Question

Difficulty: EasyScales of Production and Economies of Scale

Match each firm growth scenario on the left with its corresponding category of economy or diseconomy of scale on the right.

  • A commercial poultry farm purchasing feed in bulk at discounted prices per unit.Commercial internal economy of scale
  • An expanding factory experiencing communication bottlenecks and administrative delays due to excessive management layers.Managerial internal diseconomy of scale
  • A cluster of leather tanneries benefiting from a newly built government effluent treatment facility serving the industrial area.External economy of scale

Answer

Bulk purchasing of feed at discounted prices matches Commercial internal economy of scale; communication bottlenecks from administrative expansion match Managerial internal diseconomy of scale; shared industrial facilities benefiting local tanneries match External economy of scale.
Bulk purchasing is an internal commercial cost advantage gained directly by an individual firm expanding its purchases. Communication breakdowns due to excessive administrative layers represent internal managerial inefficiencies (diseconomies). Shared regional infrastructure benefits all firms within the industry location, defining an external economy of scale.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the first scenario regarding bulk purchasing.
Discounts gained by buying in large quantities reduce unit purchasing costs for the individual firm, identifying it as a commercial internal economy of scale.
The cost advantage arises from bulk buying within the individual firm.
2
Analyze the second scenario regarding administrative delays and communication issues.
Inefficiency caused by too many hierarchical layers increases average unit cost, identifying it as a managerial internal diseconomy of scale.
Administrative friction occurs internally due to over-expansion.
3
Analyze the third scenario regarding a shared effluent treatment facility.
A facility provided for the entire industrial location lowers costs for all local tanneries, identifying it as an external economy of scale.
The benefit originates outside the individual firm from general industry development.

Key Concept

Distinguishing between internal commercial economies, managerial diseconomies, and external economies of scale
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