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</div><h2>HL Paper 3</h2><div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px; padding-right: 20px;">
<p>Explain how global interaction may be measured.</p>
<div class="marks">[10]</div>
<div class="question_part_label">a.</div>
</div>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px; padding-right: 20px;">
<p align="LEFT">Examine the effects of the development of communications upon international interactions.</p>
<div class="marks">[15]</div>
<div class="question_part_label">b.</div>
</div>
<h2 style="margin-top: 1em">Markscheme</h2>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
<p>Likely responses may refer to a named globalization index such as the AT Kearney or the KOF index. Any index chosen should be explained in some detail. For example, if the Kearney index is chosen its four key components should be named:</p>
<ul>
<li>economic integration</li>
<li>personal contact</li>
<li>technological connectivity</li>
<li>political engagement.</li>
</ul>
<p>The response should give some indication of how each of these is measured and is likely to provide an example. For instance, within the Kearney index, personal contact includes remittances/travel/telephone.</p>
<p>Responses should suggest the units for one or more parts of the index, for example, telephone – minutes of international traffic <em>per capita</em>.</p>
<p>Most indices of interactions are compound indices based on several components. Weighting factors are applied, a total score is calculated and countries may then be ranked.</p>
<p>To access band D and above, responses should include:</p>
<ul>
<li>a recognized index with its components</li>
<li>an explanation for the ranking of countries</li>
<li>named examples.</li>
</ul>
<p>Other approaches may be equally valid and should be assessed on their merits.</p>
<p>Marks should be allocated according to the markbands.</p>
<div class="question_part_label">a.</div>
</div>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
<p>The response should recognize a variety of kinds of communications (transport, telecommunications and the internet) and interactions (socio-cultural, economic and political). For example, the increasing capacity and speed of transport systems has facilitated the international transfer of goods through trade. It has also stimulated cultural integration through labour transfers and tourism. ICT has increased all aspects of international interaction, in particular financial transfers and business transactions. ICT has also allowed easier international exchange of ideas and political negotiation.</p>
<p>Answers attaining band D and above must focus upon international interaction, not just outcomes. Answers attaining band E must also include references to transport as well as ICT. Named examples are also expected at these levels.</p>
<p>Other approaches may be equally valid and should be assessed on their merits.</p>
<p>Marks should be allocated according to the markbands.</p>
<div class="question_part_label">b.</div>
</div>
<h2 style="margin-top: 1em">Examiners report</h2>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
[N/A]
<div class="question_part_label">a.</div>
</div>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
[N/A]
<div class="question_part_label">b.</div>
</div>
<br><hr><br><div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px; padding-right: 20px;">
<p>Analyse the strengths <strong>and</strong> weaknesses of <strong>one named</strong> globalization index.</p>
<div class="marks">[10]</div>
<div class="question_part_label">a.</div>
</div>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px; padding-right: 20px;">
<p>“Individuals, national governments and international organizations are increasingly resistant to global interactions.” Discuss this statement.</p>
<div class="marks">[15]</div>
<div class="question_part_label">b.</div>
</div>
<h2 style="margin-top: 1em">Markscheme</h2>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
<p>Expect either the KOF or Kearney index to be selected. There are other possibilities, for example, Maastricht globalization index; CSGR (Warwick); Ernst & Young.</p>
<p>Strengths include the multi-strand approach taken, recognizing that globalization comprises a range of processes that need to be measured, for example, KOF distinguishes between political, social and economic measures of globalization while Kearney uses four categories (economic, personal, technological or political integration).</p>
<p>Weaknesses can be conceptual (what is not included) or empirical (difficulties in collecting data and accuracy issues), for example, KOF’s measures of social globalization are easily critiqued, such as the “proximity” of data.</p>
<p>For band C, one recognizable index of globalization should be described in a way that implies it has merit (has different strands) and may state one or two basic weaknesses.</p>
<p>To access band D, expect:</p>
<ul>
<li><span style="text-decoration: underline;">either</span> more detailed knowledge of the chosen multi-strand index (with some attempt made to describe some weakness)</li>
<li><span style="text-decoration: underline;">or</span> greater understanding of the weaknesses of economic and social data collection/comparisons in general (<em>eg</em> appreciates different perspectives on what is viewed as important; knows about flaws in survey methodology).</li>
</ul>
<p>At band E, expect both of these elements.</p>
<p>Other approaches may be equally valid. Marks should be allocated according to the markbands.</p>
<div class="question_part_label">a.</div>
</div>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
<p><em>Credit all content in line with the markbands. Credit unexpected approaches wherever relevant.</em></p>
<p>Global interactions should be defined as a broad set of economic and sociocultural exchanges.</p>
<p>At the individual scale, a range of civil society initiatives can be discussed, such as Occupy/anti-globalization and, at the other end of the political spectrum, anti-immigration/nationalists <em>[Guide 7]</em>. However, some individuals continue to embrace the shrinking world <em>[Guide 2]</em> for a range of economic/cultural reasons <em>[Guide 5]</em>.</p>
<p>Evidence of resistance at the national level might include individual government attitudes towards the arrival of global media corporations <em>[Guide 5]</em> or towards immigration and diaspora growth <em>[Guide 5]</em> or towards MGO membership <em>[Guide 6]</em>. However, governments also recognize the advantages of globalization, free trade and financial flows <em>[Guide 5]</em>.</p>
<p>The concept of “international organizations” embraces MGOs <em>[Guide 6]</em> and international aid and development agencies responsible for financial flows, such as the politically-guided work of the IMF <em>[Guide 2]</em>. It is likely that candidates will choose to argue against the statement at this final scale.</p>
<p>Because the question specifies three scales of resistance, there are several routes to discussing the statement. One might be to offer some counterarguments (<em>eg</em> shows that some national governments embrace global interactions). Another might be to discuss the extent to which resistance is exhibited by individuals compared with governments and international organizations. Another might be to consider whether different kinds of interaction meet with varying strength or resistance (<em>eg</em> China embracing trade but resists information exchange). Each approach must be assessed on its own merits. However, a response that merely agrees with the statement cannot progress beyond the band C/D border.</p>
<p>For band C, resistance to global interactions must be identified at all three scales, with description provided of at least two.</p>
<p>To access band D, expect:</p>
<ul>
<li><span style="text-decoration: underline;">either</span> broader knowledge of a range of reactions, at some different scales (thereby allowing the truth of the statement to be discussed, <em>eg</em> by comparing negative reactions at different scales; or by comparing positive and negative reactions at some of the specified scales <em>ie</em> individuals, governments and organizations)</li>
<li><span style="text-decoration: underline;">or</span> some explicit discussion of the way that different types of global interaction may prompt different kinds of reaction at one/some of the specified scales.</li>
</ul>
<p>At band E, expect both of these elements.</p>
<div class="question_part_label">b.</div>
</div>
<h2 style="margin-top: 1em">Examiners report</h2>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
[N/A]
<div class="question_part_label">a.</div>
</div>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
[N/A]
<div class="question_part_label">b.</div>
</div>
<br><hr><br><div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px; padding-right: 20px;">
<p>Using examples, explain the relationship between transport innovation and reduced friction of distance.</p>
<div class="marks">[10]</div>
<div class="question_part_label">a.</div>
</div>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px; padding-right: 20px;">
<p>“Every country will eventually lose its distinctive national identity as a result of global interactions.” Discuss this statement.</p>
<div class="marks">[15]</div>
<div class="question_part_label">b.</div>
</div>
<h2 style="margin-top: 1em">Markscheme</h2>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
<p>Friction of distance is the barrier to the exchange of goods, services, ideas created by slow/limited/expensive transport. Over time, increased connectivity through transport has reduced friction of distance (changing our perception of time/space barriers).</p>
<p>Candidates may explore the relationship through the use of a timeline, and perhaps a diagram, showing how transport times have fallen as a result of successive transport “revolutions” (bicycle, boat, car train, ’plane, <em>etc</em>). Also credit accompanying technologies <em>eg</em> refrigeration for perishables and intermodal transport. Candidates may be familiar with the associated geographical concept of time–space convergence (in other words, we perceive that we inhabit a “shrinking world” as distant places “feel” nearer). Done well, this could be sufficient for the higher mark bands.</p>
<p>A different approach might be to look at more detailed case studies of particular technologies and their application (<em>eg</em> the speed with which flowers from Kenya are flown to Europe; or the speed with which containers can bring manufactured goods from EPZs in China to the USA). This approach is sufficient for band D even if the “relationship” is not particularly clear.</p>
<p>Finally, the subject guide specifies that candidates should have studied speed and capacity changes for <em>two</em> types of transport network. They might draw on this as part of their answer. However, they should be careful to focus on the reduced friction of<br>distance as the network is modernized, or extended into areas that were previously “switched off” (and thus took a longer time to reach).</p>
<p>Credit may be given for some discussion of the role that telecom networks play in transporting data and information, “eradicating” the friction of distance altogether.</p>
<p>Band C answers are likely to describe some specific details of transport history, but with little/no development of “friction of distance” (besides saying it has lessened).</p>
<p>At band D, expect <span style="text-decoration: underline;">either</span> a clearer explanation of the changing relationship over time (may use the concept of time–space convergence) <span style="text-decoration: underline;">or</span> effective use of detailed examples to explain how transport connects distant places together with reduced<br>travel time.</p>
<p>For band E, expect both.</p>
<div class="question_part_label">a.</div>
</div>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
<p><em>Credit all content in line with the markbands. Credit unexpected approaches wherever relevant.</em></p>
<p>The focus should be national (or group) identity although credit can be given for groups within a nation <em>eg</em> Amish (USA), Welsh (UK), tribes (Amazon). Discussion of a diaspora’s “national” identity (<em>eg</em> the identity of the Chinese in USA) may also be credited. Expect candidates to take a range of approaches and to hold a range of views about what factors or processes make a place distinctive/less distinctive.</p>
<p>Possible themes for discussion in agreement with the statement:</p>
<ul>
<li>a range of issues can be discussed pertaining to cultural dilution/cultural imperialism/immigration/multiculturalism <em>[Guide 5]</em>. Different cultural traits may be discussed <em>eg</em> language, diet, music, religion, <em>etc</em></li>
<li>evidence may be cited in support of the proposition that increasing cultural homogeneity is unavoidable/irreversible, for instance international migration or the spread of branded commodities <em>[Guide 5]</em> or the homogenization of urban/cultural landscapes <em>[Guide 4]</em></li>
<li>sovereign states risk losing political autonomy due to their membership of MGOs (especially the case for the EU) or in relation to wealth/leverage of TNCs <em>[Guide 6]</em>, influence of IMF/World Bank <em>[Guide 3]</em>. </li>
</ul>
<p>Possible themes for discussion in disagreement with the statement:</p>
<ul>
<li>many countries have experienced a resurgence in nationalism/regionalism <em>[Guide 6]</em>, for instance as evidenced by programmes of nationalization (Bolivia) or attempts to limit the dominance of English (in France’s case)</li>
<li>there are instances of states or societies opting out of globalization/isolationism (<em>eg</em>, China’s stance on internet access; North Korea or until recently Myanmar; Amish communities in USA) <em>[Guide 7]</em></li>
<li>glocalized/hybrid outcomes can still be highly distinctive or unique<em> [Guide 7]</em>. </li>
</ul>
<p>A more critical, thoughtful or nuanced response might take the view that:</p>
<ul>
<li>national identity has many aspects, not all of which are threatened, <em>eg</em>, by MGO membership <em>[Guide 6]</em></li>
<li>other foci for identity may be becoming more important than national identity for many people, <em>eg</em>, diaspora identity.</li>
</ul>
<p>At band C, some impacts on national/group identity/culture should be described and linked with global interactions such as migration, information flow <em>etc. </em></p>
<p>Band D should <span style="text-decoration: underline;">either</span> provide a wider and more balanced discussion of the statement <span style="text-decoration: underline;">or</span> offer a more critical discussion of what is meant by “distinctive national identity”.</p>
<p>At band E, expect both.</p>
<div class="question_part_label">b.</div>
</div>
<h2 style="margin-top: 1em">Examiners report</h2>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
<p>“Friction of distance” and transport innovation appears to be a well-understood and well-learned area of the curriculum. Even the weakest candidates were able to provide a short descriptive account of different modes of transport improving over time (in terms of the reduced time taken to move people or goods between locations). Many had learned the topic in advance in some depth, with accompanying locational details and data. This was not, however, always sufficient to reach the highest markband available. Some conceptual sophistication was also expected, such as clear, well-explained linkages with the concept of time–space convergence (or time–space compression). Alternatively, greater geographical knowledge was expected of how, in context, the friction of distance has lessened for specific global flows, such as commodity movements, thereby linking specific locales (such as the flower farms sited around Lake Naivasha, Kenya and the flower markets near Old Street, London, England). In contrast, band C answers often provided greater detail of, say, the technical specifications of jet engines, yet went on to merely assert that this allows “people” to “move around the world quicker”.</p>
<div class="question_part_label">a.</div>
</div>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
