Federal-State Collaboration in Industrial Modernization

摘要

To promote industrial modernization among U.S. firms, especially small and midsized ones, the 1988 Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act mandated the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to take a greater role in diffusing new manufacturing technologies. The report considers federal-state collaboration in industrial modernization, focusing particularly on NIST and its role and potential for strengthening the system, through STEP and similar programs. After examining the multidimensional nature of the industrial modernization problem, the report assesses current federal and state practices and federal-state relations in the modernization field.