Home > Policy > White Paper, Notice, Announcement > White Paper > WHITE PAPER ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY2003 > Part1 1.1 1.1.2 1.1.2.2

  As mentioned above,there are many people besides researchers who are engaged in science and technology-related activities.This section will give an overview of the diverse HRST.

  Modern science and technology have developed in conjunction with each other,with new scientific discoveries leading straight into the creation of new technologies,and the development of new technologies triggering new scientific discoveries.For instance,Professor Masatoshi Koshiba's suc-cess at winning last year's Nobel Prize in element-ary particle physics-a cutting-edge field within physics-was supported by the technological de-velopment of a measuring devise by a private-sector enterprise.In the life sciences as well,advances in DNA analysis and mapping,for example,have been supporting the flowering of molecular biology in recent years.The function of technology,therefore,is vital to the creation of knowledge.

  Among the people defined as human resources in science and technology in this report,tech-nicians account for the majority.Command of various production technologies and skills is im-portant in order to bring to society the products developed from the fruits of knowledge;many technicians participate actively in that process.Technicians give shape to created knowledge and undertake the role of securing and developing the technologies that serve as the basis of knowledge creation.

  As is additionally understood from the fact that the Nobel Laureate in chemistry,Mr.Koichi Tanaka,refers to himself as a"technician,"there is,in general,continuity between"researchers"and"technicians."It is particularly difficult to draw a clear line between the two in business R&D,where technicians who were conducting research fre-quently transfer along with their research results to the development and production sides.Con-sequently,it should be noted that some of the personnel in this report who are called researchers are included within those referred to as technicians.

  Proper management is essential in order to conduct research and development that is precisely adapted to the present day knowledge-based society.Until now it was common practice at research sites for researchers to move into management positions as they advanced up through job grades,and in the era when the objectives of research and development were clear,as Japan was a follower of North America and Europe,management did not become too much of a constraining factor.As previously noted,however,the efficiency of returns on R&D investment has been declining in the present when Japan has become a leader,and so the importance of the management factor has been increasing.

  The management of research and development activities requires completely different skills from those needed for R&D itself,and at the same time knowledge of science and technology and under-standing of the characteristics of research and development are indispensable.The securing and development of personnel who are conversant with both science and technology and management has therefore become a challenge.Consequently,the field referred to as Management of Technology(MOT)has been attracting attention within the world of business administration in recent years,and educational institutions with MOT programs are on the rise,including those in the United States.

  In addition,the adequate evaluation of research and the suitable reflection of evaluation results are essential in order to properly manage research outcomes.In Japan,the issue of research evaluation is being worked on from all directions.In November2001the Prime Minister announced the National Guidelines on the Method of Evaluation for Governmental R&D,and in April2002the Law for Evaluations of Policies Performed by Administ-rative Institutions went into effect.In Japan,however,methods of evaluation were not as developed as compared with Europe and the United States until now.There is a consequent shortage of personnel who are capable of performing research evaluations.Thought must therefore be put into training and securing research evaluation personnel who possess not only specialist knowledge within a certain field,but who also have the skills and experience needed to perform evaluations.

  Personnel who utilize the fruits of science and technology in economic activities and in society are also important.The activities of technicians have thus far supported Japanese manufacturing,but the undertaking to maintain and pass those technologies and skills on to the future has become a pressing issue.Various measures are being promoted to maintain and improve the level of manufacturing infrastructure technology.The Basic Law to Promote Fundamental Technologies for Manu-facturing was enacted in March1999,and the"Manufacturing Fundamental Technology Pro-motion Basic Plan"was established in September2000.

  Moreover,in recent years there has been a demand for continuous innovation in utilizing the fruits of science and technology,and attention is turning to personnel who can support innovation in the future,particularly those who can mediate and serve as go-betweens in joint research,and those who possess specialist knowledge in science and technology and are also well versed in legal affairs.Furthermore,Japan is said to have a lack of personnel who are discerning enough to discover the seeds of science and technology and to spread them throughout the world,as is symbolized by the fact that the result for which Mr.Koichi Tanaka won the Nobel Prize in chemistry was discovered first not in Japan,but overseas.All of these personnel require specialist skills and abilities in their respective fields,and all must be developed.

