Making Groupware Payoff: The Britain Model.

In order to accelerate its research development in collaborative technologies, Great Britain has made efforts to leverage government/industry/university expertise and resources. Great Britain's Department of Trade and Industry and Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council recently teamed up to fund eight projects as part of their Joint Framework for Information Technology Computer Supported Cooperative Work Program. Dissatisfaction with the lack of technology transfer from previous government-supported research motivated the current structure. In response to Japanese government initiatives in information technology in 1984, the British government funded a five-year research program in information technology known as Alvey. The British government provides funding for the European Framework research programs which support basic research and technology exploitation. Searching for greater tangible results from its investments, government policymakers became convinced industry should take the lead in transitioning basic research into applied research areas that would provide greater payoff for Great Britain's industries.