6. Secondary activities

 NCERT Questions:

1. Choose the right answer from the four alternatives given below:

(i) Which one of the following statements is wrong?

a) Cheap water transport has facilitated the jute mill industry along the Hugli.

b) Sugar, cotton textiles and vegetable oil are footloose industries.

c) The development of hydroelectricity and petroleum reduced to a great extent, the importance of coal energy as a locational factor for industry.

d) Port towns in India have attracted industries.

Ans. b) Sugar, cotton textiles and vegetable oils are footloose industries.

(ii) In which one of the following types of economy are the factors of production owned individually?

a) Capitalist

b) Mixed

c) Socialist

d) None

Ans. a) Capitalist

(iii) Which one of the following type of industries produces raw materials for other industries?

a) Cottage industries

b) Small scale industries

c) Basic industries

d) Footloose industries

Ans. c) Basic industries

(iv) Which one of the following pairs is correctly matched?

a) Automobile Industry —— Los Angeles

b) Shipbuilding industry —– Lusaka

c) Aircraft Industry ———– Florence

d) Iron and steel industry — Pittsburgh

Ans. d) Iron and steel industry — Pittsburgh

2. Write a short note on the following in about 30 words:

(i) High tech industry:

Ans. This is the latest generation of manufacturing industries. It merges the application of intensive research and development into the manufacturing of products of an advanced scientific and engineering character. Professional (white collar) workers make up large share of the total workforce and outnumber the actual (blue collar) workers.

(ii) Manufacturing:

Ans. Manufacturing adds value to natural resources by transforming raw materials into finished goods of higher value for sale in local or distant markets. It involves a full array of production, from handicrafts to moulding iron and steel and stamping out plastic toys to assembling delicate computer components or space vehicles.

(iii) Footloose industry:

Ans. Footloose industries can be located in a wide variety of places they are not dependent on any specific raw materials, weight losing or otherwise. They largely depend on component parts, which can be obtained anywhere.

3. Answer the following in not more than 150 words:

(i) Differentiate between primary and secondary activities.

Ans.

(ii) Discuss the major trends of modern industrial activities, especially in the developed countries of the world.

Ans. Major Concentration of modern manufacturing has flourished in a few numbers of places. These cover less than 10% of the world’s land area. These nations have become the centres of economic and political power. However, in terms of the total area covered manufacturing sites are much less conspicuous and concentrated on much smaller area than that of agriculture due to greater intensity of processes.

For example, 0.5 square kilometre of the American Corn Belt usually includes about 4 large farms employing about 10 to 20 workers supporting 50 to 100. Persons but this same area could contain several large integrated factories and employee thousands of workers.

Following are the characteristics of the modern industries in the modern world:

Mechanization: Mechanization refers to using gadgets which accomplish task automation without aid of human thinking during the manufacturing process is the advanced stage of mechanization.

Technological innovation: Technological innovations through research and development strategy are an important aspect of human manufacturing for quality control, eliminating waste and inefficiency, and combating pollution.

Organizational structure and stratification:

Modern manufacturing is characterised by:

a) A complex machine technology, extreme specialization and division of labour for producing more goods with less effort and low cost

b) Vast capital

c) Large organisations

d) Executive bureaucracy

Development of high-tech industries and technologies: High Technology, or simply hi-tech, is the latest generation of manufacturing activities. It is best understood as the application of intensive research and development (R&D). Efforts leading to the manufacture of products of an advanced scientific and engineering character. Robotics on the assembly line, computer aided design (CAD) and manufacturing, electric controls of smelting and refining processes, and the constant development of new chemical and pharmaceutical products are notable examples of a hi-tech industry.

Hi-tech industries which are regionally concentrated, self-sustained and highly specialised are called Technopolies. The Silicon Valley near San Francisco and Silicon Forest near Seattle are example of Technopolies.

Offshoring: Most of the industries in the developed countries are seeking and establishing their back office operations in 3rd world countries where the workforce is available in abundance at cheaper rate. The government, in the industries where they set up their operations, is also eager to accommodate with them with relaxed policies so as to generate employment.

Agglomeration Economies: The present times also happened to be a high for agglomeration economies and industrial hubs. Related industries localise themselves close to each other in order to maximise profits and reduce expenses.

