What is EDivision of Labour? What are its forms? State its advantages and disadvantages
Division of
labour is an outstanding feature of the modern organization of production. In
its modern sense, it means the splitting up of the process of production. In
primitive societies, every man produced what he required for his own use. There
was no division of labour. But with the progress of civilization men learnt
that it was not economic for the same man to be a hunter, a fisherman, a weaver
and a farmer. So each began to adopt one particular occupation. Some, for
example, adopted the profession of pottery, others became cobblers, still
others carpenters, and so on. Thus specialization in occupation began. Division
of labour has therefore, resulted in specialization.
Every one became
specialized in producing one article. A man secured his other necessities in
exchange of his surplus products. Division of labour therefore also means
exchange.
With the passing
of time, the division of labour has been carried further. In our present
economic system every productive function has been divided into the minute
processes, and each process has been entrusted to different sets of individual.
Nowadays nothing can be produced without co-operation among the individuals or
groups who are entrusted with different processes in producing a thing. Now,
none produces a thing from beginning to end. For instance in the USA the
making of shoes is now divided into as many 185 different processes, each of
which is done by one group of persons. To produce a shoe these 185 groups must
co-operate one another.
So the division
of labour now means specialization, exchange and co-operation. The same fact
has been stated by Henry Clay he said, “From the point of view of the
individual the division of labour means specialization; from one point of view
the it means co-operation.”
Forms of
Division of Labour:
According to
Pensons, there are four kinds of division of labour. These forms of Division of
Labour are stated as under.
1. Division of labour into trades and
Professions: It means one person adopts only one profession or trade. He
produces a particular thing from the beginning to the end. The caste-system was
based on this principle, for example some persons became weavers, some
cobblers, some warriors, some priests and so on. Every caste is engaged in one
particular occupation and produces a thing from the beginning to the end. This
type of division was known even to the earliest society.
2. Division of labour into Complete
Process: With the advance of civilization the division of labour proceeded
further. For example, the function of cobbler is now divided into different
parts and every part is done by a separate group of persons. One group rears
cattle, another collects hides and another tans them. The finished product of
one group provides for the raw materials for another group. Hence this division
of labour is called division into complete processes.
3. The Division of labour into incomplete
Processes: In modern times with the invention of machines each process in
production is further divided and sub-divided. The tanning of leather which is
a complete process is now, for example, divided into minute incomplete
processes. Some scrape the hides, other cure them, still others tan them and so
on. In a modern shoe making factory, some perhaps simply cut the leather,
others stick it, some others sew the shoes and still other sew the uppers and
so on. Thus each complete process has been sub-divided into many incomplete
operations.
4. The Territorial Division of Labour:
With the rapid development of the transport system each territory specialises
in the production of a commodity for the production of which it possesses
special advantages. This is also known as localisation of industries. For
example Bangladesh specialises in producing jute, Pakistan
in cotton and Lancashire in cotton goods.
These latter two
types of division labour are also known as complex division of labour. Modern
division of labour is the complex or minute division of labour in which one man
does only a small fraction of the whole work.
Advantage of the
Division of Labour:
The division of
labour has the following advantages.
(i) It increases
skill and dexterity of labourer. Due to division of labour every worker has to
perform one single operation repeatedly through out the life. Thus the constant
repetition of the same work makes him perfect, efficient and expert.
(ii) Division of
labour makes easy distribution of works according to ability of workers. The
skilled workers may be engaged in those operations which need skill and
unskilled may be put to those works which require no skill.
(iii) Division
of labour saves time. As each worker has to de-continuously only a single
operation, he has not to waste time in passing from on work to another work or
from one tool to another.
(iv) It also
leads to saving tools. As each worker has to perform only one operation, he
requires only one set of tools. He engages his tools continuously. If on the
other hand, he has to do more than one operation, he has to keep different sets
of tools. The result would be that when he works with one set of tools, the
other sets may remain idle. So the division of labour makes possible a great
economy in the use of tools.
(v) It gives
maximum satisfaction at minimum effort. Because it enables the people of
different regions to devote their labour in producing those commodities for
which they have special facilities. This arrangement for production gives
maximum satisfaction at minimum efforts.
(vi) The net
result of division of labour is vast increase in output. The increased output
result in reduction of cost which in its turn reduces the cost of living. Thus
standard of living is raised.
Disadvantages of
Division of Labour:
(i) It hampers
the general efficiency of labour. A labourer who specialises himself in
buttoning shoes may become expert in doing it but will remain incapable of
doing any thing else and thus unsuitable to any other kinds of work.
(ii) Too much
specialization leads to monotony of work. Such monotony of work deadens his
mental faculties, curbs the artistic sense and narrows his vision.
(iii) The worker
is deprived of the pleasure of completing a work and therefore he finds no
interest in work.
(iv) Division of
labour leads to factory system with all its evils, such as over-crowded towns,
insanitary bustees, loss of health and character etc.
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