1 Introduction: Why Evaluate Public Institutions -- Overview of the Book -- 2 Public Policies Toward Public Accountability -- Performance Accountability -- Fiscal Accountability -- Conclusions -- 3 Economic Models Applicable to Institutional Evaluation -- Counterfactual Evaluation Model Contrasted with Griliches/Mansfield and Related Evaluation Models -- Conclusions -- 4 Performance Evaluation Metrics -- Internal Rate of Return -- Implied Rate of Return -- Ratio of Benefits-to-Costs -- Conclusions -- 5 Case Studies: An Overview -- A Brief History of NIST -- Evaluation Activities of the Program Office -- Evaluation Activities of the Advanced Technology Program -- Conclusions -- 6 Optical Detector Calibration Program -- Optical Detector Calibration -- Optical Detector Technology -- U.S. Optical Detector Industry -- Economic Impact Assessment -- Conclusions -- 7 Thermocouple Calibration Program -- Thermocouples: A Technical Overview -- Thermocouples: An Industrial Overview -- Economic Impact Assessment -- Conclusions -- 8 Software Error Compensation Research -- Market for Coordinate Measuring Machines -- Software Error Compensation Technology -- NIST's Role in the Development and Diffusion of SEC -- Economic Impact Assessment -- Conclusions -- 9 Ceramic Phase Diagram Program -- Phase Equilibria Program -- Role of Phase Diagrams in Industrial Applications -- Industry and Market for Advanced Ceramics -- Economic Impact Assessment -- Conclusions -- 10 Alternative Refrigerant Research Program -- NIST Research Related to Alternative Refrigerants -- Technical Overview of Alternative Refrigerants -- Overview of the Refrigerant Industry -- Economic Impact Assessment -- Conclusions -- 11 Spectral Irradiance Standards -- The FASCAL Laboratory -- Economic Impact Assessment -- Conclusions -- 12 Printed Wiring Board Research Joint Venture -- Overview of the Printed Wiring Board Industry -- Printed Wiring Board Research Joint Venture -- Research Cost Savings, Early Productivity Gains, and Other Effects -- Conclusions -- 13 Flat Panel Display Joint Venture -- U.S. Flat Panel Display Industry and Technology -- ATP-Funded Rat Panel Display Joint Venture -- Partial Economic Analysis of the Joint Venture -- Conclusions -- 14 Toward Best Practices in Performance Evaluation -- Summarizing the NIST Experience -- Toward Best Practices in Performance Evaluation -- References.

Public Accountability: Evaluating Technology-Based Institutions presents guidelines for evaluating the research performance of technology-based public institutions, and illustrates these guidelines through case studies conducted at one technology-based public institution, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The aim of this book is to demonstrate that a clear, more precise response to the question of performance accountability is possible through the systematic application of evaluation methods to document value. The authors begin with a review of the legislative history of fiscal accountability beginning with the Budget and Accounting Act of 1921, and ending with the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993. A discussion of existing applicable economic models, methods, and associated metrics follows. The book concludes with evaluation case studies.