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American Economic Review: Vol. 91 No. 5 (December 2001)
AER Volume. 91, Issue 5 | 
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Learning from Experience and Learning from Others: An Exploration of Learning and Spillovers in Wartime Shipbuilding
Article Citation
Thornton, Rebecca Achee, and
Peter Thompson. 2001. "Learning from Experience and Learning from Others: An Exploration of Learning and Spillovers in Wartime Shipbuilding."
American Economic Review,
91(5): 1350-1368.
DOI: 10.1257/aer.91.5.1350
DOI: 10.1257/aer.91.5.1350
Abstract
A new data set facilitates study of learning spillovers in World War II shipbuilding. Our results contain two principal but contrasting themes. First, learning spillovers were a significant source of productivity growth, and may have contributed more than conventional learning effects. Second, the size of the learning externalities across yards, as measured by Spence's theta, were small. These findings, which are not mutually inconsistent, suggest an optimistic view of learning spillovers: they are a significant source of productivity growth, but the market failures induced by learning externalities may be modest.
Article Full-Text Access
Full-text Article
Authors
Thornton, Rebecca Achee (U Houston)
Thompson, Peter (U Houston)
Thompson, Peter (U Houston)
JEL Classifications
L62: Automobiles; Other Transportation Equipment
D83: Search; Learning; Information and Knowledge; Communication; Belief
N72: Economic History: Transport, Trade, Energy, Technology, and Other Services: U.S.; Canada: 1913-
O33: Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes
D83: Search; Learning; Information and Knowledge; Communication; Belief
N72: Economic History: Transport, Trade, Energy, Technology, and Other Services: U.S.; Canada: 1913-
O33: Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes
