Priority Setting and Resource Allocation in Australian Biomedical Research: Muddling with Some Skill

Harman, Kay

doi:10.1080/08109020020008497

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Prometheus

Volume 18, Issue 4

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Priority Setting and Resource Allocation in Australian Biomedical Research: Muddling with Some Skill

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Author(s): Kay Harman

Publication date (Print): December 2000

Journal: Prometheus

Publisher: Pluto Journals

Keywords: Priority-DRIVEN Research, Resource Allocation Science, Research Management, Research Councils, Biomedical Research

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Abstract

Examined here are models of resource allocation adopted by Australia's premier biomedical research funding council, the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), since pressure to make research more 'relevant' has been exerted. For a council that disburses its funds chiefly to high-impact fundamental research, allocating resources to priority-driven research that contributes directly to population health and evidence-based health care is a challenging transition. It is contended that while the NHMRC has attempted to accommodate a 'rationalist' user-driven approach to resource allocation, it has moved only marginally away from a highly decentralised (investigator-driven) model to a mixed-mode system that resembles 'muddling with some skill'.

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Author and article information

Journal

Journal ID (publisher-id): cpro20

Journal ID (archive): CPRO

Title: Prometheus

Subtitle: Critical Studies in Innovation

Publisher: Pluto Journals

ISSN (Print): 0810-9028

ISSN (Electronic): 1470-1030

Publication date (Print): December 2000

Volume: 18

Issue: 4

Pages: 373-390

Article

Publisher ID: 10032397 Coden ID: Prometheus, Vol. 18, No. 4, December 2000, pp. 373-390

DOI: 10.1080/08109020020008497

SO-VID: d265f97d-6451-4882-8c1f-e91fdc19b336

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All content is freely available without charge to users or their institutions. Users are allowed to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of the articles in this journal without asking prior permission of the publisher or the author. Articles published in the journal are distributed under a http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.

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Figures: 0, Tables: 0, References: 29, Pages: 18

References

Lindblom C.. 1979. . "Still muddling, not yet through'. . Public Administration Review . , Vol. 39: November/December;: 517––26. .
Ziman J.. 1994. . Prometheus Bound: Science in a Dynamic Steady State . , p. 73––4. . Cambridge : : Cambridge University Press. .
Stewart J.. 1995. . 'Models of priority-setting for public sector research'. . Research Policy . , Vol. 24:: 117
Weinberg A.. 1963. . 'Criteria for scientific choice'. . Minerva . , Vol. I: Winter;: 159––71. .
1993. . 'Chapters from the life of a technological fixer'. . Minerva . , Vol. XXXI((4)) Winter;: 379––454. .
Brooks H.. 1978. . 'The problem of research priorities'. . Daedalus . , Vol. 107((2)): 171––90. .
Tisdell C.. 1981. . Science and Technology Policy: Priorities of Governments . , p. 16 London : : Chapman and Hall. .
Smith R.. 1993. . 'Peering into the bowels of the MRC 1: setting priorities'. . BMJ . , Vol. 296: February;: 484––8. .
Ham C. and Hill M.. 1993. . The Policy Process in the Modern Capitalist State . , p. 84––9. . New York : : Harvester/Wheatsheaf. .
Anderson J. and Parton K.. 1983. . 'Techniques for guiding the allocation of resources among rural research projects: state of the art'. . Prometheus . , Vol. 1: June;: 180––201. .
Martin B. and Irvine J.. 1989. . Research Foresight: setting in Science . , London : : Pinter Publishers. .
NHMRC. . 1995. . Towards a Strategic Plan for the NHMRC: June 1995 to December 1996 . , Canberra : : AGPS. .
NHMRC. . 1995. . Researching for Health .
NHMRC. . June. 1996 . Report of the 121st Session . , June. , Brisbane : : AGPS. .
McCloskey I.. 1993. . “'Funding of medical research in Australia by the National Health & Medical Research Council'. ”. In Research Grants Management and Funding . , Edited by: Wood F. Q. and Meek V. L.. p. 99––100. . Canberra : : ANUTECH. .
NHMRC. . 1999a. . Annual Report 1998 . , p. 107 Canberra : : AGPS. .
Industry Commission. . 1995. . Research and Development . , p. 457 AGPS : : Canberra. .
Wooldridge M.. 2000. . 'NHMRC and JDF join forces in $35m fight against diabetes'. . Media Release . , 3 May;
NHMRC. . 1998. . Annual Report 1997 . , p. 71 Canberra : : AGPS. .
Teich A.. 1992. . 'Point of view'. . The Chronicle of Higher Education . , January;: A52
Kitney G.. 1997. . 'Howard warns ministers over "sensitive" job offers'. . Sydney Morning Herald . , 21 February;: 21
Kitney G.. 1997. . 'PM's friends in high places'. . Sydney Morning Herald . , 21 February;: 21
Komesaroff P.. 1997. . 'The future of science at stake'. . Sydney Morning Herald . , 21 February;: 21
Larkins R.. 1999a. . “'1998 in review'. ”. In 1998 Annual Report . , p. 5 Canberra : : AGPS. .
Ellicot J.. 1997. . 'Medical research body faces overhaul'. . The Australian . , 4 June;: 3
NHMRC. . 2000. . Annual Report 1999 . , p. 31––2. . Canberra : : AGPS. .
Weisbrod B.. 1983. . Economics and Medical Health . , Washington : : American Enterprise institute for Public Policy Research. .
Brough J.. 1996. . 'Howard to reign in statutory bodies'. . Sydney Morning Herald . , 6 March;: 3
Leeder S.. 1994. . 'Government's chance to take fresh steps on health'. . Sydney Morning Herald . , 3 February;: 13

