Category:Research and Research Management

Industrial Comopetitiveness and Technological Advancement: Debate Over Government Policy

Highlight from the CRS report: There is ongoing interest in the pace of U.S. technological advancement due to its influence on U.S. economic growth, productivity, and international competitiveness. Congressional action has mandated specific technology development programs and obligations in federal agencies that did not initially support such efforts. Many programs were created based upon what individual committees judged appropriate within the agencies over which they had authorization or appropriation responsibilities.

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Patent Reform: Issues in Biomedical and Software Industries

Highlight from the CRS report:Patent ownership is perceived as an incentive to the technological advancement that leads to economic growth. As such, the number of patent applications and grants has grown significantly, as have the type and breadth of inventions that can be patented. Innovators in biomedical industries tend to see patent protection as critically important as a way to prohibit competitors from appropriating the results of a company’s research and development efforts. In contrast, the nature of software development is such that inventions often are cumulative and new products generally embody numerous patentable inventions. As a result, it may be expected that distinct industries might react differently to the various patent reform proposals currently under consideration by Congress.

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Technology Transfer: Use of Federally Funded Research and Development

Highlight from the CRS report: The federal government spends approximately one third of its annual researchand development budget for intramural R&D. Congress has established a system to facilitate the transfer of technology to the private sector and to state and local governments. Despite this, use of federal R&D results has remained restrained, although there has been a significant increase in private sector interest and activities over the past several years.

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