Why are some locations switched off?

Switched on……..

Switched on……..

Switched on……..

Switched on……..

Switched off………

Watch this video of an undiscovered Amazonia Tribe HERE

Why are large parts of Africa bypassed by globalisation?

A stereotypical western business viewCorruption pervades many African societies. Politicians and police can abuse authority by being corrupt. This increases risk of losses and makes it time consuming and frustrating for TNCs to operate.

High Risk & low returns

Little government support Due to a lack of volume of business it is harder for TNCs to gain incentives e.g. planning permission for the best sites, tax incentives etc.

Debt Many Sub-Saharan countries are weighed down by enormous debts taken on to fund infrastructure projects in the 1970s. They could not repay these loans so the IMF has made the loans more affordable (Structural Adjustment Packages). In return many LDCs have had to cut their government spending. This has many effects.

Unskilled labour Although labour is cheap, governments’ debts and reduced spending on education mean that populations are technically unskilled. (Few universities).

Unstable currencies A rapidly changing exchange rate would be financial suicide for TNCs. This brings a high risk of losses.

Weak market Although some TNCs do operate in Africa e.g. flower exports from Kenya, the wages are not high enough to kick start the multiplier effect. This results in a weak market – TNCs cannot sell their goods.

Politically unstable Many countries have been marred by civil wars and insurrection. A supportive government can suddenly be replaced by a hostile one. This can increase risk of losses for TNCs.

Negative image Many LDC African countries suffer from a poor image. The 2010 World Cup in South Africa could improve this.

Crime Kidnappings of foreign workers (and physical threats) are prevalent in many African countries. This is high risk to TNC staff.

Poor infrastructure International debts mean African governments have no money to invest in a modern world-class infrastructure. Few regular flights and shipping operators. They cannot compete with China, India and other NICs.

Why are some locations switched off? • Some peripheral locations aren’t connected to

globalisation for a number of different reasons. These are called ‘switched off’ countries. E.g. North Korea or Chad.

• ‘Switched on’ locations are those that are connected to each other heavily through globalisation.

• See if you can sort your cards into three categories:1. Physical / Environmental 2. Political 3. Economic

Case study 1 – North Korea

Why was this film so controversial? • The Interview trailer here

• On November 24, 2014, an anonymous group identifying themselves as the "Guardians of Peace" hacked the computer networks of Columbia Pictures' parent company Sony Pictures Entertainment. The hackers leaked internal emails, employee records and several recent and unreleased Sony Pictures films,

• The North Korean government denied involvement in the hack.[] On December 8, the hackers leaked further materials, including a demand that Sony pull "the movie of terrorism", widely interpreted as referring to The Interview

• On December 16, 2014, the hackers issued a warning to movie-goers, threatening to attack the New York premiere of The Interview and any other cinema showing it on its theatrical release.

• Two further messages, allegedly from the Guardians of Peace, were released on December 18. One, sent in a private message to Sony executives, said that the hackers would not release further information if Sony never releases the film and removed its presence from the internet.

• The other, posted to Pastebin, a web application used for text storage which the Guardians of Peace had used for previous messages, stated that Sony had "suffered enough" and could release The Interview, but only if Kim Jong-un's death scene was not "too happy". The message also threatened that if Sony made another film antagonizing North Korea, the hackers "will be here ready to fight".

Case Study 2 – The Sahel countries

Your turn • Using p178 in the normal text book and any

research you can find, produce a fact file on why these two areas are so ‘switched off’.

• Must include a map (one on each case study) to show human and physical features that highlight the lack of connectedness.

Why are countries switched off? North Korea

The Sahel Region

North Korea is politically This area is switched off mainly isolated because of … due to environmental factors…

Extension:

How does being landlocked affect a country’s ability to be switched on?

http://unohrlls.org/about-lldcs/

Homework:• Complete the cartographic skill on p187 in Person

(Showbie)