Factors That Determine the Size of Business
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At one point we may want to determine the size of business. This helps in knowing whether it’s growing or not. Also you ascertain the size of your business in order to plan its various aspects and requirements such as manpower, raw materials, machinery etc. Once you know the size of your firm, then you’re able to determine if it’s efficiency or not efficiency. A business can be small, medium or large size.
Every business is striving towards attaining the optimum size. What is an optimum size of a business? The optimum size is when the firm has reached its maximum efficiency. At this stage the average cost per unit of the firm is at its lowest. It is at this point that the size of the firm should not be changed i.e. increased or lowered. Usually, any business starts as a small entity and then during its operating period, it expands till it reaches the optimum size.
There are two main things that will make the firm to either attain the optimum size or not to attain it. The two things are:
1.) The kind of decision the management makes.
2.) Competition.
Eight Factors that Determine the Size of Business
There are a number of factors that you can consider in measuring the size of a business. The following are some of the factors:
1.) Total Assets
The total assets of any business determine its size. The value of all assets (current and fixed) are used in measuring the size of a firm. By comparing the total value of assets between two firms that are in the same industry doesn’t always reveal the size.
2.) Power Used
The amount of power used can be used to determine the size of business. Don’t rely on this factor as it is inaccurate because the amount of power used by any business may be more or less due to many factors such as installment of power reduction equipments.
3.) Capital Investment Factor
The amount of capital invested by shareholders in form of share capital, reserves and surpluses (net worth) determines the size of business. You can use the amount of share capital invested to compare two businesses or more that are producing similar or differentiated products.
4.) Volume of the Output
This factor is applied on those firms that are producing homogeneous goods. It shouldn’t be used in case firms are producing variety of products.
5.) Value of Output
This is another factor that determines the size of a firm; however this method is only effective in case where firms are producing variety of products and where price levels remain constant.
6.) Capacity of Plant
It is used by firms that produce similar products.
7.) Number of Employees
The number of employees employed by any business can be used to determine its size. This is done by comparing the wages paid to employees with other businesses. This factor is used where firms produce similar goods. If you use it in comparing firms that are producing differentiated products, then you end up with results that are not accurate.
8.) Raw Materials Used
The annual consumption of raw materials of any firm determines its size. The raw materials is used to determine the size of the business where firms are producing similar products.
Of all these factors, the volume of output and value of output are the most effective and reliable factors in measuring the size of any business unit.
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