Final answer:
Advances in technology and production methods have increased efficiency in carpentry, enabling a chair to be made in 30 minutes instead of five hours, which reflects a shift towards standardized, less skilled labor.
Step-by-step explanation:
The implication of a carpenter taking less time to make a chair today versus thirty years ago reflects advances in technology and changes in production methods. Efficiency has increased, allowing for more chairs to be produced in the same amount of time. However, this may also mean less skill is required, and craftsman jobs have become standardized. The rise of factory jobs and the adoption of assembly line techniques—first established by Ford—have increased worker productivity but have reduced the diversity of skills needed as lower-skilled jobs became standardized.
Technology can both improve production possibilities and lead to job simplification, resulting in a trade-off between efficiency gains and potential declines in craftsmanship and job satisfaction. Moreover, the pace of work and expectations of worker availability have increased, as seen with the promise and pitfalls of continuous connectivity in modern times.