DIVISION OF LABOR: A basic economic notion that labor resources are used more efficiently if work tasks are divided among different workers. This allows workers to specialize in production as each becomes highly skilled at specific tasks. Efficiency achieved through specialization and the division of labor was popularized by Adam Smith in his classic work, The Wealth of Nations. This division-of-labor notion is one of those concepts that is so fundamental to the economy that its importance is occasionally overlooked in the real world. It is, for example, essential to foreign trade. Without the division of labor the comfortable standard of living currently provided by our exceeding complex economic system would not be possible.

     See also | labor | specialization | efficiency | production | Smith, Adam | The Wealth of Nations | market | exchange | foreign trade | economic system | living standard |

DIVISION OF LABOR, AmosWEB GLOSS*arama, http://www.AmosWEB.com, AmosWEB LLC, 2000-2025. [Accessed: July 12, 2025].

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An organization that combines scarce resources for the production and supply of goods and services. The firm is used by entrepreneurs to bring together otherwise idle resources. The term firm is often used synonymously with the business, enterprise, or company. If there is a difference, a firm is functionally defined and need not be a typical for-profit business. A firm can be profit oriented, nonprofit, privately owned, or government controlled.

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