Applied research: Why? For whom? How

Any country which wishes to master a new technology with a view to applying it industrially at national level needs to consider what kind and what quantity of applied research it will need to carry out in order to support planned industrial development. This is a problem which faces in particular those countries which are currently developing various industrial applications of nuclear technology and accordingly have to assimilate rapidly the know-how which other countries have developed gradually. In these countries, applied research is an effective means not only of training the necessary experts but also of assimilating and mastering the knowledge transferred by others; it is therefore an essential factor in achieving technological and scientific independence. However, applied research also represents a large investment in terms of manpower and resources. Seen in this light, undertaking research means that the following three points must be considered: (1) How much effort is the nation prepared to devote, for a fairly long period, to applied research? (2) What research subjects should be given priority? This will depend in particular on the industrial sectors chosen, the complexity of the work involved and the country's scientific background; (3) How can the applied research best be organized to make efficient use of the results obtained and thus to transfer the knowledge acquired, in laboratories or in the country's industry, as effectively as possible? (author)