📚 Year 9 OCR Economics: Case Study Practice Drill | Year 9 OCR 经济：案例分析实战演练
Welcome to this hands-on case study practice session designed for Year 9 OCR Economics students. Case studies test your ability to apply economic concepts to real-world scenarios. By working through a structured example, you will learn how to identify economic problems, use key terminology, analyse data, and make reasoned recommendations – exactly what OCR exam questions expect.
欢迎来到本次为 Year 9 OCR 经济学生设计的案例分析实战演练。案例分析考查你将经济学概念应用到现实情境的能力。通过一个结构化的例子，你将学会如何识别经济问题、使用关键术语、分析数据并给出有理有据的建议——这正是 OCR 考试题目所要求的。
1. Setting the Scene: The SweetSip Case | 案例背景：SweetSip 果汁公司
SweetSip Ltd is a medium-sized UK company that produces fizzy drinks. However, sales of sugary fizzy drinks are falling due to health concerns and the government’s sugar tax. The management team is considering launching a new range of 100% pressed fruit juices. The project would require an initial investment of £2 million, and the company can only afford one major project this year because its resources – money, factory space, and skilled workers – are limited. You have been hired as a junior economic adviser to analyse whether SweetSip should go ahead with the juice range.
SweetSip 有限公司是一家中型英国企业，生产碳酸饮料。然而，由于健康意识提升和政府的糖税，含糖碳酸饮料的销量正在下滑。管理层正在考虑推出一系列全新 100% 压榨果汁。该项目需要 200 万英镑初期投资，而公司今年只能负担一个大项目，因为其资源——资金、工厂空间和熟练工人——是有限的。你被聘为初级经济顾问，分析 SweetSip 是否应该启动果汁系列。
2. Identifying the Economic Problem | 识别经济问题
The fundamental economic problem facing SweetSip is scarcity. The company has limited resources (capital, labour, land/space) but unlimited wants – the desire to grow profits and satisfy shareholders. Because it cannot do everything, SweetSip must make a choice. The decision to launch a new product is a classic ‘what to produce’ question, one of the three basic economic questions (along with ‘how to produce’ and ‘for whom to produce’).
SweetSip 面临的根本经济问题是稀缺性。公司资源（资本、劳动力、土地/场地）有限，但欲望无限——希望增加利润并满足股东。由于无法做所有事情，SweetSip 必须做出选择。推出新产品的决策是一个典型的“生产什么”问题，这是三个基本经济问题之一（另外两个是“如何生产”和“为谁生产”）。
3. Scarcity and Choice in Depth | 稀缺性与选择的深入理解
Scarcity forces SweetSip to consider trade-offs. If the company spends its £2 million on the juice project, it cannot use that money to upgrade its existing fizzy drink production line or to pay off debt. The same applies to factory space: the new juice production line will take up a packing area that could otherwise be used to expand storage for fizzy drinks. Skilled engineers would need to work on the juice project rather than maintaining existing machinery. Thus, every choice involves giving something up.
稀缺性迫使 SweetSip 考虑权衡。如果公司将 200 万英镑用于果汁项目，就不能用这笔钱升级现有的碳酸饮料生产线或偿还债务。工厂空间同样如此：新的果汁生产线将占用包装区，而该区域本可用于扩大碳酸饮料的存储。熟练工程师需要投入果汁项目，而非维护现有机器。因此，任何选择都意味着放弃某些东西。
4. Opportunity Cost in Action | 机会成本实战
The opportunity cost of a decision is the next best alternative forgone. For SweetSip, the opportunity cost of launching the juice range is the most valuable alternative use of the £2 million, factory space, and worker time. Suppose the next best option is to invest in a new marketing campaign to revive fizzy drink sales, which is projected to add £300,000 in annual profit. Then the opportunity cost of the juice project is that £300,000 potential profit. Opportunity cost reminds us that the true cost is not just monetary but also the lost benefits of the sacrificed alternative.
决策的机会成本是所放弃的次优选择。对于 SweetSip，推出果汁系列的机会成本是那 200 万英镑、工厂空间和员工时间的次优用途。假设次优选择是投资新营销活动来振兴碳酸饮料销售，预计每年增加 30 万英镑利润。那么果汁项目的机会成本就是那 30 万英镑潜在利润。机会成本提醒我们，真实成本不仅是金钱，还包括被牺牲选项所失去的收益。
5. Demand Factors for the Juice Market | 果汁市场的需求因素
When evaluating the juice project, SweetSip must examine demand determinants. Key factors include consumer tastes (a shift towards healthier lifestyles increases demand for natural juices), income levels (if real incomes rise, demand for premium juices may increase), the price of substitutes (such as smoothies or flavoured water), and complement goods (e.g., breakfast cereals). Demographic changes – more health-conscious young adults – also boost demand. A demand curve shift to the right indicates a higher quantity demanded at each price, potentially making the project more viable.
