When evaluating effectiveness of a R&D program, there is a tendency to simply compare the performances of the beneficiaries before and after the program or to compare the differences in the performances of the beneficiaries and the non-beneficiaries before-after the program. However, these ways of evaluating effectiveness of a program have some problems because they can not differentiate between complement effect, which facilitates corporate R&D investment, and substitute effect, which, literally, substitutes corporate R&D investment. Therefore, these problems could bring about wrong policies concerning R&D programs.In this paper, a new approach using path analysis is suggested as a means to overcome these problems and it is utilized, as an application, to evaluate the effectiveness of Plant Engineering Program conducted by Ministry of Trade, Industry & Energy, Korea. First, the direct impact of government R&D investment on corporate R&D investment is analyzed, through which it is identified which of crowding-in effect (complement effect) and crowding-out effect (substitute effect) is dominant. Next, the direct effect of government R&D investment on corporate performance and the direct effect of corporate R&D investment on corporate performance is analyzed respectively. Finally, by combining the two previous analysis, the total effect of government R&D investment on corporate performance is identified.As a result, it turns out that, in Plant Engineering Program, crowding-in effect is more dominant than crowding-out effect and that Plant Engineering Program has definitely positive effect on the beneficiary in terms of corporate performance indirectly and directly.

• 김흥규(단국대학교 경영학부) | Heung-Kyu Kim (School of Business Administration, Dankook University) Corresponding author