Final answer:
In the context of a typist's job, pressing a key is an 'element' while combining actions such as typing, formatting, and e-mailing documents represent 'tasks'. The option that correctly fills the blanks is A) element; tasks. Technology has been a significant factor in increasing the productivity in different professions.
Step-by-step explanation:
For the job of a typist, pressing a key on a keyboard is an example of a element; being able to type words on the keyboard, format a document, and e-mail final documents would be examples of tasks. Therefore, the correct answer is A) element; tasks. This distinction is crucial in understanding how job responsibilities are broken down into their simplest forms (elements) and the series of elements grouped to achieve a specific goal (tasks).
Advances in technology, such as the transition from manual to electric typewriters, and then to personal computers with word processing software, have significantly increased the productivity of typists. Likewise, in other professions such as construction, the use of machinery like backhoes instead of shovels has increased the marginal product of labor.
The demand for labor is determined by the marginal product of labor multiplied by the value of that output to the firm, illustrating how productivity improvements directly affect labor economics.