This appendix includes a detailed desription and data source information for this asset class.
Class Definitions
Metrics
Data Sources
Links to Data
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Research and Development Asset Description
Research and development (R&D) adds to the knowledge base of a region and is essential to long-term economic growth. R&D spending at universities creates opportunities for partnerships between education and industry that can significantly benefit retention of companies and talented students. R&D investment by firms and government is also critical for developing innovative new products and services that can drive regional wealth creation and prosperity. Research parks and business incubators, when properly developed and managed, can provide the institutional infrastructure to link business and university researchers and support firm-to-firm R&D partnerships.
Research and Development Metrics
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R&D Spending at Universities
The NSF’s WebCASPAR database contains time series data for federal, state, and industry financed R&D spending at colleges and universities. Users can find the total R&D spending at universities in the region and then compare it on a per capita basis to the state and the nation. The WebCASPAR database can be found at http://caspar.nsf.gov.
Because many companies are privately held, comprehensive data on R&D spending at local companies is unavailable in a national database or standard business publication. Information on individual companies in a region, collected in a survey or study, may be available through a chamber of commerce or trade group, but most users will have to obtain that information through interviews with business leaders. Information on public companies is more readily available through required corporate filings.