THEORY OF PRODUCTION

  THEORY   OF   PRODUCTION

In economics, the theory of production is an essential concept that helps us understand how firms transform inputs into outputs. It is an important part of microeconomics that examines the relationship between the factors of production and the output produced.

The factors of production are the resources that are used in the production process. These include land, labor, capital, and entrepreneurship. Land refers to the natural resources such as oil, water, and forests. Labor implies the physical and mental effort put in by the workers. Capital refers to the tools, equipment, and machinery used in production. Lastly, entrepreneurship refers to the ability of an individual to organize the other three factors of production and take on the risk of producing a good or service.

The production process involves combining these factors of production in different proportions to produce goods and services. The relationship between the inputs and the output produced is known as the production function. The production function shows how much output can be produced with different combinations of inputs.

Q=F(L,N,K,…….)

Where L,K and N are amounts of land , capital , and  labour  respectively. Q is the amount of output.

In this context,  the Law of diminishing marginal returns assumes a paramount importance. The law states that as more units of a variable input, such as labor, are added to a fixed amount of other inputs, such as capital, the additional output produced by each additional unit of the variable input will eventually diminish. In other words, at some point, adding more units of the variable input will not lead to a proportional increase in output. This leads to the 3 stages of production. The best point of production is Stage II . In the stages I &II

by diminishing TP ; AP decreases but remains positive and MP is negative.

Stage 1 is also called Stage of Increasing Returns which is characterized by increasing AP throughout with MP increasing initially   but falling later.TP increases at an increasing rate and then decreases.

Stage 2 is also called Stage of Diminishing Returns which is characterized by both AP and   MP decreasing while TP increases at a diminishing rate. This is the actual stage of operation.

Stage 3 is also called Stage of negative Returns which is characterized

Another important concept is economies of scale. This refers to the cost advantages that firms can achieve by increasing their level of production. Economies of scale can be achieved through a variety of means, including increased specialization, larger production runs, and improved technology.

Return to Scale – Quantity of all factor inputs is changed.  Operates in the long run. Factor proportion remains the same.

Returns to Factor – Quantity of only one factor is changed .Operates in short run. Facto proportion changes.

Finally, the theory of production also includes the concept of the production possibility frontier (PPF). The PPF shows the maximum amount of output that can be produced given a set of inputs and technology. It illustrates the trade-off between producing one good versus another and the opportunity cost of producing one good over another.

In conclusion, the theory of production is an important concept in economics that helps us understand how firms transform inputs into outputs. By examining the relationship between the factors of production and the output produced, we can gain insights into the production process and the factors that influence it. Understanding the concepts of the law of diminishing marginal returns, economies of scale, and the production possibility frontier can help firms optimize their production processes and achieve greater efficiency and profitability. It provides a base for the firm’s demand for factors of production which together with their corresponding supply determine the prices of the factors.

Dr. Pallawi Ambreesh Kumar

HOD, Department of Business Administration

pallawi.bba@patnawomenscollege.in