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Difficulty: MediumDivision of Labour and Specialization

An industrial furniture factory in Benin City assigns each worker to perform a single sub-task, such as sanding wood panels or attaching metal hinges, continuously throughout the workday. Over time, workers become highly proficient at their designated task but lack comprehensive skills in complete furniture making, making it difficult for them to transition to alternative jobs. Which disadvantage of division of labour is directly demonstrated in this scenario?

  1. Loss of craftsmanship and reduced occupational mobility of labourAnswer
  2. B
    Decrease in production cost resulting from industry-wide external economies of scale
  3. C
    Creation of internal managerial economies due to specialized executive management
  4. D
    Reversion of commercial operations to direct production for immediate family consumption

Answer

The disadvantage of division of labour demonstrated is the loss of overall craftsmanship and reduced occupational mobility of labour.
Dividing production into minute tasks restricts each worker to a single repetitive operation. While this increases speed and short-term output, workers fail to acquire comprehensive knowledge of the entire craft. Consequently, their skills become overly specialized and rigid, making it hard to find alternative employment if market demand shifts.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the operational context in the scenario
Workers in the furniture factory are restricted to repetitive, narrow sub-tasks (sanding wood or attaching hinges).
Identifying the specific work environment establishes how division of labour is being executed.
2
Evaluate the human resource outcome described
Workers master only a fraction of the craft and face difficulty adapting to other job opportunities.
Specializing strictly in a micro-task prevents workers from mastering the complete production process and limits their career versatility.
3
Match the outcome to economic principles of division of labour
The scenario highlights loss of craftsmanship and reduced occupational mobility as key limitations.
Narrow specialization breeds monotony and leaves workers vulnerable if demand for their specific sub-skill declines.

Key Concept

Disadvantages of Division of Labour to the Worker
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

Division of Labour and Specialization

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