Dianne Rahm

University-industry R & D collaboration in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Japan

Preface. 1. Introduction. 2. Historical Perspectives. 3. A Description of University-Industry R&D Collaboration in the United States. 4. Evaluation of University-Industry R&D Collaboration in the United States. 5. A Description of University-Industry R&D Collaboration in the United Kingdom. 6. Evaluation of University-Industry R&D Collaboration in the United Kingdom. 7. A Description of University-Industry R&D Collaboration in Japan. 8. Evaluation of University-Industry R&D Collaboration in Japan. 9. Conclusion.

ENVIRONMENTALLY PREFERABLE PURCHASING: WHO IS DOING WHAT IN THE UNITED STATES?

In recent years, concerns over environmental degradation and environmental sustainability have pushed governments to search for new ways to combat environmental problems. One such approach, which is gaining in popularity, is environmentally preferable purchasing (EPP). EPP attempts to address environmental challenges by taking advantage of governments vast purchasing power to create strong markets for environmentally friendly products and services. This article reviews governments’ experience with EPP in the United States. Specifically, the article describes the development of EPP in the federal government and reviews EPP activities at both the national and subnational levels. Next, the article presents several broad strategies that governments and procurement professionals can pursue in implementing EPP. The article concludes by identifying several challenges facing EPP.

US City Managers' Perceptions of Disaster Risks: Consequences for Urban Emergency Management

Drawing on survey data collected from chief administrative officers (CAOs) from the largest US cities, this paper analyzes the role of CAO risk perception. Several major questions are asked. How valid are the perceptions of CAOs regarding the level of risks posed to their cities by natural disasters? Do differences in perceptions vary based upon how threatened CAOs say they feel? Do differences in management activities, public procedures, and political concerns result as a consequence of how threatened CAOs say they feel? Do perceptions of threat align with objective vulnerability characteristics? The findings show that there is misperception of risk among CAOs. Risk perceptions influence perceptions as well as management activities, public procedures, and political concerns.

Economic Development and Public Enterprise: The Case of Rural Iowa’s Telecommunications Utilities

This article examines the creation of public enterprises as a form of economic development for rural American communities. These public enterprises have a beneficial economic development role to play when there is a private sector failure to deliver high-quality, low-cost services in critical economic areas. The study examines Iowa’s advanced telecommunications services in rural areas. Some rural areas perceive themselves to be well served by the private sector, but others perceive themselves to be woefully underserved. When rural Iowa communities believed themselves to be deprived of market-based services, they created public enterprise telecommunications utilities. Factors necessary for high-quality public enterprise telecommunication system success (as well as those leading to failure) are discussed. Also discussed are trends showing the importance of the new public enterprise telecommunications utilities.

Internet-Mediated Learning in Public Affairs Programs: Issues and Implications.

Public affairs programs engaging in Internet-mediated teaming are already finding themselves faced with many complex issues stemming from this growing trend. These issues affect faculty, students, ...

Greening Human Resources A Survey of City-Level Initiatives

How have environmental initiatives and “going green” permeated the human resources realm? This article, through a nationwide survey, examines the extent to which cities have incorporated environmentally friendly human resource practices. Results reveal that income, education, environmental awareness and presence of preexisting successful environmental programs have an impact on technical and strategic human resource practices in U.S. cities. This article discusses the implications for public administration.

The role of information technology in building public administration theory

Information technology, that assortment of technology that enables the conversion of data into information, has had an enormous impact on the field of public administration and its theoretical foundation. This article explores five of them. It begins with a discussion of one of the primary impacts of information technology on public administration theory: the development of systems theory and its descendants including the study of complex systems, chaos, and complexity theory. The importance of information technology in decision-making is explored next. Does information technology free us from the limits of bounded rationality or are we simply overwhelmed by the volume of information available via new sources, such as the Internet and the World Wide Web? The third role examined is the use of information technology as a research tool to make previously intractable problems solvable. Computer capability has enormously advanced the theoretical underpinnings of public administration. Fourth, the significance of information technology as a change agent that calls for revision of other theoretical postulates is investigated. As information technology has diffused into public organizations, how has it called into question what we previously thought about the foundation of bureaucracy? Finally, learning by doing and the manner through which practice informs theory is considered.

Issues in the Design of State Science- and Technology-Based Economic Development Programs: The Case of Pennsylvania's Ben Franklin Partnership

Pennsylvania, primarily through the Ben Franklin Partnership Program, has vigorously pursued science and technology (S&T)-based economic development strategies. This article describes the partnership and highlights the policy choices made when establishing this S&T-based economic development policy. Emphasis is placed on organizational form, the attract or develop question, issues relating to firm size, and targeting by sectors or technologies.

Superfund and the politics of US hazardous waste policy

In spite of its seemingly non‐controversial goal of cleaning up toxic waste sites to protect human health and the environment, Superfund has had a stormy history. Why has Superfund stirred so much contention? Drawing on information gathered through a series of personal interviews conducted with congressional staffers, officials in local and state governments, EPA headquarters and regional office staff, and officials at the Departments of Justice, Energy, and Defense, this article discusses the debate over Superfund. Superfunds contested liability provisions and EPAs questionable record of clean‐up success are discussed as key matters explaining dissatisfaction with the programme. The policy implications of Superfund programme reform efforts and the ramifications for future US hazardous waste policy are considered.

US public policy and emerging technologies: The case of solar energy

Abstract Public policy is generally believed to have an effect on the emergence and rate of diffusion of technology. Solar energy technologies are no exception. This article explores the relationship between a variety of US public policies and the emergence and diffusion of solar energy technologies using data gathered as part of the National Solar Energy Policy Study. The article presents findings regarding the status and policy position of US renewable energy R&D and manufacturing organizations. Specific policy options which could be adopted to speed emergence and diffusion of solar energy technology products are discussed.