Experience curve

Experience curve is a graph that shows the effect of improving the organization and functioning of the company. There are many factors that influence the magnitude of this effect, and the most common are:

• increase of the scale of production,
• technical and organizational progress in the production process,
• quality improvement.

Principles of creating the graph

There is a relationship between the scale of production and the size of the unit cost of the product, known as the effect of experience. Graphical image of this effect (created on the basis of cumulative production and unit costs of the sector) is called experience curve.

Fig. 1. Experience curve

The graph of the curve is obtained by placing each enterprise in the sector at the point at which unit cost of the product of a company intersects its cumulative production. When you connect the points showing the positions of individual producers you get a graph of the experience curve. The possibility of obtaining a competitive advantage is related to the effect of the experience and depends on the situation within the sector and particularly the rate of growth of demand. When it is too weak, it is difficult to increase production.

Interpretation

The increase in scale of production has a beneficial effect on the unit cost, which generally decreases with the volume of production. It is the interpretation of the law of increasing production. Also, technological advances and organizational development impact in a fundamental way unit costs.

Another area of experience effect is the quality. It concerns: the human factor, the state machinery, and raw material quality. These factors determine the production strategy of the company, which may result in better utilization of productive capacity, as well as lower production costs. In quality analysis experience curve is a graph showing the deficiency of production. Such graph can be considered as the experience curve, the downward trend is expressed in different periods (the effect of experience is a positive dimension). If the chart shows a negative trend of number of defective product, it is called by the term: error (failures) curve.

Knowledge of the experience curve for a given product and its position on this curve allows each company to formulate its own strategy for development of production and unit costs. It also allows you to compare the situation of the cost of all enterprises in the sector and inform investors about the economic barrier to entry to the sector.

See also:

• Global demand
• Factors affecting demand

Advantages of Experience curve

The experience curve is a graph that shows the effect of improving the organization and functioning of the company. The advantages of using an experience curve can be numerous and include the following:

• Increased efficiency: As a business gains experience in its operations, it is likely to become better at managing its resources, leading to improved efficiency in operations and productivity.
• Cost savings: With experience, a business can identify cost-saving opportunities and implement them. This can result in significant cost savings that can help to improve the bottom line.
• Improved quality: With experience in producing a product or service, a business can improve the quality of its output, leading to increased customer satisfaction and better brand recognition.
• Increased market share: By improving the efficiency of operations and producing a better product or service, a business can increase its market share and gain a competitive advantage.
• Increased profits: With increased efficiency, cost savings, improved quality and increased market share, a business can increase its profits and become more successful.

Limitations of Experience curve

The experience curve is a graph that shows the effect of improving the organization and functioning of the company. There are many factors that influence the magnitude of this effect, and the following are some of the limitations of the experience curve:

• The experience curve does not take into account external factors like the competitive environment, changing customer needs, and economic conditions.
• It also ignores any internal changes or improvements that could result from the implementation of new processes and technologies.
• The experience curve also overlooks the effects of non-financial investments, such as training and development, that can help a company increase its effectiveness.
• The experience curve does not account for the cost of failure, which can be significant in certain situations.
• Finally, the experience curve does not always take into account the long-term effects of changes, as it is focused on short-term gains.

Other approaches related to Experience curve

Experience curve is a graph that shows the effect of improving the organization and functioning of the company. There are many factors that influence the magnitude of this effect, and the most common approaches are:

• Learning curve - This approach focuses on the acquisition of knowledge and skills, and how the company can benefit from this. It emphasizes the importance of continuous training and learning, as well as the improvement of existing processes.
• Efficiency curve - This approach focuses on the improvement in the efficiency of the organization and its processes. It looks at how the company can make its operations more efficient, as well as how it can reduce costs.
• Performance curve - This approach focuses on how the company can improve its performance. It looks at how the company can increase its productivity and profitability, as well as how it can better manage risks.
• Competitive curve - This approach looks at how the company can stay ahead of its competitors. It looks at how the company can improve its competitive advantage, as well as how it can stay ahead of the competition.

In summary, the experience curve is a graph that shows the effect of improving the organization and functioning of the company. It can be used to measure the effectiveness of different approaches and strategies, and can be used to identify areas for improvement.

Experience curve — recommended articles

Competitive environment — ASTRA analysis — Growth potential — Strategic driver — Knowledge capital — Near environment — Measurement of innovation — Internal analysis — Added value chain

References

• Alberts, W. W. (1989). The experience curve doctrine reconsidered. The Journal of Marketing, 36-49.
• Hall, G., & Howell, S. (1985). The experience curve from the economist's perspective. Strategic Management Journal, 6(3), 197-212.
• Henderson, B. (1974). The Experience Curve Reviewed (p. 211-214). John Wiley & Sons, Inc..
• Henderson, B. D. (1984). The application and misapplication of the experience curve. Journal of Business Strategy, 4(3), 3-9.