noun
horizontal specialization
Economic term referring to a division of labor where firms or units specialize in different products or components at the same stage of production, rather than in sequential stages.
水平分業によって、各国は得意な部品の生産に集中できる。
Through horizontal specialization, each country can concentrate on producing the components it excels at.
Vertical specialization refers to dividing production into sequential stages across different firms or countries, whereas 水平分業 involves specialization at the same stage.
Compound of 水平 (horizontal) and 分業 (division of labor). The term is a direct translation of the English economic concept 'horizontal specialization'.