  Humanity has benefited in various ways from the development of science and technology;at the same time though,the interface between science and technology and society has given rise to all manner of problems.In addition,because science and technology are often thought of as being dif-ficult to understand,there is concern over the est-rangement of the public from science and tech-nology.Consequently,the importance of personnel referred to as"interpreters,"those who take on the task of serving as bridges between science and technology and the general public,is on the rise.Moreover,it is also important to expand the per-sonnel who are engaged in science education in order to foster a basic grounding in science and technology.

  As was seen above,personnel with various skills are pursuing their respective roles in order to develop science and technology.According to a survey of researchers in Japan,when asked about their feelings concerning the various HRST,the majority of respondents reported feeling that there is a shortage both in terms of quantity and quality.In no case was the number of responses indicating a feeling of sufficiency greater than the number indicating a feeling of insufficiency( Figure1-1-13 ).The feeling of shortage,in terms of both quantity and quality,was particularly pronounced concerning personnel who act as go-betweens between science and technology and society,such as those who support the setting up of businesses,those who are discerners,those who handle intellectual properties,and those who are interpreters.Furthermore,concerning MOT personnel and those related to research evaluation,the feeling of shortage was high particularly in terms of quality,while for personnel who support research activities such as research assistants and technicians,there was a feeling of shortage more in terms of quantity than quality.

Figure1-1-13Researchers'feelings about the shortage of various HRST

  In order to raise the level of Japan's collective strength in terms of human resources,environ-ments that encourage people to acquire the skills required of their respective fields and that enable them to accumulate practical experience must be prepared for all the various HRST.

COLUMN "Cultures of Creativity"   In commemoration of the100th anniversary of the awarding of the first Nobel Prize in1901,a special exhibition entitled"Cultures of Creativity:Individuals and Milieus"was held in Stockholm in2001.The showpieces from this exhibition are now making an exhibition tour,having opened with a showing at the National Science Museum in Tokyo from March to June last year.They have been shown in the Republic of Korea,the United States,and other places around the world,and are scheduled to make a circuit through Europe.   The underlying question of the exhibition is:"What is creativity,and how can creative activity best be encouraged?"The exhibition attempts to illuminate"Individual Creativity"and"Creative Milieus"-primary factors in receiving the Nobel Prize-by selecting roughly30of the more than700Laureates from different fields,nations,and years,and also10milieus that appear time and again in connection with many of the Laureates.The exhibition also invites the visitor to contemplate the question:"Which is more important to the creative process:the individual or the environment?"   According to the Nobel Museum director,Professor Svante Lindqvist,the individual creativity displayed by the chosen Laureates has the following dimensions: Courage Challenge Invincible will These are qualities of calling established theories into question,of carving out new paths while believing in one's ownway despite what others may think. Combination:having the ability to combine knowledge and insight from different fields Novel perspective:having the ability to look at old questions and common phenomena from a new perspective Youthful spirit:having inquisitiveness not only in research but also in daily life and play Fortuity:not overlooking unanticipated results Diligence:having patience and perseverance Flashes of inspiration:regarded as important ideas that appear out of nowhere   At the same time,Professor Lindqvist remarked that the"environments that gave rise to creativity"for many of the Laureates had the following characteristics: Concentration(dense population) Varied talents These indicate the gathering together in one place a group of people who possess varied talents in different fields andspecialties. Communication Networks These two characteristics indicate the belonging to one or more networks,exchanging knowledge and ideas,and ability tocommunicate with each other. Places for informal gathering:having a place where people can gather informally-such as the laboratory cafeteria-separatefrom the established organization Ease of mobility:the ability to easily move between different environments(different research organizations,etc.) Resources:having the resources needed to carry out one's research Freedom:having complete freedom to choose one's own questions and follow one's own ideas Competition:having intense pressure to produce high results Chaos(a state of organizational instability):the appearance of space in which the individual can gain ground amidst the breakdown of established formal organization and hierarchy   Professor Lindqvist pointed out that among the three factors of resources,freedom,and competition,a subtle balance isstruck between the first two and the last.Chaos(a state of organizational instability):the appearance of space in which the individual can gain ground amidst thebreakdown of established formal organization and hierarchy   Professor Lindqvist further mentioned that in Hungary many prominent scientists,including Nobel Laureates,went through the elite high school known as the"Gimnazium,"and three Italian Laureates went to the same high school in Torino,where they were all taught by the same teacher.The Professor pointed out that these examples demonstrate the importance of early schooling and dedicated teachers.