Science and Technology-Based Economic Development Programs in the States: A Study of Evaluation Efforts

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This research examines evaluation activities of science and technology-based programs at the state level in the United States. S&T-based programs are those that stimulate the science base or technology development in a geographic area with the purpose of attracting or stimulating industrial investment and development there. State S&T programs form an important part of the national effort to use its technical base to improve the economy and competitiveness. Understanding whether and how they work -- which is the job of evaluation--is thus significant for national well-being. The goal of this project is to survey the existing approaches and methods of evaluation in order to improve state-level practice. The project is organized into two phases. The first phase involves a telephone survey of state science and technology programs. The purpose of this first phase is twofold. First, it provides a fairly comprehensive inventory of current evaluation, it act as a screening device for the case study selection. This first phase of the project involves compiling data on evaluation activities in state technology-programs. The second phase of the project involves about several state programs that are active in evaluation activities. Selection of these cases based on materials gathered from the states and the mail survey data. This research is important because it will provide a unique data source on evaluation and assessment activities in the states. The results of this project will be beneficial to evaluation practitioners, managers/decision makers of state science and technology-based programs, and to the academic community. Importantly, it will provide a data source and access to information of individuals in state technology programs who either must conduct or are considering conducting some sort of assessment of their activities. It also has the potential to act as a networking mechanism for individuals interested in this topic.