Productivity and Division of Labour

Question 1

Productivity

Answer 1

rate at which goods are produced, and the amount produced in relation to work, time and money needed to produce them

Question 2

Why is productivity good?

Answer 2

more goods and services can be produced with the same or fewer resources

Question 3

Factors affecting productivity

Answer 3

Land, Labour and Capital (Lobsters Love Crabs)

Question 4

Land

Answer 4

the quality of land varies as some can be fertile which can be used to grow crops or farm cattle. But other land is dry and mountainous which is almost useless. Even so, measures can be used to make agricultural land more productive:

• Fertilisers and pesticides
• Drainage
• Irrigation
• Reclamation
• Genetically modified crops

Question 5

Labour

Answer 5

if the quality of human capital can be improved, there will be gains in labour productivity:

• Training
• Improved motivation
• Improved working practices
• Migration

Question 6

Capital (tech)

Answer 6

improvements in productivity often arise because of the introduction of new technology. Improvements may occur because more capital is employed, possibly at the expense of labour, or because the new technology is more efficient than the existing tech. They can help improve productivity in all 3 sectors of the economy:

• Primary sector (agriculture)
• Secondary sector (manufacturing)
• Tertiary sector (provision of services)

Question 7

Division of labour

Answer 7

breaking down the production process into small parts with each worker allocated to a specific task

Question 8

Specialisation

Answer 8

production of a limited range of a limited range of goods by individuals, firms, regions or countries

Question 9

Advantages of Division of Labour to Worker

Answer 9

• focusing on the same task allows the worker to become more skilled at doing the task
• the repetition of a task usually means the worker would get better and better

Therefore, workers with more practised skills will be able to find employment more easily

Question 10

Disadvantages of Division of Labour to Worker

Answer 10

• boring and repetitive as the particular task requires little skill
• boredom may lead to dissatisfaction and affect motivation
• repetitive tasks can also have health implications
• risks to unemployment

Question 11

Advantages to Division of Labour in Businesses

Answer 11

• EFFICIENTLY (workers can perform tasks quickly and accurately -> the fewer mistakes the higher the productivity per worker | People who try to perform a wide range of tasks might find it difficult to develop skills for each one -> their productivity would be lower)
• GREATER USE OF SPECIALIST TOOLS, MACHINERY AND EQUIPMENT
• PRODUCTION TIME REDUCED (because workers do not have to waste time moving from one task to another)
• ORGANISATION (specialists workers can fit more easily into a structured system of production -> production line)

Question 12

Disadvantages to Division of Labour in Businesses

Answer 12

• REPETITIVE and BORING (leads to poor motivation resulting in a poor-quality of work, staff arriving late, increased rates of absence and high staff turnover)
• PROBLEMS may occur (if one stage of the production depends on another stage and so if one breaks down, all other stages might have to be stopped)
• SPECIALISATION (result as a loss of flexibility in the workplace)