Overview of research techniques involved in gathering information on current products that can provide input into new product development highlights consumer purchase and use patterns. Comparison of mail questionnaires, telephone surveys, focus group sessions, and in-person interviews notes type of data, timing, relative costs, and advantages and…

Reports on interviews with five CD-ROM producers and vendors about their future plans. Questions are posed in three areas: platforms and standards, such as compliance with the Z39.50 standard; software installation and setup features; and pricing, including costs of print and CD versions, discounts, and networking fees. (KRN)

A study was done of the views of senior research managers in industry on the roles of business and universities in innovation, techical change, and competitiveness. This effort stemmed from an earlier set of roundtable discussions on university-industry research alliances and sought to add a stronger component of industrial views to an ongoing…

Recounts an interview with chemist, educator, and executive Mary Good. Opinions are expressed about the status of basic research in chemistry, the relationship of chemical research to several federal agencies, the value of education in chemistry, and the perceptions of the public regarding the chemical community, particularly the health risks. (TW)

High-performance computing refers to the use of advanced computing technologies to solve highly complex problems in the shortest possible time. The federal High Performance Computing and Communications Initiative of the Advanced Research Project Agency (ARPA) attempts to accelerate availability and use of high performance computers and networks.…

The documents enclosed in this report provide a comprehensive and systematic review of the progress made in developing a network organization capable of supporting nanoscience education for the public on a national scale. There is a logic to the studies that were done and to the reports that are included in this notebook. The following are the…