Manufacturing vs. Industry: What's the Difference?
Edited by Aimie Carlson || By Janet White || Updated on October 6, 2023
Manufacturing involves the production of goods from raw materials, while the industry encompasses a broader range of economic activities, including production, distribution, and sales.
Key Differences
Manufacturing and Industry, while sometimes used interchangeably, have inherent differences in scope and meaning. Manufacturing primarily concerns the process of producing goods by converting raw materials into finished products. It's a subset of the larger framework of industrial operations. On the other hand, the industry is a broad term that not only includes manufacturing but also captures sectors like distribution, sales, services, and more.
Manufacturing tends to be more specific in its application, focusing on the conversion processes, machinery, labor, and the efficiencies therein. It can be seen as a subset or a particular function within the broader realm of the industry. The industry, conversely, is an overarching term that delineates segments of the economy based on the primary business activity. For instance, the automobile industry might involve manufacturing cars, marketing them, providing services related to them, and more.
When one discusses Manufacturing, the emphasis is typically on the methods, technologies, and practices of production. It's a term deeply connected to factories, plants, and production lines. In contrast, when referring to an Industry, one might be discussing the entire ecosystem surrounding a particular product or service. This could involve everything from research and development to customer service.
In essence, while Manufacturing is a crucial and vital part of many industries, it is just one facet. The term "Industry" paints a broader stroke, encapsulating a full spectrum of activities associated with a particular economic segment.
Comparison Chart
Definition
The process of producing goods.
A segment of the economy based on primary activity.
ADVERTISEMENT
Scope
Specific to production.
Broad, encompassing production, sales, services, etc.
Emphasis
Methods, machinery, and efficiencies of production.
Entire ecosystem surrounding a product or service.
Subset or Whole
Subset of industry.
Broad category that includes various sectors.
Application
Often factory-based, focused on tangible products.
Can involve both tangible products and intangible services.
Manufacturing and Industry Definitions
Manufacturing
The process of producing goods from raw materials.
The Manufacturing of smartphones has become more efficient over the years.
ADVERTISEMENT
Industry
A specific branch of economic or commercial activity.
The tech Industry has seen significant growth in the past decade.
Manufacturing
The creation of products for sale or use.
The country is known for its automobile Manufacturing.
Industry
A particular sector of the economy characterized by its primary activity.
The entertainment Industry has a profound influence on popular culture.
Manufacturing
The act of making products on a large scale using machinery.
Manufacturing plays a vital role in the country's economy.
Industry
The production of goods or related services within an economy.
The renewable energy Industry is on the rise.
Manufacturing
A systematic approach to convert raw materials into finished products.
Innovative techniques have revolutionized Manufacturing.
Industry
The sector of an economy made up of manufacturing enterprises
Government regulation of industry.
Manufacturing
Production through the use of labor, machines, and tools.
Advances in technology have streamlined the Manufacturing process.
Industry
A sector of an economy
The advertising industry.
Manufacturing
To make or process (a raw material) into a finished product, especially by means of a large-scale industrial operation.
Industry
Energetic devotion to a task or an endeavor; diligence
Demonstrated great intelligence and industry as a prosecutor.
Manufacturing
To make or process (a product), especially with the use of industrial machines.
Industry
Ongoing work or study associated with a specified subject or figure
The Civil War industry.
The Hemingway industry.
Manufacturing
To create, produce, or turn out in a mechanical manner
"His books seem to have been manufactured rather than composed" (Dwight Macdonald).
Industry
A collection of artifacts or tools made from a specified material
A Mesolithic bone industry.
Manufacturing
To concoct or invent; fabricate
Manufacture an excuse.
Industry
A standardized tradition of toolmaking associated with a specified tool or culture
A stone hand-axe industry.
The Acheulian industry.
Manufacturing
To make or process goods, especially in large quantities and by means of industrial machines.
Industry
(Obsolete) Cleverness or skill.
Manufacturing
The act, craft, or process of manufacturing products, especially on a large scale.
Industry
(uncountable) The tendency to work persistently. Diligence.