<p>Many candidates performed a synthesis of the following topics: the influence of the McDonald’s corporation, national membership of trade blocs (especially the EU), the spread of English at the expense of native languages, the erosion of national traditions as a result of indigenous peoples’ contact with tourists, the dissemination of music and film through the internet, the growing homogenization of world cities, the prosperity of diaspora populations, and the resurgence of nationalism as a reaction to globalization (some candidates showed good contemporary knowledge of political movements in the EU). Arranged in a way that provided both support for, and rejection of, the statement, this was usually sufficient for band D. However, the sophistication with which these complex ideas were handled usually left a lot to be desired in work around the C/D boundary (see comments below on how performance could be improved in the future).</p>
<div class="question_part_label">b.</div>
</div>
<br><hr><br><div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px; padding-right: 20px;">
<p>Explain what is meant by time–space convergence.</p>
<div class="marks">[10]</div>
<div class="question_part_label">a.</div>
</div>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px; padding-right: 20px;">
<p align="LEFT">“Global interactions result in some form of environmental damage being experienced everywhere.” Discuss this statement.</p>
<div class="marks">[15]</div>
<div class="question_part_label">b.</div>
</div>
<h2 style="margin-top: 1em">Markscheme</h2>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
<p>The key idea is that of a “shrinking world” thanks to technological innovation over time. Expect some explanation of the technologies that enable this change and empirical evidence to support it (for example, time taken to circumnavigate the world etc.). This may be shown in diagrammatic form and should be credited.</p>
<p>Other approaches to explanation might include an analysis of the range of flows/global interactions that are enabled by different technologies (and the specific impacts they bring as aspects of the convergence, for example, cultural dilution, McDonaldization or growth of “global village”).</p>
<p>Good answers may recognize the uneven nature of time–space compression (not all people and places experience it to the same extent; some places have “opted-out” of globalization etc.).</p>
<p>At band C, answers may be descriptive of reduced times for travel (provide facts about reducing sailing times etc.) without addressing the concept of time–space convergence very explicitly, or provide a superficial account of the concept but without much real evidence to ground the explanation.</p>
<p>For bands D and E, answers will be focused on both dimensions of space and time (global technologies bring places/people nearer together by reducing the time taken for instantaneous interactions/flows to occur) and the explanation is well supported with examples. Band E answers may additionally show especially adroit handling of the concept or employ very good terminology.</p>
<div class="question_part_label">a.</div>
</div>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
<p><em>Credit all content in line with the markbands. Credit unexpected approaches wherever relevant</em>.</p>
<p>Global interactions can include FDI by TNCs, information flows, migrants, and trade and commodity flows [Guide 3.1, 3.2, 3.3]. Specific activities, for example, agro-industrialization of peripheral regions or raw material extraction (including energy sources), or TNC operations in different territories are relevant activities that may have a global dimension and constitute interactions [Guide 4.1, 4.2].</p>
<p>In discussing “everywhere”, good answers may consider whether a geographic pattern of damage can be identified (that is, linked to trade routes, coastlines; or a developmental pattern, for example, idea of excessive impacts for LEDCs rather than MEDCs); or whether some areas manage to escape certain kinds of damage (related perhaps to the “wilderness” concept).</p>
<p>Themes may include:</p>
<ul>
<li>the pattern for individual transboundary pollution events [Guide 4.3]</li>
<li>excessively damaging impacts for poorly regulated LEDCs [Guide 4.2]</li>
<li>major shipping routes and pollution, for example, oil spills, and other pollution linked with global interactions, for example, Niger delta oil fields in Nigeria [Guide 4.3]</li>
<li>e-waste in poor countries [Guide 4.2]</li>
<li>“non-globalized”, “untouched” or wilderness regions [Guide 7.4]</li>
<li>increased protection thanks to NGOs/civil society organizations, for example, Greenpeace [Guide 4.3]</li>
<li>possible impacts of global tourist flows on environments [Guide 5.1].</li>
</ul>
<p>Given that all flows have a carbon footprint – even internet use and Google searches – links may be made with climate change science and perhaps the extent of its impacts, for example, greater warming for Arctic regions. </p>
<p>There may be alternate approaches and these should be credited. For bands D and E, some range of interactions must be addressed. There should be some explicit consideration, especially at band E, of what is meant by “everywhere” (that is, argues that some places are worse affected than others, or some places have escaped from, or are protected from, the environmental harm that global interactions may bring).</p>
<div class="question_part_label">b.</div>
</div>
<h2 style="margin-top: 1em">Examiners report</h2>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
<p>Good answers to this question were often conceptually rich and encompassed closely related concepts (shrinking world, friction of distance, two-speed world, and so on) or perhaps critiqued the notion that everyone experiences time–space convergence to the same extent (an important point that geographers such as Doreen Massey have stressed). More mediocre answers, typically reaching band C, took a “general knowledge” approach and described, or listed, a string of famous aeroplanes, sailing ships, and their journey times. The best answers combined conceptual flair with strong evidence-based writing, as they should.</p>
<div class="question_part_label">a.</div>
</div>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
<p>Competent answers suggested or implied some sort of global pattern of environmental damage, or used the idea of scale effectively, thereby tackling the command to interrogate whether environmental harm is experienced “everywhere”. Some took the view that it is not true that damage is experienced everywhere, or that it is experienced to a lesser degree in some places – this approach could reach band D if a range of evidence was provided to substantiate the assertion. Overall, disappointingly few used scale as an explicit scaffold for their essay (for instance, an argument could be made that global consumption drives global-scale climatic and sea-level changes, and also highly localized forms of damage, such as landfill). The weakest responses took globalization to be a synonym for “humans” and recounted every environmental incident they could remember – sometimes specific (Chernobyl disaster), sometimes generic (acid rain, soil erosion). Often, it was unclear what the link with globalization might be (especially in the case of Chernobyl).</p>
<div class="question_part_label">b.</div>
</div>
<br><hr><br><div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px; padding-right: 20px;">
<p>Using examples, analyse the role civil societies play in national resistance to global interactions.</p>
<div class="marks">[10]</div>
<div class="question_part_label">a.</div>
</div>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px; padding-right: 20px;">
<p>Examine the ways in which the world’s cities and their societies are becoming increasingly uniform.</p>
<div class="marks">[15]</div>
<div class="question_part_label">b.</div>
</div>
<h2 style="margin-top: 1em">Markscheme</h2>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
<p><strong>AO1/2 Indicative content</strong><br>Civil society is defined in the geography guide as: “Any organization or movement that works in the area between the household, the private sector and the state to negotiate matters of public concern. Civil societies include non-governmental organizations (NGOs), community groups, trade unions, academic institutions and faith-based organizations.”</p>
<p>Citizens can:</p>
<ul>
<li>form anti-globalization movements and groups (<em>eg</em> Occupy)</li>
<li>vote for/establish nationalist parties/policies (anti-immigration <em>eg</em> UKIP; resource nationalism)</li>
<li>support local sourcing or other initiatives</li>
<li>organize resistance movements against globalization/global capitalism/modernity which are informed by their ethnicity/identity (<em>eg</em> First Nations in Canada; Ogoni in Nigeria; Amish in USA).</li>
</ul>
<p>Credit other valid forms of civil society resistance in particular national contexts.</p>
<p>Do not credit government or state actions. Do not credit actions of TNCs.</p>
<p>Good answers are likely to provide detailed exemplification. They are also likely to make a better effort to analyse “the role” that citizens/organizations play in determining how a country/government responds to global interactions/globalization (direct and indirect, or lawful and illegal means, for example). Or they may be more<br>selective in the way they analyse global interactions (<em>eg</em> by breaking this concept into constituent parts such as flows of migrants, imports, data, <em>etc</em>).</p>
<p><em><strong>For band C (4–6)</strong>, an outline should be provided of <span style="text-decoration: underline;">either</span> the general resistance role of civil society <span style="text-decoration: underline;">or</span> two weakly-evidenced examples of civil society resistance.</em></p>
<p><em><strong>For band D (7–8)</strong>, expect a structured, well-evidenced analysis of</em></p>
<ul>
<li><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">either</span> two or more detailed examples of civil society resistance</em></li>
<li><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">or</span> the varied ways civil society plays a role in resisting global interactions.</em></li>
</ul>
<p><em><strong>For band E (9–10)</strong>, expect <span style="text-decoration: underline;">both</span> band D traits</em>.</p>
<div class="question_part_label">a.</div>
</div>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
<p><em>Credit all content in line with the markbands. Credit unexpected approaches wherever relevant</em>.</p>
<p><strong>Possible AO1/2 Indicative content</strong></p>
<p>Uniformity in this context refers to global homogeneity, <em>ie</em> all places coming to resemble one another through the adoption of common visual styles and forms. While it can be argued that many cities are becoming increasingly uniform, the proposition needs to be examined more carefully in the context of societies (many of which now have record levels of diversity due to migration).</p>
<ul>
<li>Themes for synthesis from the geography guide include:urban landscape/styles</li>
<li>migrants/diaspora/ethnic neighbourhoods</li>
<li>presence of TNCs/logos/brands</li>
<li>cultural uniformity (languages spoken, foods consumed, restaurants)</li>
<li>technology and the “global village” and time–space compression.</li>
</ul>
<p><em>Do not over-credit answers that argue against the proposition that places are becoming uniform: this is not asked for. However, it is perfectly acceptable to reflect critically on the degree of uniformity as part of the examination of the statement</em>.</p>
<p><strong>Answers scoring highly according to the AO3 criteria for evaluation:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>might be structured around an examination of different aspects and degrees of uniformity (<em>eg</em> contrasts entirely homogenous “clone towns” with cities that have retained a greater degree of including character/heritage, and some examination of the reasons for this)</li>
<li>might examine more carefully the distinction between the city landscape and the actual societies that live there (which can be very diverse, despite an apparently “uniform” landscape).</li>
</ul>
<p><em><strong>For band C (5–8)</strong>, expect weakly-evidenced outlining of two or three relevant themes from the geography guide which focus on how cities/societies are becoming uniform.</em></p>
<p><em><strong>For band D (9–12)</strong>, expect</em></p>
<ul>
<li><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">either</span> a structured synthesis which links together several well-evidenced and well-focused themes from the geography guide</em></li>
<li><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">or</span> a critical conclusion (or ongoing evaluation).</em></li>
</ul>
<p><em><strong>For band E (13–15)</strong>, expect <span style="text-decoration: underline;">both</span> of these traits</em>.</p>
<div class="question_part_label">b.</div>
</div>
<h2 style="margin-top: 1em">Examiners report</h2>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
[N/A]
<div class="question_part_label">a.</div>
</div>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
[N/A]
<div class="question_part_label">b.</div>
</div>
<br><hr><br><div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px; padding-right: 20px;">
<p>Analyse the consequences of <strong>one</strong> specific transboundary pollution event.</p>
<div class="marks">[10]</div>
<div class="question_part_label">a.</div>
</div>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px; padding-right: 20px;">
<p>“The negative effects of globalization on cultural traits have been overstated.” Discuss this statement.</p>
<div class="marks">[15]</div>
<div class="question_part_label">b.</div>
</div>
<h2 style="margin-top: 1em">Markscheme</h2>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
<p>A transboundary pollution event is one which has damaging effects for more than one country. It is most likely that candidates will analyse a major oil spill or air pollution event. “Event” strongly suggests a single dated occurrence but some credit should still be given to an account of a more pervasive problem (such as acid rain). Thus, for band E, the account must clearly relate to transboundary pollution (thus the pollution type is named, for example, sulphur dioxide or crude oil; affected states are clearly identified). Further, the temporal aspect should be addressed: if not a single event (for example, an oil spill) then a period (year or decade) must be identified (giving us a broad interpretation of “event”). An account of acid rain that is not geographically or historically specific should not move beyond band C. If both are there, band E is possible.</p>
<p>It should be made explicit who is affected and why the event is “transboundary”. The consequences may include: immediate ecological and environmental harm; longer clear-up operations; subsequent changes in national and/or international legislature; implications for the polluter (such as poor publicity and “PR nightmare” for TNCs).</p>
<p>The best answers may have a range of varied consequences (such as political/governance response) and will not simply focus on ecological damage.</p>
<p>Pollution events such as the Bhopal incident are not transboundary but may achieve band C if the concept of transnational has been well explored (idea of TNCs moving their pollution/unsafe operations overseas). The movement of recycling wastes to China may be marked in the same way (it is hardly an event, but some limited credit for the transboundary/transnational aspects of the case study could be given if it has been well written).</p>
<p>Marks should be allocated according to the markbands.</p>
<div class="question_part_label">a.</div>
</div>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
<p><em>Credit all content in line with the markbands. Credit unexpected approaches wherever relevant.</em></p>
<p>The negative effects candidates should be familiar with include the threat of cultural homogenization associated with the diffusion of western, and latterly Japanese, cultural traits and branded commodities. In extreme cases this can be described as cultural imperialism [Guide 5]. The cultural production of homogenized landscapes may be commented on [Guide 4].</p>
<p>The question invites discussion of whether this first viewpoint has been overstated. The strongest responses will recognize alternative responses exist and globalization can be challenged/contested. They may suggest a variety of alternative outcomes, for example, hybridization/glocalization of branded products [Guide 7], or growth of diaspora music and art that draws on global influences [Guide 5]. More extreme forms of rejection also exist, such as throwing out TNCs and the IMF [Guide 3] or the resistance of nationalist parties to MGO membership [Guide 6]. At a local level, people may “opt out” and pursue strategies such as local sourcing of food (food preferences being a cultural trait) [Guide 7].</p>
