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4
Basic Versus Applied Research
Despite a lack of agreement on the definitions of basic and applied re-
search, some general observations can be made about relative strengths and
weaknesses in Japan and the United States and about the role of the uni-
versi~ laboratory in basic and applied research. It should be remembered
when considering this issue that Japanese "basic" research, particularly the
basic research conducted by industry, is generally considered to be more
goal-oriented than U.S. "basic" research.
In both the United States and Japan, there is a division of responsibili-
ties between universities and industry, with academe generally participating
in more basic research and industry pursuing applications. In both coun-
tries, however, there is also a trend toward the encouragement of more
cooperation across sectors, a subject that will be examined in some detail
below.
The overall division of national research and development funds be-
tween basic, applied, and developmental research in both countries is also
similar. Nevertheless it is generally accepted that while the United States
leads the world in basic research, Japan's strengths are in applications. As
a result, each nation has made efforts to correct what it perceives as its
own area of weakness.
Now that Japan has "caught up" with the West in many fields, Japanese
officials have begun to focus on the need for more basic research. The Sci-
ence and Technologr Agency's (STA) 1983 white paper, for example, noted
that Japanese companies believe they are lagging behind their foreign com-
petition in their ability to acquire and develop new knowledge. Then,
in 1984, the Prime Minister's Council on Science and Technology called
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16
for more basic and fundamental research. More recently, the Ministry of
International Made and Industry's (MITI) first white paper on industrial
technology gave the nation good grades on high technology development,
but lamented that Japan is lagging behind in basic research.) In these and
other fore, Japanese analysts decry their inability to engage in creative fun-
damental research. At the same time, the Japanese believe it will become
increasingly difficult to access new knowledge from abroad, according to a
1985 NSF report. NSF reports that Japanese businessmen are increasingly
concerned about the availability of new information, in addition to being
skeptical about the usefulness of imported knowledge given the rapid pace
of advance in many of science and technology's newer fields.2
The United States, on the other hand, has begun in recent years to
reexamine its own university education and research programs. Although a
consensus has not been reached on the proper course for U.S. university re-
search, some U.S. analysts criticize American university research programs
for being skewed too much toward fundamental or basic research. The
importance of science to national economic strength, however, suggests the
need for continued excellence in basic research.
It should be noted, however, that the United States has achieved its
world-renowned position in basic research in spite of research and spending
policies that, in large part due to an emphasis on defense, are skewed away
from basic research. Although universities conduct over half of the nation's
basic research, university research only accounts for about 12 percent of
the nation's total research and development expenditures. In contrast,
more than 70 percent of the nation's research and development budget is
allocated for defense. The U.S. Department of Defense's research budget
is actually allocated for "research, development, testing and evaluation," or
"RDT&E." Over 90 percent of its RDT&E budget falls into the "DT&E"
categories.3 This is not, of course, to belittle the amount that is spent on
basic research in absolute terms. Despite the small relanve size, the U.S.
Department of Defense spent more than $800 million on basic research in
1985.
~ Tsusho Sangyosho [Ministry of International Trade and Industry], Sangyo Gijutsu no Doko to
KadLai, [Trends and Topics.in Industrial Technology], 1988, 35, 45.
2National Science Foundation, Tolyo Report Memorandum, No. 69, 25 March 1985.
3American Association for the Advancement of Science, Report XII, R&D FY 1988, 7, 9.
Representative terms from entire chapter:
development expenditures
