IB Geography Revision

Global Interactions (HL)

Power, places and networks, human development and diversity, and global risks.

Global Interactions (HL) is a core part of IB Geography. Revise the key concepts and common mistakes below, then lock them in with the free games.

Key concepts

Transnational corporation (TNC)Firm operating in multiple countries through foreign direct investment and global supply chains.
Global production network (GPN)Geographically distributed system of value creation incorporating firms, suppliers and institutions.
Foreign direct investment (FDI)Cross-border investment giving lasting control or influence over an enterprise.
OutsourcingContracting out parts of production to independent suppliers.
OffshoringRelocating production processes to another country, often within the same corporation.
GlocalisationAdaptation of global products to local tastes and regulations, e.g. McDonald's menu variation.
Cultural diffusionSpread of cultural elements (language, food, religion) from one society to another.
HybridityMixing of cultural influences producing new forms, e.g. Tex-Mex cuisine, Afrobeats.
HegemonyDominance, often economic and cultural, of one group or country over others (Gramsci).
Soft powerJoseph Nye's concept of influence through attraction rather than coercion.
Gender Inequality Index (GII)UNDP composite of reproductive health, empowerment and labour participation.
Hybridised identityIdentity composed of multiple cultural references, often associated with migration and diaspora.
GlobalisationProcess of intensifying economic, social, political and cultural integration across borders.
KOF Globalisation IndexComposite index from KOF Swiss Economic Institute measuring economic, social and political dimensions.

Common mistakes to avoid

Questions where students often pick the tempting wrong answer — make sure you know the right one:

Which way do rivers flow?✗ Always from north to south.   ✓ Downhill from source to mouth, in any compass direction.
Why do waves deposit material to build beaches?✗ Beaches grow because the sea creates new sand from water.   ✓ When waves lose energy they drop the sediment they carry.

Practise Global Interactions (HL) — free games

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