NCERT Class 8 Social Science Chapter 7 Factors of Production

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NCERT Class 8 Social Science Chapter 7 Factors of Production

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Factors of Production

Chapter: 7

Theme E — Economic Life Around Us

The Big Questions 

1. What are the factors of production? (Page 163)

Ans: The factors of production are the resources or inputs used to produce goods and services. 

They are classified into four types:

(i) Land: Natural resources such as soil, water, forests, minerals and sunlight.

(ii) Labour: The physical and mental efforts of people involved in production.

(iii) Capital: Money and human-made resources such as machinery, tools, equipment and buildings used in production.

(iv) Entrepreneurship: The ability to start and manage a business by organising different factors of production and taking risks.

2. How are these factors interconnected?

Ans: The factors of production are interconnected because they work together to produce goods and services. Land provides natural resources, labour provides human effort, capital provides money and machinery, and entrepreneurship organises and manages all these resources. They complement each other, and if any factor is missing or not properly used, production may become inefficient or stop.

3. What is the role of human capital in production, and what are its facilitators?

Ans: Human capital refers to the knowledge, skills, experience and abilities of individuals that help them perform work efficiently and create economic value. It improves the quality and productivity of labour.

The main facilitators of human capital are:

(i) Education and Training: Help individuals gain knowledge and develop skills.

(ii) Healthcare: Good health improves physical and mental abilities, allowing workers to work more efficiently.

(iii) Social and Cultural Influences: Values such as hard work, discipline, punctuality and continuous improvement help develop better human capital.

(iv) Technology: Helps people access knowledge, develop new skills and find better job opportunities.

LET’S EXPLORE 

1. In small groups, study the economic activities around your locality. What are the different types of goods and services being made or provided? (Page 165)

Here’s a small report that Latha, Asha, Mohan, and Kiran made. You can make your own report for shops of your choice.

Types of shops	Number in the locality	Goods produced or services provided	Types of inputs required
Grocery shops	13	Food grains, milk, bread	Packaged goods, perishables, storage space
Restaurants / food stalls	8	Cooked meals, snacks, beverages	Raw ingredients like vegetables and fruits, gas, utensils, cook/helper
Vegetable vendors	15	Fresh vegetables and fruits	Fresh produce, baskets, weighing scale, cart or stall
Mobile repair shops	4	Mobile repair, mobile accessories	Tools, spare parts, knowledge and skills of mobile components and functions
Salons / parlours	3	Haircut, grooming, beauty services	Scissors, creams, beauty products, water, electricity

Looking at your group’s report, think about the following: 

(i) Where do people get the money that they need for their business?

Ans: People get money for their businesses from personal savings, family, friends and bank loans. Some large businesses also raise money through the stock market.

(ii) Where did the hairdresser get trained?

Ans: The hairdresser may have received training from an experienced hairdresser, a beauty training institute or a vocational training centre.

(iii) Who taught the food vendors to cook?

Ans: Food vendors may have learned cooking from their family members, experienced cooks or professional cooking training centres.

(iv) What motivated the business owners to start their business?

Ans: Business owners are motivated by the desire to earn money, become self-reliant, fulfil their dreams, provide goods and services to people and create employment opportunities.

2. Revisit the table in your report. Which of the items on your list can be labelled as ‘land’? (Page 166)

Ans: The items that can be labelled as ‘land’ are natural resources such as water, soil, sunlight and other resources obtained from nature. In the given table, vegetables, fruits and other natural produce can be considered land resources. 

3. Let’s do a small experiment. Make a list of 10 working adults in your family and neighbourhood. Ask them to describe the culture at their workplace. Share notes with your classmates. What did you discover? What are some adjectives that occur more frequently? (Page 169)

Ans: I made a list of 10 working adults in my family and neighbourhood and asked them about the culture at their workplace. Some adults from my neighbourhood and family told me that their workplace has a supportive and cooperative environment. The management as well as the coworkers are professional, friendly and helpful. The companies they work for offer a safe working environment for women. While others said their 

4. In the Chapters of the theme Tapestry of the Past, you have seen examples of the art and architecture in India across several centuries. What do you think are the factors that enabled their creators to achieve such high levels of excellence? Discuss in groups and share in class. 

Ans: The high level of excellence in Indian art and architecture was achieved through skilled craftsmen, creativity, hard work, advanced knowledge, proper training, royal patronage and the availability of resources. Their dedication and experience helped create beautiful and lasting structures.

