Glob+-+changes+in+services

Advances in transport, communications and increased links underpin changes in manufacturing and services, enabling thme to become a worldwide affair. There has been a decline in the costs of air and sea transport and this is due to the advances made in communications due to the increase in the number of satellites. As well as satellites, submairne cables have been built allowing global communication between different parts of the same TNCs.


 * __Submarine cables__**

The development of submaire cables has been important in allowing global operations for both manufacturing and service industry. One particularly important submarine cable system is the SEA-ME-WE cable linking South-east Asia, the Middle East and Western Euorop, which was developed during the 1980s. Further developments have followed with SEA-ME-WE3 extending the original area and linking Western Europe to the Far East and Australia. This is 39,000km in length and improvements in cable quality ensure increased capacity and quality of reception, especially over long distances. SEA-ME-WE4 was developed by 16 telecommunications companies spread across Europe, the Middle East and South-East Asia. This is 18,800km in length and offers high-speed transmission between linked countries designed to meet demand in countries with growing economies.

Interesting weblinks on the practical uses of submarine cables and how the worldis being connected to each other: []



Below is a video which shows the main features of Motorsport Valley. Important features:
 * __Localised__ __industrial zones with global connections: Motorpsort Valley, UKmedia type="youtube" key="zwl6p1Ypitk?hl=en" height="344" width="425" align="right"__**
 * internet is important as it allows factories and headquarters to have rapid clear communication across the globe
 * close to major motorways and airports to allow for the easy transport of goods and people in and out
 * close to major areas of population to ensure a large market and workforce
 * close to universities for research and development and skilled graduates to work for the companies


 * __Call centres: why have called centres moved abroad?__**

The setting up of call centres is big business and a total of 400,000 people are employed in the UK, often in small towns such as Harrogate, Carlisle, Gateshead and Warrington. Banks and other finance companies such as insurance were among the first to develop centralised call centres and the first to look aborad. Household names such as ASDA, Tesco, BA, Barclays, Lloyds, TSB, HSBC and Virgin Media have all set up call centres in India. It is the big cities that house these, such as Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad and Bangalore. Other important destinations for call centres abroad are South Africa and the Phillippines.


 * Advantages of having a call centre in a poor country for a TNCmedia type="custom" key="9130738" align="right"**
 * 10% of India speak English fluently (about 100 million people)
 * 80% of the people living in urban areas are literate (can read and write) and 18% of these are graduates
 * Operating costs are between 10 and 60% lower than in the UK
 * Salaries are lower e.g. £1,200 per year in contrast to £12,000 per year in the UK
 * Low staff turnover, working nine-hour shifts at time to fit in with orgin-country of company
 * development of ICT allows fast and clear communication