This document discusses time-space compression caused by advances in transportation and communication technology. It defines time-space compression as heightened connectivity that changes perceptions of time, distance, and barriers to movement. Faster travel leads to places feeling closer together than before. Technological changes are driven by both social and economic forces, including the never-ending search for new markets and profits by corporations, and military development of technologies like jets, satellites, and GPS. Global data flow patterns and trends are also changing as a result of these technological innovations.

1. Our ‘shrinking world’ and the forces
driving technological innovation
•Changing global data flow patterns &
trends
•Transport development over time
•Patterns & trends in communication
infrastructure & use

3. Other contributing factors

4. What is meant by the term time space
compression?

5. Time Space Compression
• Heightened connectivity changes our
conception of time, distance and potential
barriers to the migration of people, goods,
money and information.
• As travel times fall due to new inventions, that
leads to a difference in ‘space-time’, and the
places begin to feel closer together than in the
past.

6. How long does it take to
travel from London to
elsewhere? The map,
showing a set of expanding
circles centered on the
British capital, each bigger
one delineating two extra
hours of travel time.
The familiar shape of the
world is morphed into
grotesque, contorted
shapes as these
isotemporal lines replace
the usual lines of longitude
and latitude for frame of
reference.

7. Cost of a minute telephone call from
the USA
Globalisation
processes are
facilitated by
technological
changes, but are
driven by more
fundamental forces.

8. Crucial for the continued exercise of
economic power
• Fast trains and broadband connections are an
outcome of the never-ending search for new
markets and profits by TNCs.
• The military have also driven the development
of new technology – jet engine science was
refined during the 2WW. Communication
satellites and GIS/GPS advances are due to the
Cold War. The origin of computing lies in
wartime research and development.

9. Two views of why technological
changes occur
Technology
Communication and transport tech have
been improving for 1000s of years; many
breakthrough have been made by
inventors who are interested in science
simply for its own sake – not just to
serve society.
Society
Capitalist economies always seek to
increase profits, by using transport
and communications to build new
global markets – military & social
needs ( friendships & education)
constantly drive innovation
Social need – only when specific human needs
arise that are not met by current technology
Technological progress – occurs for independent
reasons – new inventions that trigger social and
economic change in turn

10. Global data flow patterns & trends

11. The forces behind this technological
revolution are varied

12. Different types of data flows &
changing patterns