Specialization increases productivity. Social division of labor and exchange. Main levels of social division of labor

⚡ Division of labor ⚡ is a separation various kinds labor activity. This process was initiated by the natural division of labor according to sex and age, which was developed in the household. Outside this economy began to grow public division labor. The modern system includes the following types of such division of labor:

  1. Individual specialization - the concentration of human activity on some special occupation, mastery of a certain profession, specialty.
  2. The division of labor in the enterprise (allocation in work collective different types of work, operations).
  3. Separation of creative activity on the scale of the industry, type of production (for example, electric power industry, oil production, automotive industry, etc.).
  4. The division of national production into large genera (industry, Agriculture and etc.).
  5. Territorial division of labor within the country (with the specialization of the production of certain products in different economic regions).
  6. International division of labor (specialization of the production of individual countries on certain types of products that these countries exchange).

The continuous development of the division of labor is objectively due to the progress of technology and human factor production, as well as the conditions for improving the complex cooperation of labor. These conditions appeared already during the transition from simple cooperation of the labor of artisans in a capitalist enterprise to manufactory - the unification of the labor of workers who separately perform many small operations.

Naturally, the subsequent transition from manufactory based on manual labor to industrial production greatly increased the efficiency of the division of labor.

Thus, the specialization of creative activity serves as the most important means of increasing labor productivity (increasing the output of people). This is a consequence of the fact that:

  • firstly, the specialization of workers multiplies skill, involves the acquisition of more advanced knowledge and skills
  • secondly, it provides savings of working time, because, by concentrating efforts, a person stops moving from one occupation to another
  • thirdly, specialization gives impetus to the invention and application of machine technology, which makes production mass and highly efficient.

Of great importance is training in secondary vocational and higher educational institutions specialists in various fields of scientific, technical and economic activity.

Modern state educational standards higher vocational education, adopted in our country in 2000, provide for the study by students of:

  1. general humanitarian and socio-economic disciplines (national history, cultural studies, political science, philosophy, economics, etc.)
  2. general mathematical and natural sciences
  3. general professional disciplines
  4. disciplines of specialization

Thus, all students receive a wide vocational training in combination with a narrow specialization, which improves the quality of training of professionals and their demand for practical activities.

Division of labor

Division of labor- the historically established process of isolation, modification, consolidation of certain types of labor activity, which takes place in social forms of differentiation and implementation of various types of labor activity.

Distinguish:

General division of labor by branches of social production;

Private division of labor within industries;

A single division of labor within organizations according to technological, qualification and functional characteristics.

It is the reason for the increase in the overall productivity of an organized group of specialists (synergistic effect) due to:

  • Development of skills and automatism of performing simple repetitive operations
  • Reduced time spent transitioning between different operations

The concept of the division of labor is quite fully described by Adam Smith in the first three chapters of his five-volume treatise An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations.

Allocate social division of labor- distribution in society social functions between people - and the international division of labor.

Social division of labor- this is the division of labor primarily into productive and managerial labor. (F. Engels "Anti-Dühringe" op., vol. 20, p. 293)

The division of labor led to modern world to the presence of a huge number various professions and industries. Previously (in ancient times), people were forced to provide themselves almost completely with everything they needed, it was extremely inefficient, which led to a primitive life and comfort. Almost all the achievements of evolution, scientific and technological progress can be explained by the continuous introduction of the division of labor. Thanks to the exchange of the results of labor, that is, trade, the division of labor becomes possible in society.

From the point of view of business engineering, the division of labor is a functional decomposition of business processes. It is often possible to isolate such a part of the functions into a separate form, which then becomes possible to entrust to automation or a machine. Thus, the division of labor continues to occur today and has a close connection, for example, with automation processes. In the field of intellectual labor, its division is also possible and very useful.

The division of labor is the first link in the entire system of labor organization. The division of labor is the separation of various types of labor activity and the division labor process into parts, each of which is performed by a certain group of workers united according to common functional, professional or qualification characteristics.

For example, the main method of work in accounting is the division of labor of specialists. We distribute the work of employees by sections accounting under the guidance of leading experts and auditors, which allows to achieve maximum efficiency of their work. Thus, we dynamically combine experience in the field of accounting automation and experience in the field of administration of accounting services.

see also


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  • Political Economy
  • Masaryk, Tomas Garrig

See what the "Division of Labor" is in other dictionaries:

    DIVISION OF LABOR- The term R. t." used in society. sciences in different ways. Societies. R. t. denotes differentiation and coexistence in society as a whole of various social functions, activities performed by a certain. troupes of people ... ... Philosophical Encyclopedia

    Division of labor- (division of labor) The systematic (but not necessarily pre-planned or imposed) division of functions, tasks or activities. The Republic of Plato (Plato) mentions the functional division of labor: philosophers determine the laws, ... ... Political science. Vocabulary.

