Factors of Production Flashcards
What are natural resources
Material sources of wealth that occur in a natural state and have economic value
What are the 4 characteristics of natural resources
Scarce
Have a price
Uneven distribution
Can have value added
What does it mean when we say natural resources are scarce
They are scarce in relation to people’s demands and the quality needed in the production process. There are not enough natural resources to satisfy everyone’s wants and needs
What do we mean when we say natural resources have a price
For people to use natural resources they have to pay for them
The remuneration is rent
The rent is determined by the quality and quantity of the resources
What do we mean when we say natural resources are unevenly distributed
Natural resources are not spread equally across all countries
The surplus of resources in one country and a shortage in another leads to international trade
Countries earn an income for exports and have to pay for imports
What does it mean when we say natural resources can have value added to them
Most natural resources are not useful in their natural form
They need to be changed or transformed to make them useful for human consumption
What is the importance of natural resources (2)
To serve as inputs for the production of goods and services
To provide opportunities for international trade
What do we mean when we say natural resources serve as inputs for the production of goods and services
No production is possible with the resources that come from nature
What do we mean when we say natural resources provide opportunities for international trade
When a country has a surplus of a particular natural resource, they can export it
Countries who lack a particular resource can import it
What are the two sectors of natural resources that are economically significant
Agriculture, forestry and fisheries
Mining
How are agriculture, forestry and fisheries economically significant
Important part of SA’s economy
Provide in all of SA’s needs
Offers employment opportunities to between 6 and 10 million people
How is Mining economically significant
SA has a large variety of mineral resources of high quality and substantial quantities
Through mining, thousands are employed and SA earns millions
What is the definition of labour
Labour includes all the work done by people, whether skilled or unskilled and whether physical or mental.
What are the 3 classifications of labour
Skilled
Semi-skilled
Unskilled
What is skilled labour
All people that have passed Grade 12 and have at least 2 years of training at a tertiary institution. Economists call them the professional class
Shortage in South Africa
What is semi-skilled labour
All people who have passed at least Grade 9 and have undergone a few months of in-service training
What is unskilled labour (4)
People who have only finished primary school or have not been to school at all
Contribution to production process is mainly physical
Receive a wage at the end of the day or week - No guarantee of work continuing for longer than the day or week
South Africa has a surplus
What are the 4 characteristics of labour
Income as a goal
Is part of its owner
Not storable
Supply cannot suddenly increase
What do we mean when we say income is a goal of labour
When people work they goal is usually to earn money and secure an income
Need money to buy goods and services to satisfy their needs and wants
What do we mean when we say labour is part of its owner
Labour cannot be separated from its owner
The labour and the person doing the labour is one and the same
What do we mean when we say labour is not storable
Labour cannot be stored or kept
If a worker is unemployed for 3 years, they have lost 3 years of providing labour
What do we mean when we say supply of labour cannot suddenly increase
Labour force is made up of people between the ages of 15 and 64
It often takes a long time for people to enter the labour market due to training times etc
What is the economic significance of labour (5)
Production cannot take place without labour
An economy needs to increase its production in order to grow
It needs a suitable labour force in order to grow
The labour force needs to have the right number of skilled and semi-skilled labour available
Shortage of technically skilled labour is a big problem in South Africa