<p>The persistence of diaspora traits is also clear evidence of cultural resilience (that is, the idea that cultural traits can easily survive) [Guide 5]. Equally, it may be argued that some cultures have remained free of global influences by choice, for example, Bhutan [Guide 7].</p>
<p>The process of cultural homogenization – if it exists – can be very complex and alternative viewpoints should be credited on their merits.</p>
<p>At bands D and E, both sides of the argument should be addressed, although balance need not be expected if the candidate has a strong, <strong>evidenced</strong> argument that mostly agrees or disagrees with the title.</p>
<p>A wide variety of cultural traits can be accepted, including any that are not specifically mentioned in the syllabus. Answers that rely heavily on just one or two case studies (especially if their relevance to contemporary globalization is spurious, such as early encounters between westerners and the Dani tribe) are likely to be too narrow to receive much credit for assessment objective 3 and are unlikely to progress beyond band C.</p>
<p>Marks should be allocated according to the markbands.</p>
<div class="question_part_label">b.</div>
</div>
<h2 style="margin-top: 1em">Examiners report</h2>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
<p align="LEFT">A checklist for an appropriate example of a transboundary pollution event has three boxes to tick. Candidates should ask:</p>
<ul>
<li>Is it an example of human-induced pollution, such as sulphur emissions?</li>
<li>Is the example transboundary? (While many used the recent BP Gulf of Mexico oil spill, few were able to describe any legitimate transboundary effects.)</li>
<li>Can they describe their case study as an "event" – something of a clearly stated duration? (This might be a single event such as a nuclear accident, but could be a longer-duration event such as Kuwaiti oil fires, or even acid rain during the1970s or possibly ozone depletion in the early 1980s, whereas "global warming" since 1750 is hard to justify as an "event".)</li>
</ul>
<p>The examples that worked best were Chernobyl (although this is a slightly antiquated example, its effects are still felt today) and the far more recent Japanese tsunami (which quickly became a transboundary event, with nuclear radiation detected on the US Pacific coast within two weeks of the explosion).</p>
<p>A few more sketch maps would have been useful here, as some case studies were poorly located and the spatial extent of the pollution weakly understood. Among weaker candidates, the interpretation of "consequences" tended to be quite limited and almost entirely short-term and overwhelmingly negative, even for events that actually led to substantial improvements in practice, regulations and legislation.</p>
<div class="question_part_label">a.</div>
</div>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
<p align="LEFT">The provocative statement forced weaker candidates to attempt some sort of evaluation and to therefore present conflicting evidence, which was pleasing to see. The most popular themes were the modernization of indigenous peoples and the glocalization concept. Urban landscapes were sometimes included too. A few tackled diaspora but not many. Given that this is a geography exam, there was a disappointing lack of attention to scale. What is happening at a planetary level (loss of languages etc.) is very different from what happens at a local scale in world cities/global hubs, where diversity has never been greater or richer in many cases.</p>
<p align="LEFT">Overly historical accounts should be discouraged as the focus is meant to be contemporary globalization (which is widely accepted as either a post-war or even post-1980s phenomenon). The best responses were synthetic and covered five or six themes; in contrast, many weaker answers devoted two pages to the trials and tribulations of the Dani tribe and one page to the contents of McDonald’s menus, resulting in a mediocre performance overall.</p>
<div class="question_part_label">b.</div>
</div>
<br><hr><br><div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px; padding-right: 20px;">
<p>Using examples, analyse the reasons why some places have become international outsourcing hubs.</p>
<div class="marks">[10]</div>
<div class="question_part_label">a.</div>
</div>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px; padding-right: 20px;">
<p>Examine the challenges that increased global adoption of information and communications technology (ICT) brings to different places.</p>
<div class="marks">[15]</div>
<div class="question_part_label">b.</div>
</div>
<h2 style="margin-top: 1em">Markscheme</h2>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
<p><strong>AO1/2 indicative content:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>The outsourcing definition is included in the subject guide. Hubs are well-networked places within global networks.</li>
<li>Global information flows have helped some places, such as Bangalore and Manila, to become hubs for international outsourcing centres (call centres). ICT and information flows are also an important reason for the growth of outsourcing of manufacturing and agriculture (allowing complex networks of supply and<br>demand to function).</li>
<li>In addition to ICT, other factors play a role and may provide reasons for the growth of outsourcing in certain places, such as government incentives and human resources (including literacy and languages spoken).</li>
</ul>
<p>Good, structured <strong>(AO4)</strong> answers may provide detailed exemplification of outsourcing hubs (cities and districts rather than merely countries). They may analyse the reasons why particular locations have a comparative advantage over others in terms of ICT provision or other production costs compared with other places. Or they may be more selective in the way they analyse outsourcing by breaking this into constituent parts, such as manufacturing and services or agriculture sectors.</p>
<p><em>For band C (4–6 marks), expect weak outlining of the reasons why international outsourcing happens in a recognizable country or city.</em></p>
<p><em>For band D (7–8 marks), expect a structured, well evidenced analysis of:</em></p>
<ul>
<li><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">either</span> the reasons for international outsourcing to specific places</em></li>
<li><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">or</span> different categories/sectors of international outsourcing.</em></li>
</ul>
<p><em>For band E (9–10 marks), expect both aspects to be addressed.</em></p>
<div class="question_part_label">a.</div>
</div>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
<p><em>Credit all content in line with the markbands. Credit unexpected approaches wherever relevant.</em></p>
<p>ICT refers to internet, broadband, mobiles and smartphones used by citizens, businesses and governments. From this arise multiple contexts for possible local challenges to be examined. Countries/national governments are creditable as places in addition to more local areas and neighbourhoods. The growing global pattern of adoption shows rapid uptake in Asia, Latin America and Africa (though at a slower rate than in Asia).</p>
<p>There are economic, social, cultural and political challenges and these vary according to the context.</p>
<p><strong>Possible AO1/2 indicative content:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>the challenges of the shrinking world effect including unchecked flows of culture <em>[Guide 2]</em></li>
<li>global diffusion of culture is lined with cultural imperialism/loss of identity <em>[Guide 5]</em></li>
<li>loss of sovereignty for states/governments unable to control citizens’ internet access <em>[Guide 6]</em></li>
<li>the way ICT enables increased outsourcing and offshoring, which may have negative impacts <em>[Guide 3]</em></li>
<li>use of ICT by anti-globalization and terror groups (perspectives will vary on this) <em>[Guide 7]</em></li>
<li>the challenge of the digital divide and lack of participation in ICT (factors include income, age, literacy level), which in turn link to disparities in wealth at varying scales <em>[Guide 3]</em></li>
<li>e-waste is a product of growing ICT use <em>[Guide 4]</em>.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Answers scoring highly according to the AO3 criteria for evaluation:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>might offer a carefully structured examination of different challenges in specific geographic contexts</li>
<li>might offer a structured examination of the way different categories of ICT are affecting places and user groups</li>
<li>might examine challenges from multiple perspectives, such as that of the state or its individual citizens (and in relation to people’s age, culture and identity).</li>
</ul>
<p><em>Do not award AO1/2 credit for lengthy case studies of benefits derived from ICT, such as Kenya’s M-Pesa scheme: this is not asked for. However, some AO3 credit may be gained for any ongoing evaluation of the way certain challenges can – in part – be alleviated/offset/ameliorated by the benefits ICT nonetheless brings.</em></p>
<p><em>For band C (5–8 marks), expect weakly evidenced outlining of two or three relevant technology/shrinking world themes from the geography guide.</em></p>
<p><em>For band D (9–12 marks), expect:</em></p>
<ul>
<li><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">either</span> a structured synthesis which links together several well evidenced and well focused themes from the geography guide</em></li>
<li><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">or</span> a critical conclusion (or ongoing evaluation).</em></li>
</ul>
<p><em>For band E (13–15 marks), expect <span style="text-decoration: underline;">both</span> of these traits.</em></p>
<div class="question_part_label">b.</div>
</div>
<h2 style="margin-top: 1em">Examiners report</h2>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
[N/A]
<div class="question_part_label">a.</div>
</div>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
[N/A]
<div class="question_part_label">b.</div>
</div>
<br><hr><br><div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px; padding-right: 20px;">
<p>Analyse recent growth trends in the use of ICT for <strong>one or more</strong> countries or regions you have studied.</p>
<div class="marks">[10]</div>
<div class="question_part_label">a.</div>
</div>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px; padding-right: 20px;">
<p>Examine the changing global pattern of sociocultural interactions, referring to core regions and peripheral areas.</p>
<div class="marks">[15]</div>
<div class="question_part_label">b.</div>
</div>
<h2 style="margin-top: 1em">Markscheme</h2>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
<p>There are many possible approaches to answering this question.</p>
<p>The focus could be on:</p>
<ul>
<li>actual ICT network growth/adoption trends (in terms of numbers of subscribers/device owners/intensity of use/places where there is uptake)</li>
<li>growth of a single/narrower aspect of ICT adoption (<em>eg</em> mobile phone use, social networking, broadband provision)</li>
<li>the growing uses of ICT in civil society (more people exchanging ideas, information, finance) and/or changing rates of social adoption.</li>
</ul>
<p>Weaker answers are likely to provide isolated fragments of information about different places, or may offer a technology timeline with little geographical content.</p>
<p>Good answers may provide a clear geographical focus (perhaps named countries <em>eg</em> M-Pesa in Kenya or ICT outsourcing in India) and give some depth of analysis of how and why ICT uptake has changed, and who the users are.</p>
<p>At band D, there should be <span style="text-decoration: underline;">either</span> detailed description of ICT growth/adoption trends <span style="text-decoration: underline;">or</span> explanation of ways in which ICT is being used by people/groups/TNCs.</p>
<p>For band E, expect both.</p>
<div class="question_part_label">a.</div>
</div>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
<p><em>Credit all content in line with the markbands. Credit unexpected approaches wherever relevant.</em></p>
<p>Global sociocultural interactions can encompass migration and diaspora, social networking, cultural shifts (in spoken language, music, fashion, cuisine, <em>etc</em>), the spread of global media and the diffusion of branded commodities (all <em>[Guide 7]</em>). The response should examine a range of such interactions and may address reasons for their growth over time (technology, TNCs) [<em>Guide 2, Guide 5]</em>.</p>
<p>A sound examination of global sociocultural interactions may illustrate the ongoing role that “core” regions/countries have in bringing cultural change to other places.</p>
<ul>
<li>concepts such as “cultural imperialism” or “soft power” may be employed and should be credited if used <em>[Guide 5]</em></li>
<li>it may be argued that these interactions have intensified due to technology and TNCs <em>[Guide 5]</em></li>
<li>done well, and with sufficient synthesis of themes, this approach, though simple, could reach the higher bands</li>
<li>perhaps a global core/hub and periphery/semi-periphery framework will be used <em>[Guide 3]</em>.</li>
</ul>
<p>Good answers may explicitly address the changing pattern/new locations of global cultural influence, notably emerging economies such as the BRIC nations (India’s Bollywood film, Brazil’s Bossa Nova music, <em>etc</em>). Some may even consider the extent to which a long-established US–EU (core) hegemony is under threat.</p>
<p><em>Credit other valid interpretations, but material on financial interactions (eg remittance flows) should be marked as irrelevant or not answering the question. Some answers may lack conceptual grounding, but usefully employ a good range of anecdotal/documentary evidence that draws on a candidate’s own lifestyle, eg familiarity with South Korea’s K-pop phenomenon and Psy (a major music trend of 2012 that will be very familiar to the age group who will have sat the paper).</em></p>
<p>At band D, expect <span style="text-decoration: underline;">either</span> explanation of a wide, detailed range of sociocultural interactions, <span style="text-decoration: underline;">or</span> a more critical examination of a changing pattern over time.</p>
<p>For band E, expect both.</p>
<div class="question_part_label">b.</div>
</div>
<h2 style="margin-top: 1em">Examiners report</h2>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
<p>Those that attempted this question generally knew something about call centres in India, or the uptake of mobile phones in Kenya. The best answers addressed the stem phrase “growth trends” and understood that supporting data would, logically, gain more marks. Weaker answers tended to assert that “high” and “low” use of ICT could be seen in different countries around the world, due to disparities in economic development.</p>
<div class="question_part_label">a.</div>
</div>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
<p>Some excellent answers were seen, when judged against their knowledge of different processes of sociocultural interactions, such as assimilation, glocalization or hybridization. Lively and informative supporting examples were provided, and centres are encouraged to suggest to candidates that they research local examples, rather than rely purely on textbook case studies of McDonald’s. Fewer candidates engaged quite as well with the word “pattern” which often resulted in a band D, rather than band E, mark being awarded. Interrelationships were sometimes hinted at but not fully explored (such as the tendency of Hollywood to increasingly adopt Indian, South Korean or Japanese tropes, for instance).</p>
<div class="question_part_label">b.</div>
</div>
<br><hr><br><div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px; padding-right: 20px;">
<p>Using examples, explain the growing need for environmental management at a global scale.</p>
<div class="marks">[10]</div>
<div class="question_part_label">a.</div>
</div>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px; padding-right: 20px;">
<p>Examine how different global flows are affected by the availability of information and communications technology (ICT) and transport.</p>
<div class="marks">[15]</div>
