Deck 19: Globalization

Question 1

Which of the following types of activists would be involved in top-down globalization?

A) agricultural workers in the global south who are employed by Western companies
B) groups promoting globalized capitalism and free trade
C) social protesters who want to stop the spread of corporations around the world
D) angry consumers boycotting specific products that they think are too expensive

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Pam was explaining bottom-up globalization to her friend Adam. Which of the following would Pam offer when Adam asked for an example of bottom-up globalization efforts?

A) the Hasty Minute Corporation in the process of expanding its business operations internationally
B) a group of major trade and banking organizations working toward developing a common world currency
C) a group of university students who have created a documentary critiquing a company that utilizes illegal immigrants for cheap labour in order to make more profit
D) the "buy more stuff" movement that is doing its part to promote consumerism and keep people employed

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Carla learned that the T-shirts being sold for $25 at a soccer match were made in a sweatshop by women making one dollar per day. She organized some friends to protest the T-shirt sales and the day became a protest against sweatshops. What other label could we give this protest?

A) global awareness campaign
B) global disruption
C) globalization from above
D) globalization from below

Answer 3

D

Question 4

When Renata moved to Canada, she communicated with her brother via electronic media, but her parents lived in a poor, rural area and did not have access to computers or the Internet. What phenomenon was impeding communication between Renata and her parents?

A) rural exclusion
B) the digital divide
C) diminished digital capacity
D) generational resistance to technology

Question 5

Jane is a multitasking young adult: she has Facebook, she tweets, and she has a data plan on her cell phone that allows her to access all her Internet and email accounts - she does more sharing and communication with others online than face-to-face. What do sociologists call these social networking groups?

A) Internet addicts
B) escapes from reality
C) blogs
D) virtual communities

Question 6

What example does the text give to illustrate how corporate power, immigrant labour, and international supply lines all play a part in the globalization of fast food, and in what many of us choose to eat?

A) cola soft drinks
B) potato chips
C) the hamburger
D) the submarine sandwich

Question 7

In an effort to encourage investment, the president of Country X reduced tariffs, making the country more attractive to Company Y, which came in and built a large factory. Company Y used local, cheap labour, but made a product these people could not afford to buy. The product was shipped to Country Z, where citizens could purchase and enjoy the new product. What could this set of relationships between countries be called?

A) bottom-up globalization
B) top-down globalization
C) global market forces
D) global demand forces

Question 8

Part of the globalized economy involves financial capital, a sector that has grown faster than production and trade and is based largely on speculation. What label has been given to the rise of financial capital?

A) global capitalism
B) commodification
C) neoliberalism
D) casino capitalism

Question 9

What is the concept of neoliberalism about?

A) new members of a political party
B) humanitarian work done by the United Nations
C) faith in the market and a retreat from state spending
D) individuals who are part of social movements of liberation

Question 10

Shelagh met her husband online. They only met three times face-to-face before marrying, but they felt they had built a strong relationship because they had created one of the following global phenomena-which one?

A) time-space compression
B) a digital divide
C) a virtual community
D) a digital union

Question 11

Sixty years ago, Evelyn and Alvin were married and they purchased a farm that was 7 kilometres from Alvin's parents. Now their children are married and living in various locations around the world-British Columbia, Alaska, and Switzerland. To keep in touch with their grandchildren and great-grandchildren, they've purchased a computer with a webcam and Skype or send emails. What have Evelyn and Alvin experienced over their lifetime?

A) expanding network
B) time-space compression
C) global family
D) time-space continuum

Question 12

Which of the following is a feature of globalization from below?

A) demands for greater environmental regulations around the globe
B) praise by many groups for the expansion of capitalism into developing countries
C) embracing and accepting any and all forms of globalization
D) capitalist pressure to reduce workers' rights in the global economy

Question 13

Mike is a graduate student working toward a PhD in sociology, and for his graduate thesis is researching the digital divide. What will be the focus of his paper?

A) inequality of access to advanced forms of electronic communication
B) the increased cost of doing business with computer technology
C) the unprecedented access to computers
D) new technological business methods used for opinion polling

Question 14

Which of the following people is one of the famous capitalist "insiders" who has critiqued the functioning of the global economy?

A) former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney
B) Microsoft chairman Bill Gates
C) economist/policy adviser Jeffrey Sachs
D) international financier Warren Buffett

Question 15

What kinds of issues frequently come up in the debates surrounding globalization?

A) ethical
B) cultural
C) political
D) social

Question 16

Samuel was a business student taking a mandatory sociology class for his degree. When asked to explain one area of focus of neoliberal policies, which of the following would he readily answer?

