Division of labourPrepared by Sandrea Butcher

Objectives

Define the term ‘division of labour’ Outline the advantages and disadvantages of the division of labour

What is the division of labour?

This occurs when the production process is broken up into a series of tasks.

For example, at a school teaching is divided into year levels.

Advantages

1. A worker who performs the same task repeatedly will improve skills A worker will become competent when practicing the same task over

time

2. Time saving

Since workers will not have to switch between tasks, time will be saved.

3. Workers can choose the task for which they have the greatest ability This means that there is greater efficiency in the allocation of human

resources

4. The use of machinery becomes possible which can be utilized for a limited ranges of tasks

Panel cutting machine at an American football factory

5. Output will increase over time

Disadvantages

1. Work becomes monotonous

Repeating the same task over time can become boring

2. Workers find it difficult to find other jobs which do not require the skill that they currently possess

Since workers concentrate on a limited range of tasks, it becomes harder to find other jobs.

3. The worker loses pride in the finished product since he/she is just a part of the process

What is the point of me doing this?

4. The interdependence of the process implies that if one task is delayed bottlenecks could be created

If a machine breaks down at a particular task, the output of the task prior to that will not be further processed

Other subsequent tasks will be delayed.