<div class="question_part_label">b.</div>
</div>
<h2 style="margin-top: 1em">Markscheme</h2>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
<p>Likely examples of the need for management include topics/case studies of transboundary pollution, climate change, agribusiness and the environment, or oceanic pollution. For these themes, the explanation of need most likely will be linked with potential losses or “victims” (<em>eg</em>, harm to ocean life, homeless climate change refugees) either in particular local places or felt more universally (as a result of a global “failure” such as insufficient climate change mitigation). Other possibilities for exemplification include bio-conservation or resource management (<em>eg</em>, water or fossil fuels) linked with a sustainability agenda.</p>
<p>Good answers may also explain how the growing need is linked to population and/or economic/consumption growth in emerging/BRIC economies; or to global consumerism and the power of media and advertising. Good answers may also distinguish between regional problems (for neighbour countries) or truly global-scale concerns (climate change; biodiversity).</p>
<p>Do not over-credit recalled description of actual global governance actions (<em>eg</em> outcomes of the Kyoto, Paris, Montreal meetings, etc. This is not asked for by the question. The focus should be the <span style="text-decoration: underline;">growing need</span> for management.</p>
<p><em><strong>For band C (4-6 marks)</strong>, expect a weakly-evidenced outline of one or two environmental issue(s). The need for management may be asserted.</em></p>
<p><em><strong>For band D (7-8 marks)</strong>, expect a structured, evidenced analysis of</em></p>
<ul>
<li><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">either</span> two detailed global environmental issue(s) that need managing</em></li>
<li><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">or</span> reasons why this need is growing / becoming more urgent.</em></li>
</ul>
<p><em><strong>For band E (9-10 marks)</strong>, expect <span style="text-decoration: underline;">both</span> band D traits.</em></p>
<p><em><strong>[10 marks]</strong></em></p>
<div class="question_part_label">a.</div>
</div>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
<p><em>Credit all content in line with the markbands. Credit unexpected approaches wherever relevant.</em></p>
<p>The question requires that multiple global flows are addressed and linked with the availability of different facilitating technologies. Possible themes from the geography guide include:</p>
<ul>
<li>the shrinking world (the combined outcome of ICT and transport) and how this affects multiple flows such as travel, tourism and social networking [<em>Guide 2</em>]</li>
<li>labour migration (transport), financial flows (electronic money transfers) and outsourcing (call centres; commodity movements using containerized shipping) [<em>Guide 3</em>]</li>
<li>diaspora growth and connectivity using social networking [<em>Guide 5</em>]</li>
<li>global environmental online messaging [<em>Guide 4</em>]</li>
<li>agribusinesses, raw materials and containerized transport [<em>Guide 4</em>].</li>
</ul>
<p>Good answers might examine how availability varies spatially: there are still barriers to the actual use of ICT and transport even where it is theoretically available (poverty, censorship, conflict, etc). Another approach might be to examine how some global flows depend on <em>either</em> ICT <em>or</em> transport; whereas others, such as migration and tourism, involve both (physical movements of people using transport, online bookings and electronic remittances using ICT).</p>
<p><em><strong>For band C (5-8 marks)</strong>, expect a weakly-evidenced outline of two or three relevant themes from the geography guide.</em></p>
<p><em><strong>For band D (9-12 marks)</strong>, expect</em></p>
<ul>
<li><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">either</span> a structured synthesis which links together several well-evidenced and well-focused themes from the geography guide</em></li>
<li><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">or</span> a critical conclusion (or ongoing evaluation).</em></li>
</ul>
<p><em><strong>For band E (13-15 marks)</strong>, expect <span style="text-decoration: underline;">both</span> of these traits.</em></p>
<p><em><strong>[15 marks]</strong></em></p>
<div class="question_part_label">b.</div>
</div>
<h2 style="margin-top: 1em">Examiners report</h2>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
[N/A]
<div class="question_part_label">a.</div>
</div>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
[N/A]
<div class="question_part_label">b.</div>
</div>
<br><hr><br><div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px; padding-right: 20px;">
<p>Using examples, explain how financial flows transfer wealth between places.</p>
<div class="marks">[10]</div>
<div class="question_part_label">a.</div>
</div>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px; padding-right: 20px;">
<p>“Glocalization is the most important reason why some transnational corporations (TNCs) have grown in size and influence over time.” Discuss this statement.</p>
<div class="marks">[15]</div>
<div class="question_part_label">b.</div>
</div>
<h2 style="margin-top: 1em">Markscheme</h2>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
<p>Financial flows (based on geography subject guide) include loans, debt relief/repayment, international aid, FDI, profit leakage and remittances (do not credit “goods”). The spatial focus could be the global core and periphery (although these terms are dynamic and contested and a variety of interpretations are acceptable, so long as named examples are also included). Some answers may additionally explain that there are legal and illegal (criminal, informal) mechanisms of money transfer; or can explain how “transfer pricing” and offshore tax havens are used by TNCs to transfer money between places.</p>
<p>Better answers may provide superior evidence/case study details of the wealth flows (quoting dollar values or percentage contributions to GDP, <em>etc</em>). They may also consider the varied directions of the flows (whether towards core/MEDCs or towards periphery/LDCs). They may even consider flows at the local scale too (<em>eg</em> may consider how international aid or FDI flows transfer wealth towards an LDC, yet do not necessarily reach the poorest people/parts of that state).</p>
<p>For band C, at least two financial flows must be described with some exemplification of one flow (either of places or the size/scale of the flows).</p>
<p>To access band D, expect:</p>
<ul>
<li><span style="text-decoration: underline;">either</span> more detailed knowledge of the major financial flows (may look at how a wider range operate; may provide much more detailed evidence for a smaller range)</li>
<li><span style="text-decoration: underline;">or</span> some explanation of how some major financial flows can operate in different directions (may even consider different scales).</li>
</ul>
<p>At band E, expect both of these elements.</p>
<p>Marks should be allocated according to the markbands.</p>
<div class="question_part_label">a.</div>
</div>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
<p><em>Credit all content in line with the markbands. Credit unexpected approaches wherever relevant.</em></p>
<p>Responses would be expected to define glocalization, providing examples of its effectiveness as a strategy for bridging/building new markets <em>[Guide 5]</em>.</p>
<p>A fully synthetic and evaluative answer should debate the statement with reference to other, possibly more important, factors. These could include growth in technology associated with globalization, for example, containers or ICT <em>[Guide 2]</em> or the growth of MGOs allowing easier access to markets, possibly triggering mergers and acquisitions (for example, Cemex and domestic cement companies within NAFTA trade bloc) <em>[Guide 6]</em>. The economic factors that triggered global shift (such as cheap labour) are important and the role of outsourcing could be discussed <em>[Guide 3]</em>. Other strategies employed by global brands may also be addressed that explain diffusion over time and space, such as the promotion of consumerism through brand advertising <em>[Guide 5]</em>.</p>
<p>Some candidates may conceptualize TNCs as a broad category that includes energy companies and agribusinesses, which would not be expected to adopt glocalization to the same extent as branded commodity providers and the service industry (global banking).</p>
<p>For band C, at least one glocalization strategy must be described and its effectiveness commented on.</p>
<p>To access band D, expect:</p>
<ul>
<li><span style="text-decoration: underline;">either</span> other more detailed reasons for TNC growth (thereby allowing the truth of the statement to be discussed, using at least one other theme synthesized from the subject guide, probably the role of technology/transport)</li>
<li><span style="text-decoration: underline;">or</span> some more explicit discussion of how glocalization helps some TNCs (perhaps not all) to develop their size and influence (<em>eg</em> cultural acceptance is gained in varied geographical contexts/new markets) over time.</li>
</ul>
<p>At band E, expect both of these elements.</p>
<div class="question_part_label">b.</div>
</div>
<h2 style="margin-top: 1em">Examiners report</h2>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
[N/A]
<div class="question_part_label">a.</div>
</div>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
[N/A]
<div class="question_part_label">b.</div>
</div>
<br><hr><br><div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px; padding-right: 20px;">
<p>Using examples, explain the factors responsible for the global spread of consumer culture.</p>
<div class="marks">[10]</div>
<div class="question_part_label">a.</div>
</div>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px; padding-right: 20px;">
<p>“National governments cannot control global interactions.” Discuss this statement.</p>
<div class="marks">[15]</div>
<div class="question_part_label">b.</div>
</div>
<h2 style="margin-top: 1em">Markscheme</h2>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
<p>Consumer culture may be described and exemplified as the spread of purchasing habits (branded clothes, fast food, music), or analysed in greater depth as the spread of a capitalist worldview wherein everyday life is commoditized and branded. Multiple traits of consumer culture might be identified, including:</p>
<ul>
<li>changing tastes in food (linked with retail and restaurant TNCs)</li>
<li>fashion (linked with global media corporations)</li>
<li>music purchasing (linked with online platforms such as iTunes and YouTube).</li>
</ul>
<p>The key factors that can be explained include:</p>
<ul>
<li>the expansion of TNCs in a drive for new markets (may involve glocalization)</li>
<li>the growth of global media and ICT (operating either as an independent factor or as a byproduct of innovation by TNCs such as <em>Microsoft</em> and <em>Apple</em>)</li>
<li>the concept of cultural imperialism (linked either to the activities of TNCs or superpower states with “soft power” such as the USA).</li>
</ul>
<p>Good answers may note that the factors are interrelated and reinforce one another (TNCs drive innovation, for instance). Another approach might examine how different factors might be linked with different aspects/traits of consumer culture (the spread of designer clothes can be related to container shipping and TNCs; the purchasing of online games and music can be related to ICT).</p>
<p>For band C, expect two factors to be described and linked with the spread of culture and/or commodities.</p>
<p>At band D, expect <span style="text-decoration: underline;">either</span> more detailed explanation of a range of factors linked with the spread of culture/commodities <span style="text-decoration: underline;">or</span> greater explanation of what is meant by “the spread of consumer culture”.</p>
<p>By band E, expect both aspects to be addressed.</p>
<div class="question_part_label">a.</div>
</div>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
<p><em>Credit all content in line with the markbands. Credit unexpected approaches wherever </em><em>relevant.</em></p>
<p>Management by national government may comprise migration controls, rules for FDI, terms attached to loans and aid, the issues of internet control and censorship. Successes and failure to control may be highlighted either between different countries, or different kinds of global interaction (trade/migration/information flows), or both.</p>
<p>Possible themes include:</p>
<ul>
<li>MGOs such as the EU and NAFTA as evidence the statement is correct and countries must now group together in order to try to manage global interactions in ways that reestablish some control <em>[Guide 6]</em></li>
<li>cultural globalization as an unstoppable force (or not) and national attempts to control flows of media and information <em>[Guide 5]</em></li>
<li>the power of global financial institutions <em>eg</em> IMF and its insistence that national governments institute reforms <em>eg</em> SAPs<em> [Guide 3]</em></li>
<li>migration issues and controls<em> [Guide 3, 6, 7]</em></li>
<li>government promotion of localism <em>[Guide 7]</em></li>
<li>transboundary pollution <em>[Guide 4]</em></li>
<li>government attitudes towards foreign direct investment and financial flows <em>[Guide 2]</em></li>
<li>military conflicts <em>eg</em> ISIS in the Middle East <em>[current affairs].</em></li>
</ul>
<p>Good answers may be structured around different kinds of global interactions (<em>eg</em> contrasts management of economic interactions and cultural globalization in the course of the essay). Another approach might be to discuss the effectiveness of the actions of different types of government (democracies and autocracies).</p>
<p>For band D, expect a structured discussion of how national governments control/cannot control different kinds of global interaction. This should include <span style="text-decoration: underline;">either</span> a synthesis of several well evidenced themes taken from the subject guide, <span style="text-decoration: underline;">or</span> nuanced and evidenced<br>conclusion/evaluation of the statement.</p>
<p>At band E, expect both of these elements.</p>
<div class="question_part_label">b.</div>
</div>
<h2 style="margin-top: 1em">Examiners report</h2>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
<p>The best answers explained what was meant by consumer culture, as opposed to “culture” in general. Candidates were often well-versed in geographical terminology and could write with confidence about cultural diffusion and imperialism. In contrast, some candidates produced a “common sense” response that a candidate of any subject might have written. These answers focused on the power of advertising and branding, often at great length. Sometimes, this was sufficient for band C or even D.</p>
<div class="question_part_label">a.</div>
</div>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
<p>This popular question allowed a wide range of themes to be synthesized. The change in the power of national governments was often thoroughly interrogated by the strongest candidates. At the upper end, there was frank acknowledgment that opting out of economic globalization is not a realistic strategy for any leading industrialized nation, but that degrees of control over migration and information flows are still achievable.</p>
<div class="question_part_label">b.</div>
</div>
<br><hr><br><div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px; padding-right: 20px;">
<p>Explain the causes and effects of <strong>one</strong> major international labour flow.</p>
<div class="marks">[10]</div>
<div class="question_part_label">a.</div>
</div>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px; padding-right: 20px;">
<p>“The growth of globalization owes more to politics than it does to technology.” Discuss this statement.</p>
<div class="marks">[15]</div>
<div class="question_part_label">b.</div>
</div>
<h2 style="margin-top: 1em">Markscheme</h2>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
<p>The causes should encompass both push and pull factors and possibly also the enabling role of technology and transport networks (both providing means to move as well as spreading knowledge of opportunities), without which the migratory impulse may not be acted upon. Popular examples could include movement from Mexico to the US or movements internal to the EU, South Asians working in the Middle East, or Filipinos into Asia. Assess any example on its own merits but poorly chosen small-scale migration flows should be restricted to band C.</p>