A) the reduction of individual responsibility for one's health and education
B) to increase spending by, and social responsibility of, the state
C) the reduction of state control and regulation of domestic capital markets
D) to increase protection for workers and the environment

Question 17

When Kathryn lived abroad in 1985 she would mail a letter to her parents. A response to that letter would come by mail two weeks later. In 2005, when Kathryn lived abroad again, she would send an email to her parents and get a response back from them within the hour. Which of the following is this change in communications NOT an example of?

A) time-space compression
B) technological improvements
C) globalization
D) capitalist growth

Question 18

According to the text, which statement can be applied to globalization?

A) It is associated with a global decline in consumerism.
B) It is part of dynamic top-down and bottom-up forces.
C) It is conventionally dated from the 2000s onward.
D) It is a process connected to a global surge in nationalism.

Question 19

According to the text, which of the following can be said about globalization?

A) It is coming to an end in the foreseeable future.
B) There is broad consensus as to its meaning.
C) The term was coined in the late 1990s.
D) It makes the world look and feel smaller.

Question 20

Which of the following statements reflects a reality of present-day financial capital?

A) It has not kept up with the growth of production and trade.
B) It has taken a secondary role in the financial system.
C) It has become more prominent with globalization.
D) It has been labelled "casino capitalism."

Question 21

Turning off the television, Sara commented to her roommate, "That's a result of International Monetary Fund policies." What had Sara been watching that would make her say this?

A) a report on the social programs being implemented in Nicaragua
B) a documentary of a village in Chile where residents cannot afford water since the privatization of their water system
C) a feature film on the increasing price subsidies and capital market regulations in Uganda
D) a news broadcast that reported a dramatic narrowing of the gap between the rich and poor in Tanzania

Question 22

A domestic Canadian soft drink company has maximized its sales in Canada, and is now looking to export its product to China, where sales of such Western products are just starting. What way of life is this company exporting along with its soft drinks?

A) imperialism
B) neoliberalism
C) humanism
D) consumerism

Question 23

The International Monetary Fund lends money to countries in need on condition that the borrower follows a mandatory package of reforms that allow for the intensification of free markets. What are these arrangements known as?

A) structural adjustment programs
B) Global Agreement on Loans and Trade
C) bad debt schemes
D) re-organization plans

Question 24

Which country in the world is the most indebted?

A) China
B) Argentina
C) Mexico
D) United States

Question 25

What has been the net effect of the World Trade Organization, the International Monetary Fund, and the World Bank on the world's democracies?

A) The net effect has been protectionist trade policies among the democracies.
B) The net effect has been the creation of a democratic deficit.
C) The net effect has been more democratic nations worldwide.
D) The net effect has been a balanced and diverse economy among the democracies.

Question 26

Which of the following would be a problematic aspect of globalization?

A) The financial markets are in heavy decline and the producing economy will follow.
B) Global corporations are producing more things than consumers can afford to purchase.
C) The average North American consumer eats too much and spends too much.
D) Global corporations are not producing enough of the commodities that consumers are demanding.

Question 27

Suzanne was astounded when she found out that the worldwide company that makes her favourite ice cream, chocolate bars, and the baby formula she buys for her newborn also makes dog and cat food and produces soaps and laundry detergents. What name is given to this type of company?

A) diversified transnational corporation
B) expansive food corporation
C) nutrition, health, and wellness company
D) specialized international organization

Question 28

What do the sales of the world's five biggest corporations exceed?

A) the GDP of 182 countries combined
B) all other corporations combined
C) the GDP of the entire North American continent
D) all the wealth generated in stocks

Question 29

What have observers pondered in light of increasing corporate strength?

A) Analysts note that their national governments have responded by placing more restrictions on the corporations.
B) Some analysts feel that the corporations' ability to produce goods has been hampered.
C) Analysts believe the corporations' ability to provide higher quality consumer goods to more people has increased.
D) Many analysts have begun to wonder if globalization means the end of the state system.

Question 30

Students across North America are protesting against Coca-Cola because of accusations that the company has stood by and not taken action against anti-union activity in Columbia. Which aspect of globalization is this kind of protest a part of?

A) a global syndicate movement
B) a global rights movement
C) a demand for global governance
D) a demand for corporate accountability

Question 31

Kristopher was in charge of inventory and realized that his company was producing more product than the market could consume in a year. This was still true despite opening trade with China and India last year. What is the term for this situation?

