Date of Award

9-1995

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

First Advisor

Richard Franza, PhD

Abstract

The objective of this thesis is to determine if a significant difference in the innovative strength of businesses exists when factors such as firm size, agreement type and other firm attributes are considered. Sample data for this study was collected by a telephone survey from firms selected from the Air Force population of CRDAs and SBIRs for Fiscal Years 1991-1993. The design of this survey, based on one used by Dr. Robert Berger to study SBIR outcomes, determines the degree of commercialization of the firm's product resulting from its agreement with the Air Force. This determination is then employed as a measure of the innovative ability of the firm. Additionally, the survey collects several variables describing the state of the firm at the inception of the SBIR or CRDA, such as firm size, product orientation, and prior business experience in order to assess their correlation with the commercialization outcome. This researcher found that the degree of commercialization differed significantly between the two contract mechanisms. Moreover, firm size possessed a negative relationship with the degree of commercialization for CRDAs. Additionally, the more mature the technology transferred under both SBIRs or CRDAs, the greater the degree of commercialization. (MM)

AFIT Designator

AFIT-GCM-LAS-95S-8

DTIC Accession Number

ADA300510

Comments

The author's Vita page is omitted.

Presented to the Faculty of the Graduate School of Logistics and Acquisition Management of the Air Force Institute of Technology.

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