The industrial learning curve has been widely recognized as an important cost planning tool. Limited empirical work has been done on factors affecting the learning curve parameters, and no study has examined simultaneously the effects of standard difficulty and compensation method. These factors were chosen for study because the literature has consistently demonstrated that difficult standards produce superior performance relative to easy standards, and that monetary incentives produce superior performance relative to fixed pay. / A laboratory experiment was conducted which consisted of an assembly task using Erector Set parts; the task was chosen because it seemed to require skills similar to what would be required for industrial assembly tasks. Six treatment groups were formed based on two standard levels (average and difficult) and three compensation methods (fixed, piece-rate, and goal-contingent). / The effect of these factors were assessed first on overall performance. A significant main effect for compensation method was found, which was due to the superior performance of subjects working for piece-rate and goal-contingent pay (incentive pay) relative to those working for fixed pay. Regarding the learning curve parameters, it was found that incentive pay resulted in lower a values, but slower improvement rates as measured by the b parameter. This finding contradicts previous speculation that incentive pay should not affect the a parameter and positively affect the b parameter. The implications of these findings are discussed. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 52-09, Section: A, page: 3337. / Major Professor: Charles Bailey. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1991.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_76484 |
| Contributors | Cocco, Anthony F., Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text |
| Format | 218 p. |
| Rights | On campus use only. |
| Relation | Dissertation Abstracts International |
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