Introduction to the ISO specification language LOTOS

LOTOS is a specification language that has been specifically developed for the formal description of the OSI (Open Systems Interconnection) architecture, although it is applicable to distributed, concurrent systems in general. In LOTOS a system is seen as a set of processes which interact and exchange data with each other and with their environment. LOTOS is expected to become an ISO international standard by 1988

A selected glossary of electronic data interchange and related terms

School of Managemen

Research Evaluation as a Policy Design Tool: Mapping Approaches across a Set of Case Studies

This paper provides an overview of research evaluation practices across countries. The main aim is to investigate whether research assessment is implemented and to see to what extent its results are used to revise policy strategies, identify new research priorities, allocate financial resources or enhance public understanding of R&D. The paper addresses a set of cases studies, four within Europe (UK, Finland, Italy, and Spain) and two outside (US and Japan). Each case study provides an outline of the strategies devised to improve the domestic science system; offers a map of the main actors of science policy and introduces the main performers of research assessment. A short overview of how evaluation is approached at European level is also given. The study shows that approaches vary significantly from case to case and that it is not always possible to identify a clear research evaluation framework. In some cases, new strategies have been devised to improve the research system and the process of renovation has affected the structure and the role of research assessment. Overall, official documents across countries emphasise that research evaluation is not a means in itself, and call on its use as a policy design tool. However, very few cases of “management by results” can be identified. The success of research evaluation practice is always tied to strong cultural support and it is where research assessment meets with reluctance and mistrust that it yields no fruit. The absence of an “evaluative culture” is the main obstacle to an efficient research evaluation system.Research Evaluation Systems, Management by Results, Evaluative Culture, Research Policy, Policy Planning

Public Support for Innovation, Intangible Investment and Productivity Growth in the UK Market Sector

Pressure on public finances has increased scrutiny of public support for innovation. We examine two particular issues. First, there have been many recent calls for the (relatively new) UK R&D subsidy to be extended to other “research” activities, such as software. Second, argument still rages about the efficacy of direct public spending on R&D via spending on academic research councils, universities, and government undertaken work on civil and military R&D. To evaluate these questions we use data on market sector productivity, R&D and non-R&D intangible assets, and public sector R&D spending. We look for evidence of market sector spillovers from intangible investment and from public R&D. We find (a) no evidence of spillover effects from intangible investment at the market sector level, including from R&D, (b) strong evidence of market sector spillovers from public R&D spend on research councils, and (c) no evidence of market sector spillovers from public spending on civil or defence R&D. Our findings tentatively suggest that for maximum market sector productivity impact government innovation policy should focus on direct spending on research councils.intangible assets, productivity, R&D, spillovers

Applying formal methods to standard development: the open distributed processing experience

Since their introduction, formal methods have been applied in various ways to different standards. This paper gives an account of these applications, focusing on one application in particular: the development of a framework for creating standards for Open Distributed Processing (ODP). Following an introduction to ODP, the paper gives an insight into the current work on formalising the architecture of the Reference Model of ODP (RM-ODP), highlighting the advantages to be gained. The different approaches currently being taken are shown, together with their associated advantages and disadvantages. The paper concludes that there is no one all-purpose approach which can be used in preference to all others, but that a combination of approaches is desirable to best fulfil the potential of formal methods in developing an architectural semantics for OD