Perth, City Analysis

The 'Gateway to the Highlands'

According to the Central Place Theory, Perth would be considered a relatively large town in Scotland located on the banks of the River Tay. Classically, Perth has been a city. In the late 1990s, the definition of a city was re-examined by Her Majesty's Government and on the official list of the cities in Scotland, Perth was omitted. On March 12, 2012, Perth's city status was reinstated, making it Scotland's seventh city.

As of 2010, the population was estimated to be 45, 770. Near Perth is Dundee, a relatively large city (not a regional city) with a population of 144, 170. Also, near Perth is Glenrothes, a town with a population of 38, 940.

Perth has a small airport, Perth Airport, located at New Scone. This airport offers pilot training and private aircrafts, which would not be available in a smaller place. This airport does not offer commercial  flights out, which would be offered in a larger city or Regional city such as Glasgow.

Vehicle Market Executive Summary

Scotland's economy is booming and is only expected to grow. Scotland has a relatively high GDP for a low population density. Based on statistical analysis of preferred modes of transportation and currently availability to vehicles, the potential to sell any type of vehicle in Scotland is very low. The average Scottish person can afford a four-door sedan, but the number of newly registered vehicles has decreased by 3.1% since 2001. Also, Scotland is currently home to many well-established scooter and car dealerships and businesses that offer limousine services.

Despite the ease of shipping and transporting cars to Scotland, the potential to sell scooters, sedans or limousines is very low because of pre-existing automotive businesses and current economic trends. In September 2014, this could change if Scotland becomes independent. If Scotland were to become independent, their economy would grow rapidly.

Scotland News Article #4

Independence

On September 18, 2014, the Scottish Government plans to hold an independence referendum. This event takes place over a year from now, but it is on everyone's mind. There are many concerns about whether or not Scotland can survive independently from the United Kingdom. Scotland's prospective economic standing after independence is a major concern. The Scottish government recently published a paper entitled "Scotland's Economy: The case for Independence"that is an economic case for independence. The paper attempted to prove that Scotland can not only afford to be an independent country, but also has a greater potential for success. 

Everyone's standards differ. The paper says "By international standards Scotland is a wealthy and productive country. There is no doubt that Scotland has the potential to be a successful independent nation." That is based on "international standards," not the Scottish standard. A vast majority of the Scottish population might not believe that Scotland is wealthy or that independence will strength the economy. If Scotland were to become independent, they would be faced with the decision of whether or not to keep the same UK standards or develop a few of their own.

Independence is not a new idea for the Scottish. Today, the fight for independence is due to the desire for economic growth. A resolution could be voting yes for independence. A decision needs to be made before policies and resolutions can be determined.

"The Box: How the Shipping Container Made the World Smaller and the World Economy Bigger" by Marc Levinson

A selection that I found most interesting was when Levinson explained the amount of planning that goes on before the containers are placed on the ship. I figured that technology would play a crucial role is making the process of switching the cargo from land to ship, but I did not consider all of the programming done in advance. Every move made was "choreographed by a computer." I can understand now how computers have helped to make the process efficient and almost instantaneous. I also found it interesting that the most expense part of the process of transporting goods is shifting the cargo from land to ship. The total port cost accounts for approximately 50% of the total expense for transportation.

"The container is at the core of a highly automated system for moving goods from anywhere, to anywhere, with a minimum of cost and complication."

The author sees the development of the shipping container as a major contributor to globalization. The use of containers reduced the cost of shipping and made the process of transportation more efficient. The containers allowed countries to buy products from other countries at a moderate price. The distance ca be great, but the containers allows for products to be refrigerated. Overall, the containers allowed for a safer and more organized way of transporting good.

The transformation of global transportation has many positive and negative effects. The consumers gain a wide variety of products at lower prices. The business that can afford to have products made in other countries gain a larger profit margin. The local business that cannot afford to have products made at lower costs lose business. The consumers who are workers have to deal with competition and risk losing their jobs to laborers willing to work for less. Overall, this transformation of global transportation has allowed many to prosper, but it has also put some individuals livelihood at risk.