    DIVISION OF LABOR Modern Encyclopedia

    DIVISION OF LABOR- differentiation, specialization of labor activity, coexistence of its various types. The social division of labor is the differentiation in society of various social functions performed by certain groups of people, and the allocation in connection with this ... ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

    Division of labor- DIVISION OF LABOR, differentiation, specialization of labor activity, coexistence of its various types. The social division of labor is the differentiation in society of various social functions performed by certain groups of people, and the allocation ... Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary

    DIVISION OF LABOR- (division of labor) The system according to which specialization occurs in the production process. It has two advantages: first, workers specialize in those types of work in which they have a comparative advantage (comparative ... ... Economic dictionary

    Division of labor- (division of labor) Specialization of workers in the production process (or any other economic activity). Adam Smith (1723-1790), in his work The Wealth of Nations, described the division of labor as one of the greatest contributions to increasing ... ... Glossary of business terms

    Division of labor- separation labor functions between members of the working team (link, brigade) in accordance with the division production process into constituent processes and operations. [Adamchuk V. V., Romashov O. V., Sorokina M. E. Economics and sociology ... ... Encyclopedia of terms, definitions and explanations of building materials

    division of labor- Differentiation of the activities of people in the process of joint work. [GOST 19605 74] Topics of labor organization, production ... Technical Translator's Handbook

    DIVISION OF LABOR- English. division of labour; German Arbeitsteilung. 1. A functionally integrated system of production roles and specializations within society. 2. According to E. Durkheim, a necessary condition for the material and intellectual development society; source… … Encyclopedia of Sociology

Books

  • Justice in the national economy. Division of labor, G. Schmoller. Readers are offered a book by the famous German economist and historian Gustav Schmoller, dedicated to the study of the problems of the national economy. In the first part of the book, the author tries ...

Why does division of labor and specialization increase labor productivity? and got the best answer

Answer from Nikolai Golubtsov[guru]
The simpler the work, the easier it is to teach, the easier it is to control, the easier it is to increase the speed of work.

Answer from Àilgrim[guru]
That's what NOT says.


Answer from Nikolai Mavrin[guru]
Objective given.


Answer from Ђimur Ivanov[guru]
Watching what. It depends on how in the complex this work is provided and organized. If there are enough narrow specialists to perform each cycle of the production process, then of course it helps. If, for example, you have a private enterprise in which only a janitor sweeps the porch and another person who knows how to perform only one production operation very skillfully, and 50 are required, then of course not ... does not contribute.


Answer from N_esta[newbie]
""Specialization in the production process. A set of jobs can usually be completed more cheaply by a large number of people each performing a small number of specialized tasks than by one person attempting to complete the entire job. The idea that specialization lowers costs, and thus the consumer pays the price, is embedded in the principle comparative advantage. The division of labor is the basic principle behind the assembly line in mass production systems. ""


Answer from NO[guru]
An innate property of all living things, including Man, is the desire to reduce the cost of one's activity in order to achieve any goal. When similar conditions for achieving similar or identical goals are repeated, learning how to achieve the goal means choosing the least expensive way. And labor productivity is the amount of costs (no matter what - calories. Time) to obtain the goal - the product.


Answer from Andrey Kuznetsov[expert]
It is more convenient, easier and more understandable for a person to work.

Production is a public (social) process. The social nature of production means that all its participants work together, in close interaction and interdependence from each other. It can be seen from how busy people are every day. certain types of work, having the corresponding professions and specialties. Enterprises also differ in scope and type of activity. At the same time, the products of each manufacturer, as a rule, are consumed by another economic entity. For example, the ore mined by miners goes to metallurgists, who smelt metal, from which machine builders, in turn, make tower cranes necessary for builders, etc. When this chain of production interdependencies is consistently continued, it turns out that we will include in it practically all the results of production known to us, because consumers are both enterprises and their employees. Today it is impossible to find a person, unless, of course, one takes into account anomalous cases, which would be completely isolated from the social process of production. There are no enterprises that would work solely to meet their own needs and the needs of their employees.

Relationships and interdependencies of people in social production have their economic basis social division of labor.

Social division of labor- this is the isolation of various types of economic activity and their stable consolidation for individuals and their groups in the form of specialization.

