Student or educator? Sign up with your school email and get 6 months of Pro free.
Cited by 1,321

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 2 of the 2 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

Learning Curves in Manufacturing

Argote, Linda, Epple, Dennis·1990·Science

Abstract

Large increases in productivity are typically realized as organizations gain experience in production. These "learning curves" have been found in many organizations. Organizations vary considerably in the rates at which they learn. Some organizations show remarkable productivity gains, whereas others show little or no learning. Reasons for the variation observed in organizational learning curves include organizational "forgetting," employee turnover, transfer of knowledge from other products and other organizations, and economies of scale.

Overview

The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.

Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.

A few free checks a day · papers already verified open instantly · results are public

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1126/science.247.4945.920

Cites

2 of 2 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Verification

Claims the paper makes

The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.

Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.

A few free checks a day · papers already verified open instantly · results are public

Self-check

Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.

The self-check needs the paper’s full text.

Citations

Cites

Show all 2 references

Research works printed but not linked: 81

  1. Tri-Star production costs, Aviation Week & Space Technology: 32 (15 101979).
  2. Tri-Star's trail of red ink, Business Week: 88 (28 7 1980).
  3. Tri-Star's trail of red ink, Business Week: 90 (28 7 1980).
  4. Lockheed Annual Report: 1 (1972).
  5. Lockheed Annual Report: 11 (1974).
  6. Sansweet, S. J., Wall Street Journal: 11 (16 3 1977).
  7. Lockheed Corp. says losses on Tri-Star spurted in period, Wall Street Journal: 21 (20 6 1980).
  8. ALCHIAN, A, RELIABILITY OF PROGRESS CURVES IN AIRFRAME PRODUCTION, ECONOMETRICA 31: 679 (1963). · DOI · Paper page
  9. ANZAI, Y, THEORY OF LEARNING BY DOING, PSYCHOLOGICAL REVIEW 86: 124 (1979). · DOI · Paper page
  10. Argote, L., Management Science 36: 140 (1990). · DOI · Paper page
  11. ARROW, K.J., THE ECONOMIC-IMPLICATIONS OF LEARNING BY DOING, REVIEW OF ECONOMIC STUDIES 29: 155 (1962). · DOI · Paper page
  12. BALOFF, N, IEEE T EM 17: 132 (1970).
  13. BALOFF, N, STARTUPS IN MACHINE-INTENSIVE PRODUCTION SYSTEMS, JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING 17: 25 (1966).
  14. BALOFF, N, EXTENSION OF LEARNING CURVE - SOME EMPIRICAL RESULTS, OPERATIONAL RESEARCH QUARTERLY 22: 329 (1971). · doi:10.1057/jors.1971.77
  15. BARKAI, H, IMPACT OF EXPERIENCE ON KIBBUTZ FARMING, REVIEW OF ECONOMICS AND STATISTICS 55: 56 (1973). · doi:10.2307/1927994
