Case-based evaluation of scientific research: superconductivity at Industrial Research Limited

Abstract

New theories, such as evolutionary economics, have shed light on the increasing importance of technology to the economic activity of firms and nations. Coupled with the changing nature of globalised markets and science and technology development, there is a need for improved understanding of the relationships between public research investment and economic and societal benefit. In order to gain a better understanding of these relationships it has been proposed that new qualitative techniques be investigated for their potential as better evaluation tools. Until recently most research evaluation systems used traditional evaluative and quantitative techniques such as peer review and bibliometrics. Case-based research evaluation involving interviews and secondary data, is one such qualitative technique. The research described in this thesis used case-based research evaluation to document the outputs and outcomes of public research investment in terms of the generation of products, prototypes, patents, financial returns, general economic impacts, and also intangible effects such as the relationships and collaborations developed by the programme. The subject of the study was the high temperature superconductivity programme at Industrial Research Ltd (IRL). This research programme has been in operation for more than a decade and forms the basis of a historical case study, which is central to the case-based technique.