Empirical Results on Research Elasticities and on the Integration of Industrial Research with the Scientific in Europe and Japan

Based on a sample of European and Japanese companies, an approach is presented for the quantification of industrial research. A Delphi-styled approach is employed for this investigation, involving both personal interviews and self-guided computer questionnaires. This technique provides information on research elacticities, ie the relative impact of changes in research and development in relation to prospective future sales. Results include indications of substitutional effects within R&D activities. An ideal ratio for R&D budgets can be estimated quantitatively