Answer 2

• 2015, value of world trade of these exceeded $25trn in value
• due to rapid development of emerging economies such as China & India, rising demand and global middle class consumers are responsible for almost all growth in resource consumption

Question 3

Flows of money and financial services

Answer 3

• 2013, vol of foreign exchange transactions reached $5trn worldwide
• Within EU, cross- border trade in financial services has expanded in the absence of barriers. Large banks and insurance companies are able to sell services to consumers in reach of EU’s member states
• MNCs channel large flows of FDI towards many different states they invest in

Question 4

Flows of migrants and tourists

Answer 4

• record number of migrants Internationally in 2015
• China generates highest vol of international tourism expenditure
• Europe receives more tourist arrivals than any other continent

Question 5

Flows of technology and ideas

Answer 5

• global data flows grown rapidly since 1990s, attributed to growth of social media platforms and arrival of on-demand media services
• faster broadband and powerful handheld computers have allowed companies to stream media directly to customers

Question 6

• study by Chris Gray *

Answer 6

= divisive international borders separating states and cities no longer exist and possess no obstacle to information flows
“borderless world of nodes and hubs, all connected by multi-coloured flow lines”

Question 7

What are emerging economies?

Answer 7

= countries that have begun to experience higher rates of economic growth due to rapid factory expansion and industrialisation
- correspond broadly with World Bank’s ‘middle income’ group, e.g. China, India, Brazil