Translated by Shaimaa Alhossan

edenlover@gmail.com

What Are Economies Of Scale?

When more units of a good or a service can be produced on a larger scale, yet with
(on average) less input costs, economies of scale (ES) are said to be achieved.
Alternatively, this means that as a company grows and production units increase, a
company will have a better chance to decrease its costs. According to theory,
economic growth may be achieved when economies of scale are realized.

‫ ؟‬Economies Of Scale ‫ﻤﺎ ﻫﻲ ﻭﻓﻭﺭﺍﺕ ﺍﻟﺤﺠﻡ‬

‫ﻘﺎل‬‫ ﻴ‬،(‫ﺤﻴﻨﻤﺎ ﻴﻤﻜﻥ ﺇﻨﺘﺎﺝ ﺍﻟﻤﺯﻴﺩ ﻤﻥ ﺍﻟﻭﺤﺩﺍﺕ ﻤﻥ ﺴﻠﻌﺔ ﺃﻭ ﺨﺩﻤﺔ ﻤﺎ ﻋﻠﻰ ﻨﻁﺎﻕ ﺃﻭﺴﻊ ﺒﺘﻜﺎﻟﻴﻑ ﺇﻨﺘﺎﺝ ﺃﻗل )ﻓﻲ ﺍﻟﻤﺘﻭﺴﻁ‬
‫ ﺴﻴﺘﺎﺡ ﻟﻠﺸﺭﻜﺔ‬،‫ ﻴﻌﻨﻲ ﺫﻟﻙ ﺃﻥ ﻜﻠﻤﺎ ﻨﻤﺕ ﺍﻟﺸﺭﻜﺔ ﻭﺯﺍﺩﺕ ﻭﺤﺩﺍﺕ ﺍﻹﻨﺘﺎﺝ‬،‫ ﻭﺒﺎﻟﺘﻌﺎﻗﺏ‬.‫ﺃﻥ ﻭﻓﻭﺭﺍﺕ ﺍﻟﺤﺠﻡ ﻗﺩ ﺯﺍﺩﺕ‬
.‫ ﻗﺩ ﻴﺘﺤﻘﻕ ﺍﻟﻨﻤﻭ ﺍﻻﻗﺘﺼﺎﺩﻱ ﻓﻲ ﺤﺎل ﺘﺤﻘﻘﺕ ﻭﻓﻭﺭﺍﺕ ﺍﻟﺤﺠﻡ‬،‫ ﻭﻭﻓﻘﹰًﺎ ﻟﻬﺫﻩ ﺍﻟﻨﻅﺭﻴﺔ‬.‫ﻓﺭﺼﺔ ﺃﻓﻀل ﻟﺘﻘﻠﻴﺹ ﺘﻜﺎﻟﻴﻔﻬﺎ‬

Adam Smith identified the division of labor and specialization as the two key
means to achieve a larger return on production. Through these two techniques,
employees would not only be able to concentrate on a specific task, but with time,
improve the skills necessary to perform their jobs. The tasks could then be
performed better and faster. Hence, through such efficiency, time and money could
be saved while production levels increased.

