AMSCO AP Human Geography - Unit 7.2: Economic Sectors and Patterns (copy)

primary sector

extracting natural resources from the earth. Examples include mining, farming, fishing, and forestry

secondary sector

making products from natural resources. Examples include manufacturing and building

tertiary sector

providing information and services to people. Examples include retail sales, medicine, and housekeeping

quaternary sector

managing and processing information. Examples include financial analysis, software development, and data sciences

quinary sector

creating information and making high-level decisions. Examples include research and top managers in corporations or government (Trumps’ tariffs?)

multiplier effect

the potential for a job to create more jobs. For instance, if a factory opens up, it brings in workers. Those workers make money, and spend it on necessities like clothes or food, leading to the opening of clothing markets or food stores.

least cost theory

an explanation by Alfred Weber about what key decisions businesses made about where to locate factories to minimize transportation costs (importing and exporting), labor costs (wages), and while maximizing agglomeration economies

agglomeration economies

the spatial grouping of several businesses to share costs, such as an access road to a public highway or development of a workforce with special skills

locational triangle

a model which shows Weber’s least cost theory. The three points of the model are the market for the good and two resources needed to make the good

bulk-reducing industries

a type of industry where raw materials lose weight during processing. Also known as a weight-losing, raw material-oriented, or raw material-dependent industry. These industries are usually located near the resource points

bulk-gaining industries

a type of industry where the good gains weight by processing. Also known as weight-gaining, market-oriented, or market-dependent industries, and they are usually located near the market point

labor-oriented industry / labor-dependent industry

an industry which is highly dependent on a workforce and therefore will be located near a source of specifically skilled workers (Pittsburgh?)

break of bulk

the procedure of transferring cargo from one mode of transportation to another

containerization

the system in which goods are loaded into a standardized shipping unit

intermodal

containers are able to be carried via plane, train, truck, or ship

footloose

a business which can “pack up and leave” for a new location quickly and easily

front offices

the expensive upper floors of a skyscraper for top executives. Usually designed to impress clients

back offices

an area where the rest of the employees of a business work; less expensive office space

core countries

countries which are highly industrialized and wealthy; highly developed. Includes the United States and Japan

semiperiphery countries

a mix of core and periphery countries. Countries are in the process of developing industries but less wealthy than core countries. Examples are China and Mexico

periphery countries

the least developed countries. More reliant on producing raw material (primary sector) than on industry. Includes Ethiopia and Bangladesh