5. Many of the traditional techniques of production have either disappeared or are on a decline. For example, the stitching of ships saw a severe decline after the arrival of Europeans in the Indian Ocean in the 16th century. This technique is now used for making small fishing boats. (Page 172)

Ans: Traditional techniques of production, such as stitching ships, were once widely used in India. However, after the arrival of Europeans in the Indian Ocean in the 16th century, this technique declined and is now mainly used for making small fishing boats. 

6. Why do you think the use of indigenous techniques has declined? Discuss in the class. 

Ans: The use of indigenous techniques has declined because of modern machines, advanced technology, mass production and cheaper factory-made products. Traditional methods are often time-consuming. 

7. Find out some techniques and products from your region that showcase human effort and skill. Explain briefly using drawings and text in the class. 

Ans: Some traditional techniques and products of Assam are:

(i) Muga Silk Weaving: Making beautiful silk clothes.

(ii) Bamboo and Cane Craft: Making baskets, furniture and decorative items.

(iii) Bell Metal Craft: Making traditional utensils.

(iv) Pottery: Making earthen pots and household items.

8.Identify a factory in your region. Find out how much capital may have been invested in the construction of the factory (you may provide an estimate). What kinds of equipment does the factory use to create its finished products? (Page 173)

Ans: A tea processing factory in Assam may require an estimated investment of ₹5 crore for its construction and setup. It uses machines such as tea-leaf dryers, rollers, sorting machines, fermentation units and packaging machines to produce finished tea. 

THINK ABOUT IT 

1. How do infrastructure and healthcare systems like hospitals, primary healthcare centres, doctors, pharmacies, diagnostic labs, etc., contribute to developing human capital? (Page 168)

Ans: Infrastructure and healthcare systems such as hospitals, primary healthcare centres, doctors, pharmacies and diagnostic laboratories help develop human capital by keeping people healthy and fit. They provide medical treatment, medicines, health check-ups and tests. Healthy people can work more efficiently, learn better and contribute more to production and the development of the economy. 

2. Harsh, a student at government school in Grade 8, had to drop out of school two years back as his father lost his job. How do you think the loss of schooling years will affect Shivay when he grows up? (Page 169)

Ans: Shivay’s break from schooling may affect his learning, future job opportunities and self-confidence. He may find it difficult to continue his studies and get better opportunities in the future. However, with proper support and hard work, he can continue his education and achieve his goals. 

3. What problems could businesses face when they do not find workers with the required skills?

Ans: Businesses may face difficulties in finding skilled workers. This can lead to lower productivity, poor-quality products, delays in work and increased training costs. 

4. Are some jobs more important than others? What would happen if nobody cleaned the streets, collected the trash, farmers stopped cultivating the crops, doctors were not available to treat patients, and so on? (Page 170)

Ans: No job is less important than another. Every job plays an important role in society. If nobody cleaned the streets, collected garbage, farmers stopped growing crops or doctors treated patients, our lives would become difficult. Therefore, we should respect all professions because they help society function smoothly. 

5. What could be the lessons for young entrepreneurs that you can gather from the above case? (Page 175)

Ans: Young entrepreneurs should learn to identify problems, take risks, work hard and find innovative solutions. 

6. Does the existing knowledge of the entrepreneur help in finding solutions to the problem at hand? Or do they need to seek other sources? 

Ans: Yes, existing knowledge helps entrepreneurs solve problems. However, they may also need advice, research and guidance from other sources. 

7. Is profit the only motivation for an entrepreneur? Why or why not? 

Ans: No, profit is not the only motivation. Entrepreneurs may also want to solve problems, serve society, create jobs and fulfil their dreams. 

8. What are the other personality traits required to be a successful entrepreneur? 

Ans: A successful entrepreneur should have confidence, creativity, patience, leadership, decision-making ability, problem-solving skills and a willingness to take risks. 

9. Can you think of some technological advancements that have impacted the lives of people and communities around you? Talk to elders at home and in the neighbourhood about it. (Page 178)

Ans: Some technological advancements that have changed our lives are smartphones, the internet, computers, online payments, tractors and modern medical equipment. They have made communication, education, farming and healthcare easier. 

10. How are local communities and biodiversity affected by such activities? Do you also know some places around you that have seen water and land degradation over time? Discuss in class. (Page 180)

Ans: Activities such as deforestation, mining and pollution damage land and water resources. They destroy natural habitats, reduce biodiversity and affect the livelihoods of local communities. In Assam, some rivers, ponds and agricultural lands have faced pollution, soil erosion and degradation over time. 

Questions and activities 

1. How are the factors of production different from each other? What are the difficulties you faced in classifying the factors of production in the exercise given in-text? 

