assembly line

(noun)

A system of workers and machinery in which a product is assembled in a series of consecutive operations; typically the product is attached to a continuously moving belt

Related Terms

Examples of assembly line in the following topics:

  • Marginal Productivity and Income Distribution

    • The two broad categorizations of laborers is skilled (e.g. doctor) and unskilled (e.g. an assembly line worker).

  • Production Recipients

    • These elements could be unrefined raw materials that the company transforms into components or pre-assembled parts.
    • Economic actors involved in this step include product designers, assembly-line workers, and floor management.

  • Changes in Technology Over Time

    • The invention and popularization of the assembly line is an example of process change, which is worth mentioning in context with technological change.

  • Organizations and Agents

    • Within a firm the CEO, Board of Directors, shareholders, Vice-President of Marketing, Vice-President of Production and the assembly line workers may have competing objectives that will be resolved by authority, contract, or some other social institution.

  • Impacts of Technological Change on Productivity

    • Henry Ford is a classic example of this, innovating the assembly line to maximize the efficiency the production process through strategic implementation of labor roles.

  • How to Compare Economies Throughout History

    • Specialization refers to the fact that a small group of people performing (and specializing) in different tasks can create substantially more value than every individual learning all tasks (think of Henry Ford's assembly line).

  • Inventions, Development, and Tycoons

    • (True mass production was the inspiration of Henry Ford, who in 1913 adopted the moving assembly line, with each worker doing one simple task in the production of automobiles.

  • Small Business

    • Many computer-industry innovators began as "tinkerers," working on hand-assembled machines in their garages, and quickly grew into large, powerful corporations.
    • Small companies that rapidly became major players in the national and international economies include the computer software company Microsoft; the package delivery service Federal Express; sports clothing manufacturer Nike; the computer networking firm America OnLine; and ice cream maker Ben & Jerry's.

  • Shortcomings of the Measurement

    • Unemployment is not an absolute calculation and it is prone to errors and biases related to data assembly and inconsistencies in reporting.
    • Errors and biases are also present due to data assembly and reporting inconsistencies.

  • Individuals and Community

    • But though the law cannot hinder people of the same trade from sometimes assembling together, it ought to do nothing to facilitate such assemblies, much less to render them necessary (Smith WN, p 128).