Learning by Doing

Peter Thompson ()

Chapter Chapter 10 in Handbook of the Economics of Innovation, 2010, vol. 1, pp 429-476 from Elsevier

Abstract: This chapter reviews the theoretical and empirical literature on learning by doing. Many of the distinctive theoretical implications of learning by doing have been derived under the assumption that the cost–quantity relationships observed in numerous empirical studies are largely the result of passive learning and some further require that passive learning is unbounded. The empirical literature raises doubts about both assumptions. When observed cost–quantity relationships indicate sustained productivity growth, factors other than passive learning are generally at work. When passive learning is the dominant factor, productivity growth is invariably bounded. Thus, empirically relevant theories incorporating learning by doing are hybrid models in which passive learning coexists with other sources of growth. But in such models, many of the distinctive implications of passive learning become unimportant. Moreover, passive learning is often an inessential component of long-run growth; to the contrary, too much learning can lead to stagnation.

Keywords: cost–quantity relationship; forgetting; knowledge spillovers; learning by doing; learning curves; passive learning; progress curves (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D24 D92 F12 L11 L16 O3 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2010
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (65)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:haechp:v1_429

DOI: 10.1016/S0169-7218(10)01010-5

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