Factors of Production

Humans can survive only by consuming goods and services. But in order to consume these, they need to be produced. The production of goods and services is essential for human survival. Production is the process of providing goods and services to satisfy various human needs. The result of production is a product. The labor, natural resources, and man-made objects used to produce a thing are called factors of production. Factors of production are divided into four categories. Land (natural resources), Labor (physical and mental human labor), Capital (man-made objects), and Entrepreneurship (coordination of other factors of production).

Land

All natural resources used for the production of goods are included in the term land. All natural resources on the earth's surface, in the earth's atmosphere and in the earth's interior are considered to be the factor of production, land. Soil, water, forests, air, coal, etc. are natural resources that are included in the earth as a factor of production. Rent is the remuneration for land as a factor of production.

Labor

Labor is the use of physical, mental and intellectual labor by workers to produce goods and services. Wages/salaries are the remuneration for the labor provided by the worker.

Capital

Capital is man-made objects used for production that can be seen and touched. Capital includes machines, vehicles, computers, etc. that can be used in production activities. Interest is the remuneration for capital.

Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship is the combination of the factors of production, land, labor and capital. The organizer/entrepreneur is the person who organizes. Profit is the reward for the Entrepreneurship.

UPSC/PSC Questions

1. Things that can be used to fulfill human needs and can be seen and touched are known as - goods (e.g. pen, book)

2. Things that cannot be seen or touched like goods but can be experienced - services (teaching, healthcare)

3. The process of providing goods and services to satisfy various human needs - production

4. What is obtained as a result of production - product

5. The process by which factors of production are transformed into products - production

6. The labor, natural resources, and man-made objects used to produce a thing are called - factors of production

7. Factors that help in production - land, labor, capital, and entrepreneurship 

8. The factor of production that includes all the natural materials found on the earth's surface, in the earth's atmosphere, and in the earth's subsoil - land

9. The remuneration received for land as a factor of production - rent

10. The use of physical, mental and intellectual labor by workers to produce goods and services is called - Labor

11. The remuneration for the labor provided by the worker is called - Wages (salary)

12. Man-made factor of production - Capital

13. The visible and tangible man-made objects used in production are called - Physical capital (e.g. machines, factories, computers)

14. The physical capital that can be used continuously in production activities is called - Fixed capital (power plant, lorry, rail tracks)

15. The daily expenses such as raw materials, stock of products, wages to be paid to workers are called - Working capital

16. Money for purchasing capital goods - Money capital

17. The remuneration of capital is called - Interest

18. By establishing new factories, machines, power plants and roads for higher production, the increase in physical capital is called - Capital formation

19. Example of Capital-intensive production - mechanized farming

20. Example of Labor-intensive production - traditional farming

21. Money is what individuals, institutions and the government set aside for future needs without spending a part of their income - Savings

22. The combination of factors of production such as land, labor and capital is known as - Entrepreneurship

23. The person who organizes is known as - Organizer/entrepreneur

24. Reward for the Entrepreneurship - Profit

25. The production of products in the economic activity sector - Production unit

26. The use of the products produced - Household unit

27. The provision of factors of production such as land, labor, capital and entrepreneurship to production units - Household unit

28. Rent, wages, interest, and profit paid to production units as compensation for factors of production - Household unit

29. Provision of goods and services required by household units - Production unit

30. Provision of goods and services paid by household units as compensation for production units - Price (paid in money)

31. Inactive factors of production - land and capital