Question 1 Report
A workshop assembling solar-panel chargers replaces one general worker with three specialist workers. The firm believes that specialisation will alter production and its costs.
(a) Explain one way specialisation can increase the firm's output. [2]
(b) Explain one possible benefit of higher output for the firm's average costs. [2]
(c) State one risk to production if a specialist worker is absent. [2]
(a) Specialisation means each worker concentrates on a narrower task. Repeating that task allows a worker to gain skill [1], so the work can be completed faster or with fewer errors [1]. Output therefore increases.
(b) If output rises, the firm's fixed costs can be spread across more units [1]. Since average cost is total cost divided by output, this reduces average cost [1].
(c) A risk is that the particular stage performed by an absent specialist stops [1]. This can delay the whole production process or reduce output [1]. Specialisation can improve efficiency, but it can also make production dependent on particular workers.
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