Questions: To be a business resource, a thing must be
available for purchase
found in nature
productive
tangible
Transcript text: To be a business resource, a thing must be $\qquad$
available for purchase
found in nature
productive
tangible
Solution
To determine what qualifies as a business resource, it's important to consider the characteristics that make something valuable and useful in a business context. Let's analyze each of the options provided:
Available for purchase: This implies that the resource can be acquired through a transaction. While many business resources are indeed purchased, not all resources need to be bought. For example, a company's internal knowledge or proprietary technology may not be available for purchase but still serves as a critical business resource.
Found in nature: Natural resources, such as minerals, water, and timber, are indeed business resources. However, not all business resources are found in nature. Many are man-made, such as machinery, software, and intellectual property.
Productive: This is a key characteristic of a business resource. A resource must contribute to the production of goods or services, or otherwise add value to the business. Productivity is a fundamental aspect of what makes something a resource in a business context.
Tangible: While tangible resources like equipment and inventory are important, intangible resources such as brand reputation, patents, and human capital are also crucial business resources. Intangibles can provide significant competitive advantages and are often more valuable than tangible assets.
In summary, to be considered a business resource, a thing must primarily be productive, as it needs to contribute to the business's ability to generate value. While availability for purchase, being found in nature, and tangibility are characteristics of some business resources, they are not universally applicable to all resourcesTo determine what qualifies as a business resource, we need to consider the characteristics that make something valuable and useful in a business context. Let's evaluate each of the given options:
Available for purchase: This implies that the resource can be acquired through a transaction. While many business resources are indeed purchased, not all resources need to be bought. For example, a company's proprietary technology or brand reputation is a resource but may not be directly purchasable.
Found in nature: Natural resources, such as minerals, water, and timber, are indeed business resources. However, not all business resources are found in nature. Human resources, intellectual property, and financial capital are examples of resources that are not naturally occurring.
Productive: This is a key characteristic of a business resource. A resource must contribute to the production of goods or services or add value to the business in some way. Productivity is a fundamental aspect of what makes something a resource in a business context.
Tangible: While tangible resources like machinery, buildings, and inventory are important, intangible resources such as patents, trademarks, and human expertise are also critical business resources. Therefore, tangibility is not a necessary condition for something to be a business resource.
In summary, the most essential characteristic of a business resource is its productivity, as it must contribute to the business's ability to generate goods, services, or value. Other factors like availability for purchase, being found in nature, or tangibility may apply to certain resources but are not universally required.