VI. Factory Production

I. Go through the following vocabulary notes to avoid difficulties in understanding and find these words in the text.

II. Match the words in the left column with the definitions in the right column.

III. Read the text Part 1 and explain the highlighted words.

Part 1

Over two hundred years ago, Adam Smith introduced some ideas which were to bring about a world revolution. If we enjoy a high standard of living in modern society, we owe much to this Scottish economist and philosopher. If we enjoy driving in sleek motor cars, wearing fashionable shoes, or flying away to distant places for exciting holidays, we should perhaps give an occasional vote of thanks to the man who made it all possible.

What then was Adam Smith's contribution? Like so many ideas which have earth-shattering effects, his was a disarmingly simple notion. He watched workers practicing their craft of pin making. One man would heat the strip of metal, stretch it out, cut off an appropriate length, shape it, cool it and finally smooth and shine it. Smith drew attention to the advantages which could be gained if these various tasks were performed by different workers. Let one be responsible for keeping the brazier glowing and preparing the metal. Another for stretching and cutting. Another for shaping. Another for finishing. He described this technique as the Division of Labor, whereby workers perform short work-cycles, repeating the same actions again and again and again. Smith convinced the world that specialization could solve the problems of poverty and want.

What was the result? The Industrial Revolution, specialization became the order of the day. Productivity was increased to an incredible degree. For Britain, where the revolution started, there was an upsurge in prosperity which made them the richest country in the nineteenth century world. British trains and railway lines spread out like a spider's web across the world, opening up the great continents of America, Asia, Africa and Australasia. British ships built of iron and steel were used to carry the new bountiful cargoes (including human beings) from every corner of the world, to every corner of the world.

The revolution is not over. It is still with us, but now it is a worldwide phenomenon. Everywhere, factories producing large numbers of more or less identical units are in continuous production. What were called mass-production lines yesterday are called robotic production lines today. If anything, the pace of change is increasing. And if these techniques have brought us prosperity, they have also brought us a trail of misery in overcrowded towns, boring jobs and, worst of all, unemployment.

IV. Answer these questions using the active vocabulary of the text.

1. Why is the name of Adam Smith remembered?

2. What technique was he responsible for introducing?

3. Why was Britain the richest country in the world in the nineteenth century?

4. What do you understand by the term «robotic production lines»?

5. Why do you think some jobs might be boring?

6. How can we blame Adam Smith for our present overcrowded towns?

7. How does large-scale production cause unemployment?

8. “We owe Adam Smith a great deal”. Do you agree? What are your views?

V. Read the text Part 2 and underline advantages and disadvantages for the manufacturer with regard to each method of production.

There are three main types of production method:

Job production

In this type of production specific work is carried out for individual customers. Job production is of the one off variety and can range from a bride's wedding dress to an ocean-going liner. Job production is usually labor intensive and requires the employment of skilled labor which is able to interpret technical instructions. If supervisors are employed they will need to be technically competent. Unit costs will always tend to be high when small numbers of individually designed items are produced.

Mass production

This method of production is possible where the demand for a product is so great that the goods can be produced in a continuous flow. Motor vehicles and food processing are among the industries which resort to mass production techniques. Once set up the production lines are not easily changed and advertising is often necessary to ensure that stocks of finished goods do not pile up in the factory. Unskilled and semi-skilled workers can be used, though the modern tendency is to use computerized robots. By using these capital-intensive methods unit costs may be substantially reduced and higher output can be obtained by running the expensive machines over two or three shifts per day.

Batch production

This method falls between job and mass production. It could be described as repeated production runs in contrast to the continuous flow or mass production technique. The orders consist of a significant number of similar items. One industry which uses this technique is the furniture industry. A batch of teak tables of a particular design will be produced and followed perhaps by a batch of mahogany tables. Book printers also use this technique. Runs of books will depend on the size of the market, but the printers switch from the production of one book to the production of another at the end of each run.

Both labor and machines have to be more versatile than in the case of mass production, but less so than in the case of job production. The production manager will have to attempt to organize the runs so that they are as economically viable as possible, but the unit costs will tend to fall as the length of the run increases.

VI. Read the texts again and decide whether these statements are true (T) or

false (F).

1. Over three hundred years ago, Adam Smith introduced some ideas which were to bring about a world revolution.

2. Smith convinced the world that globalization could solve the problems of poverty and want.

3. Unit costs will always tend to be low when large numbers of individually designed items are produced.

4. Advertising is often necessary to ensure that stocks of finished goods do not pile up in the factory.

5. Higher output can be obtained by running the cheap machines over two or three shifts per day.

6. The orders consist of a significant number of similar items in mass production.

7. Both labour and machines have to be more versatile than in the case of mass production, but less so than in the case of job production.

VII. Find Russian equivalents to the following phrases in the second column.

VIII. Translate the following sentences using the active vocabulary from the texts.

IX. Make an outline of the texts consisting of 5-8 sentences.

X. Retell the texts according to its outline.

Date: 2014-12-21; view: 1617