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Briefly explain how the following factors influence the location and development of industries: (a) Labour (b) Water (c) Capital

      

Briefly explain how the following factors influence the location and development of industries:
(a) Labour
(b) Water
(c) Capital

  

Answers


Faith
(a) Labour
Successful industrial development requires adequate labour. Various industries require different types and amounts of labour. Some industries are labour intensive and thus require a large workforce. Capital intensive industries do not require a large workforce since most of the work is carried out by machines. Highly skilled labour is required in some industries such as electronic and engineering industries. Others like mining do not require a lot of skills. The unskilled labourers carry out mechanical operations such as digging in the mines. Managerial skills are also important in industrial development. Managers who are highly skilled are needed to ensure there is maximum output and low production costs.
In some industries, shortage of labour has been solved through automation. This is the case in large automobile industries in North America.
(b) Water
Processing industries such as coffee pulping and sugarcane processing require a lot of water. Such industries are best located near large permanent rivers, lakes or other sources of water.
(c) Capital
Industrial investment is a very expensive undertaking. Establishing and developing an industry requires a lot of money to purchase land, equipment, put up the buildings, pay salaries, purchase raw materials and so on. Financial institutions provide the necessary capital. Developing countries such as Kenya depend on foreign aid given by industrialized nations or international financial institutions to establish domestic industries. Local financial institutions give loans to organisations and individuals wishing to establish industries but the loans have to repaid with interest. Since capital is very mobile, it is rarely an important locations factor. It could be, if we consider other factors like the cost of land.
Faimus answered the question on April 27, 2018 at 08:57


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