[flɛksəbəl ˌspɛʃələˈzeɪʃən]
Definition: is a new form of factory organization, which appeared with the decay of Fordism in the framework of which a distinction is made between two main technological paradigms or models: mass production and flexible specialization. Mass production is the production for mass markets of standardized products in large quantities using highly specialized equipment and semiprofessional work aimed at fulfilling one simple task. The flexible specialization is aimed at the production for the specialized markets of a wide and changing range of products in small quantities (including single items) using highly specialized equipment and a higher and diverse qualification of workers, which can be regarded as a modern form of handicraft production.
Flexible specialization in a sentence:
- According to the theory of flexible specialization, each technological paradigm has special regulatory requirements, which are satisfied with the help of a certain institutional organization both at the micro- and macro-levels.
- Flexible specialization requires encouraging innovation, establishing an optimal balance between the relations of competition and cooperation, linking production units.
Synonyms and related words: Fordism, industrialization, innovation in the production process
