Search

The article focuses on the development of next-generation chemical pulping processes that preserve fiber strength. Topics discussed include use of Kraft pulping in the U.S. to manufacture chemical pulp, reduction in the use of wood with next-generation chemical pulping, sustainable approach for pulp and paper manufacturing, need of research & development (R&D) projects and benefits of next-generation process including energy savings.

This paper investigates corporate financing decisions on corporate investment using cases of research and development (R&D) spending. We focus on U.S. firms with large R&D increases in 1986 to 2007, and we find that most firms with increases in R&D outlays use internal funds to finance the projects. R&D increasing firms with ex ante external financing are prone to low book-to-market ratios, indicating that firms choose external funds for their investment needs when the market timing is good. Finally, we find that the market reaction to R&D increases using internal funds is similar to R&D increases using external funds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author reflects on the growth in government-funded research and development (R&D) activities in the U.S. and its impact on the publication of the "Proceedings of the IEEE." The R&D funding support evolved parallel to the number of papers submitted by engineers and scientists for publication in the journal after World War II. Research addressed the need to strengthen national security under the auspices of the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD).

Copyright of Journal of Education Research (1680-6360) is the property of Angle Publishing Co., Ltd. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In this article, the authors discuss the impact of nanotechnology research spending on several countries. They state that the global public investment on nanotechnology's research and development (R&D) has reached 8.4 billion dollars in 2008 with 8.6 billion-dollar of corporate funding. They highlight the leading sponsors of such research including the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the U.S. National Science Foundation and the European Union (EU).

Abstract: The development of new system capabilities typically depends upon the prior success of advanced technology research and development efforts. These systems developments inevitably face the three major challenges of any project: performance, schedule and budget. Done well, advanced technology programs can substantially reduce the uncertainty in all three of these dimensions of project management. Done poorly, or not at all, and new system developments suffer from cost overruns, schedule delays and the steady erosion of initial performance objectives. It is often critical for senior management to be able to determine which of these two paths is more likely—and to respond accordingly. The challenge for system and technology managers is to be able to make clear, well-documented assessments of technology readiness and risks, and to do so at key points in the life cycle of the program. In the mid 1970s, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) introduced the concept of “technology readiness levels” (TRLs) as a discipline-independent, programmatic figure of merit (FOM) to allow more effective assessment of, and communication regarding the maturity of new technologies. In 1995, the TRL scale was further strengthened by the articulation of the first definitions of each level, along with examples (J. Mankins, Technology readiness levels, A White Paper, NASA, Washington, DC, 1995. ). Since then, TRLs have been embraced by the U.S. Congress’ General Accountability Office (GAO), adopted by the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD), and are being considered for use by numerous other organizations. Overall, the TRLs have proved to be highly effective in communicating the status of new technologies among sometimes diverse organizations. This paper will review the concept of “technology readiness assessments”, and provide a retrospective on the history of “TRLs” during the past 30 years. The paper will conclude with observations concerning prospective future directions for the important discipline of technology readiness assessments. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper presents the results of a program evaluation, using two economic analysis techniques (benefit--cost ratios and person-years/cost savings), conducted on nine research and development projects funded in four lightweight materials areas by the Phase II Automotive Lightweighting Materials effort of the US Department of Energy (DOE). The results suggest that a collaborative effort between DOE and the private-sector automotive industry has potential for introduction and market penetration of lightweight vehicles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines why different countries export different qualities of products. While previous studies have attributed quality differences to differences in physical capital endowments, there is a dearth of empirical work focusing on the effect of technology on the quality of exports. Using data on U.S. imports from 58 countries, we analyze the impact of technology and physical capital on quality. Our findings suggest that the export of high quality differentiated goods is associated with research and development (R&D) activities and foreign direct investment (FDI). However, physical capital has no effect on quality in the technology-intensive machinery industry. These results imply that if countries are interested in increasing the quality of the goods they export, they might consider implementing policies that promote R&D activities or attract FDI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Several types of reduced activation ferritic/martensitic (RAFM) steel have been developed over the past 30years in China, Europe, India, Japan, Russia and the USA for application in ITER test blanket modules (TBMs) and future fusion DEMO and power reactors. The progress has been particularly important during the past few years with evaluation of mechanical properties of these steels before and after irradiation and in contact with different cooling media. This paper presents recent RAFM steel results obtained in ITER partner countries in relation to different TBM and DEMO options. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article offers information on the report titled "2009 Global R&D Funding Forecast," published in the "R&D Magazine" in the U.S. The report shows that 2009 research and development (R&D) spending in the U.S. may reach $383.5 billion. Such forecast is attributed to the expected 2.9% decrease in federal support and 1.3% decrease in industrial funding.

