The value of craftsmanship in manufacturing and related organizational models

Following the first Industrial Revolution, a management of the workforce was necessary in order to satisfy the increasing demand for goods and a large number of unskilled workers were trained as quickly as possible in order to realize simple operations. Organizational models of work were successfully applied together with mechanization and then automation, allowing a reduction of the human workload. The value of a handcrafted product is often higher than that of a standardized mass-produced one, as an artisan has the ability to manufacture unique and attractive items. The demand for high quality personalised products is nowadays forcing a rethinking of the role of the craftsman, with artisans now operating inside the industrial environment in order to enhance the complexity and the quality of a product. The concept of “slow manufacture” is a key factor in recovering the tradition, culture and vocation of a territory, thus improving the connections between a product, the place where it is manufactured and the skilled workers.