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      Prometheus

      Volume 1, Issue 1
       
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      TECHNIQUES FOR GUIDING THE ALLOCATION OF RESOURCES AMONG RURAL RESEARCH PROJECTS: STATE OF THE ART

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            Abstract

            Diverse methods are available for evaluating benefits and costs of rural research projects. They have been developed in response to a felt need for information in a highly uncertain environment. These formal evaluation schemes are compared in an attempt to show whether any offer useful guidelines for rational allocation of research funds. The outcome is a series of conjectures on the level of effort to devote to research evaluation, and hence on the techniques which should be used. In most circumstances encountered in Australian rural research the optimal type of evaluation would be relatively unsophisticated.

            Content

            Author and article information

            Journal
            Journal ID (publisher-id): cpro20
            Journal ID (archive): CPRO
            Title: Prometheus
            Subtitle: Critical Studies in Innovation
            Publisher: Pluto Journals
            ISSN (Print): 0810-9028
            ISSN (Electronic): 1470-1030
            Publication date (Print): June 1983
            Volume: 1
            Issue: 1
            Pages: 180-201
            Affiliations
            Article
            Publisher ID: 8628922 Coden ID: Prometheus, Vol. 1, No. 1, 1983: pp. 180–201
            DOI: 10.1080/08109028308628922
            SO-VID: 0d904223-66ca-448d-aeb5-9b51507c72b5
            Copyright © Copyright Taylor & Francis Group, LLC
            License:

            All content is freely available without charge to users or their institutions. Users are allowed to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of the articles in this journal without asking prior permission of the publisher or the author. Articles published in the journal are distributed under a http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.

            History
            Page count
            Figures: 0, Tables: 0, References: 69, Pages: 22
            Categories
            Subject: Original Articles

            ScienceOpen disciplines: Computer science,Arts,Social & Behavioral Sciences,Law,History,Economics

            NOTES AND REFERENCES

            1. Anderson J. R.. 1972. . ‘Allocation of resources in agricultural research’. . Journal of the Australian Institute of Agricultural Science . , Vol. 36((1)): 7––13. .

            2. Anderson J. R., Dillon J. L. and Hardaker J. B.. 1977. . Agricultural Decision Analysis . , Ames : : Iowa State University Press. .

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            4. Anderson, op. tit.; N. R. Baker, ‘R & D project selection models: an assessment’, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Transactions on Engineering Management, EM-21, 4, 1974, pp. 165–71; I. Arnon, The Planning and Programming of Agricultural Research, FAO, Rome, 1975; N. Baker and J. Freeland, ‘Recent advances in R & D benefit measurement and project selection methods’, Management Science, 21, 10, 1975, pp. 1164–75; C.R. Shumway, ‘Models and methods used to allocate resources in agricultural research: a critical review’ in T.M. Arndt, D.G. Dalrymple and V.W. Ruttan (eds.), Resource Allocation and Productivity in National and International Agricultural Research, University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis, 1977, pp. 436–57; G.E. Schuh and H. Tollini, Costs and Benefits of Agricultural Research — the State of the Arts, World Bank Staff Working Paper No. 360, Washington, 1979; I.D. Greig, ‘Agricultural research management and the ex ante evaluation of research propoals: a review’, Review of Marketing and Agricultural Economics, 49, 2, 1981, pp. 73–94; G.W. Norton and J.S. Davis, ‘Evaluating returns to agricultural research: a review’, American Journal of Agricultural Economics, 63, 4, 1981, pp. 685–99; V.W. Ruttan, Agricultural Research Policy, University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis, 1982, ch. 11.

            5. W.L. Fishel (ed.), Resource Allocation in Agricultural Research, University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis, 1971; Arndt et al., op. cit. Ruttan, op. cit.

            6. Arnon, op. cit.; Ruttan, op. cit.

            7. Arnon, op. cit.

            8. Ruttan, op. cit.

            9. See, for example, Shumway, op. cit., 1977; Schuh and Tollini, op. cit.; Norton and Davis, op. cit.

            10. J. C. Williamson, ‘The joint Department of Agriculture and State Experimental Stations study of research needs’ in Fishel, op. cit., pp. 289–301.

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            13. ibid.

            14. ibid.

            15. Williamson, op. cit.

            16. Mahlstede, op. cit.

            17. J.R. Moore and N.R. Baker, ‘An analytical approach to scoring model design: application to research and development project selection’, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Transactions on Engineering Management, EM-16, 1, 1969, pp. 90–8.