(iii) Explain why high tech industries in many countries are being attracted to the peripheral areas of major metropolitan centres.

Ans. High technology or simply hi-tech, is the latest generation of manufacturing activities. Professional workers mark for a large number of the total workforce. These professional skilled workers are located in urban areas and due to high rank in the central areas of the cities; these industries are situate in the periphery of metropolitan centers.

The Industry is also situated in the periphery because of the low rent and also because of the closeness to the urban centres which provide them with availability of the workers. Neatly spaced low, modem dispersed. Office-plant-lab buildings rather than massive assembly structures, factories and storage areas marked the high tech industrial landscape.

This requires large areas for passive setup which due to increased population in the major metropolitan cities is not available. Hence, these industries are set up near the urban centres where adequate space is available. Also, the situation near urban places helps them to gain access to the urban market and also to tap the skilled workforce that is available there in due to availability of educational institutes.

For example – Gurgaon in Haryana which has grown into one of the greatest high tech hub near Delhi.

(iv) Africa has immense natural resources, and yet it is industrially the most backward continent. Comment.

Ans. Although Africa has natural resources in abundance in terms of its land resources, its forest and water resources, its mineral and energy resources, the most important component to transfer these into usable form, the human resource is not well developed. Thus, all the characteristics that mark an industrially developed nation are lacking. The following considerations would make it adequately clear why Africa remains industrially backward:

a) Specialization of skills/Methods of production: African industries still use primitive methods of production, which makes it its yield low. Lack of adequate training and opportunities forces most of the African state to have low skilled human capital and most of the workforce remains to be unskilled.

b) Mechanization and technological innovation: Low level of mechanization leads to a cut in the production level and as the industries in Africa are generally not connected with the other competing industries in the world, sharing of technology does not take place in a greater scale and therefore innovation which is important for the progress of industries does not take place.

c) Organisational structure and stratification: A high level of organization and an efficient division of labour is essential for the thriving of giant enterprises. They lack in the alleged continent.

d) Transportation facilities: Development of modern industries requires well developed transport linkage so that agglomeration economies can be created. Also it is necessity for development of trading network both at national as well as international level. Africa lacks development of adequate network of highways, railways and airway linkage.

e) Access to market and raw material: For basic industries, it is important that the raw materials are easily accessible to the factories of production and the finished goods should find easy access to the markets. This, however, lacks because of the lack of good transport network, effective communication facilities and international markets.

f) Access to labour supply: Although Africa is quite populous and blue collar workers are available at plenty. Skilled labour is in a shortage which makes industries suffer further on managerial and technological trends.

g) Government policies: The political turmoil that goes on in most of the African nations, a long term and healthy government policies towards the progress of Industries is absent. Thus, making it a push factor for foreign multinationals to invest in the whispered areas. This in turn acts as a repelling factor for the formation of agglomeration economies, vital for the sharing of technological innovation between different industries.

Question Bank:

Very short answer type questions:

1. What is the advanced stage of mechanization?

Ans. Automation is the advanced stage of mechanisation.

2. Which is a vital factor for the industry to be located closer to the raw materials.

Ans. Perishability is a vital factor affecting location of industry close to raw materials.

3. Which sector of economy accounted for the highest percentage of India’s total value of export in 2022 – 23?

Ans. Electronics sector accounted for the highest percentage of India’s total value of export in 2022 – 23.

4. What is manufacturing?

Ans. Manufacturing is a process which involves transforming raw materials into finished goods of higher value for sale in local or distant markets.

5. What is the criteria for classifying industry based on size?

Ans. The amount of capital invested, number of workers employed and volume of production determine the size of industry.

6. Give examples of cottage industry.

Ans. Basket weaving, matchsticks making, pottery, figurine, containers, leather goods,  jewellery, artifacts from bamboo, wood etc. are examples of cottage industry.

7. Give examples of large scale industry.

Ans. Iron and steel industry, shipbuilding, automobile are some of the examples of large scale industries.

8. What are Technopolis?

Ans. Hi tech industries which are regionally concentrated, self sustained and highly specialised are called technopolis. The Silicon Valley near San Francisco and Silicon Forest near Seattle are examples of Technopolis.

