What are the Three Types of R&D? 1. Basic Research

Basic research is experimental or theoretical work undertaken primarily to acquire new knowledge of the underlying foundations of phenomena and observable facts, without any particular application or use in view.

Basic research analyses properties, structures and relationships with a view to formulating and testing hypotheses, theories or laws. The reference to no “particular application in view” in the definition of basic research is crucial, as the performer may not know about potential applications when doing the research or responding to survey questionnaires. The results of basic research are not generally sold but are usually published in scientific journals or circulated to interested colleagues. Occasionally, the publication of basic research may be

restricted for reasons of national security.

In basic research, the researcher is expected to have some freedom to set goals. Such research is usually performed in the Higher education sector but also to some extent in the Government sector. Basic research can be oriented or directed towards some broad fields of general interest, with the explicit goal of a range of future applications. Business enterprises in the private sector may also undertake basic research even though there may be no specific commercial applications anticipated in the short term. Research on some kinds of energy-saving technologies may be described as basic according to the above definition if it does not have a specific use in view. However, it does have a specific direction: improved energy savings. Such research in this manual is referred to as “oriented

basic research”.

Oriented basic research may be distinguished from “pure basic research” as follows:

Pure basic research is carried out for the advancement of knowledge, without seeking economic or social benefits or making an active effort to apply the results to practical problems or to transfer the results to sectors responsible for their application.

Oriented basic research is carried out with the expectation that it will produce a broad base of knowledge likely to form the basis of the solution to recognised or expected current or future problems or possibilities.