The article presents information on the cost of the research and development (R&D) projects in the U.S. with reference to the future investments in technology and the court case ATK Thiokol v. United States. The impact of government procurement of the R&D projects of products on their companies is discussed with the example of the costs of the R&D of iPad 2 and its impact on Apple Inc. Information on the implications regarding the intellectual property of R&D costs is also presented.

We combine an expert elicitation and a bottom-up manufacturing cost model to compare the effects of R&D and demand subsidies. We model their effects on the future costs of a low-carbon energy technology that is not currently commercially available, purely organic photovoltaics (PV). We find that: (1) successful R&D enables PV to achieve a cost target of 4c/kWh, (2) the cost of PV does not reach the target when only subsidies, and not R&D, are implemented, and (3) production-related effects on technological advance--learning-by-doing and economies of scale--are not as critical to the long-term potential for cost reduction in organic PV than is the investment in and success of R&D. These results are insensitive to two levels of policy intensity, the level of a carbon price, the availability of storage technology, and uncertainty in the main parameters used in the model. However, a case can still be made for subsidies: comparisons of stochastic dominance show that subsidies provide a hedge against failure in the R&D program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the defense market standing of the European Union (EU). It mentions how the EU is lagging behind the U.S. when it comes to defence research and development (R&D) stating that combined European expenditure is only about one-sixth of that of the U.S. It discusses the pros and cons of the EU Defence Directive draft geared to address such shortfall in defence R&D spending, including fears of enforced competition at the post-development production phase that are germane only to Great Britain, the largest defence R&D investor in Europe.

This study develops and operationalizes a behavioral forward-looking search model by incorporating prospect theory, organizational risk literature, and the logic of the behavioral theory of the firm. With recognition of the bounded rationality of decision makers and the goal-directed, rule-based nature of organizations, this model suggests that a comparison between firms' performance expectation and performance target translates the cognitive representation of the firms' future into their subsequent actions. By examining the research and development (R&D) expenditures of U.S. manufacturing firms from 1980 to 2001, this study explores how performance, aspirations, expectations, and slack affect decision making about firms' R&D search investments. The findings show that both performance feedback and performance prospect are important determinants of firms' search behavior after controlling for firm, industry, and time effects. In addition, backward- and forward-looking determinants have interactive effects on search behavior. Firms' problem-driven search activity further increases when firms feel unlikely to achieve the performance target for another year. In contrast, search intensity is reduced when firms expect to improve their performance from an underperforming situation to an outperforming situation. The findings suggest that future research on performance feedback and experiential learning should also consider the effect of forward-looking prospects on firm behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article outlines the history of the emergence of the National Hurricane Research Project (NHRP) in the U.S. It is stated that NHRP was initiated by the Weather Bureau (USWB) in 1955 in response to the devastating effects of the past years hurricanes. Accordingly, the government allocated $2.5 million to finance a new weather radar network. The author denotes that the last 50 years of the project's development depicts a tremendous increase for scientific understanding of tropical cyclones. He adds that the hurricane researchers have led the way in designing airborne experiments using new technologies to study tropical storms.

The article offers the author's insights on how she became a biochemist. She notes her experiences in her studies and research projects at the Institute of Biochemistry of the Romanian Academy, wherein she developed her interest in the modulation of melanin production and earned her Doctor of Philosophy in Biology. She adds that she attended the postdoctoral fellowship at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the U.S. wherein she met Dr. Vincent Hearing who guided her in various projects.

The article presents the author's insights on the economic impact of the U.S. American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) funded science and technology research programs in 2011. It says that ARRA invested 20 billion dollars into basic research programs and was also aimed for job creation and employee retention. Furthermore, data from the U.S. Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board shows more than 21,300 jobs were created from ARRA funded research in the first quarter of 2011.

The article reports on the replacement of the Advanced Technology Program (ATP) with the Technology Innovation Program (TIP) for supporting research and development (R&D) projects into areas of critical national needs in the U.S. It is stated that the maximum grant size for TIP awards to single companies has been raised to $3 million over three years. Thomas Bowles, science adviser to New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, said that TIP projects contribute to workforce development.