I am looking for companies that conduct academic research project
management/administration for institutions that wish to outsource
specific projects.  The companies would identify candidate
researchers/research groups, request and evaluate proposals, arrange
for peer review, arrange for and coordinate with a commissioning
authority in the case of a pilot plant, and coordinate everything with
the research sponsor.

I have been able to find companies that do this kind of work in
specific fields, such as petroleum, but I am interested in generalist
companies which are willing to accept projects whatever the domain. 
The companies would be research administration specialists rather than
experts in any particular area.

Do any such companies exist?  What are their names and where are their
websites?  Thank you.

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Request for Question Clarification by claudietta-ga on 27 Sep 2002 16:07 PDT

Tergetus,

If you tell me the name of the sort of companies you are looking for,
such as in the petroleum field, I may be able to find you others with
similar classification. And are you sure that these companies are
managing academic researchers that they do not directly employ?

Claudietta

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Request for Question Clarification by claudietta-ga on 27 Sep 2002 16:11 PDT

...the reason that I ask the second question is that the nature of
real academic research (not corporate R&D) leaves little room for
typical management, i.e. management interferes with intellectual
freedom, which is the reason that researcher chooses academia versus
coporations (where they could earn more money).

Claudietta

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Request for Question Clarification by claudietta-ga on 27 Sep 2002 16:15 PDT

Finally, check out EPRI and SRI to see if these are the types that
would satisfy your request.  These just came to mind, I haven't double
checked them.

Claudietta

Greetings!  I am posting this as a comment because only you will be
able to determine if these firms can meets your needs.  The best
prospects I located were the following.  If these firms do meet your
criteria, please post thusly and I will claim the fee.

Research Goals
http://www.researchgoals.com/

"Research Goals provides extensive services that fulfill the
qualitative research needs of public and private organization and
institutions. Research services range from point-of-need just-in-time
information and data collection, analysis and reporting to conducting
complete small to mid-sized research projects and program evaluations,
from seeking funding sources and designing proposals through preparing
final reports."


Complete Statistical Solutions
http://www.completestats.co.za/

"Complete Statistical Solutions cc provides a complete research
service to Academic and Corporate clients across the globe"

"Complete Statistical Solutions cc provides a complete research
consultancy service. We specialise in both Academic and Corporate
research. With more than 20 years experience in the research and
academic industry, we can provide an affordable, professional research
service that is tailored to each client's needs."

"We can assist the Academic researcher in all stages of the research /
masters / doctoral project, for example compiling the research
proposal, performing a literature search, designing a questionnaire
and sampling plan, performing statistical analyses and writing a
scientific report. We have specialists in a wide range of fields such
as Business administration, Business management, Psychology,
Sociology, Industrial Psychology, Education, etc."


SEARCH TERMS and LINKS:

academic research for hire  [Google search]
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=academic+research+for+hire

Google directory - Reference > Education > Products and Services >
Services for Hire > Research
http://directory.google.com/Top/Reference/Education/Products_and_Services/Services_for_Hire/Research/

Research Goals
http://www.researchgoals.com/

Complete Statistical Solutions
http://www.completestats.co.za/

Complete Statistical Soultions Academic Research information page
http://www.completestats.co.za/academic_services.htm

The ability to administer a project in any meaningful way requires
some degree of expertise in the area to be managed. I would not be
inclined to trust a company that claimed they could manage any project
in any sphere of investigation. This is especially true of an academic
project. A self respecting doctor-of-this-or-that would not generally
be too amenable to being "managed" by some Ralph-Lauren-wearing
MS-Project-wielding Pareto-Ganttazoid-spawning Deming-Drucker-cloned
Palm-Pilot-flailing Harvard progeny who knew nothing about the topic
at hand. Heck, people tend to disappear into academics specifically to
get away from them. (P.S.. Pilot Plant? I make 'em... I run 'em...
love the things).

Journalist-ga,  

Thank you for looking at my question.  Unfortunately, the sites that
you have identified are not exactly what I am looking for.  The
companies appear to conduct academic research ("academic research for
hire" was a search term you used).  In fact, I am looking for
companies that only manage the research effort and which do not
include the principal investigators.  The companies I am looking for
would manage the researchers as one part of the entire project.

I would encourage you to try again.  Given your apparent skills in
finding resources on the Internet, if any such companies exist, you
will be able to find them.  Thank you.

Thanks tergestus.  I tried numerous search phrases including the terms
academic, management, managers, research projects, administration,
consulting, etc.  The bulk of returns were university biographies of
current personnel and sites to help students with research papers. 
The key is putting together the correct term that focuses on the
administrative and management capabilities to pull it from the search.
 I'll check more for you and I hope I'll be able to find the exact
service you require.  Any other terms you could provide would be
helpful for the researcher.

Were you able to come up with anything new, Journalist?  If not, thank
you very for your assistance anyway.  It would appear that the kind of
firm that I'm looking for doesn't exist (or at least isn't on the
Internet, which is kind of the same thing).

Unfortunately, no new information is forthcoming.  It may be that the
firms or individuals are not yet on the Internet.