Broadly speaking, the work of the ITRI can be divided into two main areas. The first is that of accepting commissions from government units (especially the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) which directs industrial technological development). This includes taking on topical special technology development projects, along with generalities such as assisting in upgrading plans for traditional industries.
工研院的工作，簡而言之可分為兩大項，一是接受政府各單位（特別是主導產業科技發展的經濟部）所委託的，包括前瞻性的科技專案發展計畫及一般性的計畫如協助傳統產業升級等的計畫。