Operations
Quantitative Module
Learning Curves
E
Module Outline
LEARNING CURVES IN SERVICES AND MANUFACTURING APPLYING THE LEARNING CURVE Arithmetic Approach Logarithmic Approach Learning-Curve Coefficient Approach STRATEGIC IMPLICATIONS OF LEARNING CURVES LIMITATIONS OF LEARNING CURVES SUMMARY KEY TERM USING SOFTWARE FOR LEARNING CURVES SOLVED PROBLEMS INTERNET AND STUDENT CD-ROM EXERCISES DISCUSSION QUESTIONS ACTIVE MODEL EXERCISE PROBLEMS INTERNET HOMEWORK PROBLEMS CASE STUDY: SMT’S NEGOTIATION WITH IBM BIBLIOGRAPHY INTERNET RESOURCES
L EARNING O BJECTIVES
When you complete this module you should be able to IDENTIFY OR DEFINE: What a learning curve is Example of learning curves The doubling concept DESCRIBE OR EXPLAIN: How to compute learning curve effects Why learning curves are important The strategic implications of learning curves
772
MODULE E
L E A R N I N G C U RV E S
Medical procedures such as heart surgery follow a learning curve. Research indicates that the death rate from heart transplants drops at a 79% learning curve, a learning rate not unlike that in many industrial settings. It appears that as doctors and medical teams improve with experience, so do your odds as a patient. If the death rate is halved every three operations, practice may indeed make perfect.
Learning curves
The premise that people and organizations get better at their tasks as the tasks are repeated; sometimes called experience curves.
Most organizations learn and improve over time. As firms and employees perform a task over and over, they learn how to perform more efficiently. This means that task times and costs decrease. Learning curves are based on the premise that people and organizations become better at their tasks as the tasks are repeated. A learning curve graph (illustrated in Figure E.1) displays laborhours per unit versus the number of units produced. From it we see that the time needed to produce a unit decreases, usually following a negative
Learning Curves
E
Module Outline
LEARNING CURVES IN SERVICES AND MANUFACTURING APPLYING THE LEARNING CURVE Arithmetic Approach Logarithmic Approach Learning-Curve Coefficient Approach STRATEGIC IMPLICATIONS OF LEARNING CURVES LIMITATIONS OF LEARNING CURVES SUMMARY KEY TERM USING SOFTWARE FOR LEARNING CURVES SOLVED PROBLEMS INTERNET AND STUDENT CD-ROM EXERCISES DISCUSSION QUESTIONS ACTIVE MODEL EXERCISE PROBLEMS INTERNET HOMEWORK PROBLEMS CASE STUDY: SMT’S NEGOTIATION WITH IBM BIBLIOGRAPHY INTERNET RESOURCES
L EARNING O BJECTIVES
When you complete this module you should be able to IDENTIFY OR DEFINE: What a learning curve is Example of learning curves The doubling concept DESCRIBE OR EXPLAIN: How to compute learning curve effects Why learning curves are important The strategic implications of learning curves
772
MODULE E
L E A R N I N G C U RV E S
Medical procedures such as heart surgery follow a learning curve. Research indicates that the death rate from heart transplants drops at a 79% learning curve, a learning rate not unlike that in many industrial settings. It appears that as doctors and medical teams improve with experience, so do your odds as a patient. If the death rate is halved every three operations, practice may indeed make perfect.
Learning curves
The premise that people and organizations get better at their tasks as the tasks are repeated; sometimes called experience curves.
Most organizations learn and improve over time. As firms and employees perform a task over and over, they learn how to perform more efficiently. This means that task times and costs decrease. Learning curves are based on the premise that people and organizations become better at their tasks as the tasks are repeated. A learning curve graph (illustrated in Figure E.1) displays laborhours per unit versus the number of units produced. From it we see that the time needed to produce a unit decreases, usually following a negative