Abstract
Because the basic determinants of innovative success are poorly understood, the data in SI-76 cannot support an unambiguous summary assessment of U. S. science. While some nations now rival the U. S. in relative expenditure for R&D, U. S. absolute expenditure still dwarfs that of any nation except the U. S. S. R., and the U. S. remains preeminent by most measures of technological capacity. However, the technology gap continues to narrow, bringing both costs and benefits to the U. S. Advances abroad threaten the U. S. position in some markets and exacerbate the nation's trade adjustment problems. But the nation may also benefit substantially from new opportunities to import as well as export advanced technology.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
T. J. ALLEN, J. M. UTTERBACK, M. A. SIRBU, N. A. ASHFORD, J. H. HOLLOMON, Government Influence on the Process of Innovation in Europe and Japan.Research Policy 7 (1978) 124–129.
H. BROOKS, Have the Circumstances that Placed the United States in the Lead in Science and Technology Changed? in:Science Policy and Business: The Changing Relation of Europe and the United States, D. W. EWING (Ed.), The John Diebold Lectures, 1971, Harvard University Graduate School of Business, Boston, 1973.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Some of the material in this paper is adapted from R. McCULLOCH,Research and Development as a Determinant of U. S. International Competitiveness, National Planning Association, Washington, D. C., 1978.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
McCulloch, R. International indicators of science and technology: How does the U. S. compare?. Scientometrics 2, 355–367 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02095078
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02095078