The Division of Labour and Co-ordination
November 15th 2007 11:27
One of the secrets of the industrial revolution was no doubt the division of labour. Adam Smith makes a clear and detailed description of it in his book An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations. Using the example of the pin maker, Smith describes with precision how attributing fewer tasks to each labourer, which he then does repeatedly, improves productivity exponentially.
I tested this in my kitchenhand job and concluded that it makes sense. If I try to wash the dishes as they come I will, in total, take a lot longer than if I pile them up and then wash them. The reason soon became obvious to me: doing it this way I save a lot of intermediate movements and accomplish the same result in less time also spending less effort.
Theoretically, I could say that batching and mass process makes work more productive while representing a transition from artisanship to industry.
What I also realised was that I needed in my kitchenhand job, apart from batching activities, co-ordination. Co-ordination can halve the time you take to do anything.
In the book Today and Tomorrow by Henry Ford something interesting is said about co-ordination which called my attention. Unfortunately, Ford does not expound on it. Since the man who come up with the moving assembly line did not reveal it, I took it upon me to work out co-ordination because I sensed it was really important and also thought it is the key to speed and efficiency.
If you do things as they come to you, you may waste time. If instead, you think one step ahead you might adjust the sequence of jobs to its most efficient outcome. You may save time and energy.
Co-ordination is simple once you get used to it: you just always think beforehand of what you are going to do next and queue activities to their best outcome in terms of saving time and energy.
Such have been my adventures into the realm of the division of labour and co-ordination.
I tested this in my kitchenhand job and concluded that it makes sense. If I try to wash the dishes as they come I will, in total, take a lot longer than if I pile them up and then wash them. The reason soon became obvious to me: doing it this way I save a lot of intermediate movements and accomplish the same result in less time also spending less effort.
Theoretically, I could say that batching and mass process makes work more productive while representing a transition from artisanship to industry.
What I also realised was that I needed in my kitchenhand job, apart from batching activities, co-ordination. Co-ordination can halve the time you take to do anything.
In the book Today and Tomorrow by Henry Ford something interesting is said about co-ordination which called my attention. Unfortunately, Ford does not expound on it. Since the man who come up with the moving assembly line did not reveal it, I took it upon me to work out co-ordination because I sensed it was really important and also thought it is the key to speed and efficiency.
If you do things as they come to you, you may waste time. If instead, you think one step ahead you might adjust the sequence of jobs to its most efficient outcome. You may save time and energy.
Co-ordination is simple once you get used to it: you just always think beforehand of what you are going to do next and queue activities to their best outcome in terms of saving time and energy.
Such have been my adventures into the realm of the division of labour and co-ordination.
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