9. Define secondary activity.

Ans. Secondary activities involve transform of the raw material primary products into finished goods of higher value. They are converted with manufacturing processes and construction (infrastructure industries).

10. What is Agribusiness?

Ans. Agri business is commercial farming on an industrial scale, often financed by business whose main interest lie outside agriculture.

Eg. –  large corporations in tea plantation business

11. What is the importance of secondary activities in the world?

Ans. The importance of secondary activities in the world is that it adds value to natural resources by transforming raw materials into valuable products.

12. Which is the leading steel producing region of Germany?

Ans. The Ruhr region, which is responsible for 80% of Germany’s total steel production, is the leading steel producing region of Germany.

13. What is a household industry?

Ans. It is the smallest manufacturing unit. The craftsman used local raw materials and simple tools to produce goods in their homes for local market. Family members or part time labourers sometimes help.

14. How has the new Ruhr landscape emerged?

Ans. Ruhr is based less on the products of coal and steel for which it was initially famous and more on the new industries like the Opel car assembly plant, new chemical plants, universities, out of town shopping centres have appeared resulting in a new Ruhr landscape.

15. Mention any two major problems of Ruhr industrial region.

Ans.

a) Change in the industrial structure.

b) Problem of industrial waste and pollution.

16. Explain any two features of footloose industries.

Ans. Features of footloose industries are:

a) It depends on any specific raw material, weight losing or otherwise.

b) It largely depends on component parts, which can be obtained anywhere.

17. ‘Agri business firms are mechanised and large in size’. Examine the statement.

Ans. Agri business firms are large states or commercial in nature therefore they are mechanised and use scientific methods of cultivation. Tea estates, coffee estates and cocoa estate are the examples of agri business firms.

18. Which region is called Rust Bowl and why?

Ans. Pittsburgh is called Rust Bowl because earlier there were many iron and steel plants, but now they have shifted to other places.

19. What is the importance of Ruhr region of Germany?

Ans. It has been a major industrial region of Europe for a long time. With time, the demand for coal has declined as petrol, diesel, CNG, solar energy have replaced coal and therefore coal industry is shrinking. But as iron and steel form the basis of industrial growth, the Ruhr region is responsible for 80% of Germany’s steel production.

20. What are mini steel plants?

Ans. Mini steel plants are less expensive to build and operate and can be located near markets because of the abundance of scrap metal, which is the main input. Traditionally, most of the steel was produced at large integrated plants, but mini steel plants are limited to just one step process steel making and are gaining ground.

21. How are technological innovations an important aspect of modern manufacturing industries? Explain any three aspects in this regard.

Ans. Technological innovations through research and development strategy are an important aspect of modern manufacturing:

a) It is essential to control quality

b) Technological innovations require for eliminating waste and inefficiency.

c) In the modern days, it is highly essential for combating pollution.

Short answer type questions:

1. What are footloose industries?

Ans. Footloose industries can be located in a wide variety of places, they are not dependent on any specific raw material weight, losing or otherwise. They largely depend on component parts, which can be obtained anywhere. They produce in a small quantity and also employ a small labour force. These are generally not polluting industries. The important factor in their location is accessibility by road networks.

2. Discuss sub sectors of cotton textile industry.

Ans. Cotton Textile Industry has three sub sectors. i.e., handloom, powerloom and mill sector.

Handloom sector is labour intensive and provides employment to semi skilled workers. It requires small capital investment. This sector involves spinning, weaving and finishing of the fabrics.

Powerloom sector introduces machines and becomes less labour intensive and the volume of production increases.

Cotton Textile Mill sector is highly capital intensive and produces fine clothes in bulk.

3. What is an industry? Classify industry based on output.

Ans. An industry is a geographically located manufacturing unit maintaining books of accounts and records under management system. As the term industry is comprehensive, it is also used  synonymous with manufacturing. When one uses terms like ‘steel industry’ or ‘chemical industry’, one thinks of factories and processes.

Based on output, there are two types of industries:

Basic Industries: The industries whose products are used to make other goods by using them as raw materials are basic industries. Eg – Iron and steel industry for making machineries for textile industries to make clothes.

