Issue 10 Volume 41 May 16, 2003

The objective of our review was to describe the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) actions and plans for
implementing the results-oriented practices required in the Aviation and Transportation Security Act (ATSA) and recommend
next steps for TSA to build a results-oriented organizational culture and to establish a positive control environment. To identify
results-oriented practices and recommend next steps, we reviewed our models, guides, reports, and other products on strategic
planning and performance measurement, strategic human capital management, transformation efforts, and other related areas.
We next analyzed ATSA in relation to our products to identify any results-oriented practices that were statutorily required in
the legislation. In addition, we reviewed TSA and Department of Transportation missions, performance goals and measures,
performance agreements, policies and procedures, and organizational charts and other relevant documentation. To describe
TSA’s status in implementing these results-oriented practices, we interviewed 25 officials from various TSA offices including
strategic planning, human capital, training, budget, public affairs, and policy, among others. We also visited Baltimore-
Washington International airport after it was transitioned to federal control to talk to front-line managers about their
responsibilities and specifically their role in providing performance data to headquarters. We developed the recommended next
steps by referring to our models, guides, reports, and other products on results-oriented practices and identifying additional
practices that were associated with and would further complement or support current TSA efforts. We performed our work
from May through September 2002 in accordance with generally accepted government auditing standards.
NTIS
Transportation; Security; Management Planning
20030037151 California Univ., Berkeley. Dept. of Economics, North Carolina Univ. at Greensboro. Dept. of Economics,
Dartmouth Coll., Hanover, NH
Universities as Research Partners
Hall, B. H.; Link, A. N.; Scott, J. T.; Jun. 2002; 80 pp.; In English
Report No.(s): PB2003-102755; No Copyright; Avail: CASI; A05, Hardcopy
Universities are a key institution in the U.S. innovation system, and an important aspect of university involvement is the
role universities play in private-public partnering activities. This study seeks to gain a better understanding of the performance
of university-industry research partnerships by using a survey of a sample of pre-commercial research projects funded by the
U.S. Advanced Technology Program (ATP). Although results must be interpreted cautiously because of the small sample size,
the study finds that projects with university involvement tend to be in areas involving new science and therefore the projects
may experience more difficulty and delay but also are more likely to end successfully. This finding implies that universities
are contributing to basic research awareness and insight among the partners in ATP-funded projects.
NTIS
Universities; Research Management; Surveys
20030037161 Patent and Trademark Office, Washington, DC
USA Patent and Trademark Office 21st Century Strategic Plan
Jun. 03, 2002; 20 pp.
Report No.(s): PB2003-102786; No Copyright; Avail: CASI; A03, Hardcopy
Today, the USA Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is under siege. Patent application filings have increased
dramatically throughout the world. There are an estimated seven million pending applications in the world’s examination
pipeline, and the annual workload growth rate is in the range of 20-30 percent. Technology has become increasingly complex,
and demands from customers for higher quality products and services have escalated. Our applicants are concerned that the
fees they pay to have their patent and trademark applications examined are being diverted for other purposes, thereby
jeopardizing the benefits intellectual property rights bring to our national economy. In the USA, these demands have created
substantial workload challenges in the processing of patents. The Congress, the owners of intellectual property, the patent bar,
and the public-at-large have all told us that we must address these challenges aggressively and promptly.
NTIS
Management Planning; Information Systems
219