Firms and production - Returns to scale

4 important questions on Firms and production - Returns to scale

What is the concept of "returns to scale" in economics?

  • Measures changes in production as business scale changes.
  • Focuses on how much output changes due to input changes.
  • Related to whether outputs increase, decrease, or remain constant with proportional input increases.

What are increasing returns to scale (IRS) in economic theory?

  • Occur when all inputs are increased by a factor, and output increases by more than that factor.
  • Doubling inputs leads to more than double output.
  • Exists if \( f(2L, 2K) > 2f(L, K) \).
  • Enhanced by greater specialization and productivity in larger plants compared to smaller ones.

Explain Constant Returns to Scale (CRS) and its properties.

  • If all inputs are increased by X%, output increases by X%.
  • Doubling inputs results in doubling outputs.
  • Production function: \( q = f(L, K) \).
  • Property: \( f(2L, 2K) = 2f(L, K) \).
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What defines decreasing returns to scale (DRS) in economic terms?

  • Occur when all inputs are increased by a factor, and output increases by less than that factor.
  • Doubling inputs results in less than double output.
  • Exists if \( f(2L, 2K) < 2f(L, K) \).
  • Caused by difficulties in organizing larger firms as size grows.

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