A methodology for identification, evaluation and comparison of R&D projects in R&D planning

Abstract

Many models have been developed to aid research and development (R&D) planning in comparing, evaluating and selecting alternative projects at either micro or macro level [7] [8] [9]. Most of these models have been conceptual rather than being operational. Even the number of operational models decrease to a few as the level of R&D planning raises from the micro level to macro level, because of the existence of complex conflicting goals. For R&D planning at national level, socio-economic development goals require the R&D projects to simultaneously seek the highest economic profitibility, social utility, technological advance, scientific significance or the largest probability of success. However limited resources restrict the decision-maker to some maximum budget, a minimum number of projects to be worked on, and a minimum levels of accomplishment on specific areas. This is especially true for developing countries.In the present paper an operational methodology is being suggested for comparing, evaluating and selecting alternative R&D projects during the process of R&D planning in a developing country. An application of this methodology to the R&D planning for the Turkish Iron and Steel Industry (ISI) is presented as an example. A multiple criteria scoring model using a weighted sum of factor scores is developed to identify, compare and evaluate the alternative R&D projects which are supposed to solve the national socio-economic problems. A model for the selection of R&D projects is not suggested, because there are so many models for this purpose in the literature. An appropriate model should be selected from the model bank available in the literature.