VIII THE ORGANIZATION OF R&D 



OVERALL STRUCTURE AND INSTITUTIONAL SETTING 



In keeping with the Kremlin's basically central- 

 ized approach to science policy, the organization 

 and conduct of R&D in the USSR are highly structured 

 along strong hierarchical lines. Soviet authorities 

 attempt to plan and manage the research-to-production 

 process as a single unit. Accordingly, the institu- 

 tional structure that has been created to promote the 

 process is regarded as an integrated "organizational 

 system" with relatively detailed formal roles and re- 

 sponsibilities assigned to the vast array of individ- 

 ual actors and special agencies that make up its con- 

 stituent parts. 



Generally speaking, as many observers have noted, 

 the overall institutional framework resembles the in- 

 ternal organization of a large business enterprise 

 that operates on mainly three levels (Figure 9-1) . At 

 the top or apex of the pyramid is the corporate "head- 

 quarters" that includes the chief executives and their 

 main staff assistants and offices. Their task is to 

 develop broad strategy and to set organizational pol- 

 icy and procedure. In the USSR the central decision 

 making authorities include both Communist Party and 

 governmental units at the all-union or national level 

 as well as the republic level. There are also what we 

 may term "functional" agencies which are responsible 

 for the formulation, coordination, and monitoring of 

 policy in a given area for all establishments in the 

 economy. Most of these agencies are designated 

 "state committees" and report directly to the central 

 governmental policy-making organs. Such functions as 

 planning, finance, and supply are the responsibility 

 of bodies of this type. 



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