Courses : Intermediate Microeconomics Lecturer : Frischa Adellia Semester : 4th Semester, 2022/2023 Sesion Economies of Scale in Production Theory Economies of scale is a concept that describes the relationship between the output or production of a company with the average cost per unit. This concept shows how companies can optimize production and maximize profits by considering the size of the production scale. In general, economies of scale can be divided into three types, namely increasing returns to scale, decreasing returns to scale, and constant returns to scale. Increased economies of scale (increasing returns to scale) occur when output increases faster than production costs. Under these conditions, firms can produce at a lower average cost when they scale up production. For example, by increasing production scale, firms can take advantage of labor specialization, reduce unit costs for raw materials and production machinery, and gain from economies of scale in distribution and marketing. Decreasing economies of scale (decreasing returns to scale) occur when output increases more slowly than production costs. Under these conditions, firms can produce at a higher average cost when they scale up production. For example, in a situation where a company is unable to take advantage of production efficiencies or find sufficient supplies of raw materials, increasing production scale will increase production costs per unit. Constant economies of scale (constant returns to scale) occur when output increases in line with production costs. Under these conditions, firms can produce at a constant average cost as they scale up production. For example, under conditions where a company can constantly take advantage of production efficiency and obtain raw materials at stable prices, an increase in production scale will not have a significant effect on the cost of production per unit. In making production decisions, companies need to consider the size of the production scale and the impact on production costs. In this case, the analysis of economies of scale can assist companies in optimizing production and maximizing profits. In addition, economies of scale can also have a significant effect on competition in the market. Companies with larger production scales can lower their production costs and offer lower prices to consumers, which can make competition more difficult for companies with smaller production scales. However, companies with smaller production scales can take advantage of the flexibility of their production and focus on smaller and specific markets. They can produce higher quality goods or adapt their products to more specific market demands. In this case, they can compete with companies that have a larger production scale. In practice, companies usually seek to achieve efficiency of scale in production and distribution, so as to produce goods at a lower average cost and increase their profits. However, companies must also pay attention to the risks associated with increasing production scale, such as the risk of decreasing quality, the risk of poor price regulation, and the risk of shortage of raw material supplies. In order to maintain profits and business continuity, companies must find a balance between increasing production scale and the risks associated with it, and make the right decisions in choosing the optimal production scale to maximize profits. In determining the optimal production scale, companies must also consider other factors such as market demand, production technology, production costs, and competition in the market. For example, if market demand is large and there is intense competition, a company may need to scale up its production to be competitive. On the other hand, if production costs are very high and production technology is not mature enough, the company may have to limit its production scale to avoid large losses. In addition, other factors such as labor wage levels, availability of raw materials, and government regulations can also influence company decisions in determining the optimal production scale. In some cases, companies may choose to work with other companies or enter into mergers and acquisitions to achieve scale efficiency and maximize profits. In this case, companies can share risks and utilize the expertise and resources of each company to achieve common goals. Overall, economies of scale are an important factor in production and competition in the market. Companies must consider many factors in determining the optimal production scale, and must strive to achieve scale efficiency without sacrificing product quality and consumer satisfaction.