Meaning of Division of Labor

In ancient times, human needs were limited only to obtaining food. Gradually, after food, needs were limited to shelter and clothes to cover the body. People in any era with limited needs could produce all the goods they needed themselves.

Gradually, with the development of civilization, human desires and needs also increased. Accordingly, it became impossible to produce all the goods needed by oneself, for example, farming, hunting, making utensils, animal husbandry, making food, weaving and making clothes could not be done alone.

This led to the division of work. The division of work and doing it according to one's skills, qualifications, and abilities is called the division of labor.

Division of labor is an efficient way of producing. In this, any production work is divided into small parts or units, and the responsibility of work is given to the workers according to their qualifications, interests, and skills, for example, in a garment factory, one person cuts the cloth, another sews, another puts on buttons, and finally, another irons.

With the division of labor, the production of goods is good and plentiful, and it is also fast. 

Some conditions are necessary for the division of labor, which are as follows:

(a) Goods must be produced in large quantities. 

(b) Machines must be used in the production process. 

(c) There must be a large number of workers in the production work. 

(d) There must be mutual cooperation among the workers. 

(e) The production process must be continuous for the division of labor. 

(f) There must be large-scale buying and selling in the market for the division of labor. 

(g) Transportation and communication must be developed. 

(h) Qualified, courageous, and skilled managers are also necessary for the division of labor.

Types of Division of Labor

There are three types of division of labor, which are:

(a) Simple Division of Labor: 

Simple division of labor is when a small quantity of goods is produced, and the work from the beginning to the end of production is mostly done by the same person. Such tasks are simple in nature, such as agricultural work, carpentry work, masonry work, goldsmith work, etc. Such tasks can also be done by two or more people working together with each other's cooperation.

(b) Complex Division of Labor: 

Complex division of labor is when a large quantity of goods has to be produced. When producing goods in large quantities, it is not possible for one person to do the work from the beginning to the end of production. The production work is divided into small units, and the responsibility of work is given according to the worker's interest and ability, for example, in the work of weaving clothes, some spin cotton, some spin yarn, some wind spools, some dye yarn, some set up looms, and some weave clothes. According to Professor S.E. Thomas, complex division of labor is when each of the working laborers produces goods by doing only one specific task.

(c) Regional Division of Labor: 

Regional division of labor is when different countries of the world and different regions of the same country achieve specialization in the production of a certain commodity. This type of division of labor is also called the localization of industries, for example, Nepali carpets, motor industries in Japan, cotton textile industries in India, tea industries in Ilam, etc.

Advantages of Division of Labor

With the division of labor, production work can be done quickly and in large quantities. This leads to lower production costs. Lower production costs are also beneficial for consumers because it allows them to buy various goods at lower prices. The development of industrialization is also possible through the division of labor. 

The advantages of division of labor are as follows:

(a) Increase in production: Due to the division of labor, each worker gets to do work according to their interest, qualification, and skill. This makes the production process faster, and production increases. Since they only do one type of work, they can do that work well in less time. If one person tries to do all the work alone, they may not be proficient in any work and may not be able to manage. This results in a lower quantity of production, and it also takes more time, for example, when making shoes, if instead of one person doing all the work alone, the work is divided so that one person cuts the leather, another makes the sole, another attaches the sole, another makes holes for the laces, and another polishes, then more shoes can be produced in a day.

(b) Increase in work efficiency: With the division of labor, since a worker is involved in only one task, they become proficient in that task by doing the same work repeatedly, and their work efficiency also increases. As a result, the work they do is not only faster but also of better quality, for example, as per the above example, when making shoes, the worker who cuts the leather develops new methods and skills for doing that work by cutting leather repeatedly, and can complete that work quickly and efficiently.

(c) Encouragement of invention: With the division of labor, since workers have to continuously engage in the same work, they become familiar with the problems that arise in that work. They also start looking for ways to solve those problems. This leads to the invention of new technologies for doing work.

(d) Economy: With the division of labor, since the work style and efficiency of workers increase, it is possible to produce a larger quantity of quality goods in less time. This leads to savings in expenses and time.

(e) Saving time in acquiring skills: In the division of labor, it is enough for a worker to specialize in one skill. Therefore, they do not need to learn all the skills of the product production process, so less time is needed to learn only the necessary skills. This saves time. They acquire skills in a short time and can also produce more. Thus, time is saved through the division of labor.

(f) Availability of work according to interest and qualification: Under the division of labor, the division of work among workers is according to their interest and qualification. Each worker is given the responsibility of such work in which they are proficient and skilled, and in which they have interest. Thus, when they get work according to their qualification, ability, and interest, they do it wholeheartedly, which results in an increase in production.

(g) Benefits to consumers: Since the cost of production is low due to the division of labor, goods are available to consumers at low prices. Since quality goods are produced by skilled and efficient workers, consumers get quality goods at affordable prices. This increases consumer satisfaction.

Disadvantages of Division of Labor

There are not only advantages but also disadvantages of the division of labor. Its disadvantages are as follows:

(a) Boredom in workers: In the division of labor, when workers have to continuously engage in the same work throughout their lives, they lack enthusiasm and joy in their work. The work becomes monotonous and boring. This is disadvantageous for both the industry and the workers.

(b) Reduction in worker mobility: Due to the division of labor, since workers are involved in only one process of goods production, they lack skills to do other work in that business and any work in another business. This reduces the mobility of workers.

(c) Lack of accountability in workers: Under the division of labor, work is divided into small processes. A worker is involved in only one sub-process of the goods production process. In such a situation, it is difficult to identify the worker who caused damage when goods are damaged. Thus, the division of labor leads to a lack of accountability in workers.

(d) Fear of overproduction: The division of labor leads to overproduction. Sometimes, abundant production can also cause problems in the industry and the economy. This leads to a recession. In this situation, goods are sold in very small quantities. Therefore, there is no profit in production work. This can lead to a situation where production work has to be stopped. If production work is stopped, workers become unemployed, and the problem increases.

(e) Fear of unemployment: If the industry where a worker is working happens to close down for any reason, the worker loses their livelihood because each worker is involved in only a small sub-process of the production process under the division of labor. This can lead to a situation where, on the one hand, they lose their creative power to do other work due to working for a long time, and on the other hand, it becomes difficult to find work elsewhere.