Geography Worksheets
(S4 to S7)
Globalization:
Friend to the Rich?
Foe to the Poor?
(Globalization1, the Rich and the Poor, Agricultural and Industrial
Development, Population Mobility and Sustainable Development)
The definition of the term ‘globalization’ in the worksheets is restricted to its economic and trade aspect,
referring to global trade liberalisation.
1
1
‘How does Globalization Affect Rich and
Poor Countries?’
A. What is the impact of globalization on industrial location during
different periods?
Action 1: Why do the locations of the information technology industry change in
different periods?
1980-1985
The birth of the first generation US
hard disk drives
Why was I born
in the US? Why
was I produced
in Singapore?
I was born in Silicon Valley. A team of
professional staff with high salary
designed and innovated me. Some of
my basic parts were produced in
Singapore. I am very lucky to be taken
care of by a lot of people.
1993-present
The birth of the third
generation US hard
disk drives
1986-1992
The birth of the second
generation US hard disk
drives
My second generation of
hard disk drives was also
innovated and developed
in the U.S. Many people
love me a lot. After a
series of testing, I was
transferred to Singapore
for mass production and
Thailand and Malaysia for
product assembly.
US Hard Disk Drive
Production Pattern
Apart from Singapore,
why was I produced in
other places?
My third generation
was innovated and
developed in the U.S.
again. The whole
production
process
was
shifted
to
Singapore, Thailand
and Malaysia.
Where will I be innovated
and produced in the
future? Why?
2
Dear students, please use the information in
Action 1 to plot the changes in location of
production for US hard disk drives in different
periods in Figure 1.
Figure 1
Title：_____________________________________________________________
(Hint: Use different colours to show locational changes of the innovation and production stages of the
US hard disk drive.)
Question for Thought!
Why was I (US hard disk drive) produced in
different places in different periods?
3
Action 2: Why do the locations of the toy industry change over time?
I am the senior manager of the Barbie toy industry. The
following figure shows the changes in production sites in
different periods. Try to find them out.
1990
1965
1968
1959
1970
1945
2004
Hong
Kong
Japan
The
Philippines
California
Indonesia
Mexico
S.Korea
How To Play? Match the production year with the location of production of
Barbie by passing through each of the intersection points along the selected line.
4
Dear students, please use the
information in Action 2 to plot the
changes in location of production for
Barbie toy industry in different periods
in Figure 2.
Figure 2
Question for Thought!
Why was Barbie (Toy Industry) produced in
different places in different periods?
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1. Based on the case of the information technology industry, answer the following questions.
(a) Describe the locational changes of the information technology industry in different
periods.
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
(b) In which countries are the information technology products produced in the
innovation stage?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
(c) In which countries are the information technology products produced in the mass
production stage?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
(d) Why do such locational changes occur?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
2.
Based on the case of the toy industry, answer the following questions.
(a) Describe the locational changes of the toy industry in different periods.
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
(b) Why do such locational changes occur?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
3.
With regard to the findings in these two cases, what are the similarities and
differences of their industrial locations in different periods?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
4.
What kind of regional cooperation can occur between rich and poor countries?
Are they really interdependent? Explain.
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
6
5.
How are these locational changes related to globalization?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
B. How does globalization affect rich and poor countries?
Is it friend to the rich, or foe to the poor?
1. You are going to watch the following film on the Internet and answer the questions below.
Movie Express: The impact of global supply chain on garment workers
http://cyberschool.oxfam.org.hk/eng/resources.php?cat=10&id=1
(a) Describe the location of the garment factory in the film.
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
(b) Explain why the production line of the garment factory agglomerates at that location.
How is this related to globalization?
(Hint: Where is the factory? Where can we purchase the finished products?)
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
(c) Are the garment workers in the film having a fair treatment? Explain your answer.
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
(d) If the entrepreneur relocates the factory, how will it affect the garment workers?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
(e) What is the impact of globalization on rich and poor countries?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
(f)
_________________________________________________________________
Is globalization more beneficial to the rich or to the poor countries? Explain your
answer.
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
7
(g) As Hong Kong citizens, how can we help these garment workers?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
(h) Suggest some practical measures to alleviate the negative impact caused by
globalization through discussing with your group members.
8
C. How does globalization affect agricultural development,
population mobility and employment structure?
1.
Case study
I am a farmer in a small village at
Guizhou. My life is very hard and my income
is low.
When China joins the World Trade
Organization, my agricultural products have
to compete with foreign imports.
Please listen to my story.
Movie Express: The impact of China’s WTO entry on sugar industry
http://cyberschool.oxfam.org.hk/eng/resources.php?cat=10&id=2
(a) Using an atlas, plot the location of Guizhou in Figure 3.
A

