Section 1 - Business Activity Flashcards
Want
A good or service which people like to have, but which is not essential for living
Need
A good or service essential for living
Scarcity
When there exists more wants than resources to produce the goods or services to satisfy the wants.
Factors of production
Resources needed to produce goods or services. Land (natural resources), labour (people), capital (finance, equipment), enterprise (entrepreneur).
Opportunity cost
The next best alternative given up by choosing another item
Specialisation
Occurs when people and businesses concentrate on what they are best at.
Division of labour
When the production process is split up into different tasks and each worker performs one of these tasks. It is a form of specialisation.
+increased efficiency +eliminate waste of time -unmotivated employees -all workers must be present
Business
Combines factors of production to make goods or services which satisfy people’s wants
Added value
The difference between the selling price of a product and the cost of bought in materials and components
Primary sector
The primary sector of industry extracts and uses the natural resources of the earth to produce raw materials used by other businesses.
Secondary sector
The secondary sector of industry manufactures goods using the raw materials provided by the primary sector
Tertiary sector
The tertiary sector of industry provides services to consumers and the other sectors of industry
De-industrialisation
Occurs when there is a decline in the importance of the secondary, manufacturing sector of industry
Private sector
Businesses not owned by the government
Public sector
Government- or state-owned and controlled businesses and organisations
Mixed economy
A mixed economy has both a private sector and a public (state) sector
Capital
Money invested into the business by the owners
Privatisation
When a public sector business is sold by the government to a private sector business
Entrepreneur
A person who organises, operates and take the risk for a new business venture.
Advantages of being an entrpreneur
Independence, ability to utilise personal skills, fame and success, chance of higher income, ability to carry out ideas
Disadvantages of being an entrepreneur
Risk, capital, lack of knowledge, opportunity cost
Why do governments support business start-ups?
Reduce unemployment, increase competition, increase output, benefit society, the small businesses may grow into big ones!
Business plan
A document containing the business objectives and important details about the operations, finance and owners of the new business.
Capital employed
The total value of capital used in the business