<p>The effects depend upon the case study chosen. These might include economic/social impacts for host/source or the political reaction of natives/the media in the host country. More broadly, processes of cultural exchange and the growth of diaspora may be explored, possibly within the wider global context of migration contributing to growth of a “global village”/shrinking world. But do not expect all of these themes by any means to be necessary for full marks to be awarded: just two causes and two different types of effect could be sufficient to access the highest bands if the case study details are good.</p>
<p>To access Band E, both causes and effects should be addressed in a reasonably balanced way.</p>
<p>Marks should be allocated according to the markbands.</p>
<div class="question_part_label">a.</div>
</div>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
<p><em>Credit all content in line with the markbands. Credit unexpected approaches wherever relevant.</em></p>
<p>Politics:</p>
<p>Important themes could include the influence of governments on capital transfers by financial institutions [Guide 3] and TNCs (liberal attitudes could be contrasted with countries where greater restrictions exist, for example, the controversial role of Chavez in Venezuela; or the isolationism of North Korea). Another theme could be IMF insistence on political reforms [Guide 3]. Weak environment and labour laws/enforcement of these laws may be attractive: this is likely to be a popular theme, possible examples being China (though now changing) or Malaysia. The movement towards nation-state integration in the EU – and to a lesser extent in other trading blocs [Guide 6] – allows rapid growth on a regionalized level due to suspension of tariffs and quotas on imports/exports between trading partners. Political reactions to globalization [Guide 7] vary enormously and cultural traditions of liberalism or socialism could become enshrined in immigration laws or other policies.</p>
<p>Technology:</p>
<p>The growth of transport and ICT networks have fuelled the growth of a range of flows – including FDI, migration [Guide 5], outsourcing by TNCs, growth of call centres, social/cultural “shrinking world”, economic exchanges brought by the internet or BlackBerry etc. [Guide 2]. Containerized shipping and no-frills flights can be linked to exponential growth of various flows such as manufactured goods and international tourism [Guide 5]. The “Arab Spring” can be viewed as a youth-led phenomenon that was, in part, facilitated by technology and media.</p>
<p>The very best answers may attempt to link the two factors and add complexity to their comparison. For instance, it could be possible to show how technology has actually been driven by politics (for example, the Cold War roots of the internet), or to address how technology allows global political participation (for example, use of Facebook to orchestrate protests at G20 summits etc.).</p>
<p>To access band E, the response should be well balanced and a conclusion should be reached that is more complex than “they are both important” (perhaps through an evidenced account that supports one factor rather than the other, or perhaps by stressing that the two factors are actually interrelated).</p>
<p>Marks should be allocated according to the markbands.</p>
<div class="question_part_label">b.</div>
</div>
<h2 style="margin-top: 1em">Examiners report</h2>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
<p>Most candidates could describe some effects of a major labour flow, or migration, usually with a basic framework applied (such as compared impacts for the source and host region). Remittances were widely written about, which was appropriate given their centrality to financial global interactions in a paper 3 context. A hallmark of better answers tended to be the adoption of an evaluative approach as part of the explanation: rather than simply listing the "good and bad impacts", strong candidates volunteered to weigh up the positives and negatives of individual effects, such as the transfer of remittances (wherein GDP growth is seen as the positive and dependency as the negative). The causes of the labour flow were sometimes very thin in weaker responses; in contrast, the best answers sometimes offered a political framework as a causal factor for movement (freedom of movement in the EU or governance of Mexico-USA movement, for example).</p>
<div class="question_part_label">a.</div>
</div>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
<p align="LEFT">Weaker answers were usually highly descriptive, with candidates doing no more than asserting by way of a conclusion that Facebook (shrinking world, technology) is a "bigger influence" than EU membership (politics). The strongest responses presented a proper evaluation and perhaps concluded by recognizing that there are political limits to our so-called shrinking world, or that political processes shape the local geographical context within which technology is rolled out.</p>
<div class="question_part_label">b.</div>
</div>
<br><hr><br><div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px; padding-right: 20px;">
<p>Explain the causes <strong>and</strong> consequences of the international relocation of polluting industries and/or waste disposal.</p>
<div class="marks">[10]</div>
<div class="question_part_label">a.</div>
</div>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px; padding-right: 20px;">
<p>“All societies, wherever they are, enjoy the benefits of a shrinking world.” Discuss this statement.</p>
<div class="marks">[15]</div>
<div class="question_part_label">b.</div>
</div>
<h2 style="margin-top: 1em">Markscheme</h2>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
<p>Polluting industries include manufacturing or mining operations with a large footprint and a polluting or dangerous character in the absence of regulation (examples might include Apple’s contractors in China). There are also international movements of waste (for recycling or disposal), for example, UK wastes to China (recycling) and European waste taken by contractors to Ivory Coast (dumping). The oil industry has brought polluting operations to many territories. While this is not strictly a “relocation”, the benefit of the doubt should be given to accounts of the expansion/diffusion of polluting industries (<em>ie</em> consequences of oil pollution in new deep water sites, for example, Gulf of Mexico, new sites in Niger delta, should be credited). Also credit eutrophication linked to agro-industry/agribusiness, <em>etc</em>.</p>
<p>The causes might include a quest for cheap sites (thus higher profits) and expect explanations to include details of labour costs, lack of red tape, <em>etc</em>. Weaker answers are likely to neglect causes, or provide simple assertions only (<em>eg</em> “there’s too much waste nowadays”).</p>
<p>Consequences for both physical environments (landscape, ecosystems) and people should be addressed. Some may be positive (<em>eg</em> recycling waste as a resource; FDI and its multiplier effects). Long-term litigation and quest for justice could even be a theme that is explored.</p>
<p>For band C, at least one cause and one consequence must be described (or a wider range of ideas listed) with some exemplification (of either one relocation or waste disposal example).</p>
<p>To access band D, expect:</p>
<ul>
<li><span style="text-decoration: underline;">either</span> more detailed knowledge of the causes and consequences (do not expect balance; case study consequences are likely to be more detailed and may use more than one example/industry, though this is not required)</li>
<li><span style="text-decoration: underline;">or</span> some explanation of how a single incidence of relocation/disposal can have more varied consequences for different places/people (<em>eg</em> origin and destination), though less supporting detail is given.</li>
</ul>
<p>At band E, expect both of these elements.</p>
<p>Marks should be allocated according to the markbands.</p>
<div class="question_part_label">a.</div>
</div>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
<p><em>Credit all content in line with the markbands. Credit unexpected approaches wherever relevant.</em></p>
<p>“Shrinking world” (time-space compression) should be explained and related to different ICT and transport technologies <em>[Guide 2]</em>. Increased migration can be credited as a symptom of a shrinking world (because migrants make use of transport). Trade blocs/MGOs, <em>eg</em> EU, can play a supporting role (because the removal of border controls removes intervening obstacles to migration/transport).</p>
<p>Possible economic benefits derived from connectivity include: more profitable TNCs, with work opportunities for outsourcing locations and locations in receipt of FDI <em>[Guide 3]</em> especially when long view is taken (<em>eg</em> signs of factory reform in Bangladesh). A range of sociocultural benefits can be explored that relate to the sharing of global media, the growth of social networks, <em>etc [Guide 5]</em>. The ease with which migrant remittances can be wired home (or money transferred via mobiles) might be explored <em>[Guide 5]</em>. There are many other benefits that can be mentioned, for example, access to branded commodities <em>[Guide 5]</em>.</p>
<p>There are, of course, cases where the statement may not be true and societies remain non-globalized/disconnected. Expect examples of indigenous people, isolated tribes, or variation within societies, for example, subsistence farmers <em>[Guide 7]</em>.</p>
<p>Another counterargument would be the “one-sided” benefits of connectivity, wherein poorer connected places are exploited as low-wage production sites, possibly suffering environmental problems <em>[Guide 4]</em>; the sociocultural reaction against globalization, and movements aiming to limit shrinking world effects in some way, for example, increased food localism or the resurgence of nationalism <em>[Guide 6, 7]</em>. Indigenous people may be victims, not beneficiaries, of global interactions <em>[Guide 5]</em>. A current affairs focus might be on internet privacy/rights.</p>
<p>For band C, the shrinking world/globalization (may not distinguish) must be described and its benefits commented on.</p>
<p>To access band D, expect:</p>
<ul>
<li><span style="text-decoration: underline;">either</span> both sides of the argument are addressed (some societies/places benefit, some do not not), displaying some synthesis of a range of ideas, mostly (but not always) linked to the idea of a shrinking world/technology and transport</li>
<li><span style="text-decoration: underline;">or</span> some more explicit discussion of how “benefits” are not enjoyed by all people within the same society/not everyone agrees what is beneficial (<em>eg</em> some perspectives see globalization as a sovereignty threat).</li>
</ul>
<p>At band E, expect both of these elements.</p>
<div class="question_part_label">b.</div>
</div>
<h2 style="margin-top: 1em">Examiners report</h2>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
[N/A]
<div class="question_part_label">a.</div>
</div>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
[N/A]
<div class="question_part_label">b.</div>
</div>
<br><hr><br><div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px; padding-right: 20px;">
<p>Analyse how increased internet use has affected different global financial flows.</p>
<div class="marks">[10]</div>
<div class="question_part_label">a.</div>
</div>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px; padding-right: 20px;">
<p>Examine the growing need for environmental management at a global scale.</p>
<div class="marks">[15]</div>
<div class="question_part_label">b.</div>
</div>
<h2 style="margin-top: 1em">Markscheme</h2>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
<p>Analyse how increased internet use has affected different global financial flows.</p>
<p>Credit discussion of internet, broadband, email, television/radio (on demand). Also credit mobile phone uptake / network growth Candidates may write in depth about a single case study of network growth over time. This could obtain full marks provided the effect on a range of financial flows is analysed in sufficient depth and detail.</p>
<p>• The internet also plays a role in enabling/accelerating a range of economic interactions and financial flows as part of the “shrinking world” effect.<br>• These include peer to peer payments such as: migrant remittances; purchases using mobile phone credit systems <em>eg</em> M-Pesa in Kenya (do not expect candidates to fully distinguish between smartphones and mobiles); international aid and charity donations <em>eg</em> Philippines 2013; crowd-sourced financing; online shopping (Amazon, eBay, airline tickets <em>etc</em>); financial transactions including share dealing. Credit ideas about outsourcing provided some effect of internet use on financial flows is suggested (for instance, use of outsourcing may require companies to transfer funds to suppliers; or may enhance profitability of firm; or may involve customers making a financial transaction).</p>
<p>Good answers may <strong>apply</strong> (AO2) a wider range of <strong>knowledge and understanding</strong> (AO1) in a <strong>well-structured</strong> way (AO4). One approach might be to systematically analyse a wide range of financial flows in a well-evidenced way. Another approach might be to analyse how financial flows in some localities are not affected, despite global growth in internet use, due to cost / prohibition / lack of access / other reasons.</p>
<p><em>For band C (4–6 marks), expect <span style="text-decoration: underline;">either</span> some weakly-evidenced outlining of internet use in one or two local contexts <span style="text-decoration: underline;">or</span> brief listing of some financial flows and economic impacts linked with internet use</em>.</p>
<p><em>For band D (7–8 marks), expect a structured, evidenced analysis of</em><br><em>• <span style="text-decoration: underline;">either</span> a more detailed analysis of the increase in internet use over time, and its effect on two financial flows</em><br><em>• <span style="text-decoration: underline;">or</span> a broader analysis of the effects of internet use on a wider range of financial flows (perhaps in different places)</em>.</p>
<p>For band E (9–10 marks), expect <span style="text-decoration: underline;">both</span> band D traits.</p>
<div class="question_part_label">a.</div>
</div>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
<p>Examine the growing need for environmental management at a global scale.</p>
<p><em>Credit all content in line with the markbands. Credit unexpected approaches wherever relevant</em>.</p>
<p>Any aspect of environmental management can be discussed: likely themes for discussion include “global commons” such as the atmosphere, tropical rainforest biome and the oceans. An account of the dangers posed by degradation/depletion of these resources is to be expected, thereby demonstrating the need for action. A detailed range of global or international environmental issues/problems is sufficient to reach band D, even if little is said about management (other than asserting that it is needed).</p>
<p>Possible <strong>applied</strong> themes (AO2) include <strong>knowledge and understanding</strong> (AO1) of:<br>• the need for climate change governance, possibly linked with issues such as the growth of food miles (air freight) <em>[Guide 4]</em> or the growth of polluting transport networks for people and commodities <em>[Guide 2]</em><br>• growing environmental awareness fostered via NGOs (<em>eg</em> Greenpeace); hence, civil society concerns suggest a growing need for management/action <em>[Guide 4]</em><br>• the political (inter-governmental) response to transboundary pollution <em>[Guide 4]</em><br>• EU environmental rules can be considered as “global” scale action<em> [Guide 6]</em><br>• some candidates may discuss the need for global action to prevent loss of tropical rainforest (linked with timber resource use) <em>[Guide 4]</em><br>• calls for the regulation of global agribusinesses, polluting industries and waste movements <em>[Guide 4]</em><br>• commercial need for branded commodities to adopt “green credentials” <em>[Guide 5]</em><br>• credit material dealing with the built environment / cultural environment (such as attempts to preserve architecture, language or other cultural traits).</p>
