Research program development and goal hierarchies: An application to IRRI

Attention has been focused recently on improvements in research allocation to maintain productivity gains from research expenditure and undertake programs of greater social relevance. This paper addresses the latter objective in research project selection and proposes a framework for so doing. This framework makes use of a goal hierarchy and its applicability is shown by considering research thrusts at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). The set of goals used are those that apply to the Philippine agricultural sector.