The Government Role in Civilian Technology

Building a New Alliance

Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 9780309046305
eISBN Pdf: 9780309583893
Place of publication: United States
Year of digital publication: 1992
Month: January
Pages: 237
Language: English

Caption

As U.S. industry faces worldwide challenges, policymakers are asking questions about the role of the federal government—not only in promoting basic research but also in ushering new innovations to the marketplace. This book offers an expert consensus on how government and industry together can respond to the new realities of a global marketplace.

The volume offers firm conclusions about policy and organizational changes with the greatest potential to improve our technological competitiveness—and presents three alternative approaches for a new federal role.

The volume examines:

How federal involvement in technology development affects the nation's economic well-being.
What we can learn from past federal efforts to stimulate civilian technology development—in the United States and among our major industrial competitors.
How trends in productivity, R&D, and other key areas have affected U.S. performance, and how we compare to the world's rising industrial economies.

Offering guidance on one of the 1990s most important issues, this volume will be indispensible to federal policymakers, executives in industry and technology, and researchers.

THE GOVERNMENT ROLE IN CIVILIAN TECHNOLOGY
Copyright
Preface
Contents
OVERVIEW
- GUIDELINES FOR FEDERAL INVOLVEMENT
  - Strengthening Government Technology Programs
  - Federal Responsibilities Beyond Current Programs
  - Promoting Investment in Pre-Commercial R&D
- THE RATIONALE FOR CHANGE
1 The Environment For Technology Development
- PRODUCTIVITY GROWTH
  - Capital Investment
  - Demographic Shifts
  - Rising Energy Prices
  - Slowdown in Research and Development Spending
- TECHNOLOGY CREATION, COMMERCIALIZATION, ADOPTION AND TRANSFER
  - Technology Creation
  - Commercialization
  - Adoption
  - Technology Transfer
- U.S. STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES
- THE STRUCTURE OF POSTWAR U.S. SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY POLICY
- OTHER POLICY ISSUES
- SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS
- NOTES
2 Government Support for Civilian Technology
- FEDERAL INVOLVEMENT IN RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY
  - Federal Support for Basic Research
  - Government Support Beyond Basic Research
    - Agriculture
    - Computers and Microelectronics
    - The Biomedical Industry
    - Biotechnology
    - The Civil Aircraft Industry
    - Synthetic Fuels
  - Assessing Federal Support
- CURRENT GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS TO SUPPORT TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT
  - Government Support of Dual-Use Technology: DARPA
  - The Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR)
  - U.S. Commerce Department Programs: The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the Advanced Technology...
  - Role of Federal Laboratories in Commercial Technology Development and Transfer
    - Traditional Missions in a Time of Change
    - Recent Efforts to Promote Transfer and Commercialization
    - Examples of Technology Transfer from the Federal Laboratories
    - Potential Contributions of Federal Laboratories to Private Sector Technology Goals
    - Guidelines for Improving Technology Transfer
- COOPERATION IN RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
  - Foreign Support for Collaborative R&D
    - Japanese Collaborative R&D Programs: Selected Examples
    - The Key Technology Center Program
    - European Cooperative R&D Projects: Selected Examples
    - Summary
  - Technology Adoption
  - Summary
- CONCLUSION
- NOTES
3 A New Strategy to Facilitate Government Support of Technology
- GUIDING PRINCIPLES
  - Principle 1: Cost Sharing
  - Principle 2: Industry Involvement in Project Initiation and Design
  - Principle 3: Insulation from Political Concerns
  - Principle 4: Diversification of Investments
  - Principle 5: Projects Open to Foreign Firms Characterized by Substantial Contribution to U.S. Gross...
  - Principle 6: Program Evaluation
- FACILITATING FEDERAL INVESTMENT IN TECHNOLOGY
  - Expanded Mission Agency Funding of Pre-Commercial R&D
  - A Civilian Technology Agency (CTA)
    - Organization and Structure
    - Advantages of the CTA
    - Disadvantages of the CTA
  - The Civilian Technology Corporation
    - Organization and Structure
    - Operation, Instructions, and Performance
    - Disadvantages of the CTC
- SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS
- NOTES
Appendixes
- APPENDIX A Background Papers
  - TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER: SELECTED CASE STUDIES
    - INTRODUCTION: THE TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER CHALLENGE
    - INTRAFIRM TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER
      - Mechanisms for In-House Technology Transfer
    - TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER BEYOND INDUSTRIAL LABORATORIES
      - Mechanisms for "Cross-Boundary" Technology Transfer
    - TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER IN AN EMERGING INDUSTRY: BIOTECHNOLOGY
      - Industry Strategies for Biotechnology Transfer
      - The University Perspective
      - The Role of NIH in the Transfer of Biotechnology
    - TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER IN A ''MATURE" INDUSTRY: AUTOMOTIVE ELECTRONICS
    - FEDERAL EFFORTS IN TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER
    - REGIONAL AND STATE TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER
    - SELECTED FEDERAL LAWS AFFECTING TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER
      - Brief Description
  - COLLABORATION IN RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT: SELECTED EXAMPLES
    - INTRODUCTION
    - OVERVIEW
      - Promise and Outlook for Consortia
    - PRIVATE SECTOR COLLABORATION
      - Private Sector Perspectives
        Elements of Effective Collaboration
        Returns to Cooperative Research
        Perspectives of Consortium Managers
        Outside Pressures and Changing Circumstances
        Enhancing Technology Transfer
      - Other Issues
        Sharing Technology and Information
        Number of Participating Firms
        Collaboration Beyond Research
    - UNIVERSITY-INDUSTRY COLLABORATION
      - Perspectives on University-Industry Collaboration
      - Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology Industries
      - Characteristics of Effective Collaboration
      - Issues and Concerns
        Impediments to Negotiations
        Access for Small Firms
        Commitment of U.S. Firms
        Conflict of Interest and Public Perceptions
    - GOVERNMENT-INDUSTRY COLLABORATION
      - Federal Laboratory-Industry Collaboration
    - SEMATECH
      - Anticipated Returns
      - Government-Sponsored R&D Collaboration in Other Countries
        The European Community
        Japan
        The Key Technology Center (KTC) Program
        Issues for Consideration
        Participation of Foreign Companies
  - NOTES
- APPENDIX B Legislative Request for the Study
  - OMNIBUS TRADE AND COMPETITIVENESS ACT (P.L. 100-418)
  - CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE SECTION 5131(C)
    - Present Law
    - House Bill
    - Senate Amendment
    - Conference Agreement
- APPENDIX C Workshop Presenters and Briefers to the Panel
  - Workshop on "THE DIFFUSION OF INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES: LESSONS OF SUCCESS" THE GOVERNMENT ROLE IN...
    - PRESENTERS
  - Workshop on "RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CONSORTIA: MYTH AND REALITY" THE GOVERNMENT ROLE IN CIVILIAN...
    - PRESENTERS
    - INDIVIDUAL BRIEFINGS
- APPENDIX D Biographical Information on Panel Members and Professional Staff
  - PANEL MEMBERS
  - PROFESSIONAL STAFF
- APPENDIX E Collaborative R&D: Selected Examples
  - NOTES
- APPENDIX F References and Bibliography
Index