<p>Good answers may <strong>synthesize</strong> (AO3) three of more of these themes in a <em>well-structured</em> (AO4) way.</p>
<p>Good answers may additionally offer a <strong>critical evaluation</strong> (AO3) which discusses why isolated actions taken by individual countries may have limited effectiveness, and global-scale action is required. Another approach might be to discuss why problems such as transboundary movements become complex and require action to be taken at a global/regional scale by many different countries working in tandem together. Another approach might be to systematically discuss different aspects of environmental management and the global conventions, protocol and agreements which relate to them.</p>
<p><em>Do not over-credit examples of local management of environmental problems (eg local ecotourism or local recycling) unless there is a “think global act local” link</em>.</p>
<p><em>For band C (5–8 marks), expect weakly-evidenced outlining of two or three relevant themes from the geography guide</em>.</p>
<p><em>For band D (9–12 marks), expect</em><br><em>• <span style="text-decoration: underline;">either</span> a structured synthesis which links together several well-evidenced and well-focused themes from the geography guide</em><br><em>• <span style="text-decoration: underline;">or</span> a critical conclusion (or ongoing evaluation)</em>.</p>
<p><em>For band E (13–15 marks), expect <span style="text-decoration: underline;">both</span> of these traits</em>.</p>
<div class="question_part_label">b.</div>
</div>
<h2 style="margin-top: 1em">Examiners report</h2>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
<p>This popular question was well answered in the majority of cases. Candidates analysed the statement using case studies of financial flows, augmented often with their own personal knowledge of online purchasing, crowdfunding and trading. The best answers used evidence well and were focused fully on financial flows. Electronic transfers of remittances and donations for disaster victims were written about widely. There was widespread analysis too of out-sourcing investment into Bangalore and the role the internet plays supporting FDI (foreign direct investment) strategies by TNCs. Wherever possible, credit was awarded for work which focused on legitimate financial flows that have undoubtedly been enhanced by ICT. Some thoughtful answers analysed ways in which financial flows had been affected other than their volume and rapidity. Illegal (bank account hacking) and informal (peer-to-peer transfers) financial flows featured in some answers. So too did complex financial flows, such as transfer pricing by TNCs.</p>
<div class="question_part_label">a.</div>
</div>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
<p>This question generated a great many mediocre responses which ‘patched’ together a series of environmental vignettes before asserting that better management is required. Climate change, oceanic pollution and global biodiversity loss were popular themes which suited the question context well. Better answers tended to acknowledge steps already taken towards improved global governance (COP21, for instance) before arguing that even more must be done. Weaker responses were less selective in their choice of examples, typically involving fact-rich case studies of relatively localized issues. This meant there was not a compelling case for global management, merely better local management. The Chernobyl and Fukushima accidents were often used in this way. Candidates explained what had happened and then asserted that there is a need for power stations to be ‘managed globally’. </p>
<div class="question_part_label">b.</div>
</div>
<br><hr><br><div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px; padding-right: 20px;">
<p>Using located examples, analyse the importance of outsourcing for transnational corporations (TNCs).</p>
<div class="marks">[10]</div>
<div class="question_part_label">a.</div>
</div>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px; padding-right: 20px;">
<p>“International migration is the main reason for the loss of distinctive local cultures.” Discuss this statement.</p>
<div class="marks">[15]</div>
<div class="question_part_label">b.</div>
</div>
<h2 style="margin-top: 1em">Markscheme</h2>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
<p>Outsourcing is when a company hands internal functions to an outside company (a client relationship), for example US/EU clothing companies outsource to Bangladesh; ICT outsourcing to Bangalore/Philippines;<em> BP</em> outsourcing of Gulf of Mexico oil rig operation to Halliburton; <em>McDonald’s</em> outsourcing the management of its restaurants to local companies in some states.</p>
<p>Outsourcing overlaps with foreign direct investment to a large extent if the TNC invests or has an ownership stake in the company it outsources to. There is considerable overlap between outsourcing and other forms of FDI (“offshore” branch plant construction) in terms of the important factors that drive these practices:</p>
<ul>
<li>cheap labour (and other low costs <em>eg</em> health and safety)</li>
<li>low taxes (including use of Export Processing Zones/SEZs)</li>
<li>local supplier’s ability to source cheap parts/materials or greater familiarity with market (glocalization).</li>
</ul>
<p>These generic factors should be credited, even if the candidate’s link to proper outsourcing (as opposed to other forms of FDI) is insecure.</p>
<p>Good answers may show awareness that some companies may prefer to keep their operations in-house or may only outsource non-essential operations, or are beginning to “re-shore” operations to reduce supply chain risks (Japanese tsunami, disturbances in Ukraine, Nigeria, Kenya, <em>etc</em>). Another approach might be to analyse how some types/sectors of TNCs (mining operations, agribusinesses) may be less reliant on outsourcing than manufacturers and retailers with large and complex supply chains. Another approach might be to analyse how some TNCs, such as <em>Amazon</em> and <em>Starbucks</em>, have been criticized by the governments of sovereign states for the claim that they have “outsourced” operations to different subsidiaries of their own company (in an attempt to avoid corporation tax).</p>
<p>For band C, expect some description of the reasons why it is important for TNCs to have different operations/activities carried out in different places.</p>
<p>At band D, expect <span style="text-decoration: underline;">either</span> more detailed explanation of why different operations/activities are carried out in different places <span style="text-decoration: underline;">or</span> a good attempt to analyse why outsourcing is important for different TNCs.</p>
<p>By band E, expect both aspects to be addressed.</p>
<div class="question_part_label">a.</div>
</div>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
<p><em>Credit all content in line with the markbands. Credit unexpected approaches wherever relevant.</em></p>
<p>The focus might be how a range of reasons/factors, including migration, helps explain the loss (or not) of distinctive local cultures. Likely reasons include internet/media, tourism, rising wages in emerging economies and elsewhere/changing employment structures. Credit physical reasons too, such as suggested climate change refugees (Tuvalu, Maldives).</p>
<p>Alternatively, candidates might discuss the extent to which migration brings loss/harm or benefits to the world’s many local cultures in both source and host regions for migration. Rather than addressing other factors, the discussion can encompass a range of ways in which migration and diaspora growth impacts on local cultures, including their preservation (the cultural “fossilization” of diaspora source nations, for instance).</p>
<p>Possible themes relating to migration and/or local culture include:</p>
<ul>
<li>migration, diaspora and multiculturalism <em>[Guide 5]</em></li>
<li>homogenous urban landscapes<em> [Guide 4]</em></li>
<li>tourism and the tourist gaze<em> [Guide 5]</em></li>
<li>cultural imperialism<em> [Guide 5]</em></li>
<li>global media and TNCs as agents of change <em>[Guide 5 and 7]</em></li>
<li>nationalist movements <em>[Guide 6]</em></li>
<li>isolationism<em> [Guide 7].</em></li>
</ul>
<p>Good answers may discuss what is meant by “loss”: culture comprises many traits, some of which may persist while others are lost or change. Another approach might be to discuss the emergence of new hybrid or “melting point” cultures <em>eg</em> in World Cities: these may replace previously homogenous cultures but they can be just as distinctive as the more homogenous<br>cultures that were found there before.</p>
<p>For band D, expect a structured discussion, the central elements of which are migration, local cultures and possibly some additional reasons/factors. This should include <span style="text-decoration: underline;">either</span> a synthesis of several well evidenced themes taken from the subject guide, <span style="text-decoration: underline;">or</span> nuanced and evidenced conclusion/evaluation of the statement.</p>
<p>At band E, expect both of these elements.</p>
<div class="question_part_label">b.</div>
</div>
<h2 style="margin-top: 1em">Examiners report</h2>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
<p>Outsourcing is a term that still causes confusion and was poorly understood by a surprising number of candidates. Typically, they used vague language, such as: “outsourcing is when a country uses the work force in another country”. Outsourcing is defined by the geography guide as “The concept of taking internal company functions and paying an outside firm to handle them. Outsourcing is done to save money, improve quality or free company resources for other activities.” Within the context of a geography examination paper (as opposed to business management), it may safely be assumed that a company which outsources its operations overseas becomes, by default, what we would term a TNC. The geography guide defines a TNC as “a firm that owns or controls productive operations in more than one country through foreign direct investment”. Significant global outsourcing relationships create a partnership (or global interaction) wherein both companies play a role in productive control. The client company may pay for training, or invest in the transfer of technology to the supplier company. The exam question also asked candidates to address the “importance” of the relationship for the Client Company, or TNC. Profitability was a key theme to explore here, linked with various low-cost factors of production. Well-developed examples were frequently supplied, usually Bangalore (call centres) or China (manufacturing). A few mentioned Bangladesh. Some of the best answers analysed the declining of outsourcing as a result of recent “reshoring” by risk-averse companies. Weaker candidates sometimes drifted off course and provided a lengthy cost-benefit analysis of outsourcing for India, rather than writing about the importance of outsourcing for companies.</p>
<div class="question_part_label">a.</div>
</div>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
<p>The best answers were carefully structured around a range of possible factors, not just international migration, and used strong supporting evidence. Some of the strongest candidates offered a final substantiated judgment of whether migration is, or is not, the dominant factor. A minority of candidates misunderstood where the emphasis of the essay statement lies. They discussed whether migration was responsible for a loss, or gain, of culture. This approach was often hard to carry through and many floundered when it came to arguing coherently whether the presence of a diaspora community in a world city represents a loss, or gain, of “distinctive local cultures”.</p>
<div class="question_part_label">b.</div>
</div>
<br><hr><br><div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px; padding-right: 20px;">
<p>Using examples, analyse the concept of “loss of sovereignty”.</p>
<div class="marks">[10]</div>
<div class="question_part_label">a.</div>
</div>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px; padding-right: 20px;">
<p>Examine how economic, technological and political factors may all influence the growth of global diaspora populations.</p>
<div class="marks">[15]</div>
<div class="question_part_label">b.</div>
</div>
<h2 style="margin-top: 1em">Markscheme</h2>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
<p>Loss of sovereignty is principally understood in political and/or economic terms. It encompasses the diminishing effectiveness of political borders and subsequent changes in flow of goods/capital/labour/ideas and perhaps the location of economic activities. These changes may be viewed by governments and/or citizens as the ceding of power/independence in potentially problematic ways.</p>
<p>The concept is most likely explored in relation to the growth of multi-governmental organizations such as the European Union (EU), the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), <em>etc</em>. In the case of the EU, there are additional governance and currency issues to perhaps consider.</p>
<p>However, the concept of sovereignty is even broader than this in some people’s view, and may also be taken to include:</p>
<ul>
<li>the shift in power away from states and towards TNCs as a result of their economic size and dominance. This may be linked with the state’s loss of direct control over its own resources (oil, minerals)</li>
<li>largely inescapable cultural changes such as loss of native languages and customs, beyond state control (and the associated concepts of cultural imperialism and the shrinking world)</li>
<li>IMF/World Bank or other “top-down” assistance that comes with strings attached <em>eg</em> structural adjustment (SAPs)</li>
<li>free trade and abandonment of protectionism could lead to changes which increase dependency on other trading partners.</li>
</ul>
<p>Other interpretations of “loss of sovereignty” may be credited provided some change/loss over time features in the account.</p>
<p>For band C, two impacts of a powerful global/top-down force or change (such as an MGO, TNCs or information flows) should be described that have some bearing on a recognizable state’s independence/autonomy.</p>
<p>For band D, expect analysis of <span style="text-decoration: underline;">either</span> a wider range of exemplified impacts <span style="text-decoration: underline;">or</span> a briefer account that conceptualizes what “loss of sovereignty” might involve.</p>
<p>At band E, expect both of these elements.</p>
<div class="question_part_label">a.</div>
</div>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
<p><em>Credit all content in line with the markbands. Credit unexpected approaches wherever relevant.</em></p>
<p>The focus is on the growth of diasporas – globally dispersed populations of common ancestry/ethnicity/religion. An effective examination should give consideration to all three, economic, technological and political factors.</p>
<p>The factors give rise to migration which in turn generates diaspora growth. To achieve the highest band (a well-developed answer), details of diaspora populations must be included as part of the account (rather than just reasons for migration between different countries).</p>
<p>Possible themes linked to diaspora growth include:</p>
<ul>
<li>active role of diaspora source nations in the growth of diasporas [<em>Guide 5</em>]</li>
<li>shrinking world, including transnational family connectivity using ICT, or cheaper/easier means to disperse <em>eg</em> cheaper air flights [<em>Guide 2</em>]</li>
<li>many of the political controls on global interactions can discourage migration and thus diaspora growth <em>eg</em> nationalism, anti-immigration rhetoric/policies [<em>Guide 6</em>] or controls on technology <em>eg</em> internet censorship [<em>Guide 2</em>]</li>
<li>key role of economic labour flows as a global interaction [<em>Guide 3</em>]</li>
<li>growth of EU has aided growth of “instant” diasporas within Europe due to freedom of movement [<em>Guide 5</em>]</li>
<li>roots of globalization in empires of eighteenth and nineteenth centuries established patterns of post-colonial migration between global periphery and core [<em>Guide 1</em>] and <em>eg</em> growth of African diasporas in Europe/Americas</li>
