THE ORGANIZATION OF ACTORS’ LEARNING IN CONNECTION WITH NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

This chapter extracts a broad range of learning situations in connection with product innovation. The data comprise interviews with the management and employees in five Danish manufacturing firms visited during 2000–2001. Among important learning situations and factors promoting learning have been found the firms’ contacts with customers, project leaders’ cross functional coordinating activities, and cooperation with suppliers and knowledge institutions. The restraints upon learning comprise inter alia strategic patterns, tight time planning, old routines and communication difficulties, changing of roles, ad hoc decisions on training and education and some times among employees lack of motivation. Some policy perspectives are outlined.