Study Seeks Bipartisan Technology Policy

Abstract

Astudy designed to put an end to 30 years of squabbles between Repubi licans and Democrats over what constitutes the best technology policy for the country has been assembled by a group of Harvard University policy researchers. The debate hit an all-time low during the last Congress, when Republicans, with little debate, sought to demolish all Clinton Administration technology initiatives. The study attempts to rationalize, with examples, the sometimes confusing mix between industry, universities, and federal and state governments in the genesis and support of new technologies. The project's director was emeritus professor Lewis M. Branscomb of Harvard's Kennedy School of Government. It was supported by the Council on Competitiveness Policy, a congressionally funded think tank in Washington, D.C. The study was introduced as a paper, Investing in Innovation, at a bipartisan briefing for aides of key Senate and House committees late last month. Branscomb also presented the paper at the recent American Ass...