The Rate of Return to R&D Investments
NBER seeks research on measuring and understanding the rate of return to R&D investments, focusing on sectoral differences, methodologies, and innovation policy impacts.
Funder: National Bureau of Economic Research
Due Dates (Anticipated): June 2027 (paper or extended abstract submission, projected)
Funding Amounts: No direct research funding; support may include conference participation and publication opportunities.
Summary: Supports research advancing the measurement and understanding of the rate of return to R&D investments, with emphasis on sectoral differences, methodologies, and innovation policy impacts.
Key Information: Especially encourages submissions from early-career researchers and non-NBER affiliates.
Description
This grant opportunity, administered by the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), aims to advance research on the rate of return to research and development (R&D) investments. Inspired by the foundational work of Zvi Griliches, the initiative seeks to inform debates about how returns differ between public and private sectors, across types of R&D projects, and among government agencies. The program encourages studies on topics such as differences in returns to basic versus applied research, methods for estimating non-pecuniary benefits of innovation, measurement of innovation diffusion and obsolescence, estimates of knowledge spillovers, and the effects of innovation policy instruments. Selected research will be featured in a dedicated "Pop Up Journal" and at an annual conference, providing a platform for dissemination and engagement with the broader economics and innovation community.
