Is the fall in overall productivity growth in the United States and other developed countries related to the rising share of the service sectors in the economy? Since services represent well over half of the U.S. gross national product, it is also important to ask whether these sectors have had a slow rate of growth, as this would act as a major drag on the productivity growth of the overall economy and on its competitive performance. In this timely volume, leading experts from government and academia argue that faulty statistics have prevented a clear understanding of these issues.

Output Measurement in Science and Technology: Essays in Honor of Yvan Fabian focuses on the processes, methodologies, and indicators of the advancement in science and technology. The selection first offers information on a technology gap approach to why growth rates differ and the impact of technological innovation on international trade patterns. Discussions focus on industrial innovation and international trade performance, use of patents in international trade analyses, technology gaps, innovation and economic growth, and economic and technological levels of development. The text then elaborates on a survey of literature on patents and the measurement of technological change and patents as indicators of corporate technological strength, including patents as predictors of financial performance and corporate technological strength, improving the patent information, and patents in the innovation process. The manuscript ponders on an empirical study on patents and inventors and a study of innovation in the pesticide industry. Topics include market demand and environmental concern, quantitative and qualitative analysis of pesticide innovations over time, and a review of innovation in pesticides. The selection is a dependable reference for researchers wanting to study the output measurement in science and technology.

This User’s Guide is a resource for investigators and stakeholders who develop and review observational comparative effectiveness research protocols. It explains how to (1) identify key considerations and best practices for research design; (2) build a protocol based on these standards and best practices; and (3) judge the adequacy and completeness of a protocol. Eleven chapters cover all aspects of research design, including: developing study objectives, defining and refining study questions, addressing the heterogeneity of treatment effect, characterizing exposure, selecting a comparator, defining and measuring outcomes, and identifying optimal data sources. Checklists of guidance and key considerations for protocols are provided at the end of each chapter. The User’s Guide was created by researchers affiliated with AHRQ’s Effective Health Care Program, particularly those who participated in AHRQ’s DEcIDE (Developing Evidence to Inform Decisions About Effectiveness) program. Chapters were subject to multiple internal and external independent reviews. More more information, please consult the Agency website: www.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov)

Suggests procedures for service evaluation, discusses measures and interpretations, and looks at possible follow-up actions.

This book summarises the available OECD and other international data on public sector inputs and processes. It also examines the existing internationally comparable data on outputs and outcomes, and recommends new approaches to measurement.