Consumer goods industries: The consumer goods industries produce goods which are consumed by consumers directly. Eg – industries producing tea, soaps, bread, biscuits, toiletries, paper for writing, television etc. are consumer goods or non basic industries.

4. Classify industry based on ownership.

Ans. Based on ownership, industries are classified as:

Public sector: Industries are owned and managed by government. In India, there were number of public sector undertakings (PSU). Socialist countries have many state owned industries. Mixed economies have both public and private sector enterprises.

Joint sector industries: are managed by joint stock companies or sometimes the private and public sectors together establish and manage the industries

5. What are the characteristics of traditional large scale industrial region?

Ans. Traditional large scale industrial regions are based on heavy industries, often located near coal fields and engaged in metals melting, heavy engineering, chemical manufacturing or textile production. These industries are now known as smokestack industries. Traditional industrial regions can be recognised by:

a) High proportion of employment in manufacturing industry.

b) High density housing, often of inferior type and poor services.

c) Unattractive environment, for example pollution, waste, heaps and so on.

d) Problems of unemployment, immigration and derelict land areas caused by closure of factories because of a worldwide fall in demand.

6. Classify industries of the world on the basis of ownership into three groups. State the main feature of each group.

Ans. On the basis of ownership, industries can be grouped into.

a) Public sector industries

b) Private sector industries

c) Joint sector industries

Main features of each group are:

Public sector industries are owned and managed by governments. In India, there are number of public sector undertakings, (PSU)

Private sector industries are owned by individual investors. These are managed by private organizations.

Joint sector industries are managed by joint stock companies, or sometimes the private and public sectors together establish and manage the industries.

7. How do secondary activities add value to natural resources? Explain with examples.

Ans. Secondary activities add values to natural resources by transforming raw materials into valuable products. For eg –

a) Cotton in the ball has limited use, but after it is transformed into yarn becomes more valuable and can be used for making clothes and garments.

b) Iron ore can be used directly from the mines, but after being converted into steel, it gets its value and can be used for making many valuable machines, tools, etc.

c) Most of the materials from the farm, forest, mine are processed into various valuable items.

8. Give the meaning of hi-tech industry. State some characteristics of this industry

Ans. High technology is the latest generation of manufacturing activities. It is best understood as the application of intensive research and development efforts leading to the manufacturing of products of an advanced scientific and engineering character.

Characteristics of high tech industries are:

a) They are nearly spaced, low, modern, dispersed office-plant-lab buildings rather than massive assembly structures.

b) Robotics on the assembly line computer aided design and manufacturing electronic controls of smelting and refining processes.

Long answer type questions:

1. Discuss the major trends of modern industrial activities, especially in the developed countries of the world.

Ans.

a) Traditional large scale industries were based on heavy industry, often located near coal field and engaged in metal smelting, heavy engineering, chemical manufacturing or textile production.

b) These industries are now known as smoke stack industries. With modernisation, there have been changes in industrial sector which have led to the decay of some areas and there are problems of industrial waste and pollution.

c) The future prosperity of these traditional areas has shifted from their traditional activities to high technology or simply hi-tech which is the latest generation of manufacturing activities.

d) It is best understood as the application of intensive research and development. (R&D). Efforts leading to the manufacturing of products of an advanced scientific and engineering character.

e) Robotics on the assembly line, computer aided design (CAD) and manufacturing, electronic controls of smelting and refining processes, and the constant development of new chemical and pharmaceutical products are notable examples of a hi-tech industries. Neatly spaced, dispersed, office-plant-lab buildings rather than massive assembly structure factories and storage areas mark the hi-tech industrial landscape.

f) The Silicon Valley near San Francisco and Silicon Forest near Seattle are examples of technopolis. The traditional industrial regions have shifted their focus from traditional large scale industries to assembly plant, footloose industries, new chemical plants, universities, out of town shopping centres etc.

