Systems of Organization and Allocation of National Resources for Scientific Research

Abstract

This study analyzes the science policies offive countries with free-market economies (the United Kingdom, the Federal Republic of Germany, France, the Republic of Korea, and the United States of America) that have successfully applied science and technology to increase their industrial competitiveness in world markets. The article describes the historical and cultural differences affecting how resources for pure and applied research have been organized and allocated, and it details the different ways in which government intervention is used to increase the contribution of research to technological competitiveness. It poses lessons for decision makers wanting to modify their own country's approach to science policy, especially those of the new market economies of Eastern Europe. Detailed descriptions of each country studied are given in appendixes.