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Firms and production

By the end of this chapter you should be able to: 在本章结束时,学生应能够:

  • describe what determines the demand for factors of production 描述决定生产要素需求的因素
  • explain the advantages and disadvantages of labour-intensive and capital-intensive production 解释劳动密集型和资本密集型生产的优点和缺点
  • distinguish between and explain the influences on production and productivity 区分并解释影响生产和生产率的因素

20 – Firms and production

Demand for factors of production is derived, meaning it depends on the demand for goods and services they help produce. 生产要素的需求是派生的,这意味着它取决于它们帮助生产的商品和服务的需求。 Example: Economics lecturers hired based on demand for economics courses. 例子:经济学讲师的招聘取决于经济学课程的需求。 Macro scale: Country's factor demand linked to overall demand for goods and services. 宏观层面:一个国家的生产要素需求与其商品和服务的总体需求相关。 Factors affecting demand: Cost, availability, and quality of land, labor, and capital. 影响需求的因素:土地、劳动力和资本的成本、可用性和质量。

The four factors of production are: 生产的四个要素是: Land — natural resources used in the production process, 土地 — 用于生产过程的自然资源,如原材料、鱼类和实际的土地。 Labour — the physical and mental human input into the production process. 劳动力 — 在生产过程中投入的体力和脑力劳动。这包括劳动力的技能水平、素质和资格,而不仅仅是工人的数量。 Capital — manufactured goods used to produce other goods and to provide services, such as tools, machinery, vehicles, computers, factories and roads. 资本 — 用于生产其他商品和提供服务的制造品,如工具、机械、车辆、电脑、工厂和道路。 Enterprise — risk takers who provide the ideas and know-how to organise the other three factors of production in the pursuit of profit. 企业家精神 — 承担风险的人,他们提供想法和专业知识,组织其他三种生产要素以追求利润。

20 – The demand for factors of production

Cost of Factors of Production: 生产要素的成本: Higher costs of land, labor, and capital lead to lower demand. 土地、劳动力和资本成本越高,需求越低。 High labor costs relative to capital costs may result in automation replacing workers. 与资本成本相比,劳动力成本过高可能导致自动化取代工人。 Quantity/Availability of Factors: 生产要素的数量/可用性: Greater availability of land, labor, and capital reduces costs and increases demand. 土地、劳动力和资本的供应越充足,成本越低,需求越高。 Example: India and China's large workforce boosts labor demand for multinational companies. 例子:印度和中国的大量劳动力促进了跨国公司对劳动力的需求。 Productivity of Factors: 生产要素的生产率: Better-quality resources command higher prices due to increased productivity. 更高质量的资源因其生产率提高而能获得更高的价格。 Example: Surgeons, pilots, and barristers are in high demand for their specialized skills. 例子:外科医生、飞行员和律师因其专业技能而需求量大。 Countries like China, India, Vietnam, and Thailand have quality land for specific agricultural purposes. 中国、印度、越南和泰国等国家拥有适合特定农业用途的优质土地。.

20 – The demand for factors of production also depends on their cost, availability and quality. 生产要素的需求还取决于它们的成本、可获得性和质量。

Production of goods and services involves the four factors of production: land, labor, capital, and enterprise. 商品和服务的生产涉及四个生产要素:土地、劳动力、资本和企业家才能。 In schools, capital resources and labor are needed more than land. 在学校中,资本资源和劳动力比土地更为需要。 Higher productivity is crucial for economic growth and competitiveness. 更高的生产率对经济增长和竞争力至关重要。 Factors influencing productivity growth include investment, innovation, skills, entrepreneurial spirit, and competition. 影响生产率增长的因素包括投资、创新、技能、企业家精神和竞争。

