Learning by Doing Something Else: Variation, Relatedness, and the Learning Curve

Melissa A. Schilling (), Patricia Vidal (), Robert E. Ployhart () and Alexandre Marangoni ()
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Melissa A. Schilling: Management and Organizational Behavior, New York University, 40 West 4th Street, New York, New York 10012
Patricia Vidal: School of Management, Boston University, 595 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02215
Robert E. Ployhart: Department of Psychology, MSN 3F5, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia 22030
Alexandre Marangoni: School of Management, Boston University, 595 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02215

Management Science, 2003, vol. 49, issue 1, 39-56

Abstract: Many organizational learning studies have an implicit assumption that the learning rate is maximized through specialization: the more an individual or organization focuses on a particular task, the faster it will improve. However, through contrasting the various learning process theories described in the research on organizational, group, and individual learning, we develop a set of competing hypotheses that suggest some degree of variation might improve the learning rate. Furthermore, such comparison yields competing arguments about how related or unrelated such task variation should be to improve the learning rate. This research uses an experimental study to answer the following research questions: Is the learning rate maximized through specialization? Or does variation, related or unrelated, enhance the learning process? We find that the learning rate under conditions of related variation is significantly greater than under conditions of specialization or unrelated variation, indicating the possibility of synergy between related learning efforts consistent with an implicit learning or insight effect. We find no significant differences in the rates of learning under the conditions of specialization and unrelated variation. These results yield important implications for how work should be organized, and for future research into the learning process.

Keywords: learning curve; group learning; organizational learning; insight; transfer of learning; absorptive capacity; specialization; variation; implicit learning (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2003
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (99)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:inm:ormnsc:v:49:y:2003:i:1:p:39-56

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