The evaluation of national performance in selected priority areas using scientometric methods

How effectively can 'emerging' science-based technologies be coupled to national R&D systems? Dutch and Canadian priority programs in biotechnology and advanced materials are analyzed in terms of differential increases in scientific output by using scientometric indicators and mappings. Methodological issues about using scientometric methods for science policy evaluations in the case of interdisciplinary and rapidly changing areas of 'techno-science' are discussed. The major finding of the paper is that Canadian researchers seem to have used the priority programs as an alternative source of funding, while their Dutch colleagues were able to use these programs to help their specialties grow above the national average, and in accordance with selected priorities. Thus, the results suggest that the national dimension has been more important for explaining differences in performance than the substantive specificity of the two priority areas.