JPRS ID: 10392 WEST EUROPE REPORT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

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• Collection: JPRS
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• Content Type: REPORTS

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JPRS L/10392
16 March 1982 ~
- West Euro e Re ort
p ~
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
~ ~ (FOUO 5/82)~.
FBIS FOREIGN BROADCAST INFORMATION SERdI~E
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~ JPRS I,/10392
16 March 1982
.
WEST EUROPE REPORT ~
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(~OUO 5/'82~
CONTENTS ~
SCIENCE POLICY
~ France~s New Research, Development Strategy Analyzed
(Marc Albouy, Pierre-Frederic Teniere-Buchot;
FUTURIBZES, Jan 82) 1
;
y
~ - a- [III - WE - 151 S&T FQUO]
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i SCIP~iCE POLICY FRANCR
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j FRANCE'S NEW RESEARCH, ~EVELOPMENT STRATN:GY ANALYZID
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~ Paris FUiURIBLES in French Jan 82 pp 23, 29-40
I
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[Article by Marc Albouy and Pierre-Frederic Teniere-Buchotl: "Research and Tech- �
; nology--Prospects Until 1985"]
f. [Excerpt~] While France managed to ~oin the front rank of
international research between 1958 and 1967, we have since
' then been witnessing ths abrupt disengagement of the govern-
~ ment as expressed by a research and development effort not
~ exceeding 1.8 percent of the gross dome$tic product. The new
- administration intends to respond to this long period of under-
; investment by setting itself the target of devoting 2.5 percent
of the gross domestic output in 1985 to research and develop-
ment expenditures. This sudden change, which was designed in
, 1980 to launch the Eighth Plan and the term of off ice of min-
ister Pierre Aigrain~~s no~a being pursued with determination
by the new administration *.:*c:{.ch, the moment the 1982-1983 In-
terim Plan had been draf ted, during autumn held a series of
- regional meetings whose contributic:~ was to be debated during
the National Research Cunf erence (14-15 January 1982) in order
y finally to lead to a Guidance and Programming Law. Marc Albouy
and P3.erre-Frederic Teniexe-Buchot, the ~oint reporters of the
- Interministerial Group for the Interim Plan2, here present the
ob~ectives and methods around which France's�new research and
develop~ent strategy is taking shape.
Development Method and Contents of the 1982-1983 Interim Plan . .
In accordance with prior guidelines, the 1982-1983 Interim Plan has two complement-
ary objectives in the matter o� research and developmPnt:
To def ine an overall medium-term strategyr so as to attain the administration'a ob~ec-
tive under the best possible conditions;
Based on that strategy,~ to propose a coherent program of horizontal ahort-term
~restoration measures and to sketch the ~thematic priorities which will be used f or
' guidance in the atudy and implementation of coordinated reaearch and development
actions. ,
The Inter.ministerial Group charged with drafting the list of proposals presented to
the Central Planning Coimnission5 thus first of all decided to define a financial
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scenario leading up to 1985. In doing ~his, it f ell back on the original experience
during the work of the Eighth Plan when several acenarios were studied (two long-
term hypotheses, tha.t is, 1985 and 1990, to attain a DNRD/PIB [national research and
development expenditure/gross domestic product] ratio of 2.3 percent in conjunction
with two assumptions regarding the increase in the financial effort made by the
. enterprises)6.
Progress was made in tw~ directions concerning the In!;erim Plan.
(1) The possibilities and the needs of the various sectors were sp~lled out more
specifically. On that score we can mention the financing effort of the enterprises:
although it looks relatively high (8 percent of the ave:rage annual volume increase
between 1~82 and 1985), it is more in line with an assumption as to a progressive
"power" increase which presupposes energetic action by public enterprises (both old
and new) and a group of ineasures providing incentives for industrial research. The
same is true of the requirements of university research and telecc...munications.
We might also mention t.he share of the military budget allocated to research and
development which represents more than 20 percent of the DNRD: the figures given
f or the fi~~ancial scenario are compatibZe with the military planning law.
Collaboration with the Def ense Ministry in this respect was exemplary and is a har-
binger of developments to ~ome: the economic fallout from activities connected with
def ense as a matter of f act are so important on the level of the region that it is
no longer possible for the P?3n to ignore them.
