Durkheim’s theory of labor division
The struggle for existence of industries in the market is attributed to many issues in the current dynamic environment. In the text, the major four factors which are pointed to be affecting the existence of corporate industry in the environment are the resource availability, technology, political affiliation and ethnic identity. The theory which is given in the text is the Durkheim’s theory of labor division and its explanation on how resource affects the establishment of the new organization in the environment.
Durkheim theory examines the issue of labor division. The theory claims that the population density in a community varies directly to the labor division. The theory claims that division of labor can only increase with the increase of the volume of an individual in that society. According to Durkheim’s theory, “If labor becomes increasingly divided as societies become more voluminous and concentrated, it is not because the external circumstances are more varied; it is because the struggle for existence becomes more strenuous” ( Durkheim, 2014).
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Conceptual critique of the theory
According to Durkheim’s theory, labor become increasing divided as the volume of the society increases. It means according to him the volume and density of the population in society is proportional to the DOL. On the other hand, he continues to state that it is not because of the external variety in circumstance that brings DOL in voluminous society, it is because of struggle for existence. In simple term, the concept means that as the concentration of the people in the society increase or continues to grow, people have to diversify to survive. They have to look for other means to survive in the society, unless they are competing for the same resources. Good example comes from the text given. To establish a new organization, resources have to be available both financial and labor. However, the text indicates that the availability of resources is never proportional with establishment of new firms due to high competition as the firms are competing for the same resources. The larger firms absorb all the resources hence suffocate any emergent of the new firms. In case these firms had different targets resources, the establishment of new firms would be easy and demography could have increase.
Personal critique of the theory
I fully support this theory since its claim is crystal clear in the current society. As the society grow, people to tend to find means of surviving. They would come up with new areas of specialization in the society. In the same society, different position or occupation can coexist and successfully operate without being forced into a position where they can act against or harm one another as long as they are pursuing different objectives or target. A good example again comes from the text given. In the USA Automobile industry, the twentieth century marked a period where there was proliferation of labor and development in the industry. The existing industry enjoyed labor, resources as well as sales volume in the market. However, there were no establishment of new automobile firms since, the existing industry absorbed all resources available and suffocated any industry which could have striven to share the same resources.
Locating the Theory in History
Division of labor has been in existence for quite some time in many parts of the world. This theory traces so many years ago in America when the slavery was still prominent in the country. According to Marxist theory that also has relation to labor division; he claims that people appreciated division of labor in the cotton industries in America since it was away from creating a competitive labor in the firms.
Reference
Durkheim, E. (2014). The division of labor in society . Simon and Schuster.
