Division of work

The division of labor is a separation as a result of specialization of various types of work and types of economic activity, both in the entire economy and in its various sections and planes.

You can therefore distinguish:

• The general division of labor, meaning separation of departments and institutional sectors of the national economy
• Detailed division of work into individual occupations or activities
• Separate division of labor, carried out inside enterprises or other economic organisms

The principle of division of labor

The main idea of this principle is to divide the main goal to be achieved for simple activities. The breakdown of work into smaller factors and the division of these tasks between separate workplaces leads to an increase in the quality and increase in the quantity of products produced. This is because it is easier to do smaller things and you can improve the quality of their execution faster. In order to divide work on a larger scale, the enterprise should be guided by an economic calculation to determine whether the appropriate distribution will be profitable. It is important, however, to remember that the boundary of work division is determined and its exceeding can lead to rapid fatigue and a decrease in work efficiency caused by monotony.

Types of labor division

• Horizontal division of labor - it consists in the separation of activities performed by employees between contractors of the same level
• Vertical division of labor - consisting in grouping executive and managerial functions

Division of labor according to Adam Smith

Describing and promoting the work division process is one of the greatest achievements of Smith's work: the division of labor radically contributes to the efficiency of the production process, is an obvious technical application that focuses on the benefits it generates. from the division of labor can be seen immediately, they bind our way of thinking, which easily succumbs to their irresistible logic. Smith points to three such factors that increase productivity:

• First of all, it increases the productivity of every employee. If mastering the full production cycle in the model example required mastering eighteen activities, getting proficiency in each of them is very time-consuming.
• The second productivity increasing factor is saving time, which usually loses when one goes from one type of work to another.
• The third productivity increasing factor is the invention of a large number of machines that simplify and shorten the work and allow one person to do the work of many people. Smith's production-mixing process involves the division of labor.

Modern division of labor

Contemporary division of labor departs significantly from those who have been postulated by the creators of organization and management. Nowadays attention is focused on individual elements of a given process, e.g. order execution, purchase of goods. In such proceedings, the managers do not focus on the wider purpose of delivering the finished product to the customer. For the consumer, manufacturing processes do not matter, the finished product that matters is what counts. M. Hammer and J. Champy defined the process as a set of tasks that are required at the beginning and end result, which has value for the client. The concentration of work on such defined processes is rejected by the industrial paradigm of the classics of organizational and management sciences, which was supported by the division of labor, functional structure, hierarchical control, economies of scale. Thus, Business Process Reengineering is a solution for the reversal of the industrial revolution and is the beginning in searching for better models of work organization.

Examples of Division of work

• The division of labor in the industrial production process is perhaps the most common example of division of labor. This process involves the breaking down of the production process into a series of smaller, specialized tasks that can be completed more efficiently by individual workers. For instance, in an automobile factory, workers may specialize in assembling a single part of the car, such as the engine or chassis, without having to assemble the entire car.
• Another example of division of labor is in the service industry. This could involve a restaurant, for example, where one chef will specialize in making soups, another in salads, and so on. This type of separation of tasks allows for the restaurant to produce a wide variety of meals quickly and efficiently.
• In the agricultural sector, division of labor is also common. This involves the breaking down of farm tasks into smaller, specialized tasks. For instance, one farmer may specialize in planting, while another may specialize in crop maintenance. This type of division of labor allows for the most efficient use of resources and makes the most sense economically.

Advantages of Division of work

Division of labor is a great way to increase efficiency and productivity. It has a number of advantages, such as:

• Increased specialization - When tasks are divided, workers are able to specialize and develop skills in specific areas. This leads to increased expertise, and in turn, greater efficiency.
• Improved quality - When workers specialize in particular tasks, they become more proficient and can produce a higher quality product. This can lead to improved customer satisfaction and increased profits.
• Reduced time - Division of labor reduces the amount of time it takes to produce a product or service. By focusing on a specific task, workers can complete their tasks more quickly and efficiently.
• Enhanced productivity - When workers specialize, they become more efficient and productive. This can lead to increased output and higher profits.
• Increased morale - When workers are given specific tasks to do, they are more likely to be satisfied with their job. This can lead to improved morale, which can lead to better performance.

Limitations of Division of work

The division of labor has several limitations. These include:

• The lack of variety and creativity in the job can lead to boredom and lack of job satisfaction. This can lead to a decrease in productivity and employee morale.
• Division of labor can lead to a lack of understanding of the entire process. This can limit the ability of workers to problem solve and create solutions.
• Limited training can lead to workers not having the skills necessary to do the job correctly. This can lead to errors and inefficiencies in the process.
• Working in a specialized role can lead to a lack of flexibility in the workplace, as workers may not have the skills necessary to do other jobs.
• Specialization can increase the risk of work being outsourced to other countries, where labor costs are lower. This can lead to job losses in the local economy.

Other approaches related to Division of work

The Division of Labor is an important concept for understanding the organization of work, but there are other approaches related to this concept. They include:

• Taylorism, also known as Scientific Management, which is a theory of management developed by Frederick Winslow Taylor in the early 20th century that focuses on efficiency in the workplace. It advocates the use of time and motion studies to identify the best and most efficient way to perform a task.
• The Hawthorne Effect, which is the phenomenon of workers in an experimental setting changing their behavior when they know they are being observed. This can lead to changes in productivity and work output.
• Job specialization, which is the practice of having workers focus on specific tasks and activities that they are particularly skilled at. This can lead to increased efficiency and productivity.
• Just-in-time production, which is a manufacturing system that minimizes inventory costs by producing goods only when they are needed. This helps to reduce waste and makes the production process more efficient.

In summary, the Division of Labor is an important concept for understanding the organization of work, but there are other approaches related to it, such as Taylorism, the Hawthorne Effect, job specialization, and just-in-time production. All of these approaches help to increase efficiency and productivity in the workplace.

Division of work — recommended articles

Work simplification — Job simplification — Task identity — Work cycle — Specialization — Principles of scientific management — Management by results — Line balancing — 7 wastes of services

References

• Pahl, R. E. (1984). Divisions of labour (p. 336). Oxford: Blackwell.
• Strauss, A. (1985). Work and the division of labor. Sociological quarterly, 26(1), 1-19.
• Littek, W., & Charles, T. (Eds.). (2011). The new division of labour: emerging forms of work organisation in international perspective (Vol. 67). Walter de Gruyter.