Journal of Scientific & Industrial Research Vol. 58, May 1999, pp377-38I

BOOK REVIEWS

Finding Out Fast Investigative Skills for Policy and Development, edited by Alan Thomas, Joanna Chataway and Marc Wuyts (Vistaar Publications, A Division of Sage Publications India Ltd, New Delhi) 1998, pp 376, Price : Rs 395 (Cloth) [ISBN 81 7036 738 7]

Policy decisions are generally made under pressure of time and information required for this purpose is always wanted yesterday. The above book deals with skills and approaches for use in research designed to influence policy decisions. It also aims at helping readers, devel­oping sufficient skills to become competent investiga­tors; understanding how to use research more effecti vely, and how to commission and critically evaluate research done by others. In the beginning of the introduction the editors have summarised the aim of this book. The first section of the first chapter explores content of policy investigations and section two and three look at danger of finding out fast. The team of professionals can be paid to produce reports in very short span of time. It may give an idea that research can be done extremely quickly . Secondly, the brief study could be rubbish . Thirdly, it could lead to some kind of direct field observations and the analysis of secondary data may be squeezed out. Section four describes approach to investigation focusing on rigour, conceptualizing, and reconceptualizing, two­way relationship between ideas and evidence and com­munication of research results. Lastly, it deals with investigation of development policy and publication.

The book consists of four sections. The first sect ion entitled, 'Conceptual is ing Policy Oriented Investiga­tion', describes how areas of investigation which relate to question of policy and public action can be conceptu­alized . This section consists of three chapters, the first chapter describes examples of pol icy change how di ffer­ent policy contents make it appropriate to different kinds of research questions and use different methods. In thi s context, the description of an example of the UK trans­port policy is interesting one. The second chapter dis-

cusses boundaries and boundry setting as an important part of conceptualizing areas of investigation. Thi s is important, as in interdiscriplinery team, each member gives different boundary for a problem in view of his or he r field of specialisation. However, focusin g on boundaries is particularly useful as it enables one to think and act differently and also recognize that investigation and policy formulation are iterative processes. This has been well illustrated by the author by giving perspective of a farming system.

The last chapter of this sec tion uses the analogy of how a journalist formulates a story to consider how the need for results to make an impact, affects how an issue is conceptualised in the beginning itself.

Second section of the book is organized in terms of investigative methods. These are supposed to cover the main generic skills required for carrying out an investi­gation . These include thinking with paper; thinking with people and organizations and thinking with data. Think­ing with paper attempts at the mechanism of analysing the literature consisting of steps like evaluating an argu­ment, locating an argument, comparing arguments. and finally constructing your own argument. These are gen­eral guidelines. 'Thinking with People' has emphasised on the use of policy oriented reports prepared for and by governmental and non-governmental agencies and how these can be important sources of information in policy studies. It also indicates that carrying out investigations using evidence gai ned from interacti ng with people at first hand is always a two way process and can be called as a participative method. As the book is mainly meant for the development mangers and they may need different sorts of skill s to think with people and organisations in different situations and contents. Therefore, it must have an appreciation of what is invol ved in good research design and particularly interviewing both indi viduals and groups ; judgement and appreciation of rigour in order to

commission , interpret and evaluate field work carried out by others. It mllst have an understanding of investiga-

378 J SCIIND RES VOL 58 MAY 1999 BOOK REVIEWS

tions relationship between the people and organisations and the way results of investigation implicate the people and organizations.

Chapter on 'People as Informants' namely structured and semi- structured interview, discusses how rigour can be achieved in each case and introduces some concerns about research which is specifically labelled participa­tive. Further, it discusses the details of partic ipati ve research giving its potentials and limitations.

Chapter on 'Dilemmas of Poverty' gives a personal reflection on practical and ethical issues in respect of researching poverty. Finally, the need for communicat­ing results during investigation and its effects on inves­tigators are discussed.

Section on thinking with data explains how the con­cept brought to the investigation are challenged by the evidence, whether evidence comes directl y from people or from data. Detai Is regard ing analyses secondary quan­titative data, developing the basic sk ill s of numerical literacy are also discussed. The book also advocates the use of case studies combining both quantitative and qua litative data as different forms of ev idence in support of the argument.

