A relatively high proportion of people from the Philippines either work in call centres or abroad. Call centres employ 1.2 million people in the Philippines and account for 8% of the country's Gross Domestic Product. Due to the time difference with the US, the main market for call centre services, many Filipinos have to work at night. The call centres are introducing new technology including robots.

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (Oct/Nov 2018). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

1. [1] The (total) output/income/expenditure
2. [1] of a country/economy
3. [1] A person may lack the skills to gain another job
4. [1] have no choice
5. [1] There may be a high unemployment rate
6. [1] a person will be grateful for any job
7. [1] Night work may fit in with family circumstances
8. [1] a person may have to look after children / older relatives during the day
9. [1] The job may be well paid
10. [1] compensating for the inconvenience
11. [1] The job may offer fringe benefits
12. [1] example e.g. longer holidays
13. [1] A person may enjoy their job
14. [1] example
15. [1] A person may need to earn additional income
16. [1] to supplement income from day job / to support their family
17. [1] The workers may send income home
18. [1] helping to support dependents / raise living standards of dependents
19. [1] saving on some government benefits having to be paid
20. [1] They may gain skills abroad
21. [1] if they return they will increase the productivity of the labour force
22. [1] may raise output / cause economic growth
23. [1] reduce firms costs of production
24. [1] The money they sent back will be an inflow of foreign currency / remittance / primary income
25. [1] improving the current account position on the balance of payments
26. [1] May reduce unemployment
27. [1] if the workers' skills are not in demand at home
28. Up to 5 marks for why they might:
29. [1] Advances in technology will raise the quality / productivity of capital / labour
30. [1] it will increase the output that can be made / cause economic growth / increase GDP
31. [1] may raise income
32. [1] Advances in technology can lower costs of production
33. [1] reduce cost-push inflation
34. [1] make domestic products more internationally competitive
35. [1] improve the current account position of the balance of payments
36. [1] May raise the quality of products produced
37. [1] raise living standards
38. [1] make domestic products more quality competitive
39. [1] improve the position of the current account of the balance of payments
40. [1] May attract MNCs
41. [1] Provide employment for certain classes of worker
42. [1] e.g. skilled
43. Up to 5 marks for why they might not:
44. [1] Advances in technology may result in capital equipment that can replace labour
45. [1] result in unemployment
46. [1] If workers do not have sufficient skills
47. [1] they may not be able to get the most out of more advanced equipment
48. [1] New capital equipment may worsen working conditions
49. [1] e.g. workers may get eye strain by looking at a screen for long periods of time
50. [1] May be an opportunity cost (in the short run)
51. [1] as more resources may have to be devoted to capital goods / R&D
52. [1] New capital equipment may be expensive
53. [1] increase firm' costs
54. [1] may be an opportunity cost if provided by the government