Title: Organizational learning curves: persistence, transfer and turnover

Authors: Linda Argote

Addresses: Professor of Industrial Administration, Graduate School of Industrial Administration, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA

Abstract: The paper provides an overview of recent developments in the area of organizational learning curves. The paper discusses whether knowledge acquired through learning by doing is cumulative, as the classic learning-curve model implies, or whether organizational learning evidences |forgetting| or depreciation. The extent to which the productivity gains associated with learning by doing reside in individual workers, or in the structure of the organization, or in its technology is also analyzed. The paper concludes by reviewing evidence about whether learning transfers across organizations.

Keywords: organisational learning curves; productivity; technology transfer; technology management.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTM.1996.025466

International Journal of Technology Management, 1996 Vol.11 No.7/8, pp.759 - 769

Published online: 22 May 2009 *

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