Finally the book concludes that the policy is not a blue pr int which needs to be implemented but it is a process of interaction between an agency making poli cy and remak ing policy and those doing research for it. The book is a valuable repository of tool s, techniques, and methods for those who are engaged in policy researc h however title appears to be misleading. A chapter on methods/techniques describing evaluation and assess­ment of impact would have further strengthened the argument on holistic approach.

S PRUTHI National Institute of Science, Technology and Deve lopment Stud­

ies, New Delhi 11001 2, India

Prosperity Through Utilisation of Industrial Efflu­ent, by V J Patel (Jivrajbhai Patel Agroforestry Centre, Bhavnagar 364 061) 1998, pp 90, Price: Rs 200/-

Dr Patel with hi s excellent background in civil engineer­ing has accepted a challenge of writing this mono­gra ph/report to hi g h l ight a new s tat e-of-art for applications and utilization of industrial effluent through

phytoremediation . The author has attempted to provide an insight into specific regional case studies .

Chapter I provides the reader the significance of phy­toremediation and mechanism of detoxi fication and uti li­zation of industrial effluents by plants . Thi s type of information will be helpful to the common reader and researcher in plant sciences. Dr Patel' s practical experi­ence on the use of phytoremediation of industrial efflu­ents is quite ev ident from the class ifi cati on of practices involved in phytoremidation.

The remaining two chapters carry summaries of va ri­ous survey reports on tree plantati on by provid ing in­dustrial effluent as cheap source of nutri ents. The technoeconomical reports related to direct utilizat ion of industrial efflu ent may be helpful to the industria li sts who are interested in canvassing farmers and agricultur­ists for immedi ate utilization of industr ia l effl uent with­out any pret reatment.

Dr Patel's work on eco-friendly natu re of some selec­tive plants under industrial effluent stress is very inter­esting, and may be immensely he lpful to other NGOs engaged in cost-effective rural agriculture and agro-for­est development programme. The present book is a useful mini survey report.

B K BEHERA Department of Biosciences, Maharshi Dayanand Uni versity,

Rohtak 124 00 I, India

Investing in Innovation - Creating A Research and Innovation Policy That Works, ed ited by Lewis M Branscomb and James H Keller (The MIT Press, Cam­bridge) 1998, pp 516; Price: £ 35.00 [ISBN 0 262 02446 2]

The above book has focused on the important issue of how the US government can really facilitate in building, strengthening, and enhancing the national technological and economic capabilities. Thi s book is an outcome of an important and interesting debate on the new technology policy dimension to economic growth, introduced in the US, by Clinton administration in 1993. A major policy shift in the form of reallocation of government ' s technol ­ogy funding from defense to civilian technological ef­forts. Major policy changes were introduced where

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BOOK REVIEWS J SCI INO RES VOL 58 MAY 1999 379

government intervention in the form of support to pri vate industry, in commercial R&D was envisaged, in a large way. Many important dimensions and the emerging is­sues related to public funding in the area of commercial R&D have been brought out in this book. New economic and technological environment would require firms to strengthen their innovative capabilities to be a part of the global players. The issue here is whether government has any role in enhancing the innovati ve capabil ities of firms or it has to be totally left to the market forces. If one envisages a role for the government then how it has to be perceived so that it gets refl ected in the policy changes. The dimension of government intervention in enhancing the innovative capabilities of firms has a new meaning in the present economic situati on. The changes at the tech­nology front have their impact on the economic front of a country. What is essenti al is the synchroni zation of the economic policy wi th the technology policy. Appropri­ateness of government policies in terms of the desired economic impact is the ex pected outcome of any policy change.