Scotland News Article #3

Independence!

Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. On September 18, 2014, the Scottish Government plans to hold an independence referendum. There are many concerns, but the biggest is related to the currency. There are three options proposed, including retaining Pound Sterling, switching to the Euro or adopting a separate Scottish Currency. Scotland is in the "Sterling Zone," so retaining the Pound Sterling would be the best option because it offers flexibility. Independence will allow the Scottish to have more control over their revenues. 

This relates to a few topics discussed in class, but the most relevant is the discussion on GDP. It is believed that Scotland will be better able to prosper independently. Most of the Scottish are looking to have full control of their revenues, which would build a stronger economy. "Scotland's finances are consistently stronger than the UK's,"and they have had a lower fiscal deficit for the past five years. Economically, Scotland is in a great place to become independent. If the Scottish are successful, they could have up to 1.5 trillion pounds just from oil and gas reserves.

The issue of independence has been around for a very long time. The cause of the fight for independence varies from person to person, but overall it could be due to the desire for economic growth. The majority of the parliament, needs to vote yes, in order for this to be passed. A resolution needs to be decided among the Scottish, since it is their independence being fought for. 

Scotland's Transportation

Scotland has a well-developed transport system, that is control by the Scottish Parliament (policy), Scottish Government’s enterprise (network), Transport and Lifelong learning Department (network) and Transport Scotland (Executive Agency).

Water Transportation

Scotland is made up of several hundred islands, so water transportation is crucial for Scotland’s economy and people. Transportation such as ferries is especially crucial for those living in remote communities. Scotland has ports in the North Atlantic Ocean and in the North Sea. The port of Edinburgh, also known as the port of Leith, is Scotland’s largest port. It is also the original harbor, which dates back to the 14^th century.

Despite the successful ports, Scotland never had an extensive canal network. A few were opened, but declined due to the growth of railways. Forth and Clyde Canal, Union Canal and the Caledonian Canal are being reopened for leisure use.

Scotland has an extensive list of ports and harbors located all through the country (they are a part of the UK, not quite independent, yet). They have so many ports, that the Ports of Scotland publishes an annual yearbook, which is a comprehensive reference book.

Land transportation

                  Scotland’s railway infrastructure is shared between passenger and freight services. Network Rail owns the railway network. Services are provided under franchises awarded by the government. The current holder of the Scottish franchise is First ScotRail. Transport Scotland is an agency that oversees the regulation of railways in Scotland. Only 29% of the rail network in Scotland is electrified and many trains are being run on diesel. Scotland currently has no trams systems; there is a proposal for an Edinburgh Tram Network, which is planned to enter operation in 2014. Glasgow also plans for a light rail network. Glasgow is the only city with an underground system.

                  Scotland’s economy is dependent on cost effective and efficient movement of freight. The freight industry plays a significant role in the transportation of fresh food and other commodities. The Executive and Transport Scotland developed Freight Scotland, a web portal that provides specific information on the relevance of the freight industry in Scotland.

                  Scotland’s extensive railway network uses cross country links and connections to England. The local commuter links to the major cities, Glasgow, Dundee, Aberdeen and Edinburgh. There are many cross border services offered in Scotland.

Scotland has an extensive road network through the country. The motorway network is concentrated in the Central Belt, also known as the Midlands. The main routes are M8, M74, M9, M90/A90 road, M80, M77/A77 road, A1 road, A9 road, and A82 road. Beware, the traffic in Glasgow.

Air transportation

                  Scotland does not have a national airline. The Highlands and Islands Airports limited operate ten small airports, which are primarily used for short distances and public service.

Scotland has four international airports operating to Europe, North America, Asia, England and Wales.

• Edinburgh Airport – busiest, serves many European business destinations
• Glasgow International Airport – operates a lot of European charter flights and international flights to the United States, Canada and Dubai.
• Aberdeen Airport – operates many domestic and international flights. They offer many chartered services.
• Glasgow Prestwick International Airport – serves as the “Scottish hub of low cost airline.”