2. Give a brief account on the following:

a) Iron and steel industry

b) Cotton textile industry

Ans.

a) The iron and steel industry

i) It forms the base of all other industries and therefore it is called basic industry.

ii) It is basic because it provides raw material for other industries, such as machine tools used for further production.

iii) It may also be called a heavy industry because it uses large quantities of bulky raw materials and its products are also heavy.

iv) Iron is extracted from iron ore by smelting in a blast furnace with carbon coke and limestone.

v) The molten iron is cooled and moulded to form pig iron, which is used for converting into steel by adding strengthening materials like magnesium.

vi) The large integrated steel industry is traditionally located close to the source of raw materials. Many steel mills, access to markets is more important than inputs.

vii) Iron ore, coal, manganese and limestone, or at places where these could be easily brought. Eg- near ports.

Distribution:

i) This industry is one of the most complex and capital intensive industries and is concentrated in the advanced countries of North America, Europe and Asia.

ii) In USA, most of the production comes from the North Appalachian region (Pittsburgh), Great Lake Region. The industry has also moved towards the southern state of Alabama. Pittsburgh area is now losing ground. It has now become the Rust Bowl of USA.

iii) In Europe, UK, Germany, France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherland and Russia are the leading producers.

iv) In Asia, the important centres include Nagasaki and Tokyo, Yokohama in Japan, Shanghai Tienstin and Wuhan in China.

v) Jamshedpur, Kulti, Burnpur, Durgapur, Rourkela, Bhilai, Bokaro, Salem, Visakhapatnam and Bhadravati centres in India.

1. b) Cotton textile industry:

i) Cotton textile industry has three subsectors i.e., handloom, powerloom and mill sectors.

ii) Handloom sector is labour intensive and provides employment to semi skilled workers. It requires a small capital investment. This sector involves spinning, weaving and finishing of the fabrics.

iii) The powerloom sector introduces machines and becomes less labour intensive and the volume of production increases.

iv) Cotton textile mill sector is highly capital intensive and produces fine clothes in bulk.

v) Cotton textile manufacturing requires good quality cotton as raw material. India, China, USA, Pakistan, Uzbekistan. Egypt produce more than half of the world’s raw cotton.

vi) The UK, NW European countries and Japan also produce cotton textile made from imported yarn. Europe alone accounts for nearly half of the world’s cotton imports.

vii) The Industry has to face very stiff competition with synthetic fibers, hence it has now shown a declining trend in many countries.

viii) With the scientific advancement and technological improvements, the structures of industries change. For example, Germany recorded constant growth in cotton textile industries since Second World War till the 70s, but now it has declined. It has shifted to less developed countries where labour costs are low.

3. Define manufacturing. List the characteristics of modern large scale manufacturing.

Ans.

a) Manufacturing literally means to make by hand.

b) However, now it includes goods made by machines.

c) It is essentially a process which involves transforming raw materials into finished goods of higher value for sale in local or distant markets.

Modern large scale manufacturing has the following characteristics.

i) Specialization of skills/ Methods of Production: Under the craft method, factories produce only a few pieces which are made to order, so the costs are high. On the other hand, mass production involves production of large quantities of standardized parts by each worker performing only one task repeatedly.

ii) Mechanization: Mechanization refers to using gadgets which accomplish tasks. Automation without aid of human thinking during the manufacturing processes is the advanced stage of mechanization.

iii) Technological innovation: Technological innovations through research and development strategy are an important aspect of modern manufacturing for quality control, eliminating waste and inefficiency, and combating pollution.

Organizational structure and stratification:

Modern manufacturing is characterised by:

a) A complex machine technology.

b) Extreme specialization and division of labour for producing more goods with less effort and low costs

c) Vast capital

d) Large organizations

e) Executive bureaucracy

4. Describe the factors that affect the location of industries.

Ans.

Major concentrations of modern manufacturing have flourished in a few number of places. These cover less than 10% of the world’s land area. These nations have become the centres of economic and political power. Industries maximise profits by reducing costs. Therefore, industries should be located at points where the production cost is minimum. Some of the factors influencing industrial locations are:

Access to market: The existence of a market for manufactured goods is the most important factor in the location of industries. Market that have demand for these goods and the purchasing power. Remote areas inhabited by a few people offer small markets. The developed regions of Europe, North America, Japan and Australia provide large global markets as the purchasing power for the people is very high. The densely populated regions of South and South East Asia also provide large markets.