A) excess global capacity
B) global oversupply
C) diminished global demand
D) global recession

Question 32

The government of a country is trying to meet the debt payment requirements imposed by the International Monetary Fund. Policies are introduced that open up the economy to global corporations that will pay government fees and taxes, rather than encouraging local companies to expand. This situation solves the immediate problems concerning debt payments, but hurts local businesses and citizens in the longer run. According to the text, this is an example of which aspect of globalization?

A) global prioritization
B) a democratic deficit
C) a secondary citizenry
D) global taxation

Question 33

After watching a documentary featuring the lives of Aboriginal people on reserves in Alberta, Will commented that their living conditions reminded him of Luanda, Angola. Despite the money being made by Angola's oil and diamond exports, citizens of Luanda were further marginalized, receiving little benefit from the wealth. What is the term used to denote this process?

A) elimination
B) liberalization
C) peripheralization
D) commodification

Question 34

After reading a newspaper article about yet another bank collapse in the United States, Bill's grandpa asserted, "It's no wonder-when the capital development of a country becomes a by-product of the activities of bookies and speculators, things are bound to fall apart." What term in the text would apply to grandpa's point of view?

A) stockbroker capitalism
B) mafia capitalism
C) casino capitalism
D) industrial capitalism

Question 35

What is the Fourth World concept?

A) the former Soviet Union and other former communist states
B) large populations and geographic areas that are irrelevant to the global economy
C) countries that are even poorer than those placed in the Third World category
D) countries that used to be considered part of the Third World but have moved up

Question 36

Which of the following reflects the taxation situation of big corporations?

A) They are getting smaller to avoid paying as much in taxes.
B) They are paying higher taxes because they operate in more than one country at a time.
C) They are not paying big taxes generally, and pay less than they used to.
D) They are donating substantial portions as tax write-offs to avoid paying higher taxes.

Question 37

What term is applied to a country such as Western Sahara, in Africa, a nation characterized by poverty, illiteracy, short life spans, and a weak economy?

A) a global glut
B) the poor zones
C) the Fourth World
D) the global south

Question 38

Which of the following is one of the "three sisters"-the three largest international financial institutions?

A) World Financial Cooperative
B) Universal Monetary Fund
C) the World Bank
D) the Commerce Organization

Question 39

The size and power of corporations has been associated with the disenfranchisement of ordinary citizens from the political process. What has this problem been named?

A) the era of control
B) the democratic deficit
C) the deregulation dilemma
D) the age of neoliberalism

Question 40

Which of the following phenomena is particular to the operation of the International Monetary Fund from the 1980s onward?

A) protectionist policies in developing economies
B) wage labour restrictions
C) the Global Agreement on Tariffs and Trade
D) structural adjustment policies

Question 41

What percentage of the globe's waste is produced by the 20 percent of the world's population that lives in the industrialized countries?

A) 20
B) 40
C) 50
D) 75

Question 42

Which of the following is one conclusion that can be drawn about the effectiveness of protests by consumers against popular brands or label-branded products?

A) Protest is now accepted as a proven technique for dealing with powerful corporations.
B) Protest is controversial because some producers are commodifying the protests for profit.
C) Protest is considered illegal in many countries.
D) Protest is considered a form of unfair trade.

Question 43

What proportion of global resources is consumed by the 20 percent of the world's population that lives in the industrialized countries?

A) one-fifth
B) one-third
C) two-thirds
D) three-quarters

Question 44

Globalization allows nations to share cultural products (such as television shows); as a result, there is a Canadian Idol, an American Idol, and a British Idol singing competition-each with its own qualities. Which of the following terms is used to identify this phenomenon?

A) a unique cultural hybrid
B) cultural backlash
C) corporate monopoly
D) a global consumer

Question 45

A United States delegation is on a free trade mission to a developing country and wants to import People magazine; however, the host country protests importing this product as an unfair practice. Which global organization's treaty document does the host country cite to back up its claims?

A) the UNESCO Convention on Cultural Diversity
B) the World Trade Organization laws
C) the International Monetary Fund's regulations
D) the World Bank's Convention on Imports

Question 46

Calum loves jeans. He has eight pairs of blue jeans and three pairs of black jeans. Calum's mother is frustrated because he is talking about another purchase, but he does not wear all the pairs of jeans he has now. Which of the following would Calum be seen as?

A) a casual consumer
B) a fashion consumer
C) an overconsumer
D) an avid consumer

Question 47

The advent of the Internet and file sharing has had a dramatic impact on the traditional marketing strategies of the music industry. Music sales are way down, however; the big music corporations are making changes. Why would this be the case?

