1.
Document
Paper of the
services of
DG
Competition
containing a
draft
Framework
for state aid
for research
and
development
and
innovation
Definitions proposals for draft Framework for state aid for research and development and innovation
Original text
Proposal
Notes
(e) 'applied research' means
‘Applied research’ is experimental or theoretical work Even accepting erroneous definitions
industrial research, experimental
undertaken to acquire new knowledge of the underlying (see below), of the document under
development, or any combination of foundation of phenomena and observable facts, directed consideration, this definition is
both;
primarily towards a specific practical aim or objective.1
absolutely illogical: ‘Industrial
Research’ includes modelling,
Note: ‘Applied Research’ corresponds to Technology
prototyping, piloting, market
Readiness Levels (TRL) from 1 to 2
validation activities and applied
research as well (it encompasses the
(Definition is compiled from OECD Frascati Manual)
whole cycle of the development of
new product), when ‘Experimental
Development’ includes the same
activities (modelling, prototyping,
piloting, market validation
activities). Furthermore, statement
If we want to describe the whole cycle of the development “any combination of both” is
of new product (as it could be presumed from this attempt
misleading. How could two
of definition) we have to include in this cycle all levels of
overlapping activities be combined?
TRL system from 1 to 9. For this purpose the following
definition (or something similar) could be proposed:
‘New Product Development Cycle’ is comprised as the
planned activities directed to acquiring the knowledge and
use this knowledge for the developing of new products, and
the introductions of such products to the market.
Note: ‘New Product Development Cycle’ corresponds to
Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) from 1 to 9
Explanation: the whole cycle of the development of new
research based products encompasses both types of R&D
activities – research (‘Applied Research’) and
technological (‘Experimental Development’)
1
http://www.uis.unesco.org/Library/Documents/OECDFrascatiManual02_en.pdf
1
2.
(j) 'experimental development'
‘Experimental Development’ is systematic work, drawing
means acquiring, combining, shaping on existing knowledge gained from research and/or
and using existing scientific,
practical experience, which is directed to producing new
technological, business and other
products, or to substantially improving those already
relevant knowledge and skills with
produced. (additionally see definition of the term
the aim of developing new or
‘Product’)
improved products, processes or
services. This may also include, for
Note: ‘Experimental Development’ corresponds to TRL
example, activities aiming at the
from 3 to 9
conceptual definition, planning and
documentation of new products,
TRL system levels from 5 to 8 correspond to the second
processes or services. Experimental
part of the ‘Experimental Development’ activity and could
development may comprise
prototyping, demonstrating, piloting, be defined as ‘Technology Demonstration’ stage (see
below)
testing and validation of new or
improved products, processes or
(It is suggested modified definition from OECD Frascati
services in environments
Manual).
representative of real life operating
conditions where the primary
objective is to make further technical Explanation: ‘Experimental Development’ is the complex
improvements on products, processes of the activities aiming the development of new products
and introducing them into market. These activities use
or services that are not substantially
scientific, technological, practical and business knowledge
set. This may include the
development of a commercially
and are executed using technological methods. Scientific
usable prototype or pilot which is
Research methods are not used in ‘Experimental
necessarily the final commercial
Development’.
product and which is too expensive
‘Experimental Development’ according to this definition
to produce for it to be used only for
includes two main stages of the production of the new
demonstration and validation
products for the market:
purposes. Experimental development 1) development of the product (TRL 3-5) including the
does not include routine or periodic
finishing of the product prototype;
changes made to existing products,
2) preparation of the product for the market (TRL 6-9)
production lines, manufacturing
including demonstration, piloting and market validation
processes, services and other
processes
2
Definition suggested in the document
is more descriptive than defining
which is dangerous for legal
document because could be
interpreted in many ways. All
examples and explanations have to
be transferred to manuals or
vademecums.
operations in progress, even if those
changes may represent
improvements.
15 Note: Experimental
development usually corresponds to
Technology Readiness Levels 5-8.
.
3.
4.
Definition is absent
'fundamental research' means
experimental or theoretical work
undertaken primarily to acquire new
knowledge of the underlying
foundations of phenomena and
observable facts, without any direct
commercial application or use in
view
16 Note: Fundamental research
usually corresponds to Technology
Readiness Level 1.