  • Architectural firms require qualified architects, skilled technicians, computers, software, office space, and enterprise, making the process labor intensive. 建筑公司需要合格的建筑师、熟练的技术人员、电脑、软件、办公空间和企业家才能,使得这一过程成为劳动密集型。
  • Labor-intensive industries have higher labor costs compared to other factors of production. 劳动密集型行业的劳动力成本相较于其他生产要素更高。
  • Labor-intensive production is suitable for customized products and services. 劳动密集型生产适合定制化产品和服务。
  • Labor-intensive production is more flexible to meet changing demand levels. 劳动密集型生产在应对变化的需求水平时更具灵活性
  • Soft drink production like Coca-Cola and Sprite is capital intensive due to the significant use of machinery. 可口可乐和雪碧等软饮料的生产因大量使用机械而属资本密集型。
  • Capital-intensive industries rely more on capital costs than any other factor. 资本密集型行业更多依赖资本成本,而非其他要素。
  • Capital-intensive production enables mass production and lower unit costs. 资本密集型生产能够实现大规模生产并降低单位成本。
  • Capital-intensive production can involve high setup, running, and replacement costs. 资本密集型生产可能涉及高昂的建造、运行和更换成本。

20 – Labour-intensive and capital-intensive production

Initially, capital-intensive production has high costs. 最初,资本密集型生产成本较高。 Over time, there are significant cost savings due to technological economies of scale. 随着时间的推移,得益于技术规模经济,成本大幅降低。 Firms shift towards capital-intensive production to boost output and productivity through mass production. 企业转向资本密集型生产,以通过大规模生产提高产量和生产率。 This transition leads to lower unit costs of production. 这一转变导致生产的单位成本降低。 Industrializing countries like India and China tend to adopt more capital-intensive production methods. 印度和中国等工业化国家倾向于采用更多的资本密集型生产方式

20 – Reasons for using capital-intensive production. 20 – 使用资本密集型生产的原因

Reasons for using labour-intensive production: 使用劳动密集型生产的原因:

  • Suitable for highly customized products 适合高度定制的产品
  • Allows for personalized services and higher prices 提供个性化服务并允许更高的价格
  • High quality due to skilled workers 由于技术工人的存在,质量较高
  • Flexibility to meet changing demand 灵活应对不断变化的需求
Challenges of labour-intensive production: 劳动密集型生产的挑战:
  • Higher costs due to skilled labor 由于需要技术工人,成本较高
  • Increased prices for customers 对客户的价格上涨

Cost of labour compared to cost of capial 劳动力成本与资本成本的比较

  • Size of the market 市场规模
  • Firm's objectivesc企业目标

Reasons for using capital-intensive production: 使用资本密集型生产的原因:

  • Enables mass production techniques 能够实现大规模生产技术
  • Low unit costs of production 生产的单位成本低
  • Reduces human error with machinery 使用机械减少人为错误
Drawbacks of capital-intensive production: 资本密集型生产的缺点:
  • High set-up, running, and replacement costs 高昂的建造、运行和更换成本
  • Vulnerability to breakdowns in assembly lines 装配线容易出现故障

20 – Factors influencing the choice between capital- and labour-intensive production methods: 影响选择资本密集型与劳动密集型生产方式的因素:

Importance of Higher Productivity:

  • Economies of scale: Higher output reduces unit costs, leading to lower prices for consumers. 规模经济: 更高的产出降低单位成本,从而为消费者带来更低的价格。
  • Higher profits: Productivity gains contribute to increased profits for firms. 更高的利润: 生产率的提升有助于企业利润的增加。
  • Higher wages: Productive firms can afford to pay higher wages, attracting top talent. 更高的工资: 高生产率的企业能够支付更高的工资,吸引顶尖人才。
  • Improved competitiveness: Productive firms can compete effectively on a global scale. 提高竞争力: 高生产率的企业能够在全球范围内有效竞争。
  • Economic growth: Productivity boosts an economy's capacity, leading to higher standards of living. 经济增长: 生产率提升了经济的产能,进而提高生活水平

Production vs. Productivity:

  • Production: Total output of goods and services in the production process. 生产: 生产过程中商品和服务的总产出。
  • Production refers to the total output of goods and services. 生产指的是商品和服务的总产出。
  • Productivity: Measure of efficiency, e.g., output per worker or output per machine hour. 生产率: 衡量效率的指标,例如每个工人的产出或每台机器每小时的产出。
  • Productivity measures efficiency in using factor inputs. 生产率衡量的是要素投入的使用效率。
  • Increasing production can be achieved by using more inputs or enhancing the productivity of existing factors. 通过增加投入或提高现有要素的生产率,可以实现生产的增加

20 – productivity versus production