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The Program on Information Resources Policy (PIRP) was a research program at Harvard University, sometimes referred to informally as "Harvard’s think tank on the information age." See 〔http://www.pirp.harvard.edu/about/〕 for a complete explanation. It was established on February 1, 1973 by John LeGates and Anthony Oettinger and closed on June 30, 2011 by the same principals. It worked in the realm of communications and information resources. At most points in its history it employed about fifty people, mostly professionals, and was supported by about 100 different organizations. It offered courses and seminars, and produced research publications as is usual for an academic program. However its principal goal was to aid industry, government and public decision makers with sound reasoning and with information that was both impartial and competent. To that purpose it developed research and dissemination methods that were innovative and unique. In the words of the Program: * We deal mainly with controversial matters of continuing relevance. * We work on emerging issues in the middle time range—a focus close enough for the issues to be of concern to real stakeholders and remote enough for outcomes to be open. * We lay out the essentials of controversies but do not take sides, make recommendations, or attempt to predict the future. * We forego relationships that might bias us—such as consulting, partisan expert testimony, or membership on corporate boards. * We operate with diversified financial support from stakeholders in the controversies worked on. * Our work is reviewed by these stakeholders and by members of the relevant professions and disciplines. * All our work is available to the public. Everyone knows in advance that this is so. * Our work is neither proprietary nor classified. We neither work toward external deadlines nor respond to requests for proposals (RFPs). * We aspire to intellectual, financial, and institutional stability regardless of the ins and outs of fashions and incumbencies. ==Financial Supporters/Work Affiliates== Over its career, the Program was supported by about 400 organizations, called "Affiliates". It worked closely with those and many others. Here is the complete list: The Program produced approximately 500 publications. Most were extensively reviewed by both disciplinary experts and by stakeholders in the topics under discussion. Full texts of almost all are available on the Program website.〔http://www.pirp.harvard.edu/publications/〕 The purpose of the Program was to make the information it developed available to decision makers in real time. This was most often accomplished by confidential face–to-face meetings, usually with senior people in the affiliates. A customary format would be for the affiliate to describe its major uncertainties. The Program would respond with whatever it knew that might be relevant. The hoped-for results, if any, would be better information and thinking for the affiliate. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Program on Information Resources Policy」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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