Exploring the Unknown - NASA's History Office

EXPLORING THE UNKNOWN 561
earlier benefits studies. Monetary data was standardized by using current estimates and
converting labor-saving information into dollars whenever possible. Relevant information
was highlighted using key words or phrases. . . .
[23] PART III. BENEFITS: CONTRIBUTION TO SALES OR SAVINGS
The primary focus of the study has been the nature and extent of benefits from the
application of NASA developed or NASA provided technology. This has been expressed,
where it was possible to make estimates of quantification, in terms of either sales or in savings—stated
in dollars or as a percentage of business. Where dollar savings could not be
elicited from the respondents, emphasis was placed upon man months or man years, and
also savings that might be estimated resulting from materials, utilities, equipment, maintenance
and even avoided research and development costs. As noted in the section on the
study approach, [Chapman Research Group] researchers have attempted to “standardize”
these sales and savings benefits (where they were provided) so that the resulting figures
presented in this study represent total dollars in sales or savings, even though the initial
answers may have been given on a yearly basis, on a percentage of sales, or in man years
of effort.
The term sales includes such items as new products, additional sales because of an
improved product, or increased sales because of NASA use. No attempt was made to isolate
the specific economic contributions of the particular technology or assistance to the
full range of sales. However, this report excludes gross sales/savings figures that probably
included other products or processes. . . . The complete assurance of [24] excluding all
but directly “provable” benefits can only be done through detailed case studies and examination
of accounting information from the particular firms involved. Since all of these
interviews involved telephone interviews, the researchers relied upon the estimates of the
respondents and often accepted total sales figures of a particular product where the technology
was used. This means that the NASA technology contributed to the sales, but that
contribution can vary substantially from a relatively small percentage of the total sales or
saving figure to one where a new product or process was completely dependent upon the
NASA technology.
Savings include such concerns as increased efficiency, labor saved, reduction in materials,
maintenance, utilities and processing costs and research and development avoided.
The various applications were categorized according to end use as described in the
Spinoff article. This resulted in nine categories: communication/data processing, energy,
industrial (manufacturing and processes), medical, consumer products, public safety,
transportation, environmental, and other. Leaving aside the “other” category, the largest
contributions were made to industrial use, followed by transportation, medical, and consumer
products. See Table I, “Benefits Realized from NASA-furnished Technology, Case
Applications from Spinoff Reports, By Categories of End Use, Sales or Savings,” for a breakdown
by end use description, showing number of cases, sales and savings.