The federal role in commercial technology development

Abstract

Technology and science are linked in many ways, sometimes tightly, sometimes loosely, but development of new technologies is a fundamentally different activity from scientific research. The U.S. Government, therefore, cannot assume that expenditures for scientific research will automatically translate into the commercial products and processes vital for an internationally competitive economy. Nor can it assume that expenditures on military R&D will contribute broadly to the civilian technology base. If governments wish to support commercial technology development, they must do more than support research. Many American companies, for example, could benefit from programs aimed at the development of generic technologies with broad commercial relevance. Examples include: applied research in microelectronic devices; combustion processes and automobile safety; disciplines such as engineering design; the science base for manufacturing; common technical concerns such as lubrication and wear or structural integrity. They could also benefit from improved mechanisms for the diffusion of such technologies domestically. To fill R&D gaps on both a technology-specific and an industry-specific basis, the existing system — small in scale and largely experimental — of government-supported centers for generic and cooperative R&D could be broadened and strengthened. The U.S. Government could also provide partial support for technology extension services run by State Governments.