Source: https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/5-4-1-capacity [Revision notes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes.md) › [IB Diploma](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma.md) › [Business](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business.md) › [Business Management: IB Diploma](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma.md) › Capacity # Capacity Business Management: IB Diploma, topic 5.4.1 ## Capacity Capacity refers to the maximum level of production possible using the resources available within the business. ### Importance of capacity ![Importance of capacity](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2019-01/b916cccb-5ad9-4a5a-be5b-88a25eb58224/exclamation-sign.png) - A business must understand its capacity to make sure that it does not commit to more orders than it can fulfil within a certain time period. ### The importance of productivity ![The importance of productivity](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2019-01/91c18f56-54ce-4eae-9e08-745c68479cb6/productivity.jpg) - Increasing the number of, or productivity levels of staff and investing in technology can help a business to increase its total capacity. ### Capacity utilisation ![Capacity utilisation](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-08/7117d456-8729-49cc-af70-4c4765983dba/production-car-.jpg) - The proportion of total capacity being used by a business is known as its capacity utilisation. - Many businesses aim to increase their capacity utilisation as this will mean that fixed costs can be spread out over a greater number of units. ### Disadvantage of 100% capacity utilisation ![Disadvantage of 100% capacity utilisation](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2019-01/8902a786-2535-4d10-b9dd-5cf833e38cd5/perent.jpg) - Having capacity utilisation of 100% means the business cannot respond to additional or special orders made at short notice as they do not have any further capacity to produce these products. ### Outsourcing ![Outsourcing](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2019-01/19d406ad-6305-48b6-8305-a9786e8239ff/outsource.jpg) - If a business needs to increase its capacity at short notice to take advantage of an increase in demand, outsourcing can be used, although this has both advantages and disadvantages: - Outsourcing allows a business to increase its total capacity which may allow the business to meet increasing demand. - Outsourcing can lead to quality issues if outsourcers do not take quality as seriously as the business. ### Example of capacity utilisation ![Example of capacity utilisation](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/courseImages/biology/6.3.1%20The%20theory%20of%20evolution/coffee-2608864_640-min.jpg) - If a coffee shop’s total capacity is 3,000 hot drinks per day, it will be unable to produce more than 3,000 hot drinks per day unless it increases its capacity through staff training or further recruitment. - Selling 1,500 hot drinks per day would give the business a capacity utilisation of 50% if total capacity is 3,000 hot drinks ## Test yourself on Capacity - What can be spread out over a higher number of units if capacity utilisation increases? - Is 100% capacity utilisation always desirable? [Practise this topic for free](https://app.senecalearning.com/classroom/course/96f95cf2-8acd-4f01-87ce-ad02d9a86dab/section/c0f89d40-bf70-4e0c-a243-99f1678ec0e1/session) - Previous topic: [5.3.5 Case Study - Toyota Production System](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/5-3-5-case-study-toyota-production-system.md) - Next topic: [5.4.2 Productivity & Efficiency](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/5-4-2-productivity-and-efficiency.md) ## Business Management: IB Diploma contents ### 1 Business Organisation & Environment - 1.1 Introduction to Business Management - [1.1.1 Why Businesses Exist & Sectors](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/1-1-1-why-businesses-exist-and-sectors.md) - 1.2 Types of Organisation - [1.2.1 Sole Traders](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/1-2-1-sole-traders.md) - [1.2.2 Limited Liability](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/1-2-2-limited-liability.md) - [1.2.3 Non-Profit](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/1-2-3-non-profit.md) - [1.2.4 Franchising](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/1-2-4-franchising.md) - [1.2.5 End of Topic Test - Franchising](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/1-2-5-end-of-topic-test-franchising.md) - 1.3 Organisational Objectives - [1.3.1 External Environments](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/1-3-1-external-environments.md) - [1.3.2 Business Mission & Corporate Objective](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/1-3-2-business-mission-and-corporate-objective.md) - [1.3.3 Mission, Corporate Objectives & Strategy](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/1-3-3-mission-corporate-objectives-and-strategy.md) - [1.3.4 SWOT Analysis](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/1-3-4-swot-analysis.md) - [1.3.5 End of Topic Test - SWOT Analysis](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/1-3-5-end-of-topic-test-swot-analysis.md) - 1.4 Stakeholders - [1.4.1 Stakeholders](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/1-4-1-stakeholders.md) - 1.5 External Environment - [1.5.1 Social & Technological Environment](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/1-5-1-social-and-technological-environment.md) - [1.5.2 Lifestyle & Technological