Comments

Comment on this article

[1] Lindblom C.. 1979. . "Still muddling, not yet through'. . Public Administration Review . , Vol. 39: November/December;: 517––26. .

[2] Ziman J.. 1994. . Prometheus Bound: Science in a Dynamic Steady State . , p. 73––4. . Cambridge : : Cambridge University Press. .

[3] Stewart J.. 1995. . 'Models of priority-setting for public sector research'. . Research Policy . , Vol. 24:: 117

[4] Weinberg A.. 1963. . 'Criteria for scientific choice'. . Minerva . , Vol. I: Winter;: 159––71. .

[5] 1993. . 'Chapters from the life of a technological fixer'. . Minerva . , Vol. XXXI((4)) Winter;: 379––454. .

[6] Brooks H.. 1978. . 'The problem of research priorities'. . Daedalus . , Vol. 107((2)): 171––90. .

[7] Tisdell C.. 1981. . Science and Technology Policy: Priorities of Governments . , p. 16 London : : Chapman and Hall. .

[8] Smith R.. 1993. . 'Peering into the bowels of the MRC 1: setting priorities'. . BMJ . , Vol. 296: February;: 484––8. .

[9] Ham C. and Hill M.. 1993. . The Policy Process in the Modern Capitalist State . , p. 84––9. . New York : : Harvester/Wheatsheaf. .

[10] Anderson J. and Parton K.. 1983. . 'Techniques for guiding the allocation of resources among rural research projects: state of the art'. . Prometheus . , Vol. 1: June;: 180––201. .

[11] Martin B. and Irvine J.. 1989. . Research Foresight: setting in Science . , London : : Pinter Publishers. .

[12] NHMRC. . 1995. . Towards a Strategic Plan for the NHMRC: June 1995 to December 1996 . , Canberra : : AGPS. .

[13] NHMRC. . 1995. . Researching for Health .

[14] NHMRC. . June. 1996 . Report of the 121st Session . , June. , Brisbane : : AGPS. .

[15] McCloskey I.. 1993. . “'Funding of medical research in Australia by the National Health & Medical Research Council'. ”. In Research Grants Management and Funding . , Edited by: Wood F. Q. and Meek V. L.. p. 99––100. . Canberra : : ANUTECH. .

[16] NHMRC. . 1999a. . Annual Report 1998 . , p. 107 Canberra : : AGPS. .

[17] Industry Commission. . 1995. . Research and Development . , p. 457 AGPS : : Canberra. .

[18] Wooldridge M.. 2000. . 'NHMRC and JDF join forces in $35m fight against diabetes'. . Media Release . , 3 May;

[19] NHMRC. . 1998. . Annual Report 1997 . , p. 71 Canberra : : AGPS. .

[20] Teich A.. 1992. . 'Point of view'. . The Chronicle of Higher Education . , January;: A52

[21] Kitney G.. 1997. . 'Howard warns ministers over "sensitive" job offers'. . Sydney Morning Herald . , 21 February;: 21

[22] Kitney G.. 1997. . 'PM's friends in high places'. . Sydney Morning Herald . , 21 February;: 21

[23] Komesaroff P.. 1997. . 'The future of science at stake'. . Sydney Morning Herald . , 21 February;: 21

[24] Larkins R.. 1999a. . “'1998 in review'. ”. In 1998 Annual Report . , p. 5 Canberra : : AGPS. .

[25] Ellicot J.. 1997. . 'Medical research body faces overhaul'. . The Australian . , 4 June;: 3

[26] NHMRC. . 2000. . Annual Report 1999 . , p. 31––2. . Canberra : : AGPS. .

[27] Weisbrod B.. 1983. . Economics and Medical Health . , Washington : : American Enterprise institute for Public Policy Research. .

[28] Brough J.. 1996. . 'Howard to reign in statutory bodies'. . Sydney Morning Herald . , 6 March;: 3

[29] Leeder S.. 1994. . 'Government's chance to take fresh steps on health'. . Sydney Morning Herald . , 3 February;: 13

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Priority Setting and Resource Allocation in Australian Biomedical Research: Muddling with Some Skill

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