Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
In this paper, measures of division of labor are derived for 44 manufacturing industries, and the hypothesis that the division of labor increases as the hardness of product increases is investigated. Two dimensions of the division of labor, structural differentiation and dispersion-concentration, are shown to be related to product hardness as predicted. Analysis suggests that although complexity of the product, machine technology, and industry size may influence the relationship, the relationship between hardness of product and division of labor remains. Production technology appears clearly to modify the effects of hardness, and may account for some of the deviant and marginal cases; for soft-product industries, the effects of hardness and production technology appear to conflict. The relevance of the findings for a theoretical perspective on complex organizations is considered.' William A. Rushing is associate professor of sociology in the department of sociology and head of section on sociological research of Tennessee Mid-South Regional Medical Program, at Vanderbilt University.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
William A. Rushing (1968) studied this question.
Synapse has enriched 10 related papers. Consider them for comparative context: