TJK manufactures candles．Contributing to sustainable development is important to TJK．The business uses batch production in its factory in country X ．The target market for TJK＇s products is females between 20 and 50 years of age．The Managing Director is reviewing TJK＇s financial data． An extract is shown in Table 3．1．He is also considering the benefits to a business of becoming a multinational company． Do you think batch production is the best method of production for a business to use? Justify your answer.

Award 1 mark for each relevant point [max 2].
Award 1 mark for each relevant explanation [max 2].
Award up to 2 marks for a justified decision as to whether batch production is the best method of production for a business to use.

Points might include:
Batch production:
- Flexible / can easily change from one product to another \([\mathrm{k}]\) so can respond quickly to changing customer tastes [an]
- Variety of products can be made [k] which can widen its customer base/help spread risk [an]
- (Variety of tasks) can motivate employees [k]
- Machines must be re-set between batches [k] which can reduce output [an]
- Warehouse space needed [k] which increases storage costs [an]

Other methods include:
Flow production [k]
- Quick/high output [an]
- Economies of scale [an]
- Low(er) unit cost [an] so able to charge a lower price [an]
- Can operate 24 hours a day [an]
- Few(er) employees / high levels of automation [an]
- If a machine breaks down the whole production line will stop [an]
- High initial cost of machinery [an]
- Can lower motivation [an]

Job production [k]
- Can charge a high price [an] increasing profit margin [an]
- Can meet the (exact) requirements of customers [an]
- (Often) high quality [an]
- Labour intensive [an] which increases (labour) costs [an]
Other appropriate responses should be credited.
Justification might include:
Batch production is flexible [k] which means businesses can quickly respond to changes in customer tastes [an]. However, flow production \([\mathrm{k}]\) might be better as a high output is produced [an]. Batch production is better because responding to customer tastes means you are likely to have less waste products [eval] whereas using flow could result in very high quantities of unwanted products which increases costs [eval].