4.1 Key idea: Economies can be classified in different ways and vary from place to place
4.1a) Classifying economic activities
What causes places to change?
Governmental policy
Cultural dimensions
Gentrification
Environmental situation
Regeneration
Technological advancements
Globalisation
The four economic sectors are:
1. Primary (agriculture, forestry, mining, fishing)
1. Rural areas tend to have more primary employment in farming, mining, quarrying and fishing
2. This tends to be low-paid, manual work
2. Secondary (manufacturing)
1. There is more secondary employment in northern cities such
as Manchester, Sheffield and Glasgow, but this has declined over time.
3. Tertiary (retail, services, office work)
1. In the tertiary, or service sector, jobs are concentrated in urban areas but these vary
from cleaners on minimum wageto very high paid professionals like lawyers.
4. Quaternary (scientific research, ICT)
1. Quaternary jobs in research and development and hi-tech industries are found in London and
the South East.
In Great Britain in 1841, 36% worked in the secondary sector, 33% in the tertiary sector (services, quaternary
and quinary) and 22% in the primary sector.
In England and Wales in 2011, 81% worked in the tertiary sector, 9% in the secondary and 1% in the primary.
Employment Type: Places can also vary in their type of employment:
Part time/full time
Temporary/permanent
Employed/self-employed
In 2015 there were 32 million workers in the UK, with 1.85 million unemployed (5.6%). In 2015, there where
18.4 with full time contracts and 9 million with part time (a growing trend)
Those with contracts (permanent or fixed)
Workers (agency staff and volunteers)
Self employed ( freelancers, consultants and contractors)
Controversial Aspects of Work:
The gender gap, on average men are paid 10% more than women (though this has and is narrowing)
, Zero-hours contracts, for casual piece work or on-call work, means there are no obligations either way.
The 'living wage' does have to be paid, and the National Living Wage NWL was launched in April
2016.
This is increasingly popular, being used by Wetherspoon's and McDonald's
In 2015 illegal working was made a criminal offence in a crackdown on the black market. These relies
on illegal migrant workers, often with very low pay and poor conditions.
Temporary and seasonal work often has low pay (e.g. tourism and agriculture)
*YORKSHIRE CASE STUDY*
4.1b) Economic activity and social factors
1) Regional inequalities
a. Incomes in London is highest (it is the capital city so incomes are higher in senior positions in
government, the civil service and in major company headquarters)
b. Those who work in docklands based knowledge economy have higher incomes
c. 58% of jobs in London occur in the 3 highest income categories
2) Variations in quality of life
a. Workers in London and south east England have higher average incomes but housing and many
other costs are higher
b. Where people feel happiest is where houses are cheap / most affordable
c. Life satisfaction – how people assess their quality of life
3) Occupation and life expectancy
a. There is a difference of 5-6 years between life expectancy in the highest and lowest
occupational groups
4) Income and health
a. Those on the lowest incomes are said to be the most deprived (lacking reasonable standard of
living)
5) Variations in educational achievement
a. London has long reported highest levels of educational attainment
b. The relationship linked to employment – this with highest qualifications are more likely to work
in London and move there
4.1c) Quality of life indices
Quality of life is usually measured using a composite index. The uSwitch Index combines housing
affordability, energy costs, broadband availability, average incomes, crime rates and other measurements to
rank UK regions.
,4.2 Key idea: Places have changed their function and characteristics over time
4.2a) Changing functions and characteristics
Seen regeneration with London Docklands (1980st wave)
Development of new / organised infrastructure
Conversion of brownfield land/sites
Replacement of slum housing with council housing or private housing
Unseen regeneration with London Docklands (1980st wave)
TNC presence
Inward investment
Economic restructuring
Gentrification
Studentification
Improvement in quality of life (NHS)
Decrease in the economic inequality /widen inequality
Very few places are static, so change affects places continually. Places have a range of economic functions,
revealed in the land use of rural and urban places.
1. Administrative: council offices, schools and other public services like clinics and hospitals.
2. Commercial: offices of service industries such as legal services, accountants.
3. Retail: shops that range in size from small to malls.
4. Industrial: factories, warehouses and distribution centres.
Manchester: Industrial - textiles Media: BBC
Apart of the northern powerhouse plan (attempt to attract
high skill workers)
Out of town retail: Trafford Centre
Sport: man city and man united
Sheffield: Industrial – steel Retail: meadow hall
University /student city: research driven
Sports: national aquatic Centre + ponds forge
Culture + arts: crucible theatre
Cardiff / Swansea: Industrial – coal Tourism: natural assets + coastline
University/ student city
Changes to demographics:
High skilled workforce
Changes in age structure composition – younger median age
Increases multiculturalism
Research and development centres – further attracts graduates / higher skilled workers
Influx of student population = studentification
Increase property price due to high demand of flats, apartments and hosuing
Increase crim, local residents see increase in prices = not happy, lack of community sense
Changes in London: ethnicity and deprivation (2021 census)
3.58 million London residents were born outside the UK, 41% of London’s total population
, 1.37 million - Europe born
1.15 million – middle east + Asia
1.06 million – Africa, America and Oceania
322,000 London residents are India being the top non-uk country of birth
London boroughs have both the highest proportion of households deprive din all 4 dimensions
London is projected to grow fastest (13.7%), over the 10 year period to mid 2024
Projected growth of England by 7.5% over the same time period
London is ageing at a slower rate than the rest of the country
= Growth in London is due to migration not natural population rise
= London is multicultural, significant India diasporas
= London has the fastest growth in Romanian population due to post ascetism migration
Gentrification a change in the social structure of a place when affluent people move into a location.
Planners may allow developers to upgrade a place's characteristics, residential and retail to deliberately attract
people of a higher social status and income.
Consequence of a place changing its focus is gentrification
Local and niche businesses
Notting hill = super gentrification (Victorian slums are now sold for multi-million prices)
Soho = aggressive gentrification (controversial policies to remove its reputation as a red light district
and become a “rich, middle aged US tourist” hotspot
*NOTTING HILL CASE STUDY*
Studentification understood in places offering higher education provision
Students cluster in certain areas of larger towns and cities
The absence during semester breaks and antisocial behavior can cause conflict with local residents
In Headingly, Leeds, 2/3 of the 10,000 residents are student concentrated in 72 streets of terraced
housing
Impact of studentification:
Lack of parking
Waste left outside houses
Poor upkeep of houses
Less community feel
Lack of social control – increase crime
Excessive noise
Social, economic and cultural decline
The development of new business and increase demand for 24/7 convenience stores
St Andrews: No of students doubled by 9,000 since 1990s
Resident population decreased by 40% to 7000
Primary school intake = 400 students (now) vs 1000 (1980s)
Durham: Student population increased from 6000 to 174000 in the past 30
years
4.2b) Reasons for change
Factors affecting the changing characteristics of a place:
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