Job, Batch and Flow methods of production

1. Methods of
Production
Job, Batch, Flow

2. Job Production
 This is where products are made specially to order, for
example a customer would order a particular food dish
and Kara would make it. Each order is different and
requires a different level of attention. Other examples
include specialist machinery manufacturers who will
manufacture a machine for another business to meet a
particular specification, bridges, ships, made to
measure suits, cinema films, or bespoke computer
programs that perform specialist tasks.

3. Advantages
 More suitable for one-off or personal services
 Product meets the exact requirements of the
customer
 Workers have more varied jobs (they don’t
just carry out one task)
 Flexible, often used for high quality goods
therefor costs a higher price.

4. Disadvantages
 Skilled labour costs more and is labour
intensive
 Production usually takes longer
 Made to order so errors can be expensive
 Materials may have to be specially purchased
leading to higher costs.

5. Batch Production
 Batch Production – This is where similar products are
made in blocks or batches. A certain number of one
product is made, then a certain number of another
product is made, and so on. Kara made a batch of one
type of food and then another type. Other examples
include small bakeries making batches of one kind of
bread and then a different kind, houses built together
using the same design, furniture production (a certain
number of table, and then chairs) or clothing (a batch of
particular sizes of shirts is made, then a batch of the
next size)

6. Advantages
Flexible way of working and production can easily
change from one product to another
It gives some variety to worker’s jobs.
It allows more variety to products which would
otherwise be identical, therefor more consumer
choice. E.g. different flavours of ready meals
Production may not be affected much by the
machinery breaking down.

7. Disadvantages
It can be expensive as half finished or
finished products will need moving about.
Machines have to rest between production
batches which means there is a delay and
output is lost.
Warehouse space is needed for stocks of
raw materials and components.

8. Flow Production
 This is where large quantities of a product are made in a
continuous process. Often called Mass Production
because of the large quantity of standard sized products
made. It is called Flow Production because products look
like they are flowing down a line (production line). The
basic materials are put at one end of the line and as they
move along, other materials are added until the end of the
line where they are packages for delivery, reducing down
manpower costs (economics of scale). Large numbers are
made of the same quality and standard, e.g. cars,
cameras, games machines, phones. In fact almost
everything you use in your daily life is mass produced
(almost)

9. Advantages
High output of one product keeping costs and
prices low.
Easy for capital-intensive production
methods to be used reducing labour costs
and increasing efficiency.
24hrs a day production lines producing
goods quickly and cheaply.
No need to move goods from one part of the
factory to another.

10. Disadvantages
Boring for the workers, little job satisfaction
and motivation.
Significant storage requirements (inventories
of components, materials)
Capital costs of setting up a production line
are very high.
If one machine breaks down, the whole line
stops.

11. references
 https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/igcse-
business-studies-unit-04-operations-
management-0450-1188273