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. The service industry tends to be labour intensive e.g. you need people to cut hair according to people’s wants a computer cannot do this! However even – in the services industries the impact of technology has been felt. e.g. software packages can deal efficiently with financial record keeping; wages can be transferred quickly from a company’s bank account to an employee’s bank account, etc., replacing the need for people who used to do all of these jobs manually and taking time to do it. Banks are a good example to use of how technology has changed their service industry. Mechanisation means workers are replaced by machine, but workers still play a part in production. Automation involves replacing workers fully by machines. The machines are programmed to work alone with minimum supervision. i.e. robots. ICT USED IN AN OPERATIONS DEPARTMENT Machinery/automation used to aid production
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. The service industry tends to be labour intensive e.g. you need people to cut hair according to people’s wants – a computer cannot do this! However even in the services industries the impact of technology has been felt. e.g. software packages can deal efficiently with financial record keeping; wages can be transferred quickly from a company’s bank account to an employee’s bank account, etc., replacing the need for people who used to do all of these jobs manually and taking time to do it. Banks are a good example to use of how technology has changed their service industry. Mechanisation means workers are replaced by machine, but workers still play a part in production. Automation involves replacing workers fully by machines. The machines are programmed to work alone with minimum supervision. i.e. robots. ICT USED IN AN OPERATIONS DEPARTMENT Machinery/automation used to aid production
core-notes-national-5-MO.docx