Environment](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/1-5-2-lifestyle-and-technological-environment.md) - [1.5.3 Corporate Social Responsibility](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/1-5-3-corporate-social-responsibility.md) - [1.5.4 Economic Environment](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/1-5-4-economic-environment.md) - [1.5.5 Political & Legal Change](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/1-5-5-political-and-legal-change.md) - 1.6 Growth & Evolution - [1.6.1 Growth & Retrenchment](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/1-6-1-growth-and-retrenchment.md) - [1.6.2 Challenges of Growth](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/1-6-2-challenges-of-growth.md) - [1.6.3 Growth Models](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/1-6-3-growth-models.md) - [1.6.4 End of Topic Test - Diseconomies of Scale](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/1-6-4-end-of-topic-test-diseconomies-of-scale.md) - [1.6.5 Internationalisation](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/1-6-5-internationalisation.md) - [1.6.6 Sourcing Resources & Entering Markets](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/1-6-6-sourcing-resources-and-entering-markets.md) - [1.6.7 End of Topic Test - Internationalisation](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/1-6-7-end-of-topic-test-internationalisation.md) - [1.6.8 Managing Internationalisation](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/1-6-8-managing-internationalisation.md) - [1.6.9 Impact of Internationalisation](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/1-6-9-impact-of-internationalisation.md) - 1.7 HL Only: Organisational Planning Tools - [1.7.1 Organisational Planning Tools](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/1-7-1-organisational-planning-tools.md) ### 2 Human Resource Management - 2.1 Functions & Evolution of Human Resource Management - [2.1.1 Setting Human Resource Objectives](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/2-1-1-setting-human-resource-objectives.md) - [2.1.2 Human Resource Management](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/2-1-2-human-resource-management.md) - [2.1.3 Labour Turnover & Retention](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/2-1-3-labour-turnover-and-retention.md) - [2.1.4 Labour Productivity](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/2-1-4-labour-productivity.md) - 2.2 Organisational Structure - [2.2.1 Organisational Structures](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/2-2-1-organisational-structures.md) - 2.3 Leadership & Management - [2.3.1 Managers](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/2-3-1-managers.md) - [2.3.2 Management Theories](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/2-3-2-management-theories.md) - [2.3.3 End of Topic Test - Management](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/2-3-3-end-of-topic-test-management.md) - 2.4 Motivation - [2.4.1 Motivating & Engaging Employees](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/2-4-1-motivating-and-engaging-employees.md) - [2.4.2 Taylor's Theory](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/2-4-2-taylors-theory.md) - [2.4.3 Maslow's Theory](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/2-4-3-maslows-theory.md) - [2.4.4 Herzberg's Theory](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/2-4-4-herzbergs-theory.md) - [2.4.5 Different Incentives](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/2-4-5-different-incentives.md) - [2.4.6 Evaluating Incentives](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/2-4-6-evaluating-incentives.md) - 2.5 Organisational (Corporate) Culture - [2.5.1 Managing Organisational Culture](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/2-5-1-managing-organisational-culture.md) - [2.5.2 Organisational Structures](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/2-5-2-organisational-structures.md) - 2.6 HL Only: Industrial/Employee Relations - [2.6.1 Improving Employer-Employee Relations](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/2-6-1-improving-employer-employee-relations.md) - [2.6.2 Case Study - The Winter of Discontent](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/2-6-2-case-study-the-winter-of-discontent.md) ### 3 Finance & Accounts - 3.1 Sources of Finance - [3.1.1 Internal Sources of Finance](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/3-1-1-internal-sources-of-finance.md) - [3.1.2 External Sources of Finance](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/3-1-2-external-sources-of-finance.md) - [3.1.3 Factors for Financing](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/3-1-3-factors-for-financing.md) - [3.1.4 End of Topic Test - Debt](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/3-1-4-end-of-topic-test-debt.md) - 3.2 Costs & Revenues - [3.2.1 Costs & Revenues](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/3-2-1-costs-and-revenues.md) - 3.3 Break-Even Analysis - [3.3.1 Profit](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/3-3-1-profit.md) - [3.3.2 Break-Even Analysis](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/3-3-2-break-even-analysis.md) - 3.4 Profitability & Liquidity Ratio Analysis - [3.4.1 Profitability Analysis](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/3-4-1-profitability-analysis.md) - 3.5 Cash Flow - [3.5.1 Cash Flow](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/3-5-1-cash-flow.md) - [3.5.2 Solutions to Cash Flow Problems](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/3-5-2-solutions-to-cash-flow-problems.md) - [3.5.3 Improving