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            19. Moore and Baker, op. cit.

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            22. Ruttan, op. cit., p. 279.

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            24. R. W. Cartwright, Research Management in a Department of Agricultural Economics (Ph.D. thesis, Purdue University, Lafayette, Indiana, 1971).

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            26. Russell D. G.. 1977. . ‘Resource allocation in agricultural research using socio-economic valuation and mathematical models’. . Canadian Journal of Agricultural Economics . , Vol. 23((1)): 29––52. .

            27. ibid.

            28. Cartwright, op. cit.; R.W. Cartwright and W.V. Candler, ‘Mathematical analysis to optimise the acquisition of research funds’, Canadian Journal of Agricultural Economics, 21, 1, 1973, pp. 10–26.

            29. N.R. Baker, W.E. Souder, C.R. Shumway, P.M. Maher and A.H. Rubenstein, ‘A budget allocation model for large hierarchical R & D organisations’, Management Science, 23, 1, 1976, pp. 59–70; E.P. Winkofsky, N.R. Baker and D.J. Sweeney, ‘A decision process model of R & D resource allocations in hierarchical organizations’, Management Science, 27, 3, 1981, pp. 268–83.

            30. D. G. Russell, RASAR: A Resource Allocation System for Agricultural Research, University of Stirling, Scotland, 1973.

            31. For example, Z. Griliches, ‘Research expenditures, education and the aggregate agricultural production function’, American Economic Review, 54, 6, 1964, pp. 961–74; G. Fishelson, ‘Returns to human and research capital in the non-south agricultural sector of the United States’, American Journal of Agricultural Economics, 53, 1, 1971, pp. 129–31; R.E. Evenson and D. Jha, ‘The contribution of the agricultural research system to agricultural production in India’, Indian Journal of Agricultural Economics, 28, 4, 1973, pp. 212–30; P. Kumar, C.C. Maji and R.K. Patel, ‘Returns on investment in research and extension: a study on Indo-Swiss cattle improvement project, Kerala’, Indian Journal of Agricultural Economics, 32, 3, 1977, pp. 207–16; Y. Lu, L. Quance and C.L. Liu, ‘Projecting agricultural productivity and its economic impact’, American Journal of Agricultural Economics, 60, 5, 1978, pp. 976–80; M. Knutson and L. Tweeten, ‘Towards an optimal rate of growth in agricultural production research and extension’, American Joural of Agricultural Economics, 61, 1, 1979, pp. 70–6; G.M. Scobie, Investment in International Agricultural Research: Some Economic Dimensions, World Bank Staff Working Paper No. 361, Washington, 1979; J. Davis, ‘The relationship between the economic surplus and production function approaches for estimating ex-post returns to agricultural research’, Review of Marketing and Agricultural Economics, 49, 2, 1981, pp. 95–105; T. Hastings, ‘The impact of scientific research on Australian rural productivity’, Australian Journal of Agricultural Economics, 25, 1, 1981, pp. 48–59; F.C. White and J. Havlicek, ‘Optimal expenditures for agricultural research and extension’, American Journal of Agricultural Economics, 64, 1, 1982, pp. 47–55.

            32. P. Pinstrup-Andersen and D. Franklin, ‘A systems approach to agricultural research resource allocation in developing countries’ in Arndt et al., op. cit. pp. 416–35.

            33. For example, R. C. Duncan, ‘Priorities in pasture research in the Clarence River basin’, Review of Marketing and Agricultural Economics, 35, 4, 1967, pp. 207–17; J.B. Goodwin, J.H. Sanders and A.D. de Hollanda, ‘Ex ante appraisal of new technology: sorghum in northeast Brazil’, American Journal of Agricultural Economics, 62, 4, 1980, pp. 737–41; D. Waters and K. Williams, ‘Ex ante measurement of research benefits: some aspects of the application of linear programming models’, paper presented to the Australian Agricultural Economics Society Conference, Christchurch, New Zealand, 1981; G. Love, R. Blanks, C. Bink and K. Williams, ‘Potential economic benefits of technology and productivity change in Australia's beef cattle and sheep industries’, unpublished paper, Bureau of Agricultural Economics, Canberra, 1982.

            34. C. R. Shumway, ‘Subjectivity in ex ante research evaluation’, American Journal of Agricultural Economics, 63, 1, 1981, pp. 169–73 (p. 170).