<li>global homogenization of landscapes [<em>Guide 4</em>] and consumer culture [<em>Guide 5</em>] may make different places become more familiar, so becomes less of a wrench to migrate overseas</li>
<li>poverty might limit out-migration from the poorest countries of the global periphery [<em>Guide 2</em>].</li>
</ul>
<p>Good answers that score highly at AO3 may additionally examine how the three different factors are interrelated (particularly within the context of the free movement of people within the EU), or may examine how the factors can both encourage or discourage migration. Another approach might be to examine explicitly the relative importance of the three factors in different contexts.</p>
<p>For band D there should <span style="text-decoration: underline;">either</span> be a structured synthesis of all three factors with supporting details (do not expect balance), <span style="text-decoration: underline;">or</span> a properly evidenced conclusion (or ongoing evaluation) that critically examines the statement.</p>
<p>At band E, expect both of these elements.</p>
<div class="question_part_label">b.</div>
</div>
<h2 style="margin-top: 1em">Examiners report</h2>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
[N/A]
<div class="question_part_label">a.</div>
</div>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
[N/A]
<div class="question_part_label">b.</div>
</div>
<br><hr><br><div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px; padding-right: 20px;">
<p>Explain how and why <strong>one</strong> network (transport, internet, or communication) has grown over time.</p>
<div class="marks">[10]</div>
<div class="question_part_label">a.</div>
</div>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px; padding-right: 20px;">
<p>Examine the relative importance of the different financial flows that connect global core areas with peripheral areas.</p>
<div class="marks">[15]</div>
<div class="question_part_label">b.</div>
</div>
<h2 style="margin-top: 1em">Markscheme</h2>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
<p>The description of “how” may include some account of changes in user numbers and the global pattern of distribution, including key nodes and hubs where large amounts of traffic (people, goods or information) are routed.</p>
<p>Some candidates may select one example of transport (for example, container shipping) while others may address transport in general. Either approach is acceptable and should be credited according to its merits.</p>
<p>While it is desirable that good answers can describe the spatial growth of the chosen network over time, it is also acceptable for the answer to instead describe growth in the intensity of use of the network over time (this applies particularly to an analysis of the worldwide web or of “global travel”).</p>
<p>The account of “why” should focus on a rising number of users/affluent markets, thereby causing networks to grow (in size or intensity of use) to help meet the needs of more individuals (leisure/tourism/work) and businesses, including TNCs and/or governments.</p>
<p>The overcoming of physical, economic, or political obstacles could form an important part of the account (either “how” or “why”). For example, an analysis of internet growth might mention physical challenges being overcome (through the laying of undersea cables). Or an account of airline growth might mention advancements in technology (Airbus) or the growth of cheap airlines. Equally, key milestones in the roll-out of the technology (for example, invention of TCP/IP protocol for the internet) can be applied to support either strand of the answer.</p>
<p>To access band D, both “how” and “why” need to be adressed in relation to the same network example. To access band E, the response should be well balanced, although a good explanation of “how” could balance a weaker account of “why” or vice versa.</p>
<p>Other approaches may be equally valid.</p>
<p>Marks should be allocated according to the markbands.</p>
<div class="question_part_label">a.</div>
</div>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
<p><em>Credit all content in line with the markbands. Credit unexpected approaches wherever relevant.</em></p>
<p>Responses would be expected to outline some key financial flows: loans (and the repayment of interest/debt), Foreign Direct Investment, profit flows, share trades, remittances and international aid (government and NGOs) [Guide 3]. Food, raw materials, manufactured goods and services (all sold for profit) may also be addressed. The response should also provide some explanation of what is meant by a “global core area” and perhaps some discussion of the varied nature of the periphery (LDCs and NICs, for instance) [Guide 1]. There will be varying interpretations of what constitutes a core or peripheral area (for example, the issue of where BRICs are placed). The best answers may even critically address the issue of scale (for example, rural India is peripheral to the world economy but Mumbai could be described as a core/hub area) [Guide 1].</p>
<p>The relative importance of the flows needs to be addressed. Globally, FDI dwarfs aid flows, for instance. The power of TNCs is arguably greater than that of many sovereign states [Guide 6] and aid agencies, suggesting that trade flows may be more influential than aid flows in terms of the impact they have on different places and people’s lives.</p>
<p>The idea of what constitutes “important” may also be reflected on, or explicit recognition provided that many flows operate in both directions and so net effects are hard to quantify.</p>
<p>Any conclusion reached will be context-dependent. While the “Asian miracle” is often taught as a vindication of the transformative power of FDI, other localities have rejected FDI and aid flows (there are South American and African examples) and there is a spectrum of local reactions to international flows [Guide 7]. Accept a broad interpretation of what is meant by “currency”, for example, gold, diamonds.</p>
<p>Marks should be allocated according to the markbands.</p>
<div class="question_part_label">b.</div>
</div>
<h2 style="margin-top: 1em">Examiners report</h2>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
<p>The question was generally quite well answered, although there was a tendency for weaker candidates to ignore the spatial aspects implied by the term "network" in the question (and subject guide). A small number of candidates explained the growth of more than one network by, for example, writing about transport and communications networks. (This approach tended to bring breadth of description, rather than depth of explanation, resulting in a lower likelihood of reaching band E.) A few very strong responses charted the growth (that is, actual spatial expansion) of airline hubs, or the roll-out of broadband (and could reference the internet "switching-on" of specific places, such as Kenya or Bangalore, rather than "Africa" or "Asia" in general).</p>
<p>The poorest answers described a timeline of travel ("growth" came to mean "speeding up" – not quite the same thing), starting with the invention of the wheel or walking. Within the context of a contemporary global interactions paper, this kind of "general knowledge" response would not have achieved many marks.</p>
<div class="question_part_label">a.</div>
</div>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
<p align="LEFT">A proper examination of the "relative importance" of financial flows was not always delivered by candidates; most conclusions failed to reach the desired level of evaluation. Better responses did, however, make accurate reference to a variety of financial flows and displayed a good grasp of how they connect core and peripheral areas bidirectionally. The weakest responses failed to relate core and peripheral areas to specific locations and exhibited little knowledge of what flows are financial, or how financial flows operate. Moreover, some had no grasp of what the "core and periphery" pattern looks like in a 21st century global context. A simple "Brandt Line approach" is not an appropriate framework for contemporary global analysis, given today's complex map of emerging economies and the spread of world cities/global hubs. No credit was given to those who took "core" to mean CBD.</p>
<div class="question_part_label">b.</div>
</div>
<br><hr><br><div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px; padding-right: 20px;">
<p>Explain how <strong>one</strong> multi-governmental organization has led to a loss of sovereignty.</p>
<div class="marks">[10]</div>
<div class="question_part_label">a.</div>
</div>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px; padding-right: 20px;">
<p>Discuss the interrelationships between global interactions and changes in technology.</p>
<div class="marks">[15]</div>
<div class="question_part_label">b.</div>
</div>
<h2 style="margin-top: 1em">Markscheme</h2>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
<p>Candidates would be expected to define their chosen multi-governmental organization as a grouping of nations, providing as their example the EU, NAFTA, MERCOSUR, ASEAN or others.</p>
<p>The example chosen will influence the answer, as some MGOs are merely free trade areas while others have a common external tariff, in the case of the EU a common market and fuller economic union with shared currency and freedom of movement for workers. Thus an answer based around the EU will most likely assert that sovereignty has indeed been lost, while one based around NAFTA may address the phrase “loss of sovereignty” more reservedly.</p>
<p>Accept a wide interpretation of MGO to include the IMF, UN, G20, NATO etc. However, such answers may be self-limiting and unlikely to gain the higher bands as it may be hard to display a loss of sovereignty.</p>
<p>Marks should be allocated according to the markbands.</p>
<div class="question_part_label">a.</div>
</div>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
<p><em>Credit all content in line with the markbands. Credit unexpected approaches wherever relevant.</em></p>
<p>One view is that technology drives global interactions. Historically, improved transport and communications networks have enabled the flows that allow global interactions to occur [Guide 2]. Expect details about cheap air flights driving global tourism [Guide 5], the internet driving the growth of virtual communities (Facebook), spatial diffusion into new markets (for example, mobile uptake in Africa and Asia). Various forms of technology are a key factor explaining the growth in power and influence of TNCs (with their ability to “knit” places together as part of a productive division of labour, outsourcing or through their attempts to build markets around the world) [Guide 3]. Also credit references to “technology transfer” by TNCs and application of the shrinking world concept/time–space compression [Guide 2].</p>
<p>Another reciprocal view exists, which is that globalization drives technology. It is global consumerism [Guide 5] which drives innovation, outsourcing and the technologies needed to make it all possible. Demand from people for faster internet (HD TV on demand etc.) leads to large TNCs re-investing profits into research and development hubs. Some answers might even touch on the role of international conflict in driving military technologies (roots of the internet lie here). Or the need for diasporas to maintain communication [Guide 5].</p>
<p>To attain band E, there must be some acknowledgment or suggestion of an “interrelationship” rather than just “relationship”, and the reciprocal relation should be mentioned or strongly implied.</p>
<p>Other approaches may be equally valid. Accept a wide interpretation of “technology” (for example, global diffusion of medicare, farming techniques etc.)</p>
<p>Marks should be allocated according to the markbands.</p>
<div class="question_part_label">b.</div>
</div>
<h2 style="margin-top: 1em">Examiners report</h2>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
<p>Some good answers chose the EU to exemplify loss of sovereignty in many policy areas, including currency, human rights, immigration and other important aspects of governance. Pleasingly, details of the recent Eurozone crisis appeared in some scripts, with impressive analysis of the outcome for Greece that tackled head on the issue of loss of sovereignty.</p>
<p>Another successful approach was to choose the IMF as the chosen example and provide details of how the acceptance of structural adjustment programmes has represented a partial loss of sovereignty for nations like Tanzania for whom the receipt of much-needed loans has been conditional upon privatization of infrastructure and services (and all under the tutelage of EU-based consultancy firms).</p>
<p>Several examples were seen of very poorly prepared candidates writing about TNCs rather than MGOs; why they did not simply choose a different question is unclear.</p>
<div class="question_part_label">a.</div>
</div>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
<p align="LEFT">Some excellent, wide-ranging answers thoughtfully examined how technology had led to, or accelerated, a range of global interactions. Candidates who understood the nature of the paper 3 assessment were able to plan a wide-ranging response that considered, in turn, political, economic, social and cultural interactions (showing in each case how ICT or containers and cheap flights assisted with global-scale processes and interactions). In contrast, some weaker responses merely listed (often for several pages) a timeline, or catalogue, of technologies before asserting that these all contributed to, or constituted, a shrinking world. While this showed good general knowledge of technology and gadgets, it was hardly the best way to tackle a synthetic geography assignment and tended to be a self-limiting approach.</p>
<p align="LEFT">Very, very few grasped the "interrelationship" suggested by the question. This ideally required some acknowledgment that technologies do not come "from nowhere" but are rather the outcome of powerful global actors actively seeking time–space compression in an attempt to increase product sales, turnover times, break into new markets and undertake corporate mergers. The role played by the research and development units of TNC headquarters (part of the international division of labour) was not appreciated. Thus the reciprocal profit motive that drives the technical creativity of TNCs such as Apple, Microsoft and Google was almost entirely neglected.</p>
<div class="question_part_label">b.</div>
</div>
<br><hr><br><div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px; padding-right: 20px;">
<p>Explain how rising global demand for <strong>one</strong> raw material has led to environmental degradation.</p>
<div class="marks">[10]</div>
<div class="question_part_label">a.</div>
</div>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px; padding-right: 20px;">
<p>“The barriers to global interactions are increasing, not decreasing.” Discuss this statement.</p>
<div class="marks">[15]</div>
<div class="question_part_label">b.</div>
</div>
<h2 style="margin-top: 1em">Markscheme</h2>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
<p>Raw materials may include fossil fuels, ores, timber or food stuffs such as soya. Any unexpected interpretations, the validity of which is not clear, must be referred to a team leader.</p>
<ul>
<li>Located impacts for degradation could include the Niger delta or Gulf of Mexico (oil), Brazil (timber/soya), shale gas (USA), oil sands (Canada).</li>
<li>Specific impacts might include loss of biodiversity or acid rain. A good account of impacts that lacks locational detail can still reach the higher band if the process details are good.</li>
<li>The idea of degradation might also be linked to the lifecycle of the raw material/product including waste disposal issues.</li>
<li>Good answers may be structured to show different scales of environmental degradation (local and global) or may look at transmission of effects (questioning whether degradation occurs at the source or destination/market <em>eg</em> coal burning).</li>
</ul>
<p>Details of <em>rising demand</em> are required for band E, or can help candidates to access band D if they are lacking details about environmental degradation. Rising demand could be linked specifically with the growth of emerging economies/rising affluence/growth of new consumer classes. Some credit can be given for suggesting population increases, although rising demand is in fact related far more to changing lifestyles in China, Brazil, Indonesia, <em>etc.</em></p>