This book comprises 18 chapters and has been di vided into three parts. The first part compri ses five chapters broadly dealing with the changing environment for the technology policy. It brings out the role of technology in economic growth and certain social factors responsible for enhancing the innovati ve capab ilities . It also deals with the need for proper measures for the effecti ve im­plementation of technology pol icy. Branscomb and Flor­ida, have dealt with the changing pattern in the economic and technological environ ment. They have built the premise for an introspection of the ex isting policies and the need for policy changes to face the new and emerging challenges posed by the changi ng en vi ronment. The authors have very nicely dealt with the important debat­able issue of govern ment's new role in commercial R&D to enhance the innovati ve capabiliti es of the firms. In the second chapter of the first part, Borrus and Stowsky, have delineated how technology pol icy contributes to the eco­nomic and productivity growth . New innovations and technological capabilities can be accomplished through a wellframed technology policy that has the desired eco­nomic impact. Jaffe has very forcefully put forward the argument for the need of improved policy effectiveness measures. Effective measures are to be evo lved to get the impact of policy interventions on economic front. How various social factors like trust, networks, and norms can reall y enhance the productivity is something that Jane has di scussed. Socio-cultural factors contribute

to a great extent in enhancing the innovative capabilities of indi viduals and the i nsti tutions. Government interven­tion should be in the form of providing incentives to encourage such soc ial factors like, networks, collabora­tions among the various actors like universities, research institutions, firms, etc. Government can play the role of a facilitator in bringing consensus for collaborative part­nership among the various instituti ons. Then comes how the government's direct intervention in S&T, in non­defense area is to be percei ved. Branscomb has dealt with it by presenting available broad scope for federa l investment in scientific and technological research. He has argued vehementl y for the need of an innovat ion inducing ' research policy' rather than a technology pol­icy as an extension to the science policy.

The second part of the book consist ing of seven chap­ters deal s with speci fi c technology programmes sup­pOlted by Clinton admini strati on. Various authors have reviewed some of the important debates and discussions associated with these spec ific programmes in the context of new techno-economic scenari o. Hill has not only justified the Advanced technology Programme which got a boost by the Clinton-Gore administration but has also suggested certain ways to strengthen and ex pand this programme. Cohen has examined the new approach of defense department in acquiring technology through col­laboration with commercial firms. The main objecti ve o.f the Technology Rein vestment Project (TRP) and the Dual-use Application Program (DUAP) is to encourage dual application (c ivil and defense) technologies getting deve loped through firms and defense departmen t co l­laborations. Cohen has not only identified the problems associated with achieving the goal set by the government programme but has suggested certain alternatives to overcome theses barriers. Wall sten has rev iewed the Small Business Innovati on research Program (SB IR) and has suggested certain better ways of enhancing the inno­vativeness in small firms. By taking the case of coopera­tive agreements formed at National Institute of Health, Guston, has tri ed to rev iew the Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs), of the govern­ment as an effective means to faci litate technology trans­fer. Manufac turin g extens ion centers, es tabli shed through Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP), a collaborative initiative between federal and state govern­ments, that also in vo lves, nonprofit organizations, aca­demic instituti ons and industry groups, has been a successful initiative. This is basically to extend support to the small and mid-sized firms with technological and

380 J SCIINDRES VOL58 MAY 1999 BOOK REVIEWS

business practices. Shapiro has di scussed in detail the effectiveness of thi s program and feels that thi s could be ex tended to achieve other economic goals as well . Hea­tons and Banks have rev iewed Cli nton- Gore' s Environ­mental Technology Initiati ve (ETI). They are of the view that environmental technology strategy should be there with a more conduc ive and fa vorable legislat ion to en­cou rage environmentally benefi c ial industri al innova­ti ons.

In the second part the authors have evaluated various government programs to highli ght their effecti veness in ach ieving the economi c progress and have made very reievant and appropriate suggesti ons for enh ancing their effect i veness.

After deaiing wi th the importance of p li cy chan ges an ci criti caliy evaiuating various government programs, third part of the book dea ls wi th poli cy too ls and institu­ti ons that are there or, to be created, to nurture and sustain American system of innovati on. Kahin has argued for the advancement and continued support in enhancing infor­mati on infrastructure for enhancin g more private in ves t­ment fo r nati onal innovati on capabilit y. ore and more informati on exchan ge in a coordinated manner can brin G

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pri vate firm s c loser to gove rnment programs. The other important aspect is the uni versit y-i ndustry linkage which Brooks and Randazzese have tri ed to present the impact it has on uni ve rsities as scholarly instituti ons. They have come out with certain poli cy meas ures to not onl y retain the uni versity' s strength but al so the ways theses linkages can enhance technological and economic growth . The key ro le th at the industry has to play in the technology advancement is well brought out by Roos, Field and Neely, in the chapter on ' Industry Consortia'. Coburn has brought out the impor~a nt dimension of dividing the responsibility between the state and the federa l govern­ments to make the government programs more effecti ve . Hart nas examined the important aspects in volved in process. He has also brought out the need fo r coordina­tion of various policy measures to have a synchroni zed effect. In the last chapter, Branscomb and Kell er have suggested cert ain policy gu idelines fo r the future.