.‫ﻼ ﻤﻥ ﺘﻘﺴﻴﻡ ﺍﻟﻌﻤل ﻭﺍﺍﻟﺘﺨﺼﺹ ﺒﺎﻟﻭﺴﻴﻠﺘﻴﻥ ﺍﻟﺭﺌﻴﺴﻴﺘﻴﻥ ﻟﺘﺤﻘﻴﻕ ﻋﺎﺌﺩ ﺃﻜﺒﺭ ﻟﻺﻨﺘﺎﺝ‬‫ ﻜ ﹰ‬Adam Smith ‫ﺤﺩﺩ ﺁﺩﻡ ﺴﻤﻴﺙ‬
‫ ﻤﻊ ﻤﺭﻭﺭ‬،‫ﺎ ﺴﻴﺘﻤﻜﻨﻭﺍ‬‫ ﻟﻥ ﻴﺴﺘﻁﻴﻊ ﺍﻟﻤﻭﻅﻔﻭﻥ ﺃﻥ ﻴﺭﻜﺯﻭﺍ ﻋﻠﻰ ﻤﻬﻤﺔ ﻤﺤﺩﺩﺓ ﻓﺤﺴﺏ ﺒل ﻭﺃﻴﻀ‬،‫ﻭﺒﺎﺴﺘﺨﺩﺍﻡ ﻫﺎﺘﻴﻥ ﺍﻵﻟﻴﺘﻴﻥ‬
‫ ﻴﻤﻜﻥ‬،‫ ﻭﻟﺫﻟﻙ‬.‫ﺫ ﺃﺩﺍﺀ ﺍﻟﻤﻬﺎﻡ ﻋﻠﻰ ﻭﺠﻪ ﺃﻓﻀل ﻭﺃﺴﺭﻉ‬ ‫ ﻭﻴﻤﻜﻥ ﺤﻴﻨﺌ‬،‫ ﻤﻥ ﺘﻨﻤﻴﺔ ﻤﻬﺎﺭﺍﺘﻬﻡ ﺍﻟﻼﺯﻤﺔ ﻷﺩﺍﺀ ﻭﻅﺎﺌﻔﻬﻡ‬،‫ﺍﻟﻭﻗﺕ‬
.‫ ﺘﻭﻓﻴﺭ ﺍﻟﻭﻗﺕ ﻭﺍﻟﻤﺎل ﻓﻲ ﺤﻴﻥ ﺘﺯﺩﺍﺩ ﻤﺴﺘﻭﻴﺎﺕ ﺍﻹﻨﺘﺎﺝ‬،‫ﺒﻤﺜل ﻫﺫﻩ ﺍﻟﻜﻔﺎﺀﺓ‬

Just like there are economies of scale, diseconomies of scale (DS) also exist. This
occurs when production is less than in proportion to inputs. What this means is
that there are inefficiencies within the firm or industry resulting in rising average
costs.

‫ ﺍﻟﺘﻲ ﺘﺤﺩﺙ ﻋﻨﺩﻤﺎ ﻴﻜﻭﻥ‬diseconomies of scale ‫ﻭﻋﻠﻰ ﺍﻟﻨﻘﻴﺽ ﻤﻥ ﻭﻓﻭﺭﺍﺕ ﺍﻟﺤﺠﻡ ﻫﻨﺎﻙ ﺘﺒﺫﻴﺭﺍﺕ ﺍﻟﺤﺠﻡ‬
‫ ﻭﻤﻌﻨﻰ ﺫﻟﻙ ﺃﻥ ﺜﻤﺔ ﺍﻨﻌﺩﺍﻡ ﻜﻔﺎﺀﺍﺕ ﻓﻲ ﺍﻟﺸﺭﻜﺔ ﺃﻭ ﺍﻟﺼﻨﺎﻋﺔ ﻴﻨﺠﻡ ﻋﻨﻬﺎ ﺭﻓﻊ ﻤﻌﺩل‬،‫ﺍﻹﻨﺘﺎﺝ ﺃﻗل ﺒﺎﻟﻨﺴﺒﺔ ﻟﻤﺩﺨﻼﺘﻪ‬
.‫ﺍﻟﺘﻜﺎﻟﻴﻑ‬

Internal and External Economies of Scale

Alfred Marshall made a distinction between internal and external economies of

scale. When a company reduces costs and increases production, internal economies
of scale have been achieved. External economies of scale occur outside of a firm,
within an industry. Thus, when an industry’s scope of operations expands due to,
for example, the creation of a better transportation network, resulting in a
subsequent decrease in cost for a company working within that industry, external
economies of scale are said to have been achieved. With external ES, all firms
within the industry will benefit.
 ‫‪Translated by Shaimaa Alhossan‬‬
‫‪edenlover@gmail.com‬‬