C
B 
Figure 3
9
(b) Collect information from different sources about the topography, population,
agriculture and industry of Guizhou.
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
(c) Based on the collected information, describe the farmers’ lives in Guizhou.
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
(d) Will China’s entry into WTO affect the farmers in Guizhou? Explain your answer.
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
(e) (i) If you were the farmer, what could be done to eliminate your problem of poverty?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
(ii) A lot of farmers will stop farming and go to the city to look for new job
opportunities. Are you willing to do so?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
(f)
If you decide to go to the city, which city (A, B or C in Figure 3) would you choose
to go? Why?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
(g) Collect background information of the city you have chosen in (f).
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
(h) If a lot of farmers move to the city (i.e. rural-urban migration), what is the positive
and negative impact on rural and urban areas? Please write down the impact on
population mobility and employment structure on the next page.
Rural area
Urban area
10
Impact of
rural-urban
migration
Population Mobility
GOOD
Employment Structure
BAD
GOOD
11
BAD
D. What is the impact of globalization on the global environment ?
Action 3: Classroom Survey
Procedures:
1) Students should be put in groups of 4-6.
2) One student asks the three questions
marked with the symbol ‘’ below.
3) Students need to record data.
4) Answer the questions (a) and (b).

How often do you replace your TV set?
 1-2years
 3-5years
 6-10years  more than10 years

How often do you replace your computer?
 1-2years
 3-5years
 6-10years  more than10 years

How often do you replace your mobile phone?
 1-2years
 3-5years
 6-10years  more than10 years
(a) Summarize the responses of your team members and present them in class.
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
(b) Present your findings in the form of a graph.
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(c) What environmental problems will occur if you renew your electrical appliances
frequently?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
(d) What is the relationship between e-waste and globalization? Browse the following
websites and summarize the main points in about 100 words in the spaces provided.
• http://www.greenpeace.org/china/ch/campaigns/toxics/e-waste
(available in Chinese only)
• http://www.greenpeace.org/china/ch/campaigns/toxics/e-waste/problem
(available in Chinese only)
• http://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/200308/15/0815230.htm
• http://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/200503/09/03090212.htm
13
1.
What economic and environmental changes are generated by globalization?
Environmental problems caused by
globalization
More developed countries (MDCs), like some European and
American countries, purchase land in less developed countries (LDCs)
for dumping purposes, in order to tackle the problem of e-waste
generated by globalization. It is estimated that e-waste is exported
from MDCs to LDCs frequently, especially to Asian countries. For
example, at least 23,000 tons of unreported e-waste are illegally
exported to India, Africa, China and Far East Asian regions from
Britain in 2003.
Environmentalists see Hong Kong (HK) as the ‘Entrepot’ of
international e-waste. Taking ‘advantage’ of the existing loopholes in
the legislation in HK, many illicit businessmen import e-waste from
advanced countries in North America and Europe and smuggle
e-waste through the border to the mainland. Thus, such toxic
‘foreign-waste’ is imported into the interior of China indirectly.
Green Peace has stated that legislation against this is not
vigorous enough. Even though the Chinese government tried to forbid
the import of e-waste in 2000, the practice is still very much alive in
and around Guangdong Province. After recycling and decomposition,
e-waste will be stacked or burned chaotically, so that the resultant
noxious heavy metal, which can penetrate air and water, ends up by
affecting human nervous, visceral and blood circulation systems.
Polluted raindrops also infiltrate the soil, and the ecology of the region
is being adversely affected.
Spokesmen for Green Peace suggested that HK should revise its
legislation quickly and prohibit the importation of e-waste or its
transport via HK into the mainland. In the long run, HK should make
sure that producers take responsibility for their waste products and
construct a recycling system (i.e. Extended Producer Responsibility).
About 10 representatives of Green Power plan to come to HK to
dissuade the members of the WTO from not signing the
“Non-environmental Agreements” in October, so as to alleviate the
problem of pollution in the LDCs.
14
Global trade and industrial
development induced by
globalization
Through the trade negotiations conducted by WTO, rich and poor
countries can lower their trade barriers. Free trade can reduce the price
of finished products raised by protectionism. Commitments that are
binding on all members of WTO prevent rich countries from subsidising
exports and dumping their surpluses at cheap prices. Poor countries can
benefit from special privileges and merits.
In the era of globalization, there is a global shift in industrial
location. Both MDCs and LDCs have their locational advantages at
different stages of the production process. For example, MDCs can
handle the research and development stage of products, while LDCs
take on mass production. In this way, everyone can ultimately enjoy
lower prices and raise their living standards.
In 2003, world merchandise trade amounted to US$15.3 trillion,
while world commercial services trade totalled US$3.6 trillion. During the
past two decades, world trade patterns have undergone two significant
changes. Firstly there has been a continuous increase in services trade.
From 1990 to 2003, the trade in commercial services and commodity
goods both grew by about 6% annually on average. Secondly there has
been a shift in agricultural trade from commodities to processed
products. According to the estimates of the WTO Secretariat, processed
products reached 48% of agricultural trade between 2001 and 2002. It
seems that the growth of services trade and agricultural processed
products will create a lot of job opportunities and public wealth.
15
With reference to the two articles on p.14-15 and the information from the websites, answer
the following questions.
(a) What is the impact caused by globalization on the world economy and the environment?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
(b) How does global economic development affect the global environment?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
(c) How does the global e-waste problem affect the economic development of rich and
poor countries?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
(d) From the perspectives of economic development and the e-waste issue, do rich
and poor countries gain benefits from each other? Explain your answer.
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
(e) Search for more information, suggest ways that can help us get over the contradictions
inherent in economic development and environmental conservation.
16
2.
How do we achieve global environmental sustainability?
(a) What is ‘sustainable development’?
Please refer to the following websites, identify the similarities and differences in
sustainable development concepts in Hong Kong and other countries.

