Knowledge acquisition throughout the lifecycle: product and industry learning frameworks

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to distinguish clearly between industry (ILC) and product lifecycle (PLC) models and to elucidate their different ramifications for organizational learning and knowledge. Design/methodology/approach The authors examine existing knowledge on ILCs and PLCs to highlight the differences and similarities and develop a framework with implications for learning and innovation in digital manufacturing industries. Findings The authors identify and associate one dominant type of learning with each phase of the ILC: learning-by-participating in the introduction phase, learning-by-feedback in the growth phase, vicarious learning in the maturity phase and learning-by-memory in the decline phase. The study also provides insight into how different types of learning influence PLC in digital innovation. From this perspective, learning-by-feedback is crucial to co-creation, co-production and open innovation. Similarly, learning-by-doing and learning-by-memory are essential to production and usage stages, respectively. Research limitations/implications The conceptual development in this paper follows a somewhat critical but ultimately elucidative analysis that highlights important research avenues in the interplay of PLC/ILC, organizational learning and digital innovation. Originality/value This paper clarifies a perennial theoretical problem by differentiating two concepts often conflated in the literature. More importantly, it contributes to the knowledge management literature by shedding light on the connection of ILC and PLC theories to different types of organizational learning.

Organisational capabilities and small and medium sized firms’ attainment of innovation outcomes: the moderating roles of exports and formal business networks

“…foreign customers) and making meaning from foreign firms’ practices. Vendrell-Herrero et al. (2021c) refer to this as vicarious learning, that focuses on observation and learning from best practices.…”

“…SMEs can acquire external knowledge by obtaining direct or indirect feedback from the other members of their formal business networks. This learning approach is what Vendrell-Herrero et al. (2021c) refer to as learning-by-feedback, focusing on engaging with and collecting feedback from others with more expertise in specific areas.…”

“…Partaking in exports and formal business networks allow SMEs to learn how to develop efficient operational practices from foreign firms (Salomon and Jin, 2008) and the members of their formal business networks (Schoonjans et al. , 2013) through observation and collecting feedback (Vendrell-Herrero et al. , 2021c).…”

“…Our logic in predicting the relationship between OIC and the product innovation outcomes highlights that SMEs with high levels of OIC can construct efficient operational practices. Partaking in exports (Salomon and Shaver, 2005) and formal business networks (Tiwasing and Sawang, 2022) allows SMEs to acquire technological knowledge about the operational practices used by other firms through observation and collecting feedback (Vendrell-Herrero et al, 2021c). SMEs with high levels of OIC focus on improving their operational efficiency continuously, which emphasises analytical, structured, and linear thinking (Prajogo and Sohal, 2001).…”

“…Exports and formal business networks observation and collecting feedback (Vendrell-Herrero et al, 2021c). As such knowledge is readily available, SMEs can simply use it to improve their operational practices.…”