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The Impact of National Research Funds: An Evaluation of the Chilean FONDECYT

Author

Listed:
  • José Miguel Benavente

    (INTELIS, Department of Economics, University of Chile)

  • Gustavo Crespi

    (International Development Research Centre)

  • Alessandro Maffioli

    (Inter-American Development Bank)

Abstract

This paper analyzes the role of National Research Funds in promoting scientific production in emerging economies. The investigation focuses on the impact of the Chilean National Science and Technology Research Fund (FONDECYT). The analysis uses data drawn from international sources of bibliometric information combined with the administrative records of the program executing unit. To measure the program’s impact, we implement a Regression Discontinuity (RD) design on projects submitted for funding between 1988 and 1995. The results do not show any significant impact either in terms of publications or in terms of quality of publications in the proximity of the program threshold ranking. Although results show that the program has been partially effective in identifying the best projects in terms of expected quality, evidence suggests that the FONDECYT’s lack of impact may be due to targeting problems in terms of both researchers and research projects.

Suggested Citation

  • José Miguel Benavente & Gustavo Crespi & Alessandro Maffioli, 2007. "The Impact of National Research Funds: An Evaluation of the Chilean FONDECYT," OVE Working Papers 0307, Inter-American Development Bank, Office of Evaluation and Oversight (OVE).
    • Handle: RePEc:idb:ovewps:0307
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    2. Morten S. Henningsen & Torbjørn Hægeland & Jarle Møen, 2012. "Estimating the additionality of R&D subsidies using proposal evaluation data to control for firms' R&D intentions," Discussion Papers 729, Statistics Norway, Research Department.
    3. Jose Miguel Benavente & Daniel Goya, 2012. "The Economics of IP in the context of a Middle Income Country," Working Papers wp350, University of Chile, Department of Economics.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    FONDECYT; Chile; Economics of Science; Scientific Grants; Regression-discontinuity Analysis; Policy Evaluation.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O30 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - General
    • O38 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Government Policy
    • H43 - Public Economics - - Publicly Provided Goods - - - Project Evaluation; Social Discount Rate

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