A) They are very concerned and fearful about what is happening in the industry.
B) They are geniuses at using innovation to sell new consumer products.
C) They have lobbied governments to maintain the status quo for royalty payments.
D) They have lobbied against file sharing at the WTO and have tried to make it illegal.

Question 48

A young couple went to China to teach English as a foreign language and were discovered by a marketing agent who was selling Western-style wedding packages. Soon they were on billboards and in magazines, and the company's sales skyrocketed as many young Chinese couples ditched a traditional wedding in favour of what was being advertised. According to the text, what has this process been termed?

A) backlash
B) cultural imperialism
C) westernization
D) globalization

Question 49

Which is the largest film production industry in the world?

A) Nigeria's Nollywood
B) America's Hollywood
C) Britain's BBC
D) India's Bollywood

Question 50

Maria's friends are always inviting her to go shopping and are getting upset with her continuous, "No, I don't really need anything" answer. When her best friend takes her aside and offers to loan her money, Maria asserts, "I have money, but people continuously buying things just so they can own more and more 'stuff' is ecologically damaging and I refuse to be part of the problem." What type of shopper is Maria?

A) casual shopper
B) ethical shopper
C) political shopper
D) anti-shopper

Question 51

A Canadian movie theatre is most likely to feature films that have been produced from one of the following sources-which one?

A) Denmark
B) Canada
C) Britain
D) the United States

Question 52

Which of the following consequences has resulted from backlash by protesters against global corporations?

A) Protests caused Starbucks to lower workers' salaries.
B) Protests caused McDonald's to scale down its operations.
C) Protests caused KFC to abandon business in India.
D) Protests led to even stronger brand power.

Question 53

The citizens of Jasper, Alberta, protest strongly when a downtown store closes and Walmart attempts to lease the space. The protesters claim that having Walmart on the main street would ruin the town's quaint appeal. What term best describes the behaviour of the protestors?

A) mob behaviour
B) resistance
C) backlash
D) civil unrest

Question 54

In 2011, a new Kentucky Fried Chicken location opens in China every 18 hours. While served with rice instead of fries, the fried chicken remains the centre of the meal. Which of the following global phenomena is this an example of?

A) global gourmet
B) cultural imperialism
C) culinary expansion
D) global dietary shift

Question 55

Cassandra believes that she should not buy X Brand clothing because the company does not treat its workers well. However, she loves the styles, so every few months she visits the local store and purchases a few items. Cassandra is FAILING to be an example of what kind of consumer?

A) ethical
B) global
C) political
D) savvy

Question 56

Stella likes the latte served by Starbucks, but when she buys a cup of coffee, she prefers to support local businesses and goes to the family-owned shop on the corner. What is this Stella's small contribution to?

A) global brand backlash
B) local consumption
C) consumption considerations
D) global consumption protest

Question 57

In Costa Rica, several small-scale coffee growers formed a cooperative (with an affordable microcredit loan). Today they sell their coffee directly, having cut out the middlemen. What kind of coffee are they selling?

A) free trade coffee
B) wage parity coffee
C) no-name coffee
D) fair-trade coffee

Question 58

Teena was grocery shopping with her friend Stacey and in the coffee section saw the label "fair-trade" coffee. When she asked Stacey what it meant, what would Stacey reply?

A) It's a public reaction to a 30-year increase in coffee prices.
B) It's an example of globalization from above.
C) It's an attempt to bring the cheapest coffee prices to market.
D) It's an attempt to improve the livelihood of coffee growers.

Question 59

Which of the following examples supports the theory of U.S. cultural imperialism?

A) the size and strength of Bollywood filmmaking
B) the 2005 UNESCO Convention on Cultural Diversity
C) the presence of American fast-food corporations throughout the world
D) the use of patents and copyrights to protect U.S. inventions and literature

Question 60

If developing countries adopt North American consumer habits, why would the resulting growth be unsustainable?

A) because China's need for oil, alone, would exceed current daily production
B) because capitalists ignore their civic responsibility for a clean environment
C) because the countries of the world are incapable of planning for sustainability
D) because there is not enough crop-producing land to grow food

Question 61

In Panjim, Goa, India, businesses and government leaders who are anxious to attract investment offer multinational corporations incentives to build factories. These incentives may include free land in an industrial park, lower tax rates, lower power rates, and nonunionized workers. What are places such as Panjim called?

A) fair-trade zones
B) export processing zones
C) labour intensity areas
D) business development zones

Question 62

Which of the following is associated with industrial methods of food production?