~ Ge:net;~ly speaking, the Interim Plan tried to insert into the fi.nancial scenario the
possibilities and needs of the main actors: the distribution of the eff ort thus
sp~ings from ^ consensus where each of the actors agrs:~ to play his part in the
national restaration eff ort.
(2) Considering both the financing sources and the places of execution, the Plan
achieved decisive progress in the drafting and coherence of inedium-term strategy.
It f irst of all cast light upon the need f or combining the financial target (DNRD
equal to 2.5 percent of the PIB) with an execution target, that is to say, to make
sure that the research and development work done by the enterprises (both public
and private) will come to 1.5 percent of the PIB in 1985, that is to say, 60 percent
_ of the DNRD. This proposal received the unanimous support of the Central Planning
('~~ission and also got massive support from the Economic and Social Council.
It then cast light upon the extent of f inancial transfers necessary to at~ain t~;~is
second ob~ective: the orders and the incentives from the government to the enter-
pri~es, in the matter of research and deveYopment, will have to increase f rom Fr8
billion at 1980 prices to more than Fr18 billion at 1980 prices f or the period of
1980-1985. For civilian transfera alone, they will have to increase from 1.9 to
almost Fr9 billion at 1980 prices. Here w~ have the real challenge on which depends
the future of French technology and industrial research. This transf er requires
the rapid implementation of new technological programs because the line of credit
cor.cerning them should rise from Fr6 to Fr15 billion at 1980 prices in 5 years. It
would also be desirable~for a portion of this transfer (about Fr2 billion) to be in-
tended for the promotion of industrial research, to revive innovation, and to re-
organize team research.
.
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FI ~
Research and Technology--Prospects for 1985
Interministerial Research Year 1981, Payment Measure~ proposed f or
Package (billions of 1980 f rancs) credits plus regular the 2-year plan, 1982-
expenditures 1983
Personnel 6.7 +6.5Y per year
Operational fun~s 2.25 +50X over 2 years
Infrastructure and current
related expenditures 1.1 +20Y per year (roughly)
Ma~or plant and equipment 0.75 +16X per year
Incentive credits 0.5 +100X over 2 years
Interministerial research
package 11. 3(1) +13. 61' per year
(1) This figure corresponds to 11.5 billion 1980 francs in program authorization;
Source:. Report entitled "Le redresaemeut de la Recherche et de la Technologie"
[The Restoration of Research and Technology], Interministerial Administrative Group
of the Interim Plan, Paris, La Documentation Francaise, 1981.
This f inancial scenario thus enables us to accentuate the central point of this
medium-range strategy and, continuing from there, to draft the main lines of action.
The coherence of the entire scenario clearly showed the terms of the political
decision itself: either the government allows the enterprises to proceed at their
pace and in that case it would be forced massively to intervene on its own budget
to compensate f or lack of industrial interest; it will even be forced, on that as-
sumption, to create its own technological development agencies. Or the government
_ pursues a twin policy of incentives (through contracts with national enterprisea,
through a set of bonuses and assistance for private enterprises). which will enable
it to relieve the pressure on its own budget and to "let things take their course"
instead of intervening directly.
The second alternative was selected: it is now well charted. The coherence of the
scenario proposed is suff iciently well founded so that any major lag in its imple~
mentation would seriously harm compliance with the objective established by the
- administration. We must no longer waste time or energy in wondering about the
road to be followed in an effort to perfect it (which indeed is a French failing);
- instead we must resolutely work toward the atr.ainment of the objectives within rhe
required time frame.
Starting with the 1985 financial focus, the group defined a 1983 scenario in terma
of f inancing and execution. But the critical point in 1983 is not only the inter-
polation of the 1985 projection. The Tnterim P1an as a matter of fact cannot be
just a simple reference point on a path to be followed because Chis means rapidly
correcting the imbalances and at the same time placing research and technology into
~�an orbit leading to the target. This Cwin operation will cost much in ter~as of
studies, reorganization, mobilization of competence, miscellaneous achievements,
and therefore funds. The 1983 scenario includes the coat for restoration and the
cost for placing the effort in orbit; it will require a larger imnnediate eff ort.
