How did the introduction of the assembly line and division of labor impact manufacturing in terms of productive efficiency?

• A. They increased productive efficiency by allowing workers to specialize in specific tasks, leading to faster and more consistent production.
• B. They decreased productive efficiency by making the production process more complex and time-consuming.
• C. They reduced productive efficiency by increasing the likelihood of errors and miscommunication among workers.
• D. They had no significant effect on productive efficiency, as output remained unchanged.

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the concept of productive efficiency, which occurs when goods are produced at the lowest possible cost and resources are used optimally without waste.
2. Step 2: Recognize that the assembly line and division of labor break down the production process into smaller, specialized tasks assigned to different workers.
3. Step 3: Analyze how specialization allows workers to become highly skilled and faster at their specific tasks, reducing the time and effort needed to produce each unit.
4. Step 4: Consider that this specialization and streamlined workflow reduce production costs and increase the speed and consistency of output, thereby improving productive efficiency.
5. Step 5: Conclude that the introduction of the assembly line and division of labor increased productive efficiency by enabling faster, more consistent production through worker specialization.