‫ﻭﻓﻭﺭﺍﺕ ﺍﻟﺤﺠﻡ ﺍﻟﺩﺍﺨﻠﻴﺔ ﻭﺍﻟﺨﺎﺭﺠﻴﺔ‬

‫ﻤﻴ‪‬ﺯ ﺃﻟﻔﺭﻴﺩ ﻤﺎﺭﺸﺎل ‪ Alfred Marshall‬ﺒﻴﻥ ﻭﻓﻭﺭﺍﺕ ﺍﻟﺤﺠﻡ ﺍﻟﺩﺍﺨﻠﻴﺔ ﻭﺘﻠﻙ ﺍﻟﺨﺎﺭﺠﻴﺔ‪ .‬ﻓﻌﻨﺩﻤﺎ ﺘﻘﻠل ﺸﺭﻜﺔ ﻤﺎ‬
‫ﺍﻟﺘﻜﺎﻟﻴﻑ ﻭﺘﺯﻴﺩ ﺍﻹﻨﺘﺎﺝ‪ ،‬ﺘﺘﺤﻘﻕ ﻭﻓﻭﺭﺍﺕ ﺍﻟﺤﺠﻡ ﺍﻟﺩﺍﺨﻠﻴﺔ‪ ،‬ﺃﻤﺎ ﻭﻓﻭﺭﺍﺕ ﺍﻟﺤﺠﻡ ﺍﻟﺨﺎﺭﺠﻴﺔ ﻓﺘﺘﺄﺘﹼﻰ ﺨﺎﺭﺝ ﺍﻟﺸﺭﻜﺔ ﺨﻼل‬
‫ﺼﻨﺎﻋﺔ ﻤﺎ‪ .‬ﻭﻤﻥ ﺜﻡ‪ ‬ﺤﻴﻥ ﻴﺘﺴﻊ ﻨﻁﺎﻕ ﺍﻟﻌﻤﻠﻴﺎﺕ ﺍﻟﺨﺎﺹ ﺒﺼﻨﺎﻋﺔ ﻤﺎ ﺠﺭ‪‬ﺍﺀ ﺘﻜﻭﻴﻥ ﺸﺒﻜﺔ ﻤﻭﺍﺼﻼﺕ ﺃﻓﻀل‪ ،‬ﻤﺜﻼ‪ ،‬ﻤﺅﺩﻴ ﹰﺔ‬
‫ﺇﻟﻰ ﻨﻘﺹ ﻓﻲ ﺘﻜﻠﻔﺔ ﺸﺭﻜﺔ ﺘﻌﻤل ﻓﻲ ﻫﺫﻩ ﺍﻟﺼﻨﺎﻋﺔ‪ ،‬ﻨﻘﻭل ﺃﻥ ﻭﻓﻭﺭﺍﺕ ﺍﻟﺤﺠﻡ ﺍﻟﺨﺎﺭﺠﻴﺔ ﻗﺩ ﺘﺤﻘﻘﺕ‪ .‬ﻭﻤﻊ ﻭﻓﻭﺭﺍﺕ ﺍﻟﺤﺠﻡ‬
‫ﺍﻟﺨﺎﺭﺠﻴﺔ‪،‬ﺴﺘﺴﺘﻔﻴﺩ ﻜل ﺍﻟﻤﻨﺸﺂﺕ ﺍﻟﺘﻲ ﺘﻌﻤل ﻓﻲ ﻫﺫﻩ ﺍﻟﺼﻨﺎﻋﺔ‪.‬‬

‫?‪Where Are Economies of Scale‬‬

‫‪In addition to specialization and the division of labor, within any company there‬‬
‫‪are various inputs that may result in the production of a good and/or service.‬‬

‫أﯾﻦ ﺗﻮﺟﺪ وﻓﻮرات اﻟﺤﺠﻢ؟‬

‫ﺒﺎﻹﻀﺎﻓﺔ ﺇﻟﻰ ﺍﻟﺘﺨﺼﺹ ﻭﺘﻘﺴﻴﻡ ﺍﻟﻌﻤل ﺩﺍﺨل ﺃﻱ ﺸﺭﻜﺔ‪ ،‬ﺘﻭﺠﺩ ﻤﺩﺨﻼﺕ ﻤﺘﻨﻭﻋﺔ ﺭﺒﻤﺎ ﺘﺅﺩﻱ ﺇﻟﻰ ﺇﻨﺘﺎﺝ ﺍﻟﺴﻠﻌﺔ ﺃﻭ‬
‫ﺍﻟﺨﺩﻤﺔ ﺃﻭ ﻜﻠﻴﻬﻤﺎ ﻤﻌ‪‬ﺎ‪.‬‬

