Identifying Factors that Impact on the Learning Process of Sewing Workers on an Assembly Line

Today, the economic environment offers many opportunities due to the Open-Economy Policy. Most apparel companies are engaged in mass customization production and are working towards shorter product cycle times and production runs. A better understanding of the learning process of sewing workers will allow the clothing industry to improve productivity in its manufacturing process. This article indicates the factors that have an effect on the learning process of sewing employees and examines the statistical significance of test results based on empirical data. The results indicate that three factors significantly affect the learning rates of sewing workers: previous experience, the structure of the task, and job complexity. Specific knowledge about these factors could form a basis for developing worker assignment methods, the calibration of cross-training programs, and determining productivity.

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