Council for Sustainable Development (HKSAR)
www.susdev.gov.hk

UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs
Division of Sustainable Development
www.un.org/esa/sustdev/index.html
Sustainable development is
(b) Based on your understanding about sustainable development, use a type of graphic
organizer to present the concept.
17
(c) With reference to the two articles on p.14-15, assess the relationship between
globalization and sustainable development.
……………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………….
(d) Collect more information on e-waste and the views of people from different
backgrounds.
e-waste is …
18
Role
Opinions and Evidences
Ministers of the governments
of the WTO members
Law-enforcement officials of
Hong Kong
Entrepreneurs of e-products
People living in MDCs
People living in LDCs
‘Green’ representatives
19
(e) Use the information on e-waste in question (d), discuss the following in a form of a
role-play.
If I were …, this would be how I achieve sustainable development in globalization.
(i)
After WWII, the world
economy and world trade
grew at an average of 5%
and 8% respectively.
Thus, the importance of
global trade liberalisation
should override the ‘Basel
Convention Parties’ and
the ‘Kyoto Protocol’.
We should discuss how
to attain freer trade.
This is the foundation
stone to stimulate
global economic
growth, recovery and
development.
(ii)
Ministers of the governments
of the WTO members
Due to the severe
transboundary
movement of e-waste,
we should enforce the
legislation against it.
First and foremost,
the law-enforcement
officials of HK and the
mainland should
strengthen their
communication to
enforce the law
relating to e-waste
problems.
Law-enforcement officials of Hong Kong
(iii)
Due to the rapid change of
e-products, we need to
produce trendy
commodities to keep up
with market demand. This
will create more job
opportunities and enhance
economic development.
The transboundary
movement of
e-waste can bring
a lot of trade and job
opportunities to poor
countries.
Entrepreneurs of e-products
20
(iv)
Global trade
liberalisation can
stimulate economic
activities. People in
LDCs also benefit
and they should
bear some of the
costs.
In the era of
globalization, we
enjoy a very high
living standard, but,
at the same time,
we produce a lot of
unnecessary waste.
People living in MDCs
(v)
The import of waste
from MDCs,
especially e-waste,
is seriously polluting
the farmland in
LDCs. The amount
of cultivated land is
now declining and
making life difficult.
(vi)
The occurrence of
e-waste provides a
lot of job
opportunities.
Waste handling
can generate more
income for us.
People living in LDCs
Producers should
take responsibility
for their own waste
and construct a
recycling system in
order to minimize
waste problems.
Waste produced in
rich countries
transferred
improperly to poor
countries. This
creates severe
pollution to our
environment.
‘Green’ representatives
21
(f)
Write down your group’s conclusion after the discussion.
(g) After the role-play, summarize the views of your group mates. What are your views on the
above problem? Explain them.
22
Action 4: Computer presentation or webpage design
Based on what they have learnt from this
topic, students may produce a computer
presentation
or
design
a
webpage,
showing how sustainable development can
be achieved for both rich and poor
countries in this age of globalization.
…html
 End 
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