1. A Level Exam Technique Sessions: Regenerating Places
Measure the value or success of something and ultimately provide a balanced and substantiated judgement/conclusion. Review information and bring it together in the form of a conclusion drawing on evidence.
We could split up reasons into environmental, political, or economic.
Evaluate the reasons why some places are ‘economically successful’, while others are not (20 marks)
In your conclusions you could explain which reasons are the most significant in making a place ‘economically successful’.
We need to use case studies of economically successful places and economically unsuccessful places. (Sydney OR San Francisco OR London – Successful, and Detroit OR Beattyville – Unsuccessful).

2. Why are some places economically successful?
Are places economically successful by chance?
What factors contribute to a place being economically successful?
Are there any models that we can explain when talking about the success of places? – Cumulative causation model
Economic, environmental and political reasons …
Economic reasons ….
This regions cities has a large proportion of high-income jobs in the ‘knowledge economy’
Sydney’s economy is like that of other world cities with strengths in the quaternary sector. Its Gross Regional Product (like GDP, but calculated regionally) was US $337 billion in 2013 – Australia’s largest.
With overseas-owned banks and TNCs, it’s the leading financial centre for the Asia-Pacific region.
Sydney has a young economically active workforce, with a median age of 36 (compared to the UK’s 41).
Environmental reasons ….
Sydney attracts business partly because of its beaches, harbour environment and climate.
It’s time zone also allows business trading in the USA and Europe – essential for investment banks.
Political reasons ….
Australia’s national governments have embraced globalisation by deregulating banking and finance (allowing any overseas bank to operate there). Similar success story could be seen with the success of banking in central London following Margaret Thatcher's deregulation of the banking sector, allowing more competition.
Focusing the country’s inward migration policy on well-qualified professionals.
You could also use San Francisco Bay as a case study here of a successful place, or talk about regeneration in London for the 2012 Olympics, and the successful impact this had on East London.

3. Why are others not? What causes other places to go into decline?
Which case study have we looked at for an unsuccessful place?
Are there any models we can use when talking about the decline of a place? – Negative multiplier effect
Economic, environmental and political reasons …
Economic
Decline of the rust belt. This refers to the decline in metal manufacturing. It was once the biggest heavy industrial region, however it’s decline has been continuous since the 1950s, leading to deindustrialisation.
Decline of the rust belt – competition from overseas that produce cheaper steel (e.g. China). Lower wage costs in SE USA have led to the relocation of steel and car industries. 80,000 jobs lost in car manufacturing in Michigan from
Leads to negative multiplier effect.
Other social reasons for decline – lack of skills means people have not been able to adapt to new types of work (47% of adults in Detroit are illiterate).
Environmental reasons …
Decline in the quality of the urban environment as heavy manufacturing industries moved out, the area went into decline, with disused factories, and abandoned buildings. This became derelict.
As a result of the declining environmental quality people moved out (‘White flight’ and the movement of middle class out of the city into the suburbs – leads to a donut effect with the rich suburbs around a collapsed inner city).
Political reasons …
Poor planning – city planners in the 1940s and 50s encouraged black and white people to live in separate areas.
You could also use Beattyville, Kentucky as an example of rural decline (decline of coal industry), or even Cornwall in the UK (decline of tin mining – reliance on tourism – seasonal – rural deprivation, e.g. Redruth).