This book is very importan t from the policy perspec­tive of any country. Though it has dea lt wi th the US po licy programs, the issues that the authors have touched upon have relevance to other countri es as well . The book would be very useful for policy makers, students of po licy studies and also innevati on studies .

N MRI NA LINI . 'atlOn31 Institute of Science Technology and Development Studies

New Delhi 1100 I t Incli ,;

Eco-restructuring-Implications for Sustainable De­velopment, by Robert U Ayres and Paul M Weaver (Ass istant Editor) (VistaI' Publications- A Di vision of Sage Publicati ons India Pvt Ltd, New Delhi 10 048· United Nations Uni versity Press, Tokyo) 1998, pp 4 17: Price: Rs 495/- (c loth) [ISBN 8 1 70367549]

Frequent mi suse of the term sustainab ility and certain controversial issues concerning global c limate change notwithstanding, it is now unequi voca ll y accepted that many of the current demographic, economi c, and indus­tri al trends are not environmentall y susta inable. There is an increasing ev idence to suggest that major change.' in the global , economic, and industri al systems may be needed to ensure long-term sustainabil ity. Reve rsai of the undes irable prevailing trends v,:oul d obviouslv re­qlllre proper understanding of va ri ous relevant t SS l1~S as well as of the co mplex interlink ages among them. Eco­restructuri ng is fa st emerging as a broad interd isci pi inary subject, essenti all y aiming at formul ati on of comprehen­sive strategies for the envisaged reversal.

Most of the papers included in thi s book wen: nre­sented at the United Nation s Uni ver. ·ity (UNU ) [co'- re­structuring Conference held in Tokyo in July 199:\. The primary objec ti ve of the conre rence was to expinre rhe: techni cal and economic feasibiiity of long- term .~us taln ­

ability. The editor of the book is an aut hority in severa! areas concerni ng sustain ab il ity.

The book provides a detailed quali ta ti ve account of va ri ous important issues concerning eco- rest ru ctmin e: and sustainabili ty . These include, an overv icvi Of CUtTCr; t relations between human economi c ac tiviti es and the globa l systelll , the potenti al contrib ut ions of bio-tech­nologies to long-run sustalnabil ity. t chni ca l pos: ihiliti es of radica l increas ing materials productl vi tv a,' one nfl h-' two generi c strateg ies to reduce use of non-renewable extrac tive mate ri al s, an envisaged arget cnergy sy~tem as a long- term perspect i ve for eco-rest ructurin g. fu el decarbonizati on and fu el cells, and photovoltai cs .-I t also deals with issues re lating to eco-restructuring of: (a) global economy, (b) agriculture and tron ica l land use . and (c) transportation . .

After an exce llent overview or the baS IC issues III the first chapter (which essenti ally specifies the terms of reference for other authors) the book has been divided into two parts. Part 1 deals with restructurinG of resource

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BOOK REVIEWS J SCI IND RES VOL58 MAY 1999 381

util izati on, while the issues relating to restructuring of

sectors are presented in Part 2. The overriding message is that the quest fo r developing sustainable strategies for future development poses new complex challenges and

sustainable development would necess itate integration of technologica l, economic, soc io-cultural, in stituti onal,

and political factors.

As acknowledged by the edi tor in the first chapter, the bulk of the book deals with technological issues and the socio-cultural, political, and instituti onal aspects have not been given due considerati on. The authors have

drawn extensively on other publications as evidenced by large number of references at the end of each chapter.

The text is well -written, easy to understand , and pro­vides a tremendous amount of interesting and useful infomlati on. This book is an important additi on to the

much needed literature on eco-restructuring and sustain­ability and would serve as a valuable resource fo r re­searchers, policy-makers, and uni versity teachers.

TC KANDPAL Cent re for Energy Studies,

Indian Institute ofTeehnology, New Delh i 11 0016, India