Ans: The four factors of production have different roles: land provides natural resources, labour involves human effort, capital includes money, tools and machines, and entrepreneurship organises all these factors and takes risks. The main difficulty in classification was that some inputs were difficult to identify as natural resources, human effort or man-made resources.

2. How does human capital differ from physical capital? 

Ans: Human capital refers to the knowledge, skills, abilities and experience of people. Physical capital refers to man-made resources such as machines, tools, buildings and equipment used in production. Human capital improves people’s ability to work, while physical capital helps them produce goods and services. 

3. How do you think technology is changing the way people develop their skills and knowledge? 

Ans: Technology helps people develop their skills and knowledge through online classes, educational videos and digital tools. It makes learning easier, faster and more accessible. 

4. A skill is something you learn and practice to get better. It helps you do things well, like playing a sport, creative writing, solving math problems, cooking, or even communicating well with people. If you could learn one skill today, what would it be and why? 

Ans: I would like to learn communication skills because they will help me express my ideas clearly, interact confidently with others and improve my future opportunities. 

5. Do you think entrepreneurship is the ‘driving force’ of production? Why or why not? 

Ans: Yes, entrepreneurship is the driving force of production. An entrepreneur brings land, labour and capital together, takes risks and organises production. Entrepreneurs also introduce new ideas, create businesses and generate employment, which helps in the growth of the economy. 

6. Can technology replace other factors like labour? Is this good or bad? Support your answer with the help of an example. 

Ans: Yes, technology can replace some labour. For example, in the textile industry, modern machines have replaced many workers in making fabrics.

Good: It increases production, saves time, reduces costs and improves quality.

Bad: It may cause job losses, especially for unskilled workers. Therefore, workers need to learn new skills to get better job opportunities.

7. How do education and skill training affect human capital? Can they be substituted for each other, or do they complement each other? 

Ans: Education provides general knowledge, understanding and thinking skills. Skill training teaches specific practical skills needed for particular jobs. Both help people improve their abilities and become more productive. 

8. Imagine you want to start a business that produces steel water bottles. What kind of inputs are needed? How would you obtain them? Suppose one of the factors is missing; what happens to your business operations? 

Ans: To start a steel water bottle business, the following inputs are needed:

Land: Factory space and raw materials like iron and steel.

Labour: Skilled workers, machine operators and designers.

Capital: Money, machines, tools and equipment.

Entrepreneurship: A person to organise and manage the business.

These inputs can be obtained by purchasing raw materials, hiring workers, arranging funds through savings or bank loans, and setting up a factory.

If any factor is missing, production may be delayed or stopped, and the business may face losses.

9. Interview an entrepreneur or founder of business to understand their motivation to start a business and the opportunities and challenges they saw. You can work in pairs to create a questionnaire to collect the information and share what you have learned in a report. 

Ans: I interviewed a local entrepreneur who started a business to earn money and become self-reliant.

Motivation: To fulfil a dream and earn a good income.

Opportunities: Growing customer demand and availability of resources.

Challenges: Arranging money, finding skilled workers and facing competition.

I learned that starting a business requires hard work, proper planning, confidence and the ability to take risks.

10. Think like an economist. Let’s explore what happens when things change. If you were Ratna, what would you do in the following situations? Discuss with your classmates. 

I. Suppose the rent for your space suddenly doubles.

(i) Will you raise the price of the food served to cover the costs? 

(ii) Will you look for a cheaper location? 

(iii) How does this affect your business? 

Ans: I would try to find a cheaper location. If necessary, I would slightly increase food prices. This may increase expenses and reduce profits.

II. Imagine one of your helpers quits suddenly.

(i) Can the remaining workers manage the same amount of work? 

(ii) Will you need to offer a higher salary to attract a new worker? 

Ans: The remaining workers may have to manage extra work. I would hire a new worker and offer a reasonable salary.

III. You receive a small loan to invest in better technology for your restaurant.

(i) Will this increase the production or improve quality? 

(ii) Will it help you reach more customers? 

Ans: I would buy better machines and equipment. This would improve food quality, save time and attract more customers.

IV. Suppose another restaurant opens in the neighbourhood.

(i) How will you attract and keep your customers? 

(ii) Will you improve your service, reduce prices, or offer something new? 

Ans: I would improve food quality and customer service. I would offer reasonable prices and new food items to attract customers.

V. What government laws or rules should be amended to improve the ease of doing business?

Ans: The government should simplify business registration and licensing, reduce unnecessary paperwork, provide easy loans to small businesses and make tax rules simpler.