Revision For GCSE Economics Section 4
Revision For GCSE Economics Section 4
Sole proprietor
Sole proprietor is a business owned and managed by one person
Sole proprietor is often referred to as the sole trader
Sole trader has unlimited liability
Sole trader has limited finance
Sole trader makes all the decisions
Sole trader business is easy to set up
Partnership
Partnership is a business owned and managed by at least 2 persons
Owners of partnership are referred to as partners
Partner have unlimited liability
Partnerships raise more finance
Partners make decisions after consultation
Partnership business is easy to set up
Private companies
Private limited is a business owned and managed by at least 2 persons
Owners are referred to as shareholders
Private companies have limited liability
Private companies raise finance by issuing share
Cannot sell share without consent of the other shareholders
Public companies
Public limited is a business owned and managed by at least 2 persons
Public limited companies have plc after their company name eg. FET plc
PLC companies have limited liability
Public limited companies raise large amount of finance by selling shares
Can sell shares to general public
Multi-nationals
A company which produces or provides services in more than one country
The advantages and disadvantages they provide to the country where they
operate are:
– Advantages: employment, tax revenue, quality products
– Disadvantages: harm to domestic industry
Co-operatives
Cooperatives are owned and managed by its members persons
Cooperative operate for the welfare of its members
Owners are referred to as the members
Different co-operatives have different objectives
Can sell shares to general public
Public corporations
Public corporations are owned by the government
There are no shareholders in public corporation
Main aim is to work for welfare of the general public
Run by a management appointed by the government
Costs
Total costs
– Total expense of producing an output or a product
Average cost
– Total cost divided by output
Costs
Fixed cost
– The costs which stays same irrespective of the fact that the business
produces or not
Variable cost
– A cost which changes as the production of the business changes
Advantages of monopoly
Lower costs
Save money, by not producing wasteful duplication
Spend money on research
Offer lower price to the consumer
Disadvantages of monopoly
Inefficiency in production
Does not cater to the demands of consumers
May exploit the consumers as it is the only business providing the product
May charge higher price by decreasing the supply
Integration
Integration is when two businesses join each other
Types of integration
Horizontal integration
Vertical integration
– Backward vertical integration
– Forward vertical integration
Horizontal integration
Horizontal integration happens when a business acquires or joins a business
which is providing the same product at the same stage of production
– Example: A Coffee shop acquires another coffee shop
Vertical integration
Backward vertical integration happens when a business acquires or joins
one of its suppliers
– Example: Coffee shop acquires a dairy farm
Forward vertical integration happens when a business acquires or joins one
of its retailer or distributor
– Example: a dairy farm acquires a coffee shop
Economies of scale
Economies of scale is when there is a reduction in long term cost when the
business grows
Types of economies of scale
– Internal economies of scale
– External economies of scale
Diseconomies of scale