Nordic experiences of the evaluation of technical research and development

Abstract

Evaluation of technical R&D has received increasing attention in the Nordic countries during recent years. A number of evaluations concerning the relevance and quality of technical R&D have been carried out. In order to systematize the description of R&D evaluation experience from the Nordic countries and to disseminate this experience, both for active researchers and for the research administration, a Nordic joint project was carried out. The results of the project have been presented in a book. This paper summarizes the findings of the project. The issues discussed concern the design and interpretation of evaluations. These issues include, among others, the basic characteristics of R&D evaluation, the choices and adjustment of an appropriate method and organization in different evaluation situations, as well as the premises of the utilization of evaluation results. The basic conclusions drawn from the Nordic experience are that evaluation is gradually becoming a flexible routine practice in R&D management, and that the prospects of successful evaluation and effective utilization of evaluation results can be improved if some general principles concerning the methods and organization of R&D evaluation are taken into consideration.