<p>At band D, expect <span style="text-decoration: underline;">either</span> a detailed description of some range of environmental degradation, <span style="text-decoration: underline;">or</span> a clear explanation of how/why rising demand plays a role.</p>
<p>For band E, expect both.</p>
<div class="question_part_label">a.</div>
</div>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
<p><em>Credit all content in line with the markbands. Credit unexpected approaches wherever relevant.</em></p>
<p>Global interactions may be defined as a diverse set of flows (economic, social, cultural, <em>etc</em>), potentially “setting the scene” for an essay which provides a nuanced conclusion that discusses the extent to which the statement is true for different types of global interaction.</p>
<p>Likely themes and barriers include:</p>
<ul>
<li>free trade versus protectionism (and the role trade blocs play); the focus will be loss of sovereignty and multi-governmental organizations (MGOs) <em>[Guide 6]</em></li>
<li>information exchange versus censorship, linked to growing importance of technology/“shrinking world” theory <em>[Guide 2]</em></li>
<li>“open-door” migration versus points systems and restrictions either in the context of economic migration or diaspora studies <em>[Guide 3, Guide 5]</em></li>
<li>some possible considerations of the now well-documented and growing risks associated with outsourcing/offshoring<em> [Guide 3]</em> – perhaps an “end of globalization” argument</li>
<li>physical/environmental barriers may not be growing but are certainly falling due to overcoming of friction of distance <em>[Guide 2]</em></li>
<li>developed further, the migration and offshoring debates can be linked with the resurgence of nationalism and anti-globalization movements <em>[Guide 6, Guide 7]</em>.</li>
</ul>
<p>The double-edged effect of MGOs may be remarked on – namely, that they reduce barriers to internal exchanges while erecting barriers to external trade (<em>eg</em> through the adoption of a common external tariff in the case of the EU, thereby excluding some producers from access to European markets).</p>
<p>Good answers may conclude that the response to the question depends on the type of interaction that is being discussed (thus China is more open to flows of FDI than in the past, pre-1978; yet efforts to censor the internet have increased in line with its growing popularity). Some countries encourage economic interactions but attempt to curtail cultural ones.</p>
<p>At band D, expect <span style="text-decoration: underline;">either</span> a detailed explanation of a variety of ways in which barriers are changing, <span style="text-decoration: underline;">or</span> a more critical discussion of different kinds of barriers and interactions.</p>
<p>At band E, expect both.</p>
<div class="question_part_label">b.</div>
</div>
<h2 style="margin-top: 1em">Examiners report</h2>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
<p>Many mediocre responses were seen. Some very generalized impacts were described, with many candidates offering little beyond “pollution” or “global warming”. Also, the phrase “rising global demand” was glossed over in most cases, with candidates simply asserting that more oil or timber (the most popular choices) is needed today than in the past. Few could link the rising demand with important global development such as the rise of consumption in emerging economies. Higher level diploma geography candidates really ought to be in possession of supporting data in relation to the changing global pattern of wealth. One good starting point for updating content, already mentioned in a previous subject report for this paper, is this recent McKinsey report:</p>
<p>http://www.mckinsey.com/insights/consumer_and_retail/capturing_the_worlds_emerging_middle_class </p>
<div class="question_part_label">a.</div>
</div>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
<p>A pleasing number of candidates who chose this question were able to offer a proper evaluation that gave nuanced consideration to what is meant by a “barrier” (poverty, languages, and political obstacles were all possibilities). Many grasped the paradox that trade blocs simultaneously increase and decrease barriers (according to who is a member of the bloc, and who is not).</p>
<div class="question_part_label">b.</div>
</div>
<br><hr><br><div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px; padding-right: 20px;">
<p>Referring to <strong>named</strong> countries, analyse how people’s participation in information and communications technology (ICT) networks is changing.</p>
<div class="marks">[10]</div>
<div class="question_part_label">a.</div>
</div>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px; padding-right: 20px;">
<p>Examine how far the social and environmental costs of globalization can be reduced without also losing its benefits.</p>
<div class="marks">[15]</div>
<div class="question_part_label">b.</div>
</div>
<h2 style="margin-top: 1em">Markscheme</h2>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
<p>The focus here is changing participation. This could refer to people’s participation as either consumers of ICT services or producers <em>eg</em> call centre workers. Candidates should be able to provide one or two examples of trends, developments and/or patterns of adoption at the national scale. They may also offer an overview of the changing global “digital divide”.</p>
<ul>
<li>“Participation” by consumers takes many forms, from social media use to remittance transfers.</li>
<li>Information networks may include broadband internet or mobile/smartphone access.</li>
<li>Some answers may focus on the increased participation of India and the Philippines in TNC production networks (outsourcing and call centres).</li>
<li>Some answers may focus on growth on informal ICT services <em>eg</em> new phone app start-ups in Kenya.</li>
<li>Involvement in e-waste management is a legitimate focus.</li>
<li>Explanation of changes is not required but can be credited, <em>eg</em> more companies providing citizens with internet access; “middle-class” consumer income growth in many countries; low wages in outsourcing countries.</li>
</ul>
<p>Good answers may <strong>apply</strong> (AO2) a wider range of<strong> knowledge and understanding</strong> (AO1) in a <strong>well-structured</strong> way (AO4). One approach might be to systematically analyse changes at varying <span>scales</span> (<em>eg</em> provide a global overview and also one example of a changing national pattern, <em>eg</em> the rural–urban divide). Another approach might be to analyse changing social patterns of in inclusion/exclusion (<em>eg</em> for different income groups, women, the elderly).</p>
<p><em>For band C (4–6 marks), expect some weakly evidenced outlining of ICT use in one or more named countries, or an overview of the global “digital divide”.</em></p>
<p><em>For band D (7–8 marks), expect a structured, evidenced analysis that includes:</em></p>
<ul>
<li><em><span>either</span> detailed changes/developments in ICT participation in two contexts</em></li>
<li>
<em><span>or</span> some variety of ways in which people participate (eg covers changing </em><em>patterns of consumption and production of ICT services).</em>
</li>
</ul>
<p><em>For band E (9–10 marks), expect both band D traits.</em></p>
<p><em>Please refer to Paper 3 HL markbands.</em></p>
<div class="question_part_label">a.</div>
</div>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
<p><em>Credit all content in line with the markbands. Credit unexpected approaches wherever relevant.</em></p>
<p>Any aspect of environmental and social costs – and benefits – can be examined. Likely environmental themes include costs for the atmosphere, oceans or tropical rainforest. Social costs include worker exploitation or changes to society linked with the global growth of social media. Any action taken to tackle these costs needs weighing carefully against the benefits of global trade and development. </p>
<p>Possible <strong>applied</strong> themes (AO2) include <strong>knowledge and understanding</strong> (AO1) of:</p>
<ul>
<li>climate change actions, possibly linked with issues such as the growth of food miles (air freight)<em> [Guide 4]</em> or the growth of polluting transport networks for people and commodities <em>[Guide 2]</em>
</li>
<li>growing environmental awareness fostered via NGOs <em>[Guide 4]</em>
</li>
<li>political (inter-governmental) responses to transboundary pollution <em>[Guide 4]</em>
</li>
<li>the need for global action to prevent loss of tropical rainforest (linked with timber resource use) <em>[Guide 4]</em>
</li>
<li>calls for the regulation of global agribusinesses, polluting industries and waste movements<em> [Guide 4]</em>
</li>
<li>recognition that a non-globalized lifestyle <em>[Guide 7]</em> is one that does not enjoy the benefits of economic interactions and flows <em>[Guide 2]</em>
</li>
<li>recognition of the many benefits resulting from the sharing of ideas, information and cultures<em> [Guide 5]</em>, which might be jeopardized by anti-global measures <em>[Guide 6/7]</em>.</li>
</ul>
<p>Good answers may <strong>synthesize</strong> (AO3) three of these or other relevant themes in a <strong>well-structured</strong> (AO4) way.</p>
<p>Good answers may additionally offer a <strong>critical evaluation</strong> (AO3) that systematically examines different aspects of globalization that do or do not need managing to reduce their costs. Another approach might be to examine effects at different <span>scales</span> (<em>eg</em> comparing local developmental benefits of industrialization with the global costs of carbon emissions). Another approach might be to examine costs and benefits from varying <span>perspectives</span> (“local sourcing” might be viewed as having more costs than benefits by a farmer who wants to export food globally).</p>
<p><em>Answers that explain the costs and benefits of globalization but do little to actually </em><em>address the question directly – that is, how far can these costs actually be </em><em>reduced/tackled without also losing benefits? – are unlikely to reach band D.</em></p>
<p><em>For band C (5–8 marks), expect weakly evidenced outlining of two or three </em><em>relevant themes from the geography guide.</em></p>
<p><em>For band D (9–12 marks), expect:</em></p>
<ul>
<li>
<em><span>either</span> a structured synthesis which links together several well-evidenced and </em><em>well-focused themes from the geography guide</em>
</li>
<li><em><span>or</span> a developed, critical conclusion (or greater ongoing evaluation).</em></li>
</ul>
<p><em>For band E (13–15 marks), expect <span>both</span> of these traits.</em></p>
<p><em>Please refer to Paper 3 HL markbands.</em></p>
<div class="question_part_label">b.</div>
</div>
<h2 style="margin-top: 1em">Examiners report</h2>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
[N/A]
<div class="question_part_label">a.</div>
</div>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
[N/A]
<div class="question_part_label">b.</div>
</div>
<br><hr><br><div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px; padding-right: 20px;">
<p>Using examples, analyse the benefits of globalized production for local societies.</p>
<div class="marks">[10]</div>
<div class="question_part_label">a.</div>
</div>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px; padding-right: 20px;">
<p>To what extent is environmental sustainability incompatible with the growth of globalization?</p>
<div class="marks">[15]</div>
<div class="question_part_label">b.</div>
</div>
<h2 style="margin-top: 1em">Markscheme</h2>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
<p>The different local societies may be in producer or consumer nations/areas. States can be treated as "local" places within a global context.</p>
<p>Examples of “globalized production” can be taken from any sector of industry: agribusiness, manufacturing or service sector (<em>eg</em> the outsourcing of call centres). The benefits for producer nations/areas could be economic (including multipliers, cheaper mass-produced goods, <em>etc</em>) and/or social (<em>eg</em> improved work opportunities for women, increased family wages and thus educational opportunities for children). Also credit the idea of increased consumer choice (<em>eg</em> fast food).</p>
<p>There are also benefits for local societies/regions that are now consumer/post-industrial regions, following global shift/relocation of polluting industries. It can be argued that they have “re-invented” themselves as cleaner, higher-wage societies that additionally benefit from cheap imports of global goods from producer regions.</p>
<p>Do not credit benefits for TNCs, or disadvantages for local societies, as neither is asked for by the question. Any such material should be deemed irrelevant.</p>
<p>For band C, two benefits of globalized production should be described in relation to local society/societies in general.</p>
<p>For band D, expect analysis of <span style="text-decoration: underline;">either</span> a wider range of benefits and/or recognizable local societies, <span style="text-decoration: underline;">or</span> a structured account that conceptualizes some different kinds of globalized production.</p>
<p>At band E, expect all of these elements.</p>
<div class="question_part_label">a.</div>
</div>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
<p><em>Credit all content in line with the markbands. Credit unexpected approaches wherever relevant.</em></p>
<p>The focus should be whether environmental sustainability – the idea that future generations should enjoy the same landscapes, ecosystem services, resources, <em>etc</em> that are available for living generations – cannot be guaranteed if globalization continues along its current trajectory (with resulting environmental degradation).</p>
<p>Globalization is the growing economic interdependence of the world, accompanied by increased global flows of goods, people, capital, information. The “growth” of globalization is associated with high economic growth rates in emerging economies/NICs/BRICs and this may be commented on/highlighted as an area of particular environmental concern, along with the already large footprint of the USA and, to a lesser extent, Japan, Australia, NZ and EU nations. Some answers may lack focus on globalization/sustainability and instead describe how human activity in general results in problems such as acid rain, eutrophication and nuclear accidents (to name but a few). Such partial answers may still reach the band C/D border if they are sufficiently synthetic (see below).</p>
<p>Possible themes for synthesis linked to sustainability/globalization include:</p>
<ul>
<li>growth of core regions [<em>Guide 1</em>]</li>
<li>growth of transport networks for people and commodities [<em>Guide 2</em>]</li>
<li>ICT and information flows (may have lower footprint) [<em>Guide 3</em>]</li>
<li>agribusinesses, polluting industries and waste movements [<em>Guide 4</em>]</li>
<li>environmental awareness and green messaging [<em>Guide 4</em>]</li>
<li>food miles and air freight [<em>Guide 4</em>]</li>
<li>globalization of branded commodities (and implications for resource use and waste) [<em>Guide 5</em>]</li>
<li>de-industrialization and outsourcing [<em>Guide 2,3</em>]</li>
<li>some local sourcing movements are rooted in anti-globalization/sustainability rhetoric [<em>Guide 7</em>].</li>
</ul>
<p>Good answers scoring highly at AO3 may evaluate the extent to which some aspects of globalization are less harmful to the environment than others. Alternatively, a good inquiry of “to what extent” might take the view that growing global environmental awareness, or global cooperation on environmental issues and “technical fixes”, can ameliorate environmental degradation and may yet mean that long-term environmental sustainability is possible.</p>
<p>For band D there should <span style="text-decoration: underline;">either</span> be a structured synthesis of several well-evidenced themes taken from the subject guide, <span style="text-decoration: underline;">or</span> a properly evidenced conclusion (or ongoing evaluation) that considers the extent to which the statement is true.</p>
<p>At band E, expect both of these elements.</p>
<div class="question_part_label">b.</div>
</div>
<h2 style="margin-top: 1em">Examiners report</h2>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
[N/A]
<div class="question_part_label">a.</div>
</div>
<div class="question" style="padding-left: 20px;">
[N/A]
<div class="question_part_label">b.</div>
</div>
<br><hr><br>