---
entity_slug: species_of_industry_with_variable_output
evaluator: null
evaluated_at: '2026-02-23T06:24:09.129509'
overall_score: 4.2
scores:
- name: definition_precision
  value: 4.0
  max_value: 5.0
  rationale: The definition clearly distinguishes between industries with variable
    versus consistent output, using specific examples like agriculture producing varying
    amounts of corn, wine, oil, and hops. The concept is well-bounded and non-circular,
    though it could be slightly more precise about what constitutes "same quantity
    of industry."
- name: source_grounding
  value: 5.0
  max_value: 5.0
  rationale: This entity is directly grounded in Smith's discussion in Book I, Chapter
    7 about how different types of productive activities respond differently to the
    same inputs. Smith explicitly contrasts agricultural production (which varies
    by season and conditions) with manufacturing (which tends to produce more consistent
    outputs).
- name: domain_placement
  value: 5.0
  max_value: 5.0
  rationale: The "Production" domain assignment is exactly correct, as this entity
    describes fundamental characteristics of different productive processes. This
    is a core production economics concept that fits perfectly within this domain.
- name: vsm_relevance
  value: 3.0
  max_value: 5.0
  rationale: This entity has moderate VSM relevance, primarily relating to S1 (primary
    operations) as it describes operational characteristics of production systems.
    It also touches on S2 coordination challenges since variable output creates oscillations
    that require management, but it's not a natural fit for higher-level VSM systems.
- name: explanatory_value
  value: 4.0
  max_value: 5.0
  rationale: This entity provides significant explanatory power by illuminating why
    agricultural markets behave differently from manufacturing markets in terms of
    price volatility and supply predictability. It reveals an underlying structural
    mechanism that explains observable economic phenomena rather than merely naming
    surface-level observations.
---

# Evaluation: Species Of Industry With Variable Output

## definition_precision — 4.0 / 5.0

The definition clearly distinguishes between industries with variable versus consistent output, using specific examples like agriculture producing varying amounts of corn, wine, oil, and hops. The concept is well-bounded and non-circular, though it could be slightly more precise about what constitutes "same quantity of industry."

## source_grounding — 5.0 / 5.0

This entity is directly grounded in Smith's discussion in Book I, Chapter 7 about how different types of productive activities respond differently to the same inputs. Smith explicitly contrasts agricultural production (which varies by season and conditions) with manufacturing (which tends to produce more consistent outputs).

## domain_placement — 5.0 / 5.0

The "Production" domain assignment is exactly correct, as this entity describes fundamental characteristics of different productive processes. This is a core production economics concept that fits perfectly within this domain.

## vsm_relevance — 3.0 / 5.0

This entity has moderate VSM relevance, primarily relating to S1 (primary operations) as it describes operational characteristics of production systems. It also touches on S2 coordination challenges since variable output creates oscillations that require management, but it's not a natural fit for higher-level VSM systems.

## explanatory_value — 4.0 / 5.0

This entity provides significant explanatory power by illuminating why agricultural markets behave differently from manufacturing markets in terms of price volatility and supply predictability. It reveals an underlying structural mechanism that explains observable economic phenomena rather than merely naming surface-level observations.