  16. BERNDT, E.R., PARAMETRIC PRODUCTIVITY-MEASUREMENT AND CHOICE AMONG FLEXIBLE FUNCTIONAL FORMS, JOURNAL OF POLITICAL ECONOMY 87: 1220 (1979). · DOI
  17. CHRISTENSEN, L.R., ECONOMIES OF SCALE IN UNITED-STATES ELECTRIC-POWER GENERATION, JOURNAL OF POLITICAL ECONOMY 84: 655 (1976). · DOI
  18. CONLEY, P, EXPERIENCE CURVES AS A PLANNING TOOL, IEEE SPECTRUM 7: 63 (1970).
  19. CONWAY, R.W., J IND ENG 10: 39 (1959).
  20. DALTON, D.R., ACAD MANAGE REV 4: 225 (1979). · DOI · Paper page
  21. DAY, G. S., JOURNAL OF MARKETING 47: 44 (1983).
  22. DIEWERT, W.E., APPLICATION OF SHEPHARD DUALITY THEOREM - GENERALIZED LEONTIEF PRODUCTION FUNCTION, JOURNAL OF POLITICAL ECONOMY 79: 481 (1971). · DOI · Paper page
  23. DOLAN, R.J., EXPERIENCE CURVES AND DYNAMIC DEMAND MODELS - IMPLICATIONS FOR OPTIMAL PRICING STRATEGIES, JOURNAL OF MARKETING 45: 52 (1981). · doi:10.1177/002224298104500106
  24. DUTTON, J.M., TREATING PROGRESS FUNCTIONS AS A MANAGERIAL OPPORTUNITY, ACADEMY OF MANAGEMENT REVIEW 9: 235 (1984). · DOI · Paper page
  25. FANDELL, T.E., WALL STREET JOURNAL: 1 (3 6 1974).
  26. FUDENBERG, D, LEARNING-BY-DOING AND MARKET PERFORMANCE, BELL JOURNAL OF ECONOMICS 14: 522 (1983). · DOI · Paper page
  27. FUSS, M, PRODUCTION EC DUAL A: 217 (1978).
  28. GREENBERG, L, MINING ENGINEERING 23: 51 (1971).
  29. GRUENSPECHT, H, J INT ECON 12: 225 (1988).
  30. GRUSKY, O, MANAGERIAL SUCCESSION AND ORGANIZATIONAL-EFFECTIVENESS, AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY 69: 21 (1963). · DOI
  31. HARRIS, R. J., WALL STREET JOURNAL: 7 (20 4 1982).
  32. HARRIS, R. J., WALL STREET JOURNAL: 10 (1 7 1981).
  33. HARRIS, R. J., WALL STREET JOURNAL: 3 (8 12 1981).
  34. HARRIS, R. J., WALL STREET JOURNAL: 22 (9 12 1981).
  35. HAYES, R.H., WHY SOME FACTORIES ARE MORE PRODUCTIVE THAN OTHERS, HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW 64: 66 (1986).
  36. HELMICH, D.L., ACAD MANAGE REV 2: 252 (1977). · doi:10.2307/257907
  37. HENDERSON, B.D., J BUS STRAT 4: 3 (1984). · doi:10.1108/eb039027
  38. HIRSCH, W.Z., REV ECON STAT 34: 143 (1952). · DOI · Paper page
  39. HIRSCHMANN, W.B., PROFIT FROM THE LEARNING-CURVE, HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW 42: 125 (1964).
  40. HIRSHLEIFER, J, THE FIRMS COST FUNCTION - A SUCCESSFUL RECONSTRUCTION, JOURNAL OF BUSINESS 35: 235 (1962). · doi:10.1086/294508
  41. INSKO, C.A., SENIORITY IN THE GENERATIONAL TRANSITION OF LABORATORY GROUPS - THE EFFECTS OF SOCIAL FAMILIARITY AND TASK EXPERIENCE, JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY 18: 557 (1982). · DOI
  42. INSKO, C.A., SOCIAL EVOLUTION AND THE EMERGENCE OF LEADERSHIP, JOURNAL OF PERSONALITY AND SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY 39: 431 (1980). · doi:10.1037/0022-3514.39.3.431
  43. JOHNSON, M.K., HUMAN LEARNING AND MEMORY, ANNUAL REVIEW OF PSYCHOLOGY 38: 631 (1987). · DOI · Paper page
  44. JOSKOW, P.L., THE EFFECTS OF TECHNOLOGICAL-CHANGE, EXPERIENCE, AND ENVIRONMENTAL-REGULATION ON THE CONSTRUCTION COST OF COAL-BURNING GENERATING-UNITS, RAND JOURNAL OF ECONOMICS 16: 1 (1985). · DOI · Paper page
