Working Paper: NBER ID: w27909
Authors: Daniel P. Gross; Bhaven N. Sampat
Abstract: World War II was one of the most acute emergencies in U.S. history, and the first where mobilizing science and technology was a major part of the government response. The U.S. Office of Scientific Research and Development (OSRD) led a far-ranging research effort to develop technologies and medical treatments that not only helped win the war, but also transformed civilian life, while laying the foundation for postwar innovation policy after it was dissolved. Scholars and policymakers have appealed to the wartime model as a template for other problems, often invoking the Manhattan Project rather than OSRD, which initiated and managed the broader effort of which atomic fission and dozens of other programs were a part. In this paper we bring OSRD into focus, describe how it worked, and explore what insights its experience offers today. We argue that several aspects of OSRD continue to be relevant, especially in crises, while also cautioning on the limits to generalizing from World War II to other settings.
Keywords: World War II; Crisis Innovation; OSRD; Research and Development; Public Policy
JEL Codes: H12; H56; N42; N72; O31; O32; O38
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| OSRD's organizational design (L23) | rapid mobilization of scientific resources (O36) |
| OSRD's organizational characteristics (L39) | significant technological advancements (O33) |
| OSRD's prioritization and coordination mechanisms (L90) | successful development and deployment of critical wartime technologies (H56) |
| OSRD model lessons (C90) | inform contemporary responses to modern crises (H12) |