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Economies of Scale |
Description of Economies of Scale. Explanation. |
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Definition Economies of Scale. Description.
Economies of Scale refers to the reduction in per unit costs which arises from the ability to perform activities differently and/or more efficiently at larger production volume. It is one of the Ten Cost Drivers of Porter that determine the cost position of a firm, as is Capacity Utilization.
The initial investment in capital is diffused through an increase in production. The marginal cost of producing a good or service decreases when additional units of production are added. Economies of scale may be achieved in a number of areas. A larger firm may be able to buy in bulk (Purchasing Economies of Scale), it may be able to organize production more efficiently (Production Economies of Scale), it may be able to raise capital cheaper and more efficiently (Financial Economies of Scale), it may be able to spread the costs of uncertainty more efficiently (Risk-bearing Economies of Scale), it may be able to spread the costs of advertising and promotion more efficiently (Marketing Economies of Scale). it may be able to spread transportation costs more efficiently (see Factory Gate Pricing).
Note that bigger is not always better. Larger firms can be more difficult to manage, due to their complexity. This may cause diseconomies of scale, especially when the external environment of firms is complex or changes quickly. But compare: Organizational Absorption.
Do not confuse economies of scale with Capacity Utilization, which spreads the fixed costs of existing facilities and workforce over a larger volume. Forum Comment on this PageCompare also: Competitive Advantage | Sustainable Competitive Advantage | Value Chain | Synergy | Working Capital | Globalization | Glocalization |
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End of description Economies of Scale. An explanation. |
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