在评估果汁项目时，SweetSip 必须考察需求的决定因素。关键因素包括消费者口味（向健康生活方式的转变增加了对天然果汁的需求）、收入水平（如果实际收入上升，对高端果汁的需求可能增加）、替代品价格（如冰沙或调味水）以及互补品（如早餐麦片）。人口结构变化——更多注重健康的年轻人——也推动了需求。需求曲线向右移动表明在每个价格下需求量增加，这使项目更具可行性。
6. Supply Factors and Production Considerations | 供给因素与生产考量
On the supply side, SweetSip needs to consider the costs of production: raw materials (fresh fruit, packaging), wages for skilled and unskilled labour, energy, and transport. A rise in fruit prices due to poor harvests would shift supply to the left, raising the market price. The company must also assess technology – more efficient juicing machines can lower unit costs. Government regulations, such as food safety standards and the sugar tax (which does not apply to 100% juice without added sugar), can also shift supply. Understanding these factors helps predict whether SweetSip can produce profitably.
在供给方面，SweetSip 需要考虑生产成本：原材料（新鲜水果、包装）、熟练与非熟练劳动力的工资、能源和运输。因收成差导致水果价格上涨会使供给曲线左移，推高市场价格。公司还必须评估技术——更高效的榨汁机器可以降低单位成本。政府法规，如食品安全标准和不含添加糖的 100% 果汁所免税的糖税，也能改变供给。理解这些因素有助于预测 SweetSip 能否实现盈利生产。
7. Costs, Revenues and Profit Analysis | 成本、收益与利润分析
SweetSip must estimate total revenue (price per bottle × quantity sold) and total costs (fixed costs like rent and machinery, plus variable costs like fruit and labour). If total revenue exceeds total costs, the project earns a profit – the main incentive for firms in a market economy. Fixed costs are significant because the £2 million investment is a sunk cost that must be recouped over time. A break-even analysis can determine the minimum number of juice bottles that must be sold. For example, if each bottle sells for £2 and variable cost is £1.20, the contribution per unit is £0.80. The break-even output is fixed costs divided by contribution – a crucial calculation for the recommendation.
SweetSip 必须估算总收益（每瓶价格 × 销量）和总成本（固定成本如租金和机器，加上可变成本如果汁和劳动力）。如果总收益超过总成本，项目盈利——这是市场经济中企业的主要激励。固定成本很关键，因为 200 万英镑投资是沉没成本，必须随着时间回收。盈亏平衡分析可以确定必须销售果汁的最低数量。例如，如果每瓶售价 2 英镑，可变成本为 1.20 英镑，单位贡献就是 0.80 英镑。盈亏平衡产量等于固定成本除以单位贡献——这是提出建议的重要计算。
8. Government Intervention and Externalities | 政府干预与外部性
Government policies create both opportunities and constraints. The sugar tax on fizzy drinks has reduced demand for SweetSip’s existing products but provides a competitive advantage for unsweetened juice. However, the government may also introduce a tax on single-use plastic bottles, raising packaging costs. On the positive side, if the juice uses British fruit, SweetSip might qualify for an agricultural subsidy. Externalities must be considered: producing fresh juice could reduce negative externalities associated with sugary drinks (like obesity-related healthcare costs), potentially earning public goodwill. This can be framed as a positive externality of consumption, as healthier consumers benefit society.
政府政策既创造机遇也带来制约。对碳酸饮料征收糖税已经降低了 SweetSip 现有产品的需求，但为无糖果汁提供了竞争优势。然而，政府也可能对一次性塑料瓶征税，提高包装成本。积极的一面是，如果果汁使用英国水果，SweetSip 可能符合农业补贴条件。必须考虑外部性：生产鲜榨果汁可以减少与含糖饮料相关的负外部性（如肥胖相关的医疗成本），可能赢得公众好感。这可以被视为消费的正外部性，因为更健康的消费者使社会受益。
9. Making a Recommendation – The Decision | 提出建议——决策
After weighing up the costs and benefits, a reasoned recommendation must be made. Using the data, if estimated annual sales are 1 million bottles at £2 each, total revenue is £2 million. If total costs are £1.8 million, the profit is £200,000 – an attractive return. However, the opportunity cost of the foregone fizzy drink campaign (£300,000 profit) is higher. Here, sticking with the fizzy drink campaign may be the better short-term choice, but the juice project might offer greater long-term growth and positive brand positioning. A good answer acknowledges both sides, uses economic vocabulary, and justifies the final choice with reference to scarcity, opportunity cost, and market analysis.
在权衡成本与收益后，必须给出有理由的建议。利用数据，如果预计年销售量为 100 万瓶，每瓶 2 英镑，总收益为 200 万英镑。如果总成本为 180 万英镑，利润为 20 万英镑——回报有吸引力。但被放弃的碳酸饮料营销活动的机会成本（30 万英镑利润）更高。在此，坚持碳酸饮料营销活动可能是更好的短期选择，但果汁项目可能带来更大的长期增长和品牌正面定位。优秀答案会承认双方观点，使用经济术语，并引用稀缺性、机会成本和市场分析来证明最终选择。
10. Key Terms Quick Reference | 关键术语速查
Tables can help you quickly recall terminology for case study questions. Below is a handy glossary of the essential terms used in this drill, along with their definitions.
表格可以帮助你快速回忆案例问题中的术语。下面是一份本次演练中关键术语的实用词汇表，附有定义。
| Economic Term (EN) | 经济术语 (中文) | Definition | 定义 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scarcity | 稀缺性 | Limited resources and unlimited wants | 有限资源与无限欲望 |
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