Division of Labour

Division of labour occurs when the production process of a good is broken down into various small tasks.

Advantages

• Increased output - Because of the repetition, a worker improve at a greater speed at a particular task. This means workers can produce more goods in the same amount of time.
  • The worker has to move around less, so they can spend more time doing the same job instead of walking around or switching tools.
• Less waste - Workers doing the same task repeatedly are less likely to forget something or make a mistake - Their job is simpler. Additionally, they will become more experienced so they will make less mistakes

Disadvantages

• Boredom. Workers get bored doing the same task over and over. In Henry Ford's case, this meant he had to pay workers more to compensate.
• Workers could not produce the product alone. This means it would be difficult for them to get another job, as they are unlikely to find another job in an area they are familiar with. If they created the whole good, they would be able to produce that good or component of it elsewhere.