US NATIONAL INNOVATION SYSTEM
February 4, 2003
US SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY POLICY, PAF 591
US NATIONAL INNOVATION SYSTEM
1790
Government
Industry
Mention of "science"
in the Constitution
Heroic individual
inventors
http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/c
onstitution.articlei.html
http://inventors.about.com/library/invent
ors/bl1700s.htm
Founders/Scientists
http://www.archives.gov/exhibit_hall/cha
rters_of_freedom/constitution/founding_
fathers_overview.html
Distrust of central
authority
Universities/Scientific
Societies
Colonial colleges
Agrarian and rural
nation
Washington's national
university plan rejected
"Technology transfer"
from England
Scientific societies
consist mainly of
amateurs (AAAS,
APhilS)
US NATIONAL INNOVATION SYSTEM
1840
Government
Assumes role in
explorations and
surveys
e.g. Lewis and Clark,
Coast Survey,
Army/Navy surveys
http://www.usgs.gov/features/lewisandcl
ark.html
http://chartmaker.ncd.noaa.gov/csdl/ctp/
abstract.htm
Industry
Universities/Scientific
Societies
Spread of the factory
system
Colonial colleges
American system of
manufacturers (key
productivity growth)
More scientific societies
(ACS, MGH)
US NATIONAL INNOVATION SYSTEM
1890
Industry
Universities/Scientific
Societies
Edison's industrial
research laboratory at
Menlo Park (1876)
Emergence of research
universities (funded by
philanthropy)
Some research
conducted within the
government
Industry becomes
increasingly
sophisiticated
Growth of land grant
colleges
Morrill Act (1862)
Increases in farm
productivity
Government
NAS formed (1863)
http://www7.nationalacademies.org/arch
ives/NAS_Incorporators.html
US NATIONAL INNOVATION SYSTEM
1940
Government
Industry
Universities/Scientific
Societies
NRC coordinates,
recuirts and serves as
clearinghouse during
WWI
Industrial research
laboratories spread
(692 by 1918)
Development of serious
research universities
(home to basic
research but still
lagging)
NACA (1915)
Beginnings of
academic-industry
linkages
University funding
sources: institutional,
philanthropy and
industrial
Increased
involvement in R&D
Some distrust of
government due to
WWI
US NATIONAL INNOVATION SYSTEM
POST WWII, FEDERALIZATION PERIOD, 1945-1975
Government
New R&D institutions
established (NSF,
1950)
Industry
Private sector R&D
laboratories expand
http://www.nsf.gov/od/lpa/nsf50/truman_
state.htm
Increased investment
in basic science
Federal research
laboratories
Strong ties to national
defense
Small technologyoriented laboratories
appear
Universities/Scientific
Societies
Individual projects at
universities
US NATIONAL INNOVATION SYSTEM
REVISIONIST PERIOD, 1975-1990
Government
Industry
NIS under attack (oil
shocks, economic
downturn of late 70s)
Defense-led
economic boom
Increased investment
in defense S&T
Demand for new
policies aimed at
increasing economic
competitiveness
(Japan and Europe
vs. US)
Universities/Scientific
Societies
Individual projects at
universities
US NATIONAL INNOVATION SYSTEM
ECONOMIC GROWTH PERIOD,1990-2001
Government
Industry
Universities/Scientific
Societies
Increased investment in
life sciences but overall
Federal share of
research funding in
academia and industry
declining
Private industry share of
R&D funding rose from
50% in 1987 to more
than 68% in 1999
Large increase in R&D
performed by colleges and
universities
Continuation of research
and experimentation tax
credit
Tremendous benefits
reaped from post WWII
government research
and technology-fueled
economic boom
Post Cold War fall in
defense spending
http://www.aaas.org/spp/rd/acad03p2.pdf