Results of attempts to quantify the secondary economic effects generated by big research centers

This paper reviews several years of research aiming at quantifying the surplus generated by the two big research centers European Nuclear Research Organisation (CERN) and European Space Agency (ESA) through their industrial contractors (called in this context, economic utility), and the distribution of this surplus amongst industry's economic agents. It contains a brief description of the method used and the quantification models developed with the help of more than 300 industrial managers who were interviewed. Finally, results are presented and discussed. The paper also contains a critical review of the present shortcomings and limitations of this approach.