SPECIALIZATION: The condition in which resources are primarily devoted to specific tasks. This is one of THE most important and most fundamental notions in the study of economics. Civilized human beings have long recognized that limited resources can be more effectively used in the production the goods and services that satisfy unlimited wants and needs if those resources specialize. For example, three ice cream parlor workers, can be, in total, more productive if one runs the cash register, another scoops the ice cream, and a third adds the hot fudge topping. By devoting their energies to learning how to do their respective tasks really, really well, these three workers can produce more hot fudge sundaes than if each performed all required tasks.

     See also | resources | economics | limited resources | production | goods | services | unlimited wants and needs | comparative advantage | division of labor |

SPECIALIZATION, AmosWEB GLOSS*arama, http://www.AmosWEB.com, AmosWEB LLC, 2000-2018. [Accessed: August 20, 2018].

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An alternative term for opportunity cost, which is the highest valued alternative foregone in the pursuit of an activity. Opportunity cost, or economic cost, is one of the most fundamental concepts used in the study of economics, hence the reason it is also termed economic cost. Economic, or opportunity cost is also commonly termed just cost.

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