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. ~
The financial scenario for 1985 has made it possible to detect Lhe main lines af
action which will develop from the previously mentioned central problem:
While it is necessary rapidly to restore public research funds (operational funds
and infrastructure expenditures), this will have to be done harmoniously so that
we will be able fully to use a maj~r infusion of funds during the next several years.
The research laboratories must be assured that we will not make the sa~ old mis-
talces over again.
It is with this intention that a certain number of ineasures w~re included in the plan
concerning the improvement of manlgement--especially the drafting of good managtment
ratios--the implementation of an overall and decentralized funding policy for re-
search personnel, the practice of funding estimates and management procedures in
terms of complete costs, and a more precise estimate of the payment fund require-
ments. The increase in the hiring volume, established at 4.5 percent per year but
modulated according to personnel categories and laboratories, should permit the
necessary renewal of teams and, after the restoration of the proper level, should
guarantee a rise in basic and applied research. The speedup of the installation
of major scientific equipw~nt a,nd the addition of a cert~in number of pro~ects will
run in the same direction.
The attainment of the objective involves the promotion of industrial research and
technical innovation.
There are three types of action which will be pursued or which have been launched
toward this end:
Using the t~ol of national enterprises and perfecting the tool of ma~or technological
programs;
Promoting research and innovation within the enterprises; the principle of aid for
scientif ic personnel hiring--following the example of the FRG--was accepted by all
of the social partners and the methads involved should be studied rapidly. Old
measures (aid for innovation, medium-term innovation) will l~e perfected. The banks
and the industrial enterprises will be encouraged to create. new financing companies
for innovation and risk capital companies. Finally, it is planned to double ~he
final aid package~ for industry; ~
Increase the possibilities of "outside " research through the reaumption and expansion
of the innovstion bonus, the encouragement of association research, the revival and
reorganization of group research and technical assistance.
Preparations for the future involve the following: ~
Training (adaptation of the training of young people for and by research, insertion
of research activities into the various forms of teaching, supplementary training
of industrial supervisory personnel);
Organizaticn of research potential of higher educational institutions (especially
the big schools) capable of serving as lines leading toward industrial research;
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Cooperation between public and pxivate xesearch. laboratorieE;
Transf er of knowledge with hi~h-technology countrie~.
A certain numi~er of these measures was provided for this purpose.
The involvement of the regions in national research and tiechnolo~y policy will be
carried out through the strengthening and better organization of the regions'
potential and through a broader initiative on their part ~.n certain areas (programs
of regional interest, creation of common facilities and collective rcesources, up-
grading efforts, efforts involved in scientif ic and t~chnical informa~ion, as well
as technological assistance).
Each ministerial department has contributed its thi.nkin$ on each of the four ma~or
axes of this action program; the proposals have been debated. Only those proposals
which appeared most effective in defining the action program were selected f or the
plan draft and this was done only after an opinion had been obtained fram the Central
~ Commission of Partners.
Each ministerial department also was invited to express its research and technologica~
development requirements corresponding to its medium-term concerns: the Ministry of
- Culture for example mentioned the restoration of balance necessary mith regard to
living creativity; the Ministry of Maritime Affairs raised the problem of a new
oceanographic vessel and the problem of funds devoted to research un living matter
(f ish, marine crop cultivation, stucly of the marine environment). Pro~eats which
had been blocked until now have come up again, such as the human aciences research
library. Others have entered a new stage, such as the cryogenic *.rans-sonic wind
tunnel. These contributions have made it possible to outline some thematic priori-
ties which, added on top of the study missions already lsunched, will constitute
"the guiding thread" of a new research and technology policy.
In this respect, the Plan has selected:
Three sectors to be restored: culture, health, and human, economic, and social
sciences, particularly emphasizing the latter;
The in--depth development of technological programs in progress;
The need for carryinq out as rapidly as possible the six study missions already
adopted in the form of action programs~; "
Finally, to launch new missions in four f ields: agriculture and food production,
materials, mechanics, anc~ precision chemistry.