Access to raw material: Raw materials used by industries should be cheap and easy to transport. Industries based on cheap, bulky and weight losing materials ores are located close to the source of raw materials such as steel, sugar and cement industries. Perishability is a vital factor for the industry to be located closer to the source of the raw material. Agro processing and dairy products are processed close to the source of farm produced or milk supply, respectively.

Access to labour supply: Labour supply is an important factor in the location of industries. Some types of manufacturing still require skilled labour. Increasing mechanization, automation and flexibility of industrial processes have reduced the dependence of industry upon the labours.

Access to source of energy: Industries which use more power are located close to the source of the energy supply, such as the aluminium industry. Earlier, coal was the main source of energy. Today, hydroelectricity and petroleum are also important sources of energy for many industries.

Access to transportation and communication: Speedy and efficient transport facilities to carry raw materials to the factory and to move finished goods to the market are essential for the development of industries. The cost of transport plays an important role in the location of industrial units. Communication is also an important need for industries for the exchange and management of information.

Government policy: Governments adopt regional policies to promote balanced economic development and hence set up industries in particular areas.

Access to agglomeration economies/ Link between industries: Many industries benefit from nearness to a leader industry and other industries. These benefits are termed as agglomeration economies.

These factors operate together to determine industrial location.

5. Classify industry based on inputs.

Ans. On the basis of raw materials used, the industries are classified as.

a) Agro based

b) Mineral based

c) Chemical based

d) Forest based

e) Animal based

a) Agro based industries: Agro processing involves the processing of raw materials from the field and the farm into finished products for rural and urban markets. Major agro processing industries are food processing, sugar, pickles, fruit juice, beverages, tea, coffee, cocoa, spices and oil fats, textiles, cotton, jute, silk, rubber etc. Food and agro processing includes scanning, producing cream, fruit processing and confectionery. While some preserving techniques such as drying, fermenting and pickling have been known since ancient times, these had limited applications to cater to the pre industrial revolution demands.

b) Mineral based industries: These industries use minerals as a raw material. Some industries use ferrous metallic minerals which contain ferrous iron, such as iron and steel industries. But some use non ferrous metallic minerals such as aluminium, copper and jewellery. Many industries use non metallic minerals such as cement, clay for pottery.

c) Chemical based industries: Such industries use natural chemical minerals, eg – Mineral oil, petroleum is used in petrochemical industry. Salts, sulfur and potash industries also use natural minerals. Chemical industries are also based on raw materials obtained from wood and coal. Synthetic fibre, plastic etc. are other examples of chemical based industries.

d) Forest based raw material using industries: The forest provide many major and minor products which are used as raw materials. Timber for furniture industry, wood, bamboo and grass for paper industry lac for lac industry comes from forest.

e) Animal based industries: Leather for leather industry and wool for woolen textiles are obtained from animals. Besides, ivory is also obtained from elephant’s tusk.

6. Give the characteristics of high tech industries.

Ans. High technology, or simply hi-tech, is the latest generation of manufacturing activities. It is best understood as the application of intensive research and development (R&D) efforts leading to the manufacturing of products of an advanced scientific and engineering character.  Professional (white collar) workers make up a large share of the total workforce. These highly skilled specialist greatly outnumber the actual production (blue collar) workers.

Robotics on the assembly line, computer aided design (CAD) and manufacturing, electronic controls, of smelting and refining processes, and the constant development of new chemical and pharmaceutical products are notable examples of a hi-tech industry. Neatly spaced, low, modern dispersed office-plant-lab buildings, rather than massive assembly structures, factories and storage areas mark the hi-tech industrial landscape. Planned business parks for hi-tech startups have become part of regional and local development schemes.

Hi-tech industries which are regionally concentrated, self sustained and highly specialised are called technopolis. The Silicon Valley near San Francisco and Silicon Forest near Seattle are examples of technopolis. Bangalore is an example of Silicon Valley of India.

7. Distinguish between cottage industries and small scale industries.

Ans.

8. Distinguish between small scale and large scale manufacturing industry.

Ans.

9. Differentiate between basic industry and consumer goods industry.

Ans.

10. Differentiate between private sector industry and public sector industry.

Ans.

11. Differentiate between white collar worker and blue collar worker.

Ans.

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