What term is used to describe production methods that depend primarily on machinery and automation?

The term that best describes production methods relying primarily on machinery and automation is capital-intensive production. This approach involves significant investment in equipment and technology rather than labor, leading to higher levels of efficiency and potentially lower long-term costs in producing goods or services. Capital-intensive production systems utilize advanced machinery to streamline processes, enhance productivity, and reduce the time required to produce items, often resulting in greater output and consistency in quality.

In contrast, labor-intensive production would emphasize the human workforce as the main component of the production process, which does not align with the focus on automation. Resource-based production refers to methods that prioritize the use of natural resources or raw materials, rather than machinery. Traditional production methods generally rely more on manual skills and handcrafted processes, again differing from the automated nature of capital-intensive production. Each of these alternatives highlights different aspects of production, but capital-intensive production specifically captures the essence of relying on technology and machinery to drive efficiency and productivity in production methods.