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"in a given state of technology, when the units of variable factor of production (L) are increased within
the units of other fixed factors, the marginal productivity increases at increasing rate up to a point,
after this point. it will become less and less"
Assumptions:
1. It is assumed that the technique of production should remain constant during production.
2. It operates in the short-run because in the long run, fixed inputs become variable.
3. Some inputs must be kept constant.
4. The various factors are not to be used in rigidly fixed proportions but the law is based upon
the possibility of varying proportions. It is also called the law of proportionality.
5. It is assumed that all the units of variable factors of production are homogeneous in amount
and quality.
6. It is assumed that labor is a single variable factor.
Schedule:
The law of variable proportion is explained with the help of the following schedule:
Units of Marginal
Average product
variable product Total product (TPL) Stages
(APL)
factor (L) (MPL)
1 2 2 2
2 4 6 3 I
3 6 12 4
4 4 16 4
II
5 2 18 3.6
6 0 18 3
III
7 -2 16 2.28
In the above schedule, units of variable factor (labor) are employed with other fixed factors of
production. The marginal productivity of labor goes on increasing up to the 3rd worker. This is so
because the proportion of workers to other fixed factors was at first insufficient. After 3rd worker the
marginal productivity goes on falling onwards till it drops down to zero at the 6th unit of labor. The 7th
worker is only a cause of obstruction to the others and is responsible in making the marginal
productivity negative. The marginal productivity (MPL) and the average productivity (APL) equalize at
4the worker. Then the MPL falls more sharply
Diagram:
The number of workers are measured on X-axis while TPL, APL and MPL on Y-axis. The above
diagram shows the three stages also obtained from the schedule.
Stage I:
At this stage MPL increases up to 3rd worker and its curve is higher than the average product, so that
total product is increasing at increasing rate.
Stage II:
At this stage, MPL decreases up to 6th unit of labor where MPL curve intersects the X-axis. At 4the
unit of labor MPL = APL after this, MPL curve is lower than the APL. TPL increases at decreasing rate.
Stage III:
At 6the unit of labor the MPL becomes negative, the APL continues falling but remains positive. After
the 6th unit, TPL declines with the employment of more units of variable factor (L).
The relationship among total, average and marginal product of labor in the light of the law of variable
proportion is explained as under:
1. The marginal productivity of labor increases, the TPL also increases at increasing rate. It is
shown in the schedule up till 3rd unit of labor. The MPL curve has positive slope and
TPL curve has rising tendency towards Y-axis.
2. When the MPL decreases onwards till it drops to zero, the TPL increases at decreasing rate as
shown in the stage II and the TPL curve has positive slope but has rising tendency towards X-
axis
3. When the MPL is equal to zero, the TPL is maximum as shown on the 6th unit of labor.
4. When the MPL becomes negative, the MPL curves falls below the X-axis, the TPL declines
from its maximum position and its slope becomes negative as shown in the stage III in the
above diagram.
5. When the MPL increases, The APL also increases but at slow rate. The MPL curve becomes
above the APL curve. Both have positive slopes.
6. At some point, MPL = APL. At this point, MPL curve intersects the APL curve as shown at the
4th unit of labor in the above diagram.
7. After intersecting point, MPL falls sharply. The MPL curve becomes below the APL curve. Both
curves have negative slope.
8. When MPL becomes negative, the APL never becomes negative because it is calculated from
the TPL. So MPL curve is below the X-axis but APL curve is above the X-axis, having negative
Definition
The following three people explained the Law of Variable Proportions:
1. Stable technology
The state of technology is assumed to be given and steady. If there is an
enhancement in technology the production function will obviously move in the
upward direction.
Let us take the example of agriculture, where land and labor are the only two
factors of production. By keeping the land as a permanent factor, the production of
variable factor i.e., labor can be shown with the help of the following table:
From the table 1, it is apparent that there are three stages of the law of variable
proportion.
In the first stage, standard production becomes higher as there are increased labor
and capital employed with fixed factors which is land. The total product, regular
product, and the marginal product becomes higher but regular product and
insignificant product become higher up to 40 units. Later on, both start decreasing
because a proportion of workers to land was adequate and land is not appropriately
used. This is the end of the first stage.
The second stage begins from where the first stage ends or where AP=MP. In this
stage, regular product and marginal product start falling. We should note that
marginal product falls at a quicker rate than the regular product. Here, total product
becomes higher at a retreating rate. It is also utmost at 70 units of labor where the
marginal product becomes zero while the regular product is never zero or negative.
The third stage begins where the second stage ends. This starts from the 8th unit.
Here, marginal product is negative and total product falls but the regular product is
still positive. At this stage, any additional dose leads to positive nuisance because
additional dose leads to negative marginal product.
Graphical Representation
2. Second stage
It begins from the point F. In this stage, the total product becomes higher at
diminishing rate and is at its utmost at point ‘G’ correspondingly marginal product
diminishes rapidly and becomes ‘zero’ at point ‘C’. A regular product is utmost at
point ‘I’ and thereafter it begins to decrease. In this stage, marginal product is less
than the regular product (MP < AP).
