Assignment Instructions

The question is: Where do our things come from? Just anywhere, or is there a pattern? Do our personal possessions have an identifiable geography? This assignment helps us find out.

Most of the things you own have a sticker, tag, label, or engraving of where it was made. We are going to take an inventory of some of your personal items in your dorm room, apartment, or home that fall into the following categories:

A. Clothing: Shirts, Pants, Shoes, Jackets, Other (Specify)
B. Electronics: Computer, Microwave, CD Player, Other (Specify)
C. Household Goods: Furniture, Glassware, Bowls, Lamps, Cleaners, Other (Specify)
D. Personal Items: Shampoo, Soap, Toilet Paper, Towels, Razors, and Other (Specify)

Enter these items, as in the example below, into Table I (use the spreadsheet file on the course website) that has been prepared for you to automatically calculate the % of US GDP for you. You must complete the entire table.

NOTE: You will be able to open this spread sheet on any campus computer and save it to your own drive or disc BEFORE beginning to enter data -- if you have any uncertainties, contact me.)

You must fill in the rows of the entire table -- while still in EXCEL -- for it to work correctly and make the proper calculations for you. Once you enter the GDP/Capita the spreadsheet is designed to calculate the rest.

If you don't have enough items, then check out a friend's stuff, but you must fill in every entry for the calculations to work.

Using a World Regions Map, identify which region your country lies within and record that in the "Region" column of your dataset. World maps of many varieties can be found online.

To find the Gross Domestic Product per Capita (PPP) for each country, use the list found at: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2004rank.html

The Gross Domestic Product (PPP) is a measure of wealth, similar to, but not quite the same as, a measure of average income. The PPP stands for purchasing power parity which attempts to equalize the purchasing power of each country to a common standard. This measure takes into account cost of living. For example, a dollar can purchase a lot more in Bangladesh than it can in the United States.

Compare the average wealth of a person in the country where your personal item was made with the average American's wealth. Divide the manufacturing country's GDP/capita by U.S. GDP/capita ($54,600 in 2014).The table is set up to calculate the figures in the % of US GDP column for you.

Next, complete Table II (found on the same spreadsheet as Table I) to show which world region your items come from. For each category of items, put the number of items that come from each world region. The table is set up to calculate the figures in the Total column for you.

Finally, using the data found in Tables I & II answer the following questions -- your answers should be typed and be a minimum of three pages.

Using Table #1 - Country Patterns

1. When looking at just the countries is there a recognizable pattern of where your stuff is being made? Is there a pattern across all categories and/or within each category? Describe and explain.

2. Think about how much each item cost (cheap, moderate, and expensive) in relation to where it was produced, is there a pattern (i.e. Does expensive clothing come from one group of countries while cheaper clothing comes from another)? Describe and explain why.

3. Using the % US GDP and thinking about the cost of the items, is there a pattern whereby the cheaper items come from countries with lower percentages? Describe and explain why.

Using Table #2 - Regional Patterns

1. When looking at the regions of where your stuff was made are there broad patterns? Is there a relationship between any categories or items and the regions from which they come? Describe and explain why.

2. Thinking about the cost of the item and the region from where it came, is there a pattern between cost and distance (cheaper items, closer distance)? Describe and explain.

Overall

1. Finally, after describing the country and regional patterns, discuss what you believe are the main reasons that these patterns exist. This goes beyond just cheap labor. Think about what needs to exist in order to be able to take advantage of cheap labor. Discuss and describe in detail.

2. When thinking about the patterns you have identified, do you think that these patterns will continue long term? Are there any things that can happen globally that would change these patterns? For example, what could happen to change manufacturing from being focused in China to another location? Describe and explain why.