A) lower water tables
B) soil enhancement
C) reforestation
D) friendly agriculture

Question 63

In class Regan asserts that every country should focus on job creation for all adult citizens. Ronald interjects, "Regan, you're being ethnocentric." Why would Ronald say that?

A) Globalization is increasing both the number of workers and the number of jobs.
B) The number of wage labourers around the world is steadily falling.
C) Almost 50 percent of the world's population make their living off the land.
D) The number of paid labour jobs in the developed industrial countries is falling.

Question 64

According to the text, what has happened to manufacturing jobs in North America since the 1980s?

A) They have steadily increased.
B) They have remained stable.
C) They have been replaced.
D) They have steadily declined.

Question 65

Which of the following appears to be the largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions?

A) individual car usage
B) agricultural production
C) air-conditioning use
D) air travel

Question 66

According to trade experts and environmental groups, which of the following represents the biggest environmental challenge facing humanity?

A) acid rain
B) rain forest depletion
C) excessive per capita grain production
D) global food system

Question 67

Which of the following is true about how people live around the world?

A) Almost half the world's people live off the land and subsist mainly on what they produce.
B) Globalization has created the export of products and food to nearly 90 percent of people.
C) Because of globalization, only 20 percent of the world's people still live off the land.
D) Because of globalization, 75 percent of the world's people are wage labourers.

Question 68

What percentage of world water usage is for irrigation?

A) 30
B) 50
C) 70
D) 80

Question 69

Which of the following consumption and behavioural patterns embodies unsustainable energy trade-offs?

A) eat meat and packaged foods, and drive to work
B) eat fresh fruit, and live in a condominium
C) eat grains, drink clean water, and use buses and bicycles
D) consume unsafe water, and walk to get around

Question 70

Which of the following has been a consequence of globalization in Mexico?

A) lower wages
B) trade wars
C) increased wages
D) slowing illegal immigration

Question 71

According to economists, which factor can one-third of Canada's economic growth between 1997 and 2005 be attributed to?

A) globalization and new job creation
B) the increase in consumer spending
C) new immigrants working in Canada
D) the increase of two-income households

Question 72

Income and wealth inequality can be found worldwide, but in which of the following areas is there striking inequality?

A) in places where there has been no globalization
B) in the richest countries, such as the United States and Canada
C) in the poorest countries, such as Bangladesh and Haiti
D) in developing countries such as Mexico and Peru

Question 73

What aspect of globalization does sociologist Kevin Bales examine?

A) lowering of global wages
B) greening of technologies
C) rising global slavery
D) fair-trade policies

Question 74

According to British researchers, if all farms in Britain utilized organic farming techniques, how much would be saved in environmental costs?

A) an estimated $500 million
B) an estimated $1.1 billion
C) an estimated $3 billion
D) an estimated $5 billion

Question 75

Jamie used to be a worker in a paper mill in Miramichi, New Brunswick; however, globalization has resulted in the closure of most of the forest-related industries in that province. Now Jamie's job prospects are limited to searching for a much lower paying job in a call centre. What has happened to the job market since globalization commenced?

A) Civil service jobs have employed most of those affected by layoffs.
B) Service-sector jobs did not increase to make up for the loss of other jobs.
C) Service-sector jobs have mushroomed in the world's rich countries.
D) Forestry will return once globalization has been fully established.

Question 76

In Thailand, a peasant woman has moved to the city to work in a garment sweatshop; she is paid a fraction of what a Canadian worker would make, and even her supervisor and the plant manager would be paid less than their Canadian counterparts. What term applies to these labourers?

A) segmentation of labour markets
B) colonization of labour services
C) mobilization of ethnic labourers
D) separation of the labour pool

Question 77

What is a maquiladora?

A) It is an environmental indicator of ozone depletion.
B) It is an expansionary monetary theory.
C) It is a factory in an export processing zone.
D) It is a term used by the World Bank to discuss agricultural policy.

Question 78

Hasan loves bananas, but his mother is a globally conscious consumer and does not like to buy them. She tells Hasan that he should eat more apples because they can be bought from a farm down the road. She says that purchasing a banana wastes one of the following items-which one?

A) food kilometres
B) global food stores
C) fossil fuels
D) calories

Question 79

How many slaves are estimated to exist in today's global economy?

A)2.7 million
B) 18 million
C) 27 million
D) 80 million

Question 80

When Victor calls for technical support with his computer, he speaks to someone in India. He gets angry about this situation because his brother is a computer wizard, but can't find work here in Canada. What is the market phenomenon that has created this situation?

A) global demand
B) customer care
C) global-local service
D) outsourcing