Interim Plan--Regionai Meetings--National Conference-~Guidance and Programming Law
This effort--which some peo;nle will f ind to be rather technocratic--may be rather
surprising at a time when quite ~ustifiably we are very much concerned with giving
- all those involved in. research a more active role. Before 3udging it however we
must be aware of the constraints involved fiere. Ftrst of al.l, the Interim Plan had
to fit into ~n extremely ti$ht administration schedule a~hich persuaded the Inter-
mini~terial Group to work during vacations, a time which is not at all propitious
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for broad coordination. In this case, would it have been necesaary to forget
about research in the Interim Plan whereas a year later, the Eighth Plan had as
a matter of fact assigned it top priority? Is it perhaps necessary to wait
several additional months in order to get the National Assembly ta vote on th~
necessary recovery actions while the time interval separating us from the target
keeps shrinking day after day?
_ Behind this question we come to the problem of the connection between the "techno-
cratic approach of the Interim Plan" and the results of the "democratic" debate in
the regional meetings and the National Conference.
There are three elemen*_s o� reflection which enable us to place the roles and res-
ponsibilities in proper context.
(1) First of all, the thinking of the Administrative Group,carefully avoided cer-
tain subjects on which it was advisable to have the scientific community express
itself. This is true for example of the status of personnel, the particip~tion of
researchers in program orientation, and the management of the luboratories, mobility
and the organization of scientif ic and technical in�ormation. The same goes for
training for research and the revision of the scholarship and allowance system.
- Fully aware that the actors concerned have much to say on these subjects and that
much was to be done, the Group si~?i..:y "opened the channels" and stressed the need
for an overall handling of the resea.rch personnel funding effort in a decentralized
fashion plus adaptation of the training program. ~
icegarding other questions, such as team research, the Group only spelled out the
principles of reorganization without specif ically indicating the method. The Plan
as a matter of fact should express itself on this i.ssue which concerns the various
branches of industry. But the propo~als of the Na+:ional Conference will probably
enable us to work out the methods for this reorganization.
On the other hand, it is evident that the basic researcher, involved in his own
work, does not have all the necessary information (especially f igures) to draft the
overall medium-term strategy and to discern the broad outlines of acti~n neces~ary
to restore the entire research establishment. The proposals of the Interministerial
Group and those from research personnel (through the regional meetings and the
National Conference) thus appear to us to be largely complementary. ~
The Interministerial Group f or its part tried to pick only those proposals which it
considered capable of getting the broader agreement oE the scientific com~nunity;
this is why it conf ined itself sometimes to ~ust "opening the channels." In this
respect, the research miss3on~ of the various ministries have sufficient informa-
tion comin~ from research circles to nrevent serious dissonances. And the f irst
~ result confirmed the prediction: there is no contradiction between the pronosals
coming from the reQional meetings and the Interim Plan dratt.
(2) The shortaQe of funds. certain hasty measures taken at the end of the preceding
7-year term, caused a certain d3saffection in research circles, followed by a Rrowin~
malaise, and flnallv a large measure of irritation. It is clear that the restora-
tion of research cannot be accomplished only with money; it must inv~lve the mobili-
zation of all actors in research, especiallv the researchers themselves.
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The regional meetings, ~irst o~ a11, and the National Confexence then constitute
instruments of c~talogue and of collective mo5ilization. The researchers must re-
- affirm their existence and their social usePulness; they also have a need for ex-
pressing themselves, f or organizing themsel~ es in order to get the most out of the
funding allocated to them. The researchers in the public laboratories, the members
of the academic community, the industrialists who are~operating on a litnited partner-
ship basis f inally must get to know each othex better, they must talk to each other.
and they must become aware--trrough the economic problems of their re~ion--of the
stakes and constraints of the nation.
The Plan however also provides a bu~lding block which is essential to the entire
edifice: the massive approval of all of the soci4l partners--both in the Central
Commission and in the Economic and Social Council--as a matter of fact constitute
- indispensable backup support.
(3) In a guidance and progranmiing law, retain those proposals which will emerge
from a National Conf erence on Research that can usefully compleCe and prolong the
plannin~; setup.
