IGCSE Economic Activity and Energy – Course overview Introduction 1) “Economic activity sustains people and involves output from a number of different economic sectors” a) Classification of employment by sector: ‐ Primary ‐ Secondary ‐ Tertiary ‐ Quaternary b) The relative importance of these economic sectors will vary with a country’s level of development ‐ Economic shift in the UK (post – 1950’s industrial decline) ‐ Economic shift in South Korea (Rural – high tech in 1 generation) c) Informal employment: characteristics and causes d) Growth of the Quaternary Sector CASE STUDY ‐ Cambridge Science Park 2) The location and growth of particular types of economic activity are influenced by a range of factors. a) Factors affecting the location and growth of tertiary and quaternary activities ‐ prosperity ‐ new technology ‐ accessibility ‐ transport ‐ government policy CASE STUDY ‐ Growth of High Tech Industry/M4 corridor b) Factors affecting the changing location of manufacturing (Global Shift) ‐ TNCs, ‐ Raw materials ‐ Labour ‐ New technology ‐
Government policy CASE STUDY – LG in South Wales 3) Increased economic production creates a rising demand for energy and/or energy efficiency. a) Rising demand for energy and the energy gap b) The concept of ‘precious’ energy and the need for energy efficiency. c) The relative merits of using renewable (e.g. wind, solar and nuclear power) versus non‐
renewable sources of energy (e.g. fossil fuels).