Scientists' Impact on Decision-making : A Case Study of the China Hi-Tech Research and Development Program

This book discusses China''s S&T (science and technology) decision-making mechanism, with the National High Technology Research and Development Program (863 Program) as the central case and scientists'' influence on public decision-making as the focus. More importantly, for the first time, it extracts three key elements to analyze the determinative factors behind scientists'' influence — knowledge, value and institutions, and proposed a KIV framework of macro-analysis.

With the increasing influence of science and technology (S&T) on socioeconomic life and public affairs, there has been a growing demand for S&T expertise in today''s public decision-making.

The National High Technology Research and Development Program (863 Program), involving hundreds of S&T experts, marked the beginning of a new journey for China''s high-tech development. This book discusses China''s S&T decision-making mechanism, with the 863 Program as the central case and scientist'' influence on public decision-making as the focus. More importantly, it extracts three key elements to analyze the determinative factors behind that influence — knowledge, value and institutions, and proposed a KIV framework of macro-analysis.

The KIV, being the first framework to generalize factors that could affect scientists'' influence on public decision-making, is of both theoretical significance and innovative value. In addition, by finding out those factors, this book attempts to create a decision-making environment conducive to scientists'' contribution of their knowledge.