Learning by Doing in Multiproduct Manufacturing: Variety, Customizations, and Overlapping Product Generations

Extending research on organizational learning to multiproduct environments is of particular importance given that the vast majority of products are manufactured in such environments. We investigate learning in a multiproduct facility drawing on exceptionally rich data for a manufacturing firm that is a leading producer of high-technology hardware components. Weekly data for 10 years from the firm’s production and human resource tracking systems...