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Analyze, with the Aid of a Diagram, Whether There Is Link Between Diminishing Returns and Economies of Scale.

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Analyze, with the aid of a diagram, whether there is link between diminishing returns and economies of scale. (12)

Variable factor is an input whose quantity can be changed in the time period consideration. Fixed factor is a production input factor that cannot change quantities during a certain time period. Short run is where at least one factor is fixed, usually capital. Long run is where all factors are variable

Marginal product (MP) is the extra output from hiring an additional unit of the variable factor. The MP increase first then decrease. Imagine the variable factor is labour. If the extra worker makes more units than the employees were making on average before he or she joined, the average output per worker will rise, e.g. …show more content…

Variable cost (VC) is costs varying with output, e.g. wage costs will increase if more labour are hired to produce more units. Average variable cost (AVC) is the variable costs divided by the quantity of output produced. AVC is ‘U’ shaped, cause AVC falls when the factor is more productive and rises when the factor is less productive.

Fixed costs (FC) is costs which do not change with output, e.g. the rent of a building is not related to output. Average fixed cost (AFC) is the fixed costs divided by the quantity of output produced. AFC falls as more units are made, rapidly at first and then more slowly, cause fixed costs spread over more and more units.

Average cost (AC) is the summation of the average fixed cost and the average variable cost. The AC initial determined mainly by the AFC, i.e. decrease rapidly, as more units are produced, the AFC declines and so the AC is increasingly made up of the AVC.

If the MC>AC, then average cost will rise; if MC<AC, then average cost will fall. This means that the MC crosses the AC at its minimum point, it is the most productive efficient point. Therefore, a firm should produce at where MC=AC in order to minimize costs.

However, if a firm producing at MC>AC and the firm doesn’t want to cut back labour, it should operate into long run by increasing fixed factors. Assume the initial AC curve for firm is AC1, when the firm expand its fixed factors, the AC moves on to a new

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