Prospectus for National Knowledge Assessment (1996)

Summary: This prospectus was prepared by a committee of the National Research Council in response to a request from the World Bank. The concept of a knowledge assess-ment arose during the course of a symposium on the topic Marshaling Technology for Development, sponsored jointly by the World Bank and the National Research Council in November 1994. The test of the knowledge economy is efficient use of knowledge resources. It can be measured by the extent to which knowledge is put to use by all sectors of society through profitable knowledge-based enterprises, effective health services, a sustaining and sustainable agricultural sys-tem, and a productive educational system, and in the longer term, by the reduction of inequality in society. Designed to be rapid and low cost, the Knowledge Assessment methodology relies on a role playing venture capital model whereby a small number of visiting experts work with local producers, researchers, and others to explore the local culture, economy, and technical capability in order to identify investment opportunities and possible barriers to knowledge-based enterprises.