MASTIC

Two internationally recognised system were used in conjunction with the OECD, ‘Frascati Manual’ but further improved to support a variety of user interests within the Malaysian R&D context. The classifications are:

1. Field of Research (FOR) represents R&D activities classified according to their scientific and academic disciplines. These disciplines tend to be universally applicable, with national variations arising from the grouping of different research fields.
2. Socio-Economic Objective (SEO) allows R&D activities to be categorised according to their purpose or presumed sectoral benefits as perceived by the researchers. It consists of discrete economical, social, environmental, technological or scientific domain for identifying the principal purpose of the R&D. This system shows greater national variation according to a nation’s profile and development priorities.

The two classification systems must be considered in tandem as they cover the same activity but from two different and important perspectives.

STRUCTURE OF THE MRDCS

The Field of Research (FOR) and Socio-Economic Objective (SEO) follows a hierarchal structure and are uniquely assigned Special code F and S respectively. The remaining descending characters indentify its Division, Category, Group and Area. The higher the hierarchy, the broader the subject area or research discipline. The FOR and SEO classifications hierarchy are assigned specific sub-codes to further portray the hierarchical differences in the classifications structure. The FOR has four hierarchical levels, starting at the Division (broadest level), Category, Group and Area (finest and where research project is allocated). Each level is identified with a unique number or code for easy reference. The illustration below show the approach to the FOR hierarchical structure;

'ABXXYYZZ '

A = SYSTEM OF CLASSIFICATION
B = DIVISION
XX = CATEGORY
YY = GROUP
ZZ = AREA

Example (FOR) : F1040301
F : Field of Research (SYSTEM OF CLASSIFICATION )
1 : Natural Sciences,Technologies and Engineering ( DIVISION )
04 : Earth Sciences (CATEGORY)
03 : Geochemistry (GROUP)
01 : Bio geochemistry (AREA)

Example (SEO): S2010400
S : Socio-Economic Objective (SYSTEM OF CLASSIFICATION )
2 : Economic Development ( DIVISION )
01 : Plant Reproduction and Plant Primary Products (CATEGORY)
04 : Forestry (GROUP)

n.e.c. - not elsewhere classified

SN - Scope Notes

GUIDELINES FOR CLASSIFYING RESEARCH FIELD

There are 9 possible Divisions which represent broad subject areas or research disciplines, while Categories, Groups and Areas at the lowest level represent more detailed dissections of the categories which allow entry of more possible areas for future expansion.

The classification hierarchical manner is achieved by first determining the Division in which the which the research is being performed, followed by the most relevant Category within that Division and moving lower to the relevant Group within the Category.

A research project or activity is located at the lowest end of the hierarchy, the AREA level. To achieve the classification hierarchy, it is vital for the researcher, first to identify from this Area level and progress to the higher level of the hierarchy (Group, Category and Division). There are identical titles within the different Group and Categories which might be useful indicators not to be missed by researchers. These guidelines are applicable to both the FOR and SEO classifications.

APPLICATION OF MRDCS

The classifications have been designed primarily to meet the needs in classifying research projects in a more consistent and structured manner. MRDCS would be able to provide to provide considerable flexibilities to variety of users, addressing multidisciplinary works to be applied to one or more different purposes. The system used in this document would among others be applicable but not limited to the following activities:

• Conducting the National Survey of Research and Development.
• Applying for R&D funds such as TechnoFund and ScienceFund; and
• Identifying and codifying of the research projects and experts in database development.

MRDCS Data AnalysisMRDCS Publication