VIEWING HIGHWAY RESEARCH FROM A STRATEGIC PERSPECTIVE

The highway industry in the United States spends about U.S. $35 billion annually. Management of the industry is almost wholly decentralised. This decentralisation plus diminishing fuel tax revenues used to finance road improvements have caused a decline in road research efforts to a very low level. Comparisons between funds for highway research and those spent by private firms in similar industries show that private firms spend from five to twelve times the rate of highway agencies. The problem of how much to spend on research is difficult both for private - sector as well as public - sector enterprises. Methods used in the private sector include percentage of sales, the rate spent by competitive firms, or the amount required to support the business strategy of the organisation. The level of research spending is shown to correlate well with both profitability and growth in U.S. firms. Five guidelines are presented as a way of improving research decisions for highway managers (a). The number of the covering abstract of the conference is TRIS No. 368448. (TRRL)

• Record URL:
  • http://arrbknowledge.com
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00050164
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Proceedings of the Eleventh Australian Road Research Board Conference, held at the University of Melbourne, August 23-27, 1982.
• Corporate Authors:

  ARRB

  Melbourne, Victoria  Australia 
• Authors:
  • Deen, T B
• Publication Date: 1982

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 3-19
• Serial:
  • Australian Road Research
  • Publisher: ARRB
  • ISSN: 0005-0164

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Administration; Conferences; Costs; Districts and authorities; Evaluation and assessment; Financing; Guidelines; Highway departments; Highways; Planning; Research; Research projects; Taxes; Transportation departments
• Uncontrolled Terms: Fund allocations
• Geographic Terms: United States
• ITRD Terms: 155: Administration; 8525: Conference; 224: Cost; 9020: Evaluation (assessment); 244: Financing; 2755: Highway; 143: Planning; 8557: Research project; 268: Tax; 253: Transport authority; 8122: USA
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Finance; Highways; Planning and Forecasting; Research; I10: Economics and Administration;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00368541
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: ARRB
• Report/Paper Numbers: V11, Pt1
• Files: ITRD, TRIS, ATRI
• Created Date: Jan 31 1983 12:00AM