In week 2 you were introduced to the influence of geography

Question

Tame or Fear the Tiger?

In Week 2, you were introduced to the influence of geography on an industrial revolution and its impact on culture, economy, and global positioning on the respective country or realm. In this week's Discussion, you are exploring a new type of revolution in today's global economy and the geographical elements that facilitate this type of new economical and industrial movement. In your reading this week, there are four areas in the Pacific Rim that are identified as economic tigers. These areas have succeeded by strategically using their geographical location, economical resources, and human capital to grow quickly despite their small size and political difficulties. In this Application, you will evaluate these tigers and ultimately answer the question of whether these economic tigers pose a threat to the global economy.

To prepare for this Application:

• Review your Application Assignment from Week 2, and the Discussion from this week.

• Review pages (Hong Kong), (Taiwan), (Thailand), (Singapore) regarding East Asia's economic tigers in the course text, The World Today.

• Consider the geographical, economical, and human elements that have propelled these areas to economic tiger status.

• Reflect on what defines an economic tiger.

  The assignment:

• Compose a 2-page essay in which you answer the following:

  • Define the concept of "economic tiger."

  • Choose one economic tiger and evaluate how it used geographical, economical, and human factors to its advantage. Find at least three elements of the economic tiger you chose that compare to the elements of the European Industrial Revolution, and the current revolution occurring in India.

  • In your opinion, should economic tigers be feared or tamed? Why?

  • If you chose "feared," how does this impact other global economies and powers? If you chose '"tamed," how should other global powers tame them?