manpower-intensive activity

[ˈmænpaʊər ɪnˈtɛnsɪv ækˈtɪvɪti]
noun phrasepl: manpower-intensive activities
atividade intensiva em mão de obra
1. An activity, task, or business operation that requires a large amount of human labor and workforce to be completed effectively
Agriculture remains a manpower-intensive activity in developing countries.
A agricultura continua sendo uma atividade intensiva em mão de obra nos países em desenvolvimento.
2. Work or processes that depend heavily on human effort rather than automation or machinery
Manufacturing textiles is a manpower-intensive activity that provides many jobs.
A fabricação de têxteis é uma atividade intensiva em mão de obra que oferece muitos empregos.
3. An operation where labor costs represent a significant portion of total production costs
Construction is a highly manpower-intensive activity.
A construção é uma atividade altamente intensiva em mão de obra.
This term is commonly used in economic discussions in both Brazil and Portugal when discussing sectors like agriculture, construction, textile manufacturing, and tourism. In Brazil, there is ongoing discussion about modernizing traditionally manpower-intensive activities through automation and technology to improve competitiveness and reduce labor dependency in manufacturing sectors.
Synonyms / Sinônimos
labor-intensive activitylabor-heavy activitypersonnel-intensive activityworkforce-demanding activityhuman-resource intensive operation
Antonyms / Antônimos
capital-intensive activityautomation-dependent activitytechnology-driven activitymachine-intensive operation

Regional Variations

General Brazilian Portuguese
atividade intensiva em mão de obra
Standard formal usage in business and economic contexts
São Paulo
atividade intensiva em recursos humanos
Common in corporate and industrial sectors
Rio de Janeiro
trabalho que exige muita mão de obra
More colloquial, less formal phrasing
Portugal
atividade intensiva em mão-de-obra
Uses hyphenated form; similar formal usage to Brazil

Related Words

manpowerlabor forceworkforcehuman resourceslabor costsemploymentautomationproductivity

Related Idioms & Phrases

a lot of hands on deck
labor of love
all hands on board
back-breaking work
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