Manufacturing learning theory of managerial attention allocation for production technology development

A critical source of production technology is the managerial attention of managers participating in the development activities. Managerial attention is a precious resource in a firm, related with the firm's commitment to action/problem solving. The thesis studies two mechanisms to develop production technology, on-shop and off-shop. Management has to allocate its attention between them in order to accomplish an optimal technological innovation at the system level. The thesis proposes that the (middle) management's propensity to learn in a particular technological direction is a significant factor to shape the managerial attention/resource allocation dynamics. Consistent with the manufacturing learning theory, it propounds that as the experience to improve a certain production technology, either on-shop or off-shop, (for which the management has learning intention and allocates more attention/resource) accumulates, the mechanism to develop the 'selected' technology becomes more effective than the other. The thesis identifies 'empirical' forces which have impacted the managements' forming the learning intentions in the firms where I conducted field/clinical researches: the forces consist of (a) determining factors which include (1) logistic system and/or infrastructure in the firm, (2) product mix change, (3) top management commitment and/or corporate policy, and (b) system level objectives influenced by the determining factors.