Opening Up Military Innovation: Causal Effects of Reforms to US Defense Research
研究比较了美国空军研发资助中开放式与常规式竞争对创新的影响，发现开放式资助能同时促进商业创新和军事技术采纳，而常规资助则导致项目锁定。
For governments procuring innovation, one choice is whether to specify desired products (a conventional approach) or allow firms to suggest ideas (an open approach). Using a US Air Force R&D grant program where open and conventional competitions were held simultaneously, we find that open awards increase both commercial innovation and technology adoption by the military. In contrast, conventional awards have no positive effects on new technology but do create more program lock-in. We present evidence that openness matters over and above inducing differential selection, for example, of less well-established firms. These results suggest benefits from open approaches to innovation procurement.