Cash Flow & Profits](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/3-5-3-improving-cash-flow-and-profits.md) - 3.6 HL Only: Investment Appraisal - [3.6.1 Investment Appraisal](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/3-6-1-investment-appraisal.md) - 3.7 HL Only: Budgets - [3.7.1 Cash-Flow & Budgets](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/3-7-1-cash-flow-and-budgets.md) ### 4 Marketing - 4.1 The Role of Marketing - [4.1.1 Setting Marketing Objectives](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/4-1-1-setting-marketing-objectives.md) - [4.1.2 Market Calculations](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/4-1-2-market-calculations.md) - 4.2 Marketing Planning - [4.2.1 Marketing Mix](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/4-2-1-marketing-mix.md) - [4.2.2 Segmentation](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/4-2-2-segmentation.md) - [4.2.3 Niche & Mass Markets](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/4-2-3-niche-and-mass-markets.md) - 4.3 Market Research - [4.3.1 Market Research](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/4-3-1-market-research.md) - [4.3.2 Market Mapping](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/4-3-2-market-mapping.md) - [4.3.3 Methods of Market Research](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/4-3-3-methods-of-market-research.md) - 4.4 The 4 Ps - [4.4.1 Product Decisions](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/4-4-1-product-decisions.md) - [4.4.2 Pricing Decisions & Price Skimming](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/4-4-2-pricing-decisions-and-price-skimming.md) - [4.4.3 Pricing Decisions & Price Penetration](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/4-4-3-pricing-decisions-and-price-penetration.md) - [4.4.4 End of Topic Test - Pricing & Competition](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/4-4-4-end-of-topic-test-pricing-and-competition.md) - [4.4.5 Promotional Decisions](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/4-4-5-promotional-decisions.md) - [4.4.6 Promotional Decisions 2](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/4-4-6-promotional-decisions-2.md) - [4.4.7 Promotional Decisions 3](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/4-4-7-promotional-decisions-3.md) - [4.4.8 Digital Marketing](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/4-4-8-digital-marketing.md) - [4.4.9 Evaluating Digital Marketing](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/4-4-9-evaluating-digital-marketing.md) - [4.4.10 Case Study - The Marketing Mix & Promotion](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/4-4-10-case-study-the-marketing-mix-and-promotion.md) - [4.4.11 Place & Distribution](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/4-4-11-place-and-distribution.md) - 4.5 HL Only: The Extended Marketing Mix - [4.5.1 The Extended Marketing Mix](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/4-5-1-the-extended-marketing-mix.md) - 4.6 HL Only: International Marketing - [4.6.1 International Marketing](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/4-6-1-international-marketing.md) - 4.7 E-Commerce - [4.7.1 E-Commerce](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/4-7-1-e-commerce.md) ### 5 Operations Management - 5.1 The Role of Operations Management - [5.1.1 Setting Operational Objectives](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/5-1-1-setting-operational-objectives.md) - 5.2 Production Methods - [5.2.1 Production Processes Overview](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/5-2-1-production-processes-overview.md) - [5.2.2 Production Processes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/5-2-2-production-processes.md) - [5.2.3 Production Efficiency](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/5-2-3-production-efficiency.md) - [5.2.4 Technology & Production](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/5-2-4-technology-and-production.md) - 5.3 HL Only: Lean Prodution & Quality Management - [5.3.1 Importance of Quality](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/5-3-1-importance-of-quality.md) - [5.3.2 Measuring & Identifying Quality](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/5-3-2-measuring-and-identifying-quality.md) - [5.3.3 Total Quality Management](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/5-3-3-total-quality-management.md) - [5.3.4 Evaluating Total Quality Management](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/5-3-4-evaluating-total-quality-management.md) - [5.3.5 Case Study - Toyota Production System](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/5-3-5-case-study-toyota-production-system.md) - 5.4 HL Only: Production Planning - [5.4.1 Capacity](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/5-4-1-capacity.md) - [5.4.2 Productivity & Efficiency](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/5-4-2-productivity-and-efficiency.md) - [5.4.3 Technology & Efficiency](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/5-4-3-technology-and-efficiency.md) - [5.4.4 Improving the Supply Chain](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/5-4-4-improving-the-supply-chain.md) - [5.4.5 Inventory](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/5-4-5-inventory.md) - [5.4.6 Outsourcing](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/5-4-6-outsourcing.md) - 5.5 HL Only: Research & Development - [5.5.1 Organisational Planning Tools](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/ib-diploma/business/business-management-ib-diploma/5-5-1-organisational-planning-tools.md)