Geography of Economic Development

Geog 1

Group Activity What do you mean by economic

development? What can be an indicator of economic

development? List at least 10 indicators. Rank according to priority. Justify your answer.

Can you show the geographies of development at a global scale? How about at the local scale? Present your answer by illustrating a cognitive map.

Discussion Questions What are the common/different ideas in your

definition and in your list of indicators? Compare and contrast your maps. Do you see a

pattern? Why do you think this is the pattern?

What kinds of relationships are developed between and among countries in a globalized world? How would you characterize them?

What is the position or location of the Philippines in a globalized world? How does it take place? Why is it so?

Why is economic development a geographical process? Illustrate your answer.

What is development? Development - Act/state of improving by

expanding or enlarging or refining ‘Development’ itself is a complex,

contradictory and powerful term that takes on particular meanings in the context of specific intellectual, institutional and political moments. (Lawson, 2007)

Geography of Development

What is (economic) development? Measures how economically, socially,

culturally or technologically advanced a country is.

Economic development - The extent to which a society is making effective use of resources, both human and natural.

Geography of Economic Development

Geography of Economic Development

Geography of Economic Development

Brandt’s Line – 1980 Blue - rich and powerful Global

NorthRed – poor and marginalized Global

South

Uneven Economic Development

GDP Per Capita

HDI

Why does economic development vary from one place to another? For human geographers and other social

scientists, the term development refers to processes of change involving the nature and composition of the economy of a particular region, as well as to increases in the overall prosperity of a region (Knox, Marston & Nash 2004).

Economic Geography What are the economic activities present in a

geographical area (i.e. country, province, city, etc)?

How do spaces and economic activities shape one another?

How and why do economic activities vary from place to place?

How and why do economic activities connect places?

Economic Structure Primary economic activity

Closest contact with natural resources (farming, mining, fishing, forestry)

Secondary: value added (manufacturing) Tertiary: services for primary or secondary

(teaching, designing, advertising, selling, etc.)

Quaternary: information-based services; research and ICT

Geographical divisions of labor; global assembly line; international trading blocs; global offices; global tourism

Economic geographies in a globalizing world

Labor has moved from individual homes (cottage industry) to factories to offices to telecommunications

There has been a large migration from rural to urban areas

Industrialized countries now export labor intensive work to developing nations

Trade alliances have grown in number Specialization of production has grown;

global division of labor

Economic geographies in a globalizing world

Financial service networks and international banks have increased

Products have become internationally assembled instead of everything being made in one location. (ex. vehicles, electronics) – global assembly line

Modern transportation networks that allow for rapid and efficient exchange of goods and services (ex. Federal Express, UPS, US Postal Service) have grown

Widespread marketing of products has increased (ex. Fuji, Nike, etc)

Core-Periphery

Core/MDCs/1st World/Developed Japan USA Europe Australia

Core-Periphery

Periphery/LDCs/3rd World/Developing Sub-Saharan Africa South Asia Southeast Asia Latin America Philippines

Core-Periphery

Semi-Periphery/NICs Taiwan South Korea Hong Kong Singapore

Uneven Economic Development

Global Inequality

Percentage of population in 2003 living below poverty line, by province. Provinces with darker shades have more people living below the poverty line.

End. Questions? Insights? Clarifications? Reactions?

Reflections?

Questions: Think about the use of the terms

‘underdeveloped’ or ‘undeveloped’ to collectively describe poor countries. Do you think these terms are appropriate?

How do you think you would feel about their use if you were a resident of one of the world’s poor countries?

Which is the affluent society?

Hunter-gatherers 3-5 hours per day of work Plenty of free time Desire little No concept of personal

property

Office workers 8 hours a day of work Stressed Fueled by need to

consume Need to accumulate

wealth and property

Group Activity (20 minutes) If the term ‘development’ is applied to

countries, what does it mean? Create a pictionary.

Identify indicators of a country’s development. Group these indicators according to priorities

(high, middle, low). Justify your answer.

Statistics GDP (PPP) $453bn (2006) GDP growth 5.3% (2006) GDP per capita $4,923 (2006) Pop below poverty line 26.3% (2003) Labor force 36.64 million (2006) Labor force by occupation services (48%),

agriculture (36%), industry (16%) (2004) Unemployment 8.4% (2006) Public debt $316.65 billion (69.9% of GDP) Revenues $19.44 billion (2006) Expenses $21.38 billion (2006) Economic aid recipient. ODA, $2.0 billion (2002)

Why do developing countries face obstacles to development?

Development through self-sufficiency Problems: Inefficiency; Large bureaucracy

Development through international trade Uneven distribution of resources Comparative advantage

Financing development Loans; foreign direct investments

(In Rubenstein, 1999)

Faces of Globalization

Economic (WTO) Cultural (PCD) Geopolitical (APEC) Environmental

(Wastes) Technological

(Internet) Demographic (OFWs) Criminal (Terrorism)

What has the globalization of the economy (the creation of a single, integrated market) brought to different people, places, and landscapes?

Better life for many (or some)

Efficiency

Increased inequality Unfair trade Imperialistic WB/IMF - debt

Guide Questions What is development? Where are more and less developed countries

distributed? Why does development vary among

countries? Why do less developed countries face

obstacles to development? What are the effects of the globalization of

economy to different people, places and landscapes?