Results are in from a new nationwide survey of 2,000 manufacturing executives conducted by the National Association of Manufacturing (NAM). Nearly two-thirds of the respondents to the 1997 Survey on Economic Growth believe that a lack of skilled workers is hindering their ability to grow. Sixty-four percent of those surveyed report that a significant number of their entry level employees do not have the skills needed to help increase productivity and growth.

Nominations of individuals to serve on the Sea Grant Review panel are being solicited. The panel advises the National Sea Grant College Program on the operations of the program, including review of applications or proposals for grants and contracts and the designation and operation of sea grant colleges and sea grant regional consortia.

Arati Prabhakar, director of the Commerce Department's National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), announced this week that she will be leaving NIST to become senior vice president and chief technology officer of the Raychem Corporation, Menlo Park, Calif.

Two recent reports indicate the amount of venture capital financing increased in 1996, although the two reports differ on the amount of financing and the most active investors. Both surveys agreed that California and Massachusetts were the lead states in attracting venture capital.

Price Waterhouse, in conjunction with the National Venture Capital Association, recently published the results of the 1996 National Venture Capital Survey. Venture capitalists reported investing $9.5 billion in 1996, a 25% increase over 1995.

In its annual Money Tree Survey of venture firms, Coopers & Lybrand, which also tracks venture capital activity, reported greater growth in 1996 than Price Waterhouse did. According to this survey, venture capital investment reached $10.1 billion in 1996. Surveyed venture firms participated in 2,163 deals during 1996. The average size of each financing rose in 1996 to $4.7 million, up from the $4.3 million average investment reported in 1995.

The Rhode Island Economic Policy Council has concluded a year-long examination of the state's economy with a call for nine recommendations to be implemented.

Nominations are being accepted through April 4 for the annual Entrepreneur Of The Year awards. Nominees must be owners/managers primarily responsible for the recent performance of a company that is at least two years old. Founders of public companies are also eligible provided the founder is still active in upper management.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is soliciting grant proposals to establish a national network of pollution prevention information centers. Currently there are limited mechanisms to coordinate the development, review, and dissemination of pollution prevention information among those promoting source reduction technologies, according to the EPA.

The "Baldrige Index" for 1996 outperformed the Standard & Poor's 500 for the third year in a row, according to a study prepared by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The fictitious index is made up of winners of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award.

The steel industry has experienced painful changes over the past 10 to 15 years, but has now emerged in much better financial and operating condition, according to a new report by the U.S. Department of Commerce's Office of Technology Policy (OTP).

The U.S. Senate's Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation has established a new subcommittee to focus on manufacturing and competitiveness issues. Spencer Abraham (R-MI) will chair the Manufacturing and Competitiveness Subcommittee.

Only 13 percent of midsize manufacturers reported that the growth of the Internet has had "a great deal of" or "some" impact on their companies over the past two years, according to a survey conducted for Grant Thornton LLP. However, the manufacturers expect that to change in the next two years. The survey found that 50 percent of the manufacturers expected the growth of the Internet to have "a great deal of" or "some" impact on their companies.

Last Thursday, the Clinton Administration released its detailed budget proposal for FY98. The requested 2% rise in research and development funding reflects the constraints facing discretionary spending programs: the call to balance the budget while costs for entitlement programs and debt service are growing.

An agreement between the White House and the National Governors' Association (NGA) to establish a new mechanism, the U.S. Innovation Partnership, for coordinating federal and state technology efforts was announced by Vice President Gore and NGA's Lead Governors on Technology John G. Rowland, (R-CT), and Parris N. Glendening, (D-MD), earlier this week.

A State-Federal Technology Executive (SFTE) to serve in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) is being sought. The SFTE, sponsored by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), is a one year old initiative designed to encourage broad-scale science and technology cooperation between the states and the federal government.

Minnesota Technology, Inc. seeks candidates to fill the position of Technology Transfer Specialist. The incumbent will help bring Federal Technology Transfer activities to Minnesota companies by developing partnerships with federal labs, identifying opportunities for tech transfer activities in Minnesota companies, and assisting companies with the development of proposals, agreements and licenses. 

A number of bills to strengthen Hawaii's science and technology standing were passed during the final days of the legislative session.

President Clinton announced the award of $44 million in grants to establish 214 more Community Technology Centers in economically distressed, high-poverty communities. The centers -- to be housed in libraries, schools, community centers, community colleges, public housing facilities, & other organizations -- will make computers & the Internet available to low-income residents in urban & rural communities. Business & community partners will provide matching funds.

The Department of Education Office of Educational Technology (OET) is reviewing and revising the national educational technology plan. The revision will be completed by Fall 2000 and will include new national goals for the effective use of technology in education. The public is invited to offer opinions and recommendations through the office's web site: http://www.ed.gov/Technology

Several papers and report have been released recently on the Advanced Technology Program (ATP); five were published on line last week alone. Below are descriptions of selected papers and links to download full copies. Additional titles are available on the ATP web site: http://www.atp.nist.gov/atp/pubs.htm

Technology-based businesses and investors in Alabama may be eligible for several new tax credits if legislation recently introduced passes the state legislature. The Incentives for Targeted Growth Act of 2000, Senate Bill 571, was introduced April 19 to encourage the growth and expansion of Alabama’s technology community.

The National Governors' Association has released the second paper in the New Economy Series. Growing New Businesses with Seed and Venture Capital: State Experiences and Options identifies four basic strategies states pursue to increase venture investing and makes eight observations regarding best practices among state seed and venture capital financing efforts.

During the National SBIR Conference this past weekend, it was announced Jon Baron will be leaving his position as SBIR/STTR Program Manager for the Department of Defense on June 1.

During the National SBIR Conference this past weekend, it was announced Jon Baron will be leaving his position as SBIR/STTR Program Manager for the Department of Defense on June 1.