Impact of Science and Technology on Regional Economic Development An Assessment of National Policies Regarding Research and Development in the Context of Regional Economic Development (1969) / Chapter Skim
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Mechanisms for the Implementation of Regional or Distributed National Goals in R&D
Mechanisms for the Implementation of Regional or Distributed National Goals in R&D
Pages 59-80
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From page 59... ...
In addressing such distributed or regional problems as transportation, air pollution, waste disposal, control and prevention of crime, what is typically needed is a combination of centrally directed research broadly oriented to the problems, and locally directed R&D that views the problems in terms of specific local constraints. This is a pattern adopted by the U.S.
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From page 60... ...
Even in the case of distributed national problems such as transportation or agriculture or education, there are both central national goals and distributed national goals in R&D. For example, one might list the following R&D objectives as common or central national goals in transportation: Design or study of supersonic jet aircraft Design of a system of air-traffic control R&D on new methods for land-based high-speed transportation At the same time, there are needs for R&D aimed at distributed national goals of the following variety: Design of a high-speed land-based transportation system for the Northeast Corridor Design of a mass-transit system for the San Francisco Bay metropolitan area Research on the extension of the shipping season on the Great Lakes Systems analyses of the effects of highway location on urban development in the Midwest Similarly, in centrally oriented national R&D missions, such as the space program, which is largely oriented to the national goal of pre-eminence in space science and technology, there have emerged some programs that are addressed to distributed or regional goals.
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From page 61... ...
We believe, however, that further studies based on this approach may provide a sounder rationale for federally sponsored R&D aimed at broad national objectives. Since most major programs may have both central and distributed goals, such an analysis would also provide a better basis for considering the geographic allocation or origin of financial support.
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From page 62... ...
Like the development programs aimed at specific national objectives in technological hardware or software, the programs of basic research in science have represented central national objectives to which the nation as a whole has been committed. In recent years, there has been a growing recognition that there are other national objectives that can not be reached through the support of basic research alone or through contract research tailored solely to agency missions.
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From page 63... ...
Often the university participants are engaged in basic science or in sophisticated technological research wholly unrelated to the problems of their potential clients, who by contrast are in industries that lag behind modern technological developments. To overcome this cultural and professional mismatch, universities engaged in the programs of the State Technical Services Act have had to contribute substantially from their own resources in order to be as successful as they have been.
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From page 64... ...
In recent years there has been a decided tendency in some professional schools to shift emphasis in the direction of more basic science or methodology; in some universities and disciplines the issue of faculty involvement in addressing the problems of society has developed strongly conflicting pressures. It must be recognized that universities have not been overly successful in inplementing effective interdisciplinary work of a type called for in addressing major social and technological problems.
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From page 65... ...
Increasingly, the problems of our society call for the participation of private corporations along with public development corporations to serve as agents of innovation in the public sector. The Buildup of Regional Strength in Research and Educational Institutions In the pursuit of distributed goals in R&D, there are important roles for each of the categories of R&D performers: universities, not-for-profit institutions, government and industrial laboratories.
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From page 66... ...
A broad network of computer facilities providing a basic access for students in every part of the country is an example of a national distributed need in education. A continuing central national goal should be the advance of computer science and technology.
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From page 67... ...
Programs aimed at distributed national goals may involve federal support of industrial development as well as investment by industry in both research and development on these problems, in which communities or regions as a whole are the ultimate customers. In certain areas, such as air transportation, a combination of federal subsidy, federal R&D investment, and private investment has led to a very powerful national posture.
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From page 68... ...
A number of states have gone beyond the simple establishment of scientific advisory committees. New York, on the advice of its Advisory Council for the Advancement of Industrial Research and Development, established the "New York State Science and Technology Foundation." Pennsylvania has developed a similar "Science and Engineering Foundation," which is now making grants for contract research to institutions of proven expertise in subjects of direct relevance to the development of local economies.
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From page 69... ...
The Commonwealth of Kentucky established Spindletop Research under a state charter and with substantial financial support. Spindletop carries out a considerable research program for Kentucky but can also provide contract research for other public institutions or private industry.
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From page 70... ...
Another example of client-sponsor arrangement, which was developed in the State of California, is the School Construction System Development Project. This project, financed in its early stages by the Educational Facilities Laboratory of the Ford Foundation, made great contributions to the economic design and construction of new school facilities.
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From page 71... ...
Metropolitan areas containing parts of two or more states are illustrative, as are river basin problems wherever major rivers form state boundary lines. Since no state, acting alone, can be expected to solve multi-state problems, there is an obvious need for active interstate cooperation.
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From page 72... ...
Furthermore, since problems tend to change with time, "special districts" sometimes find themselves with obsolete mandates. An alternative approach to the formation of joint government groupings is the "area development district." Such districts, set up under the provisions of the Public Works and Economic Development Act, have been formed in a number of states to aid in planning.
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From page 73... ...
These have provided a basic framework in underdeveloped regions for establishing programs aimed at the provision of regional analyses and development.* Unfortunately, the existing regional commissions were all too often formed on the basis of criteria related to underdevelopment (unemployment, level of income, availability of health facilities, etc.)
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From page 74... ...
We believe that the Federal-State Regional Commissions constitute a major innovation and should be viewed as a significant experiment, not only to provide a client-sponsor for the solution of regional problems but also in other aspects of federal-state relationships. The commissions have provided a new approach to the utilization of federal funds from numerous agencies in a broadly conceived over-all course of action.
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From page 75... ...
Our Committee has attempted first to delineate three major functions that might be provided to encourage and systematize regional development, and then to consider the types of R&D institutions that might best serve them. The first major locally oriented R&D function is a continuing comprehensive survey and exploration, both of regional problems and opportunities and of available capabilities and resources to meet them.
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From page 76... ...
Although such not-for-profit centers as the Stanford Research Institute and the Midwest Research Institute were initially created to serve local industry and promote the regional economy, and they have continued to serve the local interests, there has been a strong tendency for such research institutes to "go national" (or international) and to seek clientele from all parts of the country.
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From page 77... ...
In some regions, in which needs exist but a regional impetus has not yet been generated, one or two such Exploratory Centers might be set up on a pilot basis charged with identifying or encouraging the formation of viable regional client-sponsors. Perhaps such laboratories should be created by redefining the missions of existing laboratories as technology and circumstances change.
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From page 78... ...
Some of the necessary conditions and organizational needs that such Exploratory Centers would have to meet are: attraction of a sufficient number of scientists and engineers to problems of less than national scope, provision of stable, long-range support by regional and national sponsors, maintenance of flexibility that allows regrouping within the laboratory and acceptance of new tasks, transfer of both people and technology between the laboratory and the surrounding industrial complex, encouragement of universities to involve graduate students in problems of this area, cooperative activities with other R&D facilities in the region, and a viable relationship to regional, state, and local government agencies and private organizations in the region. The initial support for such laboratories would necessarily come from the federal government, particularly for the two functions of exploration and invention.
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From page 79... ...
Performance would depend on broad competence, but would be assessed in terms of contributions to local regional development. The assessment of performance would be based on continuous review and evaluation of the various programs initiated by the Center; such evaluation would be made on the basis of reviews carried out by the Center itself as well as by the sponsoring agencies.
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