However, the social division of labor does not separate people as specialized producers, but also unites them. After all, the deeper the specialization of labor, the stronger the interdependence of specialized producers. This "invisible" side of the division of labor is called labor cooperation or industrial cooperation. in labor cooperation(from lat. cooperation - cooperation) is a form of organization of labor and production at a separate enterprise, which is based on the specialization of workers. in Industrial cooperation- this is a form of long-term and stable ties between economically independent enterprises (firms) engaged in the joint production of certain products based on the specialization of their production. Thus, the social division of labor is a form, mechanism or method of cooperation between people in economic life.

Theoretically, the phenomenon of social division of labor is objectively conditioned, again, by limited resources. This means that not a single economic entity can live normally on self-sufficiency, it simply cannot create everything it needs for itself. Therefore, for reasons of common sense, everyone specializes in separate form activities where he feels comfortable with his knowledge, qualifications and skills.

People have long learned that isolation, the production of products only for their own consumption, is an irrational and unprofitable business. A person who takes on any business can be a jack of all trades, but her work will remain unproductive.

The division of labor arose in primitive society. It was then, of course, natural, since it took into account mainly the age and gender and physiological characteristics of people. For example, women were engaged in housework and children, and men - in the extraction of food, the construction of housing. Of no small importance in the distribution of work was also the age and physical condition of a person, voice, hearing, intuition, courage and other natural data.

Over time, the division of labor becomes more and more stable. The history of mankind gives grounds to single out three major stages in the isolation of social labor, or three major social divisions of labor:

1) the separation of pastoral tribes from agricultural tribes (occurred 10-12 thousand years ago);

2) the separation of craft from agriculture (it took place 7-8 thousand years ago);

3) the allocation of layers of merchants as experts in exchange transactions (happened about 4.5 thousand years ago).

Having started a long time ago from two branches (agriculture and animal husbandry), the development of the social division of labor today has led to the formation of hundreds of different, relatively independent types of economic activity. What our distant ancestors produced can be counted on the fingers. Today, tens of millions of different types of products and services are manufactured in the world, there are thousands of professions and types of work. Even when a thing seems small at first glance (such as paper clips or matches), it is actually the result of the cooperative work of many specialized manufacturers.

The main levels of social division of labor:

division of labor in enterprises. This is the specialization of shops, departments, sections, workers;

division of labor between enterprises. This is the specialization of enterprises in the manufacture of certain products, works, services (for example, a garment factory, a dairy, a transport or Building company etc);

division of labor between industries. This is the allocation of individual industries: mining (coal, gas, etc.), finishing (metallurgy, oil refining, textiles, etc.), agriculture, trade, and others.

division of labor between regions of the country. This is the specialization of certain territories in a certain production (for example, Vinnytsia region in Ukraine is famous as a sugar region, the Oblast - as a coal region, Crimea and the Carpathians - as resort regions).

division of labor between countries or international division of labor. This is the specialization of entire countries in a certain production (for example, Japan is a world-renowned manufacturer of electronics and cars; Switzerland - wrist watch, cheeses and chocolate; Brazil - coffee).

In modern industrial production visible three main types of specialization:

subject-specific or grocery (manufacture of cars, shoes, medicines, etc.);

detailed (manufacture of bearings, rubber, glue, etc.);

postoperative, or technological (installation of engines or windows, painting, packing flour, etc.).

The deepening of the specialization of labor knows no limits.

The main factors in the development of the social division of labor:

- individual abilities of people. Each individual seeks work according to his strengths and abilities. The problem of the suitability of the applicant for a particular position is also dealt with by organizations, their specialists personnel services. The more responsible the work, the more careful the choice of its performer. So, one of the important factors in the selection of an employee is to take into account his psychological type, or the specifics of his temperament, since in this sense people are naturally divided into phlegmatic, melancholic, sanguine and choleric;

- natural and climatic conditions. The presence of certain mineral wealth, especially climatic conditions, geographical location, etc. - this is one important factor, which determines the direction of specialization of individual territories and entire countries;

- traditions (from lat. tradition - transmission). Mastery in a particular activity is passed down from generation to generation. Such distinctive traditions, for example, in Ukraine are pottery, wickerwork, embroidered shirts, and so on. There are also family professional traditions where family dynasties are formed;

- experience. In choosing a profession and place of work, people often focus on certain businesses located near their place of residence, or to the information and advice available to them.

The social division of labor provides people and society great economic benefit namely:

contributes to a more rational use of production resources. People who are busy with their own business, master skills faster and easier, their work becomes more qualitative. In specialized production, equipment is used more fully, without time consuming, as happens when changing from one type of work to another. In the territorial division of labor, various kinds of local features are more effectively used;

opens wide opportunities for mechanization and automation of production. This is due to the fact that specialization simplifies technological operations as much as possible. It is unlikely that today there is such a universal machine that could, for example, turn a tree trunk into a computer desk. When this production process is divided into separate specialized operations, then the use of appropriate mechanisms and even automata becomes quite possible;

contributes to a significant increase in labor productivity. Let's consider the essence of this concept in more detail.

