Q. Diffrence between Job enlargement and Job enrichment ?
Job enlargement and job enrichment are both important forms of jobs design in order to enhance productivity and satisfaction of the job holders. They differ from each other in the following respects.
Scope: job enlargement involves horizontal or lateral expansion of job addition of tasks of the same nature. Job enrichment involves vertical expansion of functions and responsibility of the job holder. It refers to an improvement in the quality of a job in terms of its intrinsic worth.
Purpose: the purpose of job enlargement is to reduce the monotony in performing repetitive jobs by lengthening the cycle of operations. On the other hand the purpose of job enrichment is to make the job more lively challenging and satisfying. It satisfies the higher level needs such as ego satisfactions self expression sense of achievement and advancement of job holders.
Needs for skills: job enlargement may not call for acquisition of higher level skills on the part of the job holders as it is horizontal expansion of the job. But job enrichment calls for development and utilization of higher skills initiative and innovation on the part of job holders.