Final answer:
It is true that third parties can help a firm achieve sustainable growth by aggregating resources to achieve economies of scale, thereby reducing costs and possibly increasing surplus.
Step-by-step explanation:
It is true that a third party may be able to provide sustainable growth of surplus by aggregating to a higher level than the firm itself. By pooling together resources such as capacity, inventory, transportation, warehousing, information, receivables, or relationships, third parties can achieve economies of scale, which refers to the situation where the cost per unit goes down as the quantity of output increases. This is evident in large-scale operations like those seen with warehouse stores, where a larger factory can produce goods at a lower average cost than a smaller factory. Furthermore, elements such as perfect competition and the benefits of large-scale production typically lead to lower prices and innovative products for consumers, which can contribute to the growth in surplus.