  45. JOSKOW, P.L., EFFECTS OF LEARNING BY DOING ON NUCLEAR-PLANT OPERATING RELIABILITY, REVIEW OF ECONOMICS AND STATISTICS 61: 161 (1979). · DOI
  46. JUCKER, J.V., AIIE TRANSACTIONS 9: 321 (1977). · doi:10.1080/05695557708975163
  47. KELSEY, S.F., EFFECT OF INVESTIGATOR EXPERIENCE ON PERCUTANEOUS TRANS-LUMINAL CORONARY ANGIOPLASTY, AMERICAN JOURNAL OF CARDIOLOGY 53: C56 (1984). · doi:10.1016/0002-9149(84)90747-1
  48. LEVITT, B, ORGANIZATIONAL LEARNING, ANNUAL REVIEW OF SOCIOLOGY 14: 319 (1988). · DOI · Paper page
  49. LEVY, F.K., ADAPTATION IN THE PRODUCTION PROCESS, MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 11: B136 (1965). · doi:10.1287/mnsc.11.6.b136
  50. LIEBERMAN, M.B., THE LEARNING-CURVE AND PRICING IN THE CHEMICAL-PROCESSING INDUSTRIES, RAND JOURNAL OF ECONOMICS 15: 213 (1984). · DOI · Paper page
  51. 10.1126/science.244.4910.1250 · doi:10.1126/science.244.4910.1250
  52. MAZUR, J.E., LEARNING AS ACCUMULATION - RE-EXAMINATION OF LEARNING CURVE, PSYCHOLOGICAL BULLETIN 85: 1256 (1978). · doi:10.1037/0033-2909.85.6.1256 · Paper page
  53. MCELROY, M.B., ADDITIVE GENERAL ERROR MODELS FOR PRODUCTION, COST, AND DERIVED DEMAND OR SHARE SYSTEMS, JOURNAL OF POLITICAL ECONOMY 95: 737 (1987). · DOI · Paper page
  54. Moreland, R. L., Psychology of Group Influence: 143 (1989).
  55. MUTH, J.F., SEARCH THEORY AND THE MANUFACTURING PROGRESS FUNCTION, MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 32: 948 (1986). · DOI
  56. Newell, A., Cognitive Skills and Their Acquisition: 1 (1981).
  57. OI, W, NEOCLASSICAL FOUNDATIONS OF PROGRESS FUNCTIONS, ECONOMIC JOURNAL 77: 579 (1967). · doi:10.2307/2228992
  58. PFEFFER, J, ADMINISTRATIVE SUCCESSION AND ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE - HOW ADMINISTRATOR EXPERIENCE MEDIATES THE SUCCESSION EFFECT, ACADEMY OF MANAGEMENT JOURNAL 29: 72 (1986).
  59. RAPPING, L, LEARNING AND WORLD-WAR-2 PRODUCTION-FUNCTIONS, REVIEW OF ECONOMICS AND STATISTICS 47: 81 (1965). · DOI
  60. REINHARDT, U.E., BREAK-EVEN ANALYSIS FOR LOCKHEEDS TRI STAR - APPLICATION OF FINANCIAL THEORY, JOURNAL OF FINANCE 28: 821 (1973).
  61. ROSEN, S, Q J ECON 86: 366 (1972). · doi:10.2307/1880798
  62. SANSWEET, S. J., WALL STREET JOURNAL: 2 (31 3 1976).
  63. SANSWEET, S. J., WALL STREET JOURNAL: 12 (14 5 1980).
  64. SANSWEET, S. J., WALL STREET JOURNAL: 1 (7 11 1975).
  65. SEARLE, A.D., MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW 61: 1132 (1945).
  66. SMILEY, R.H., THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING 1ST - LEARNING PRICE AND STRATEGY, QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF ECONOMICS 98: 353 (1983). · doi:10.2307/1885632
  67. SMUNT, T.L., THE EFFECTS OF LEARNING ON OPTIMAL LOT SIZES - FURTHER DEVELOPMENTS ON THE SINGLE PRODUCT CASE, IIE TRANSACTIONS 17: 33 (1985). · doi:10.1080/07408178508975269
  68. SMUNT, T.L., THE IMPACT OF WORKER FORGETTING ON PRODUCTION SCHEDULING, INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PRODUCTION RESEARCH 25: 689 (1987). · doi:10.1080/00207548708919871