‫‪• Lower input costs: When a company buys inputs in bulk, for example, potatoes‬‬
‫‪used to make French fries at a fast food chain, it can take advantage of volume‬‬
‫‪discounts. (In turn, the farmer who sold the potatoes could also be achieving ES if‬‬
‫‪the farm has lowered its average input costs through, for example, buying fertilizer‬‬
‫)‪in bulk at a volume discount.‬‬
‫ﺘﻜﺎﻟﻴﻑ ﺇﻨﺘﺎﺝ ﻤﻨﺨﻔﻀﺔ‪ :‬ﺤﻴﻥ ﺘﺸﺘﺭﻱ ﺸﺭﻜﺔ ﻤﺩﺨﻼﺕ ﺒﺎﻟﺠﻤﻠﺔ‪ ،‬ﻜﺎﻟﺒﻁﺎﻁﺱ ﺍﻟﻤﺴﺘﺨﺩﻤﺔ ﻓﻲ ﺼﻨﻊ ﺍﻟﻤﻘﻠﻴﺎﺕ ﺍﻟﻔﺭﻨﺴﻴﺔ ﻓﻲ‬
‫ﺴﻠﺴﻠﺔ ﻤﻁﺎﻋﻡ ﺍﻟﻭﺠﺒﺎﺕ ﺍﻟﺴﺭﻴﻌﺔ‪ ،‬ﻓﻘﺩ ﺘﻨﺘﻬﺯ ﻓﺭﺼﺔ ﺍﻟﺘﺨﻔﻴﺽ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺍﻟﺤﺠﻡ‪ .‬ﻭﻗﺩ ﻴﺤﻘﻕ ﺍﻟﻤﺯﺍﺭﻉ ﺍﻟﺫﻱ ﺒﺎﻉ ﺒﺩﻭﺭﻩ‬
‫ﺍﻟﺒﻁﺎﻁﺱ ﻭﻓﻭﺭﺍﺕ ﺍﻟﺤﺠﻡ ﺇﺫﺍ ﺨﻔﹼﻀﺕ ﺍﻟﻤﺯﺭﻋﺔ ﻤﻌﺩل ﺘﻜﺎﻟﻴﻑ ﺍﻹﻨﺘﺎﺝ ﺒﺸﺭﺍﺀ ﺍﻟﺴﻤﺎﺩ ﺒﺎﻟﺠﻤﻠﺔ ﺒﻤﺎ ﻴﻘل ﻋﻥ ﺍﻟﻘﻴﻤﺔ‬
‫ﺍﻻﺴﻤﻴﺔ ﻟﻬﺫﺍ ﺍﻟﺤﺠﻡ ﻤﻥ ﺍﻟﻤﺸﺘﺭﻴﺎﺕ‪.‬‬

‫‪• Costly inputs: Some inputs, such as research and development, advertising,‬‬
‫‪managerial expertise and skilled labor are expensive, but because of the‬‬
‫‪possibility of increased efficiency with such inputs, they can lead to a decrease‬‬
‫‪in the average cost of production and selling. If a company is able to spread the‬‬
‫‪cost of such inputs over an increase in its production units, ES’ can be realized.‬‬
‫‪Thus, if the fast food chain chooses to spend more money on technology to‬‬
‫‪eventually increase efficiency by lowering the average cost of hamburger‬‬
‫‪assembly, it would also have to increase the number of hamburgers it produces‬‬
‫‪a year in order to cover the increased technology expenditure.‬‬

