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Assessing the Benefits of Public Research Within an Economic Framework: The Case of USDA's Agricultural Research Service

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  • Heisey, Paul W.
  • King, John L.
  • Day-Rubenstein, Kelly A.
  • Bucks, Dale A.
  • Welsh, Rick

Abstract

Evaluation of publicly funded research can help provide accountability and prioritize programs. In addition, Federal intramural research planning generally involves an institutional assessment of the appropriate Federal role, if any, and whether the research should be left to others, such as universities or the private sector. Many methods of evaluation are available, peer review—used primarily for establishing scientific merit—being the most common. Economic analysis focuses on quantifying ultimate research outcomes, whether measured in goods with market prices or in nonmarket goods such as environmental quality or human health. However, standard economic techniques may not be amenable for evaluating some important public research priorities or for institutional assessments. This report reviews quantitative methods and applies qualitative economic reasoning and stakeholder interviewing methods to the evaluation of economic benefits of Federal intramural research using three case studies of research conducted by USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS). Differences among the case studies highlight the need to select suitable assessment techniques from available methodologies, the limited scope for comparing assessment results across programs, and the inherent difficulty in quantifying benefits in some research areas. When measurement and attribution issues make it difficult to quantify these benefits, the report discusses how qualitative insights based on economic concepts can help research prioritization.

Suggested Citation

  • Heisey, Paul W. & King, John L. & Day-Rubenstein, Kelly A. & Bucks, Dale A. & Welsh, Rick, 2010. "Assessing the Benefits of Public Research Within an Economic Framework: The Case of USDA's Agricultural Research Service," Economic Research Report 94852, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
  • Handle: RePEc:ags:uersrr:94852
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.94852
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Irwin Feller, 2013. "Performance measures as forms of evidence for science and technology policy decisions," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 38(5), pages 565-576, October.
    2. Wang, Sun Ling & Heisey, Paul & Schimmelpfennig, David & Ball, Eldon, 2015. "Agricultural Productivity Growth in the United States: Measurement, Trends, and Drivers," Economic Research Report 207954, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    3. Stéphane Lemarié & Valérie Orozco & Jean-Pierre Butault & Antonio Musolesi & Michel Simioni & Bertrand Schmitt, 2020. "Assessing the long-term impact of agricultural research on productivity: evidence from France," European Review of Agricultural Economics, Oxford University Press and the European Agricultural and Applied Economics Publications Foundation, vol. 47(4), pages 1559-1586.
    4. Gaunand, A. & Hocdé, A. & Lemarié, S. & Matt, M. & Turckheim, E.de, 2015. "How does public agricultural research impact society? A characterization of various patterns," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 44(4), pages 849-861.
    5. Lotze-Campen, Hermann & von Witzke, Harald & Noleppa, Steffen & Schwarz, Gerald, 2015. "Science for food, climate protection and welfare: An economic analysis of plant breeding research in Germany," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 136(C), pages 79-84.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Environmental Economics and Policy; Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety; Livestock Production/Industries; Productivity Analysis;
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