MAN VERSUS MACHINE Over the last 30 years things have changed greatly due to the impact of technology. Goods can now be produced by machines controlled by computers rather than by people. By using technology more and more, the number of people employed in production has fallen considerably with more capital investment being required. When producing goods or services, a business must strive for efficiency, quality and cost. Strengths and weaknesses of humans and machines: Humans Machines Strengths skill tirelessness brainpower accuracy problem solving consistency interaction lower labour costs adaptability speed Weaknesses wage costs breakdowns interdependence maintenance costs time limits lack of flexibility physical limits no personal contact When looking at job production, we look at the individual nature of the products – sometimes they depend on highly skilled manual input, others a combination of human and machines. If a machine can produce the goods efficiently and effectively, then use the human labour to support the machine.
MAN VERSUS MACHINE Over the last 30 years things have changed greatly due to the impact of technology. Goods can now be produced by machines controlled by computers rather than by people. By using technology more and more, the number of people employed in production has fallen considerably with more capital investment being required. When producing goods or services, a business must strive for efficiency, quality and cost. Strengths and weaknesses of humans and machines: Humans Machines Strengths skill brainpower problem solving interaction adaptability tirelessness accuracy consistency lower labour costs speed Weaknesses wage costs interdependence time limits physical limits breakdowns maintenance costs lack of flexibility no personal contact When looking at job production, we look at the individual nature of the products – sometimes they depend on highly skilled manual input, others a combination of human and machines. If a machine can produce the goods efficiently and effectively, then use the human labour to support the machine.