  69. SPENCE, A.M., THE LEARNING-CURVE AND COMPETITION, BELL JOURNAL OF ECONOMICS 12: 49 (1981). · DOI · Paper page
  70. SPENCE, A.M., ECONOMETRICA 52: 101 (1984). · DOI
  71. SULE, D.R., EFFECT OF LEARNING AND FORGETTING ON ECONOMIC LOT SIZE SCHEDULING PROBLEM, INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PRODUCTION RESEARCH 21: 771 (1983). · doi:10.1080/00207548308942410
  72. THORNDIKE, E. L., Animal intelligence: an experimental study of the associative processes in animals, PSYCHOLOGICAL REVIEW. SERIES OF MONOGRAPH SUPPLEMENTS 2 4: 1 (1898).
  73. THURSTONE, L.L., PSYCHOLOGICAL MONOGRAPHS 26: 1 (1919).
  74. WICKELGREN, W.A., HUMAN LEARNING AND MEMORY, ANNUAL REVIEW OF PSYCHOLOGY 32: 21 (1981). · DOI
  75. WOMER, N.K., LEARNING-CURVES, PRODUCTION-RATE, AND PROGRAM COSTS, MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 25: 312 (1979). · DOI
  76. WOMER, N.K., ESTIMATING LEARNING-CURVES FROM AGGREGATE MONTHLY DATA, MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 30: 982 (1984). · DOI
  77. WORRELL, D.L., MANAGEMENT TURNOVER THROUGH DEATHS OF KEY EXECUTIVES - EFFECTS ON INVESTOR WEALTH, ACADEMY OF MANAGEMENT JOURNAL 29: 674 (1986).
  78. WRIGHT, T.P., JOURNAL OF THE AERONAUTICAL SCIENCES 3: 122 (1936). · DOI · Paper page
  79. YELLE, L.E., DECISION SCI 10: 302 (1979). · DOI · Paper page
  80. ZELLNER, A, SPECIFICATION AND ESTIMATION OF COBB-DOUGLAS PRODUCTION FUNCTION MODELS, ECONOMETRICA 34: 784 (1966). · DOI · Paper page
  81. ZIMMERMAN, M.B., LEARNING EFFECTS AND THE COMMERCIALIZATION OF NEW ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES - THE CASE OF NUCLEAR-POWER, BELL JOURNAL OF ECONOMICS 13: 297 (1982). · DOI · Paper page

Cited by

See all 1,321

Metadata

Authors
Argote, L., & Epple, D.
Venue
Science
Published
1990-02-23
Volume
247
Issue
4945
Pages
920-924
ISSN
  • 0036-8075 (ISSN-L)
  • 1095-9203
OpenAlex
W1988550741
Cited by
1,321
References
2
FWCI
10.00
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed

About these checks

Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.

Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.

Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.

What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›

Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review

How to cite

Cite CoChat for the checks on this page, and the paper for its own findings.

This page
CoChat. (2026). Citation check: Learning Curves in Manufacturing. https://app.cochat.ai/papers/10.1126/science.247.4945.920
The paper
Argote, L., & Epple, D. (1990). Learning Curves in Manufacturing. Science. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.247.4945.920

Data sources

Bibliographic data: Semantic Scholar, OpenAlex, Crossref.

Contains information from the Semantic Scholar Academic Graph Datasets, made available under the ODC Attribution License (ODC-BY 1.0).

Semantic Scholar’s data is described in: Kinney, R., et al. (2023). The Semantic Scholar Open Data Platform. arXiv:2301.10140.