            35. Y. Kislev and U. Rabiner, ‘Economic aspects of selection in the dairy herd in Israel’, Australian Journal of Agricultural Economics, 23, 2, 1979, pp. 128–46; Ruttan, op. cit., pp. 281–84.

            36. Greig, op. cit., 1981.

            37. In theory, there is a probability distribution of benefits for every combination of C and T. However, for practical estimation purposes, estimation of all such probability distributions would be a tediously impossible task. Hence, as an approximation, only one such distribution dependent on the expected value of T is used.

            38. W. L. Fishel, ‘The Minnesota agricultural research resouce allocation information system and experiment’ in Fishel, op. cit. pp. 344–81.

            39. Ruttan, op. cit., p. 284.

            40. A.A. Araji, R.J. Sim and R.L. Gardiner, ‘Returns to agricultural research and extension programs: an ex ante approach’, American Journal of Agricultural Economics, 60, 5, 1978, pp. 964–68.

            41. Greig, op. cit., 1981, p. 84.

            42. Arrow K. J. and Lind R. C.. 1970. . ‘Uncertainty and the evaluation of public investment decisions’. . American Economic Review . , Vol. 60((3)): 364––78. .

            43. Z. Griliches, ‘Research costs and social returns: hybrid corn and related innovations’, Journal of Political Economy, 66, 5, 1958, pp. 419–31; W. L. Peterson, ‘Return to poultry research in the United States’, Journal of Farm Economics, 49, 3, 1967, pp. 656–69; R.C. Duncan, ‘Evaluating decision making in a research organization: CSIRO Division of Plant Industry’, paper presented to the 44th ANZAAS Congress, Agriculture and Forestry Section, Sydney, August, 1972; R.K. Lindner and F.J. Jarrett, ‘Supply shifts and size of research benefits’, American Journal of Agricultural Economics, 60, 1, 1978, pp. 48–58; R.K. Lindner and F.J. Jarrett, ‘Supply shifts and size of research benefits: reply’, American Journal of Agricultural Economics, 62, 4, 1980, pp. 841–44; R.N. Rose, ‘Supply shifts and research benefits: comment’, American Journal of Agricultural Economics, 62, 4, 1980, pp. 834–37; W.S. Wise and E. Fell, ‘Supply shifts and the size of research benefits: comment’, American Journal of Agricultural Economics, 62, 4, 1980, pp. 838–40.

            44. J.P. de Castro and G.E. Schuh, ‘An empirical test of an economic model for establishing research priorities: a Brazil case study’ in Arndt et al, op. cit., pp. 498–525; G.W. Edwards and J.W. Freebairn, Measuring a Country's Gain from Research: Theory and Application to Rural Research in Australia, Report to the Commonwealth Council for Rural Research and Extension, Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra, 1981; B.G. Johnston, Public and Private Interests in Government Funded Research (Ph.D. thesis, Australian National University, Canberra, 1981).

            45. Davis, op. cit.

            46. J.R. Bright and M.E.F. Schoeman (eds.), A Guide to Practical Technological Forecasting, Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, 1973; J.F. Coates, ‘Technology assessment — a tool kit’, Chemical Technology, 6, 2, 1976, pp. 372–83; B. Koppel, ‘The changing functions of research management: technology assessment and the challenges of contemporary research organization’, Agricultural Administration, 2, 1979, pp. 123–39; M. Oral, J.L. Malouin and J. Rahn, ‘Formulating technology policy and planning industrial R & D activities’, Management Science, 27, 11, 1981, pp. 1294–308.

            47. Phillips M. J. and Dalrymple D. G.. 1981. . ‘US food and agriculture research assessment: implications for agricultural economists’. . American Journal of Agricultural Economics . , Vol. 63((5)): 990––96. .

            48. Fishel, op. cit., pp. 344–81.

            49. ibid.

            50. Easter K. W. and Norton G.. 1977. . ‘Potential returns from increased research budget for the land grant universities’. . Agricultural Economics Research . , Vol. 29((3)): 127––33. .

            51. Easter and Norton, op. cit.; I. D. Greig, Research Management: A Probabilistic Ex-Ante Evaluation of Two Broiler Research Proposals, Agricultural Economics Bulletin No. 23, University of New England, Armidale, 1979; Norton and Davis, op. cit.; Ruttan, op. cit.

            52. Ruttan, op. cit.

            53. Schuh and Tollini, op. cit.

            54. Arnon, op. cit.

            55. Souder, op. cit.

            56. Baker and Freeland, op. cit., 1975.

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            58. Shumway, op. cit., 1981.

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