‫ﺍﻟﻤﺩﺨﻼﺕ ﺍﻟﺒﺎﻫﻅﺔ‪ :‬ﺘﺘﺴﻡ ﺒﻌﺽ ﺍﻟﻤﺩﺨﻼﺕ ﻤﺜل ﺍﻟﺒﺤﺙ ﻭﺍﻟﺘﻁﻭﻴﺭ‪ ،‬ﻭﺍﻹﻋﻼﻥ‪ ،‬ﻭﺍﻟﺨﺒﺭﺓ ﺍﻹﺩﺍﺭﻴﺔ‪ ،‬ﻭﺍﻟﻌﻤﺎﻟﺔ ﺍﻟﻤﺎﻫﺭﺓ‬
‫ﺒﺎﻟﺘﻜﺎﻟﻴﻑ ﺍﻟﺒﺎﻫﻅﺔ‪ ،‬ﻏﻴﺭ ﺃﻥ ﺍﺤﺘﻤﺎﻟﻴﺔ ﺘﺯﺍﻴﺩ ﺍﻟﻜﻔﺎﺀﺓ ﻤﻊ ﺍﺴﺘﺨﺩﺍﻡ ﻤﺜل ﻫﺫﻩ ﺍﻟﻤﺩﺨﻼﺕ ﻗﺩ ﺘﺅﺩﻱ ﺇﻟﻰ ﻨﻘﺹ ﻤﻌﺩل ﺍﻟﺘﻜﻠﻔﺔ‬
‫ﻟﻺﻨﺘﺎﺝ ﻭﺍﻟﺒﻴﻊ‪ .‬ﻭﺇﺫﺍ ﺍﺴﺘﻁﺎﻋﺕ ﺸﺭﻜﺔ ﺘﻭﺯﻴﻊ ﺘﻜﻠﻔﺔ ﻤﺜل ﺘﻠﻙ ﺍﻟﻤﺩﺨﻼﺕ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺯﻴﺎﺩﺓ ﻓﻲ ﻭﺤﺩﺍﺕ ﺍﻹﻨﺘﺎﺝ‪ ،‬ﻴﻤﻜﻥ ﺘﺤﻘﻴﻕ‬
‫ﻭﻓﻭﺭﺍﺕ ﺍﻟﺤﺠﻡ‪ .‬ﻭﻴﺘﻀﺢ ﻤﻥ ﺫﻟﻙ ﺃﻥ ﺴﻠﺴﻠﺔ ﻤﻁﺎﻋﻡ ﺍﻟﻭﺠﺒﺎﺕ ﺍﻟﺴﺭﻴﻌﺔ ﺇﺫﺍ ﺍﺨﺘﺎﺭﺕ ﺇﻨﻔﺎﻕ ﺍﻟﻤﺯﻴﺩ ﻤﻥ ﺍﻟﻤﺎل ﻋﻠﻰ‬
‫ﺍﻟﺘﻘﻨﻴﺔ ﻟﺘﺯﻴﺩ ﺍﻟﻜﻔﺎﺀﺓ ﻓﻲ ﻨﻬﺎﻴﺔ ﺍﻷﻤﺭ ﺒﺘﺨﻔﻴﺽ ﻤﻌﺩل ﺍﻟﺘﻜﻠﻔﺔ ﻟﺸﻁﺎﺌﺭ ﺍﻟﻬﺎﻤﺒﺭﺠﺭ‪ ،‬ﻓﺴﻭﻑ ﻴﺘﻌﻴﻥ ﻋﻠﻴﻬﺎ ﺃﻴﻀ‪‬ﺎ ﺃﻥ ﺘﹸﺯﻴﺩ‬
‫ﻋﺩﺩ ﺸﻁﺎﺌﺭ ﺍﻟﻬﺎﻤﺒﺭﺠﺭ ﺍﻟﺘﻲ ﺘﻨﺘﺠﻪ ﻓﻲ ﻜل ﻋﺎﻡ ﻟﻜﻲ ﺘﻐﻁﻲ ﺍﻟﺯﻴﺎﺩﺓ ﻓﻲ ﻨﻔﻘﺎﺕ ﺍﻟﺘﻘﻨﻴﺔ‪.‬‬