The specific areas in which it seems nece~sary to provide complementation have al-
rez~dy been mentioned: adaptation of trainin~ for and by research, status of re-
- searchers and job opportunities, organization of laboratories, interdisciplinary
cooperation.
In addition to thes~ ~ ields, there are three important issues which deserve some
' resp~nse: scientif ic and technical inf ormation, the technological evaluation o~f ice,
the old technology network; as a matter of f.act, due to the lack of well-~prepared
supporting information folders, the Interim Plan has not been able to dwe11 on
these three basic issues in a f irm manner.
On the other hand, certain supplementary steps suggested here either entail the risk
of harming instead of aiding research recovery the moment they threaten the overall
strategy or they involve measures which have already been debated and, in other
words, which have been settled. Th~is is true, f or example, regarding taxation in
support of industrial research. The proposal is we11 known and so is its m~tiva-
tion. France does not have any general measure providing an incentive for "in-house"
industrial research~ and this is why two types ot measures, following the example of
f oreign countries, may be advanced: either a tax deduction based on the increase
in research and development expenditures or a bonus for research personnel hiring.
- The Ministry of the Budget and all of the representatives of the labor unions are
f irmly opposed to the first measure because they consider it inopportune, unfair in
terms of taxation, and uncontrollable. The Barre administration already had re-
jected it, f eeling that aid to investment was sufficient. How could one imagine
that such a measure has become politically supportable? Especially since all of
the social partners--in the Central Planning Con�nission--accepted the principles of
hiring bonuses! Once again advancing the proposal of tax deductions may mislead
the people involved and may entail the risk of delaying the implementation of a
hiring bonus. .
More generally speaking, the Economic and Social Council has expressed the role whach
it wants i:o give to the Tnterim Plan. As a matter of f act it recammended to the
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administration to "make sure that the act~ons provided ~or undex the Intexim Plan,
the programs under the guidance law voted in 1982, and the pxograms in the future
5-year plan will not involve any duplication of effort10 that might lead to the
postponement af the achievements provided for in the Interim Plan and thus to the
. weakening of its scope." To the extent that the guidance 1aw will effectively be
based on the medium-range strategy and the action program spelled out in the In-
terim Plan so as to complete them, it will give the latter a guarantee of continuity.
Hence, the entire setup becomes a little bit complex: the 1982-1983 Interim Plan,
_ the 1982-1986 Guidance Law, the 1983-1987 f ive-year plan--these f ind their ~ustifi-
cation in the lasting character which the effort will provide for the restoration
of research and technology.
Beyond plans, strategies, and programs, the future is built through daily action.
The impl~mentation of the strategy announced will demand great tenacity, an except-
ional effort in terms of organization and probably difficult decisions and chal-
lenges. After the big research f estivities, which undoubtedly will take place during
the January conference, the mobilization of all of the various areas of competence
must not be relaxed. Will we manage t~ trigger or accept the indispensable coopera-
tive efforts regardless of where they come from? The challenge is too great and
too risky for the future of research and technology in France and we therefore can-
not fail to seize every possible opportunity in the course of this effort.
FOOTNOTES
1. Marc Alhouy is a lecturer at the Ecole Polytechnique and head of the study and
research division, General Planning Commissariat. In this capacity, he edited
the "research" chapters of the draft for the Eighth Plan and the 1982-1983 In-
- terim Plan. Pierre-Frederic Teniere-Buchot is associate prof essor at the
National Conservatory of Arts and Crafts.
~ 2. This article only expresses the opinions of its authors.
5. This cummission includes the representatives of the labor unions and the associa-
tions as well as government experts.
6. This work was done by the grnup of experts charged with building the priot~ity
action program.
7. Coordinated actions, research fund program contracts, incentive funding from min~
istries and agencies toward tlie attainment of the objectives.
- 8. These missions are as f ollows: biotechnology; jobs and labor; electronics; de-
veloping countries; robots and machine-tools; efficient use of energy and geo-
thermia.
9. The innovation bonus is an automatic measure providing incentives for "outside"
research, reserved for the PME [small and medium-size businesses].
10. And, of course, incoherences (authors' note).
COPYRIGHT: Association Internationale: Futuribles 1982
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