2.4 resource management Flashcards
What is production?
Transformation of resources into finished goods and services
What are the methods of production?
Job
Batch
Flow
Cell
What affects the methods of production used by a business?
- Level of output
- Nature of the product
- Whether the product is standardised or customised
- Level of automation
What is job production? And advantages and disadvantages?
Manufacturers produce one product at a time
(+ve)
- high quality
- skilled workers
- customised products
(-ve)
- slow production
- high labour costs
What is flow production? advantages and disadvantages?
Continuous manufacturing of standardised products on a production line
+VE
Low unit costs due to economies of scale
Rapid production
Usually highly automated (capital intensive)
-VE
Customisation is difficult
Capital equipment can be expensive to purchase
What is batch production? Advantages and disadvantages?
Groups of the same product are produced as a batch
+ve
workers can specialie
production takes place when previous batch runs out
-ve
requires careful coordination to avoid shortages
money tied up in stock
completed products need to be stored
What is productivity?
the output per input (person or machine) per hour
What is labour productivity?
Output per worker during a specified period of time
What is capital productivity?
Measure of output of capital employed during a specified time period
What factors influence productivity?
Employee motivation
Skills, education and training
Business organisation and working practices
Investment in capital equipment
What is the link between productivity and competitivenes?
Increase levels of productivity are more likely to be competitive
What is efficiency?
Ability of a business to use production resources as cost effectively as possible
What is efficiency measured in?
Average cost per unit
When is the most efficient level of production achieved?
- Economies of scale maximised
- Total costs spread across optimum level of output
- Diseconomies of scale minimised
What factors influence efficiency?
Standardisation of production process
Relocation or downsizing
Investment in capital equipment
Organisation restructuring
Outsourcing