‘Technology (Product) Demonstration’ is the second
stage of ‘Experimental Development’ activity comprising
the processes encompassing all activities related to the
preparation of the new product or significantly improved
existing one for its introducing into market.
The definition could be used if we
want to define separately the second
(the last) stage of ‘Experimental
Development’ which corresponds to
the TRL from 6 to 9
Note: ‘Technology (Product) Demonstration’ stage
corresponds to TRL from 6 to 9
Explanation: Technology demonstration activities may
include product prototype demonstration, improvement,
piloting and market validation processes encompassing
standardization, certification and metrology demands.
‘Product’ (as economy category) – the object made as a
result of work or attempts which could be placed on the
market for the satisfaction of desires and needs
Explanation: ‘Product’ in that perception may comprise
technology, material, device, article, process, system,
service, solution of human or social problems, etc.
'fundamental research' means experimental or theoretical
work undertaken primarily to acquire new knowledge of the
underlying foundations of phenomena and observable facts,
without any direct commercial application or use in view
Note: ‘Fundamental Research’ does not fall within the
scope of the technology management system of TRL
because this system is related to the human’s activities for
solving its problems but not for learning about the laws of
nature.
3
Defining the ‘Product’ in the
broadest meaning as all
economically valuable objects made
by humans eases the understanding
of all types of products and clear
definition and distinguishing of all
stages of innovation cycle.
‘Fundamental Research’ according
to definition in the document (which
is absolutely clear and correct) is
undertaken for „to acquire the
knowledge without any direct
commercial application or use in
view”, i. e. could not correspond to
the technology development i. e. to
the any Technology Readiness Level
(see also the definition of the term
‘Technology’)
5.
6.
'industrial research' means the
planned research or critical
investigation aimed at the acquisition
of new knowledge and skills for
developing new products, processes or
services or for bringing about a
significant improvement in existing
products, processes or services. It
comprises the creation of components
parts to complex systems, and may
include the construction of prototypes
in a laboratory environment or in an
environment with simulated interfaces
to existing systems as well as of small
scale pilot lines to test and validate the
manufacturing method performance,
when necessary for the industrial
research and notably for generic
technology validation
Proposal: Do not use the term ‘Industrial Research’ and
instead of this term to define the first stage of
‘Experimental Development’, i. e. ‘Technology
(Product) Development’ (see below)
‘Technology (Product) Development’ is experimental
development activities aimed to the development of new
product or significant improvement of the existing one and
resulting in the producing of the prototype of the new
product
Note: ‘Technology Development’ stage corresponds to
TRL from 3 to 5
Note: Industrial research usually
corresponds to Technology
Readiness Levels 2-4.
7.
Definition is absent
8.
Definition is absent
2
‘Technology’ – is the making, modification, usage, and
knowledge of tools, machines, techniques, crafts, systems,
methods of organization, in order to solve a problem,
improve a pre-existing solution to a problem, achieve a
goal or perform a specific function.
‘Research’ – studious inquiry or examination; especially:
investigation or experimentation aimed at the discovery
and interpretation of facts, revision of accepted theories or
laws in the light of new facts, or practical application of
such new or revised theories or laws 2.
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/research
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In the EU regulation the term
‘Industrial Research’ is still valid
and defined as ’Applied Research’
according to OECD Frascati Manual.
Actual (in this document) definition
encompasses very broad scale of
activities from applied research to all
experimental development activities,
i. e. encompasses all R&D activities.
This actual definition (description)
does not correspond to the statement
in the note that these activities could
be assigned to the TRL 2-4 because
prototyping, piloting and validation
are the activities typical for higher
levels of TRL system (5-9)
Following the logic of clear
definition of all stages of innovation
cycle those early levels of TRL
system could be defined as
‘Technology (Product)
Development’ stage (first part of
‘Experimental Development’
activities)
Attention: proposed definition is
encompassing all technologies
including “non-technological”
technologies as well (social, cultural
and humanitarian technologies)
Explanation:
‘(Scientific)
Research’
includes
‘Fundamental Research’ and ‘Applied Research’
activities are aimed at acquiring of scientific knowledge.
‘Research’ activities could be executed using exclusively
scientific methods when ‘Experimental Development’
activities are aimed at the development of new products
and are executed using technological methods.
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