3. Third stage
This stage begins beyond point ‘G’. Here total product starts diminishing. The
regular product also declines. The marginal product turns negative. Law of
diminishing returns firmly manifests itself. In this stage, no company will produce
anything. This is due to the marginal product of the labour becomes negative. The
employer will endure losses by employing more units of labourers. but, of the three
stages, a firm will like to produce up to any given point in the second stage merely.
Image Credits: Economics Discussion
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It will be seen from Col. 3 of Table 16.1, that the marginal product of
labour initially rises and beyond the use of three units of labour, it
starts diminishing. Thus when 3 units of labour are employed,
marginal product of labour is 100 and with the use of 4th and 5th
units of labour marginal product of labour falls to 98 and 62
respectively.
This has been done in Fig. 16.3. In this figure, on the X-axis the
quantity of the variable factor is measured and on the F-axis the
total product, average product and marginal product are measured.
How the total product, average product and marginal product a
variable factor change as a result of the increase in its quantity, that
is, by increasing the quantity of one factor to a fixed quantity of the
others will be seen from Fig. 16.3.
From the point F onwards during the stage 1, the total product
curve goes on rising but its slope is declining which means that from
point F onwards the total product increases at a diminishing rate
(total product curve TP is concave down-ward), i.e., marginal
product falls but is positive.
Stage 2:
In stage 2, the total product continues to increase at a diminishing
rate until it reaches its maximum point H where the second stage
ends. In this stage both the marginal product and the average
product of the variable factor are diminishing but remain positive.
At the end of the second stage, that is, at point M marginal product
of the variable factor is zero (corresponding to the highest point H
of the total product curve TP). Stage 2 is very crucial and important
because as will be explained below the firm will seek to produce in
its range.
At the end point M of the second stage where the marginal product
of the variable factor is zero, the producer will be maximising the
total product and will thus be making maximum use of the variable
factor. A rational producer will also not choose to produce in stage 1
where the marginal product of the fixed factor is negative.
A producer producing in stage 1 means that he will not be making
the best use of the fixed factor and further that he will not be
utilising fully the opportunities of increasing production by
increasing quantity of the variable factor whose average product
continues to rise throughout the stage 1. Thus, a rational
entrepreneur will not stop in stage 1 but will expand further.
Even if the fixed factor is free (i.e., costs nothing), the rational
entrepreneur will stop only at the end of stage 1 (i.e., at point N)
where the average product of the variable factor is maximum. At the
end point N of stage 1, the producer they will be making maximum
use of the fixed factor.
It is thus clear from above that the rational producer will never be
found producing in stage 1 and stage 3. Stage 1 and 3 may,
therefore, be called stages of economic absurdity or economic non-
sense. The stages 1 and 3 represent non-economic regions in
production function.
We have seen above how output varies as the factor proportions are
altered at any given moment. We have also noticed that this input-
output relation can be divided into three stages. Now, the question
arises as to what causes increasing marginal returns to the variable
factor in the beginning, diminishing marginal returns later and
negative marginal returns to the variable factor ultimately.
The question arises as to why the fixed factor is not initially taken in
an appropriate quantity which suits the available quantity of the
variable factor. Answer to this question is provided by the fact that
generally those factors are taken as fixed which are indivisible.
Indivisibility of a factor means that due to technological
requirements a minimum amount of that factor must be employed
whatever the level of output.
Once the point is reached at which the amount of the variable factor
is sufficient to ensure the efficient utilisation of the fixed factor,
then further increases in the variable factor will cause marginal and
average products of a variable factor to decline because the fixed
factor then becomes inadequate relative to the quantity of the
variable factor.
When the indivisible fixed factor is not being fully used, successive
increases in a variable factor add more to output since fuller and
more efficient use is made of the indivisible fixed factor. But there is
generally a limit to the range of employment of the variable factor
over which its marginal and average products will increase.
If the fixed factor was perfectly divisible, neither the increasing nor
the diminishing returns to a variable factor would have occurred. If
the factors were perfectly divisible, then there would not have been
the necessity of taking a large quantity of the fixed factor in the
beginning to combine with the varying quantities of the other factor.
The productivity of the factors would be the same in the two cases.
Thus, we see that if the factors were perfectly divisible, then the
question of varying factor proportions would not have arisen and
hence the phenomena of increasing and diminishing marginal
returns to a variable factor would not have occurred. Prof. Bober
rightly remarks: “Let divisibility enter through the door, law of
variable proportions rushes out through the window.”
Thus, even if one of the variable factors which we add to the fixed
factor were perfect substitute of the fixed factor, then when, in the
second stage, the fixed factor becomes relatively deficient, its
deficiency would have been made up the increase in the variable
factor which is its perfect substitute.
Besides, too large a number of the variable factor also impairs the
efficiency of the fixed factor. The proverb “too many cooks spoil the
broth” aptly applies to this situation. In such a situation, a reduction
in the units of the variable factor will increase the total output.
by Taboola
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