Mellorando
Banned
The division of labor refers to the segmentation of tasks, with each person focusing on a specific part of the production process. Originally coined in 1776 by Adam Smith in his book ‘A Wealth of Nations’, he famously used a pin factory as an example. In it, he noted how there were many complex stages to the process. First of all, someone has to draw the wire out, then straighten it, and then cut it. They then need to point it, and then grind the top of the head. In what is a relatively complex set of tasks, Smith highlighted the benefits of specialisation. This idea stems from the fact that each person needs to invest a set amount of time to become highly proficient in their role.
Major Advantages of Division of Labour:
1. Increase in Productivity:
The greatest advantage of division of labour is that it increases immensely the productivity per worker. This point can be illustrated by the famous example of pin making given by Adam Smith. The process of pin making is divided into 18 distinct operations.
2. The Right Man in the Right Place:
Another great advantage is that the work under division of labour is allotted according to the ability and capacity of the individual worker. This ensures a high degree of efficiency as the right man is put in the right job. Thus, it eliminates the possibility of fitting a square peg in a round hole.
3. Dexterity and Skill:
The worker becomes highly skilled and acquires high degree of dexterity because of the repeated performance of the same operation. As the age-old dictum goes, practice makes a man perfect. The worker acquires perfection in his skill because he has to carry out the same operation over and over again. This adds to his productivity.
4. Inventions are facilitated:
Another significant advantage is that it promotes the development of new ideas and better techniques of doing the work. It is due to the fact that when a worker is performing the same operation over and over again, he can think of doing that process in a better and improved manner. Even some mechanical device may occur to him to do that task easily and more efficiently. Thus, division of labour results in inventions of new machinery and better tools.
5. Saving in Time:
Under division of labour, a worker performs a part of the whole process and therefore he needs to learn only that much. Long periods of training are, therefore, rendered unnecessary. This saves great time and money. Further as the worker remains employed on the same process, he does not waste his time in moving from one process to another. He, therefore, goes on working without loss of time. This further result in saving in time.
7. Use of Machinery Encouraged:
By breaking up the production of a commodity into small and simple operations, division of labour encourages the use of machinery and its introduction. These simple operations easily can be carried out by suitable machines.
Machines can be economically used only when they are fully used, that is, when their productive capacity is fully utilised. Division of labour involves production on a large scale and therefore permits the economical use of machinery.
Major Advantages of Division of Labour:
1. Increase in Productivity:
The greatest advantage of division of labour is that it increases immensely the productivity per worker. This point can be illustrated by the famous example of pin making given by Adam Smith. The process of pin making is divided into 18 distinct operations.
2. The Right Man in the Right Place:
Another great advantage is that the work under division of labour is allotted according to the ability and capacity of the individual worker. This ensures a high degree of efficiency as the right man is put in the right job. Thus, it eliminates the possibility of fitting a square peg in a round hole.
3. Dexterity and Skill:
The worker becomes highly skilled and acquires high degree of dexterity because of the repeated performance of the same operation. As the age-old dictum goes, practice makes a man perfect. The worker acquires perfection in his skill because he has to carry out the same operation over and over again. This adds to his productivity.
4. Inventions are facilitated:
Another significant advantage is that it promotes the development of new ideas and better techniques of doing the work. It is due to the fact that when a worker is performing the same operation over and over again, he can think of doing that process in a better and improved manner. Even some mechanical device may occur to him to do that task easily and more efficiently. Thus, division of labour results in inventions of new machinery and better tools.
5. Saving in Time:
Under division of labour, a worker performs a part of the whole process and therefore he needs to learn only that much. Long periods of training are, therefore, rendered unnecessary. This saves great time and money. Further as the worker remains employed on the same process, he does not waste his time in moving from one process to another. He, therefore, goes on working without loss of time. This further result in saving in time.
7. Use of Machinery Encouraged:
By breaking up the production of a commodity into small and simple operations, division of labour encourages the use of machinery and its introduction. These simple operations easily can be carried out by suitable machines.
Machines can be economically used only when they are fully used, that is, when their productive capacity is fully utilised. Division of labour involves production on a large scale and therefore permits the economical use of machinery.