Feasibility of Effective Public–Private R&D Collaboration: the Case of Cooperative R&D Agreements

Abstract

Since the mid–1980s, the federal government has supported collaborative R&D in private consortia and between industry and national research laboratories. One justification for these activities is that they can solve ‘public goods’ problems associated with producing non–appropriable, technology–base research. However, these efforts also create formidable contracting problems similar to those experienced in defense weapons systems development. We examine the early history of collaborations with the national laboratories, to ascertain whether or not this policy is working effectively, and find that the problems seem to be outweighing the benefits mentioned, in many cases.