ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book discusses several mechanisms under consideration in the United States and abroad for creating new academic positions. It analyzes university hiring practices for "organized research units", and suggests the application of the clinical scholar model used in medical schools to the broader university, particularly in relation to the new arrangements being pursued for university-industry cooperation. The book examines the trends and projections for the elements that contributed to the period of mobilization. It presents an analyses of possible means for maintaining research vitality in universities, explores "organized research units"--nondepartmental centers, institutes, or programs. The book provides some background for considering the future of the academic research system. It also examines several approaches for increasing academic positions that have been tried or are being considered in Europe, Canada, and the United States.
