To obtain a copy of a specific publication, users should contact the publication's publisher directly.
Abstract
Public and private administrators of research programs are concerned with maximizing the payoffs from their research investments; that is, with allocating their limited budgets most efficiently. Benefit-cost, rate-of-return, payback, and other evaluation methodologies are examined for their usefulness in helping administrators to decide whether to accept or reject research projects leading directly to applications; to plan the scale of these research projects; and to identify priorities among alternative research investments, all of which may be profitable. Data needs for applying these evaluation methodologies are outlined. The net-benefits and rate-of-return methodologies are applied to two case studies involving research in the Center for Building Technology (CBT) of the National Bureau of Standards. The first deals with a heavier asphalt shingle for roofing, and the second with reduced-size venting in plumbing. The case studies show high payoffs in these two areas of research, both for society as a whole and for CBT's contribution in undertaking the research. Recommendations from the study are that research funds be allcoated on the basis of anticipated payoffs determined through these evaluation techniques, and that benefit and cost data for evaluating new technologies be collected.
Public and private administrators of research programs are concerned with maximizing the payoffs from their research investments; that is, with allocating their limited budgets most efficiently. Benefit-cost, rate-of-return, payback, and other evaluation methodologies are examined for their usefulness in helping administrators to decide whether to accept or reject research projects leading directly to applications; to plan the scale of these research projects; and to identify priorities among alternative research investments, all of which may be profitable. Data needs for applying these evaluation methodologies are outlined. The net-benefits and rate-of-return methodologies are applied to two case studies involving research in the Center for Building Technology (CBT) of the National Bureau of Standards. The first deals with a heavier asphalt shingle for roofing, and the second with reduced-size venting in plumbing. The case studies show high payoffs in these two areas of research, both for society as a whole and for CBT's contribution in undertaking the research. Recommendations from the study are that research funds be allcoated on the basis of anticipated payoffs determined through these evaluation techniques, and that benefit and cost data for evaluating new technologies be collected.
Date
12/1979
12/1979
Author(s)
Harold Marshall; Rosalie Ruegg
Harold Marshall; Rosalie Ruegg
Page(s)
47
47
Keyword(s)
benefit cost analysis; building technology; economic impact; efficiency; payback; plumbing; roofing; shingles; venting
benefit cost analysis; building technology; economic impact; efficiency; payback; plumbing; roofing; shingles; venting