This book examines the rapid growth of university-business partnerships during the 1980s, discussing the costs and benefits that business partnerships bring to American higher education. Part 1 traces the history of university-business partnerships in the 20th century, discusses the significance of government assistance for university-business partnerships, reviews the role of private business in developing these relationships, examines the activities of the Government-University-Industry Research Roundtable, and looks at university-business partnerships in other nations. Part 2 evaluates these partnerships, weighing the advantages and disadvantages of such university-business relations, focusing on economic risks for universities, conflict-of-interest problems, and the clash between academic and business values. Part 3, the bulk of the text, contains readings and begins with six contending evaluations of university-business partnerships: (1) "The Evolution of Research and Development Policy in a Corporation: A Case Study" (W. G. Simeral); (2) "The Commercialized University" (Derek Bok); (3) "Technology Transfer at MIT" (Paul E. Gray); (4) "Technology Transfer at MIT: A Critical View" (David Noble); (5) "Technology Transfer in Biotech" (Howard A. Schneiderman); and (6) "The Erosion of the Academic Ethos: The Case of Biology" (Nicholas Wade). Part 3 continues with seven historical documents that characterize the scope and substance of university-business partnerships and five case studies of specific partnership agreements. (Contains approximately 225 references.) (MDM)