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Learning: What and How? An Empirical Study of Adjustments in Workplace Organization Structure

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  • AVNER BEN-NER
  • STEPHANIE LLUIS

Abstract

In this paper we seek to understand how firms learn about what adjustments they need to make in their organization structure at the workplace level. We define four organizational systems: traditional (the simplest system), high-performance (the most complex system), decision-making oriented, and financial-incentives oriented (intermediate complexity). We analyze (1) the effects of learning-by-doing on adoption of more or less complex systems, (2) the shape of the performance-experience learning curves associated with different systems, (3) the match between perceived organizational capabilities and the choice of systems, (4) the influence of other firms‘ systems and performance on a firm‘s adjustment decisions, and (5) the effect of a firm‘s location on its decisions. JEL classification: D83, L25, M54
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  • Avner Ben-Ner & Stephanie Lluis, 2011. "Learning: What and How? An Empirical Study of Adjustments in Workplace Organization Structure," Industrial Relations: A Journal of Economy and Society, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 50(1), pages 76-108, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:indres:v:50:y:2011:i:1:p:76-108
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1111/j.1468-232X.2010.00626.x
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    Cited by:

    1. Ben-Ner, Avner & Kong, Fanmin & Lluis, Stéphanie, 2012. "Uncertainty, task environment, and organization design: An empirical investigation," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 82(1), pages 281-313.
    2. Armbruster, Kathrin & Beckmann, Michael & Kuhn, Dieter, 2012. "Task Allocation and Corporate Performance : is There a First-Mover Advantage?," Working papers 2012/07, Faculty of Business and Economics - University of Basel.
    3. Sáenz-Royo, Carlos & Salas-Fumás, Vicente, 2013. "Learning to learn and productivity growth: Evidence from a new car-assembly plant," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 41(2), pages 336-344.
    4. Ben-Ner, Avner, 2013. "Preferences and organization structure: Toward behavioral economics micro-foundations of organizational analysis," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 87-96.
    5. Avner Ben-Ner & Ainhoa Urtasun, 2013. "Computerization and Skill Bifurcation: The Role of Task Complexity in Creating Skill Gains and Losses," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 66(1), pages 225-267, January.
    6. Marco A. Barrenechea-Mendez & Avner Ben-Ner, 2017. "Mission Congruence and Organization Design: An Empirical Analysis of Childcare Facilities," Industrial Relations: A Journal of Economy and Society, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 56(3), pages 411-426, July.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D83 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Search; Learning; Information and Knowledge; Communication; Belief; Unawareness
    • L25 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Firm Performance
    • M54 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Personnel Economics - - - Labor Management

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