Division of Labor - Essay Example

Download file to see previous pages... Workers gain more experience while performing these tasks, especially those working on an assembly line. It is imperative to note that division of labor was a major motive force that spurred economic growth during the traditional industries era. However, the terms of trade have changed with the invention of the new era of mass customization, which requires very short change over times and multiple skills, as division of labor has now become a lot more flexible. In fact, it has acquired a new name, whereby it’s termed as specialization of labor, and as such, requires workers to specialize in a given item in the line of production.A good example of industrial division of labor is the workers at a candy factory. Each worker has a particular task assigned to him or her. One worker may be in charge of monitoring the caramel. Another worker may be in charge of monitoring the chocolate. A third worker may be in charge of the packaging process. As such, the three workers put their efforts together to bring about a sweet candy, multiplying the productivity of the company. However, in the event one of these workers feels that his or her work is no longer essential in making up the product, he or she becomes alienated from the process of labor.“Adam Smith: 'The division of labour ... is not originally the effect of any human wisdom ... It is the necessary, though very slow and gradual consequence of the propensity to truck, barter and exchange one thing for another,” Early Writing 369. ...Download file to see next pagesRead More