Shojinka

Shojinka is a Japanese term for a flexible manpower line. It describes the ability to adjust an assembly line to meet production requirements with any number of workers and with demand changes. It is sometimes called labor linearity in English.

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Specification

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Study notes

Shojinka is one of three related Japanese terms; the others are shoninka (manpower savings) and shoryokuka (labor savings).
Shoninka means improvement of work procedures, machines, or equipment to free whole units of labor, i.e. one person.
Shoryokuka means partial improvement of manual labor by adding small machines or devices; accumulated shoryokuka savings add up to shoninka.
Related concepts listed: Cell, Continuous Flow, Standardized Work.