Over the years, their industry and business sense made them wealthy.
Manufacturing
An industry in which mechanical power and machinery are employed.
Industry
Businesses of the same type, considered as a whole. Trade.
The software and tourism industries continue to grow, while the steel industry remains troubled.
The steel industry has long used blast furnaces to smelt iron.
Manufacturing
A product that is manufactured.
Industry
Businesses that produce goods as opposed to services.
Manufacturing
The making or producing of something.
Industry
The sector of the economy consisting of large-scale enterprises.
There used to be a lot of industry around here, but now the economy depends on tourism.
Manufacturing
The transformation of raw materials into finished products, usually on a large scale.
Industry
Automated production of material goods.
Manufacturing
The industry in which such products are made.
Industry
(archaeology) A typological classification of stone tools, associated with a technocomplex.
Manufacturing
Used in manufacturing.
Industry
Habitual diligence in any employment or pursuit, either bodily or mental; steady attention to business; assiduity; - opposed to sloth and idleness; as, industry pays debts, while idleness or despair will increase them.
We are more industrious than our forefathers, because in the present times the funds destined for the maintenance of industry are much greater in proportion to those which are likely to be employed in the maintenance of idleness, than they were two or three centuries ago.
Manufacturing
Present participle of manufacture
Industry
Any department or branch of art, occupation, or business; especially, one which employs much labor and capital and is a distinct branch of trade; as, the sugar industry; the iron industry; the cotton industry.
Manufacturing
Employed, or chiefly employed, in manufacture; as, a manufacturing community; a manufacturing town.
Industry
Human exertion of any kind employed for the creation of value, and regarded by some as a species of capital or wealth; labor.
Manufacturing
Pertaining to manufacture; as, manufacturing projects.
Industry
The people or companies engaged in a particular kind of commercial enterprise;
Each industry has its own trade publications
Industry
The organized action of making of goods and services for sale;
American industry is making increased use of computers to control production
Industry
Persevering determination to perform a task;
His diligence won him quick promotions
Frugality and industry are still regarded as virtues
Industry
An organized economic activity connected with production, distribution, or provision of services.
The hospitality Industry suffered during the pandemic.
Industry
A collection of businesses with a common line of products or services.
The fashion Industry is known for its rapid changes.
FAQs
Is Manufacturing a type of Industry?
Yes, Manufacturing is a subset of the broader concept of the industry.
Does the term Industry only refer to Manufacturing?
No, the industry encompasses a broader range of economic activities, including production, distribution, and sales.
Can Industry include both tangible and intangible products?
Yes, Industry can involve both tangible products and intangible services.
What role does technology play in Manufacturing?
Technology can streamline, innovate, and enhance the Manufacturing process, making it more efficient.
What is Manufacturing primarily concerned with?
Manufacturing is primarily concerned with producing goods from raw materials.
Can a service-based sector be termed as an Industry?
Yes, service-based sectors like the hospitality or IT service sectors are also industries.
What's the main emphasis when discussing Manufacturing?
The main emphasis is on methods, machinery, and efficiencies of production.
Can Manufacturing exist outside the confines of an Industry?
Manufacturing is a function, and while it's a vital part of many industries, it's always a component of a broader industry context.
Which has a broader scope: Manufacturing or Industry?
Industry has a broader scope, encompassing a wider range of economic activities.
Are all businesses part of an Industry?
Yes, all businesses fall under some industry based on their primary economic activity.
About Author
Written by
Janet WhiteJanet White has been an esteemed writer and blogger for Difference Wiki. Holding a Master's degree in Science and Medical Journalism from the prestigious Boston University, she has consistently demonstrated her expertise and passion for her field. When she's not immersed in her work, Janet relishes her time exercising, delving into a good book, and cherishing moments with friends and family.
Edited by
Aimie CarlsonAimie Carlson, holding a master's degree in English literature, is a fervent English language enthusiast. She lends her writing talents to Difference Wiki, a prominent website that specializes in comparisons, offering readers insightful analyses that both captivate and inform.
