Organizing collection, selection, and ranking of ideas leading to national R&D projects

The present paper aims at presenting a rational way of collecting, selecting, and ranking problem-generating ideas to be solved by R&D on a national plane. In order to carry out the above target, the author worked out a questionnaire for the collection of information (technological, economic, and financial) related to the idea supplied. So as to select from among the ideas collected, a sifting system has been devised, relying on the following main criteria: 1) that the idea should not be achievable by technological transfer; 2) that the idea should be technologically feasible and economically efficient, while the relevant R&D and implementation expenditure should be financially creditable. (See cybernetic flow chart no. 1.) A ranking system of ideas selected has also been drafted to meet the requirements of program A (criterion function: to maximize the present value sum of additional profits and taxes obtainable by implementing the new idea) or, depending on the state of the given national economy, program B (criterion function: to maximize the present value excess of hard currency also obtainable by implementing the new idea). See Section VI.