Bringing science to market: The policy implications of U.S. and Japanese patterns of science, technology, and competitiveness.

摘要

This research evaluates the potential effectiveness of U.S. public policies which aim to redress the decline of U.S. manufacturing competitiveness. A review of the policymaking context shows how (and explains why) these policies are largely oriented toward encouraging the supply of basic scientific knowledge and industrial R&D, and suggests that this orientation is inconsistent with the nature of the competitiveness crisis itself. An empirical analysis of U.S. and Japanese competitiveness indicators (balance of trade, import penetration, comparative advantage) over the years 1970-86 for the 2- and 3-digit SIC manufacturing industries shows the crisis to be heavily concentrated among a handful of industries; additionally, there is no systematic relationship between an industry's competitive status and related indicators on scientific activity (basic research expenditures, scientific publications) and industrial R&D (expenditures on industrial R&D, U.S. patent activity). Consequently, it is argued that extant U.S. public policies are unlikely to enhance U.S. manufacturing competitiveness because they (1) do not take into account the contingencies of microeconomic competition and innovation, (2) fail to accommodate the industry-specific character of the crisis, and (3) are not sensitive to size differentials of markets for high and low technology goods.