Labor productivity- main indicator effective organization production. It is determined by the amount of output produced per unit of labor time, or the amount of time per unit of output: the more output, or the sooner one product is produced, the more productive the labor. Thanks to the growth of labor productivity, opportunities are created for saving labor resources for their transfer to other industries, cheaper production of goods, and improving the well-being of the population. The main factors in increasing labor productivity are its specialization, technical equipment, qualifications and interest of the manufacturer.

The classic of political economy Adam Smith began his famous book "An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations" (1776) with an example of the organization of the manufacture of hairpins in an ordinary workshop, by which he showed that only due to the introduction of specialization in the manual labor of ten workers, the volume of production increased by 240 times (!).

At the same time, the social division of labor creates for society considerable Problems, For example:

one-sided development of a person's personality. Concentrating on some kind of labor activity and giving it the main part of his life, a person is forced to turn into a functionary (a person-function, a partial worker);

monotony and unattractiveness of many types of work. This applies, first of all, to physical work, when the worker often acts as a mechanical executor of the movements specified by the machine. Particular tension in the work is set by conveyor technologies. The monotony of labor causes rapid fatigue of workers and, as a result, increased morbidity and industrial injuries;

full dependence of manufacturers on each other, which predetermines the need for their clear cooperation, the establishment of an uninterrupted exchange of performance results. Through this, the excessively narrow specialization of enterprises increases the risk of production failures with all the ensuing economic consequences.

Nevertheless, the economic advantages of the social division of labor are more significant, and therefore society is interested in deepening the social division of labor and minimizing its negative consequences.

It should be noted that the specialization of production has not only absolute, but also relative advantages. in Absolute Benefits of Specialization- these are the clear advantages of one or another producer (worker, enterprise, country) over others in terms of skill, labor productivity or production costs. in relative, or comparative advantage of specialization are not so obvious, because they are associated with opportunity costs. They lie in the fact that specialization in one, correctly chosen direction and rational cooperation (exchange) with other producers always provide a greater economic effect.

Consider the essence of the relative advantages of the division of labor on a conditional example. Let's say doctor Ivanenko is also a great carpenter, he needs a bookcase, fitted to the wall area of ​​one of the rooms. Therefore, he had two production alternatives: to make a wardrobe himself or to hire a carpenter for a fee. Suppose further that if Ivanenko personally undertook to make a wardrobe and spent 20 hours on it, then he would have to sacrifice for this time his medical practice and income from it, for example, 800 hryvnias (the conditional cost of one hour of a doctor (40 hryvnias). ) multiplied by 20 hours). If he uses the second alternative - he hires a carpenter, then he will also make a cabinet in 20 hours. and will require 500 UAH for his work. (temporary rate of a carpenter - 25 UAH, multiplied by 20 hours). As you can see, it is economically more profitable for a doctor Ivanenkov to hire a carpenter so as not to lose his 300 UAH. additional income (800 - 500).

Why does division of labor and specialization increase labor productivity? and got the best answer

Answer from Nikolai Golubtsov[guru]
The simpler the work, the easier it is to teach, the easier it is to control, the easier it is to increase the speed of work.

Answer from Àilgrim[guru]
That's what NOT says.


Answer from Nikolai Mavrin[guru]
Objective given.


Answer from Ђimur Ivanov[guru]
Watching what. It depends on how in the complex this work is provided and organized. If there are enough narrow specialists to perform each cycle of the production process, then of course it helps. If, for example, you have a private enterprise in which only a janitor sweeps the porch and another person who knows how to perform only one production operation very skillfully, and 50 are required, then of course not ... does not contribute.


Answer from N_esta[newbie]
""Specialization in the production process. A set of jobs can usually be completed more cheaply by a large number of people each performing a small number of specialized tasks than by one person attempting to complete the entire job. The idea that specialization lowers costs, and thus the consumer pays the price, is embedded in the principle of comparative advantage. The division of labor is the basic principle behind the assembly line in mass production systems. ""


Answer from NO[guru]
An innate property of all living things, including Man, is the desire to reduce the cost of one's activity in order to achieve any goal. When similar conditions for achieving similar or identical goals are repeated, learning how to achieve the goal means choosing the least expensive way. And labor productivity is the amount of costs (no matter what - calories. Time) to obtain the goal - the product.


Answer from Andrey Kuznetsov[expert]
It is more convenient, easier and more understandable for a person to work.