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How Much Did the Liberty Shipbuilders Forget?

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  • Peter Thompson

    (Department of Economics, Florida International University, Miami, Florida 33199)

Abstract

This paper produces new estimates of the rate of organizational forgetting in the well-known case study of U.S. wartime ship production. Estimates obtained using data constructed from primary sources at the National Archives yield rates of forgetting that are much smaller than previously reported, and may well be zero. The richness of the data makes it possible to control for variations in the product mix, to explore alternative formulations for the learning curve, and to investigate the relationship between organizational forgetting and labor turnover.

Suggested Citation

  • Peter Thompson, 2007. "How Much Did the Liberty Shipbuilders Forget?," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 53(6), pages 908-918, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:inm:ormnsc:v:53:y:2007:i:6:p:908-918
    DOI: 10.1287/mnsc.1060.0678
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Peter Thompson, 2001. "How Much Did the Liberty Shipbuilders Learn? New Evidence for an Old Case Study," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 109(1), pages 103-137, February.
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