Analysis of technological learning for China's manufacturing industry

Abstract

Learning mechanisms are needed for enterprises to obtain advanced technology as they constitute the dynamic element of technological capabilities. As a cumulative process, technological learning includes both learning by experience and learning by research and development. This paper aims to construct a two-factor learning curve model based on traditional theory, and China's manufacturing industries are being used to demonstrate the analysis of different aspects of technological learning effects. It is found that the two kinds of learning rates are different across China's manufacturing industries. Especially, high-tech manufacturing industries have higher learning by researching rate than learning by doing rate, while the others have higher learning by doing rate than learning researching rate. The paper makes explanations of the difference and gives an insight into industrial rational allocating recourses into developing learning mechanism.