Below is the uncorrected machine-read text of this chapter, intended to provide our own search engines and external engines with highly rich, chapter-representative searchable text of each book. Because it is UNCORRECTED material, please consider the following text as a useful but insufficient proxy for the authoritative book pages.
MODERATOR'S ADDRESS ON PLANNING, IMPLEMENTATION, AND OPERATIONS WILLIAM L. GARRISON UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY The planning, implementation, and operations panel shared the interest of other panels in the recognition and use of the comparative advantage of universities. We agreed with the other panels that there are some things that universities can do well and others for which they are less advantaged. An example was in Kevin Heanue's report -- the dissemination of information. Universities disseminate some kinds of information to certain kinds of people very well indeed. But many who might use the results of university research on transportation could be best reached through non-university communications networks. The panel discussed data problems, and it seems to have carried the discussion further than the other panels. The panel noted that for some critical kinds of research it is necessary to acquire original data, and the panel felt that the Office of University Research should be prepared to fund data acquisition in these circumstances. The panel noted that the DOT in Washington and the Transportation Systems Center in Cambridge have invested considerable resources in organizing transportation data and improving access to data systems. The panel felt that it would be useful if information about the data capability were distributed to researchers and if mechanisms and procedures could be developed so that researchers could take advantage of the capability. Overall, there was much agreement between the recommendations of the Panel on Planning, Implementation, and Operations and the recom- mendations of other panels. We were sensitive to planning and imple- mentation failures and gave high priority to research which would enhance capabilities to implement new systems or to revise old systems. We gave high priority to research which would enhance abilities to operate those systems. The ability to implement and operate requires major improvements in the planning process, so we gave high priority to research which would improve that process. But when specific research needs were discussed, then our priority was given to research which would predict the consequences of action. The reason for this is very simple. Improvements in the implementation, operations, and planning processes all 80
turn on knowing, "What will happen if." So the Panel on Planning, Implementation, and Operations started with practical concerns. But digging into what we need to know to re- spond to those concerns, the panel gave priority to basic information: basic information about technology forms and the cost and capabilities of technology, for example. The need is also for basic information about the structure of demand, who wants it and what are they willing to pay for it. The need is for information on how groups, organized in formal institutions or not, collectively go about acquiring and controlling resources, and how institutions that deliver systems function. Conse- quently, there was a high overlap between discussions by the Panel on Planning, Implementation, and Operations, and discussions in other panels. The reading of the panel reports will reflect that overlap. 81
