Science and Technology Policy: Priorities of Governments

I was asked recently to prepare an independent background report on the subject of priority assessment in science and technology policy for the Australian Science and Technology Council. The Council (while not necessarily endorsing this book) suggested that a wider audience could be interested in the type of material contained in my report and kindly gave me permission to publish the material in my own right. The present book contains this and other material, some of which was presented at a seminar on National Science Policy: Implications for Government Departments arranged by the Department of Science and the Environment. Additional ideas were developed in response to comments on the manuscript by referees, as a result of discussions with Professor John Metcalfe and Dr Peter Stubbs of Manchester University, a conversation with Dr Keith Hartley of the University of York and in the wake of a communication from Dr Ken Tucker, Assistant Director, Bureau of Industry Economics, Australia. Science and technology policy affects and concerns everyone of us if for no other reason than we cannot escape in this interdependent world from the economic, social and environmental overs pills generated by science and technology. We must face the problems and promises inherent in new and existing science and technology whether we like it or not. Not surprisingly this book finds that all industrialized countries seem to be facing similar economic and social problems.

1 Basic Issues in Setting Priorities for Science and Technology Policy.- 1.1 Introduction.- 1.2 The need for government involvement in science and technology and therefore priorities.- 1.3 Goals and variables to be taken into account in science policy.- 1.4 Goals for technology policy.- 1.5 Centralization vs decentralization, comprehensiveness and the specification of priorities.- 1.6 Forecasting and priorities.- 1.7 Critical views about the role of science and technology in economic development.- 1.8 Critical views of government support for science and technology.- Notes and references.- 2 Science Policy Options and Priorities.- 2.1 Introduction.- 2.2 Education and the stock of knowledge.- 2.3 Research and development — general issues.- 2.4 Science and industrial policy.- 2.5 Import of science vs its local supply.- 2.6 Science and social policy.- 2.7 Research for defence and big science.- 2.8 Basic vs applied vs developmental science.- 2.9 Concentration and dispersion of R & D effort.- 2.10 Performers of R & D.- 2.11 Service science.- 2.12 Science and international affairs.- 2.13 Some concluding comments.- Notes and references.- 3 T echnology Policy: Options and Priorities.- 3.1 Introduction.- 3.2 Links between science and technology and technology sequences.- 3.3 Inventions.- 3.4 Innovations.- 3.5 Diffusion of new technology.- 3.6 Replacement of equipment.- 3.7 Domestic technology transfer.- 3.8 International transfers of technology.- 3.9 Environmental overspills and technology.- 3.10 Employment problems and other social aspects of technology.- 3.11 Observations.- Notes and references.- 4 Science and Technology Policy in Large OECD Economies.- 4.1 Introduction and background data.- Federal Republic of Germany.- 4.2 Articulation and administration of priorities in West Germany.- 4.3 Selected features of German Science and Technology priorities.- Japan.- 4.4 Articulation and administration of priorities in Japan.- 4.5 Selected features of Japanese science and technology priorities.- United Kingdom.- 4.6 Articulation and administration of priorities in the United Kingdom.- 4.7 Selected features of United Kingdom science and technology priorities.- United States of America.- 4.8 Articulation and administration of priorities in the United States.- 4.9 Selected features of American science and technology priorities.- 4.10 Some observations.- Notes and references.- 5 Science and Technology Policies of Small OECD Economies.- 5.1 Background.- Belgium.- 5.2 Articulation and administration of priorities in Belgium.- 5.3 Selected features of Belgian science and technology priorities.- Canada.- 5.4 Articulation and administration of priorities in Canada.- 5.5 Selected features of Canadian science and technology priorities.- The Netherlands.- 5.6 Articulation and administration of priorities in the Netherlands.- 5.7 Selected features of Dutch science and technology priorities.- Sweden.- 5.8 Articulation and administration of priorities in Sweden.- 5.9 Selected features of Swedish science and technology priorities.- Switzerland.- 5.10 Articulation and administration of priorities in Switzerland.- 5.11 Selected features of Swiss science and technology priorities.- 5.12 Some observations.- Notes and references.- 6 Retrospect and Prospect.- 6.1 The increased emphasis on priority assessment in science and technology policy.- 6.2 Macro approaches to taking account of science and technology priorities.- 6.3 Efficiency and science and technology priorities within sectors.- 6.4 Changing science and technology priorities.- 6.5 Why the trend towards co-ordination and explicit priorities in science and technology policy? Fundamental reasons.- 6.6 Problems inherent in the basic trend.- 6.7 Problems inherent in observed government priorities.- 6.8 In conclusion.- Notes and references.