A new article reveals that large corporations are investing less in science. From 1980 to 2006, publications by company scientists have declined in a range of industries. The result holds across a range of industries.
Investigators also found that the value attributed to scientific research has dropped, whereas the value attributed to technical knowledge (as measured by patents) has remained stable. Companies appear to be focusing more on developing existing knowledge and commercializing it, rather than on creating new knowledge through basic research.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/11/171127124929.htm
[Abstract]: The decline of science in corporate R&D
Remembering AT&T Bell Labs, IBM Labs, Xerox PARC, HP Labs, TI, etc. In the current political and economic situation, do you think companies in USA have the will and means to reverse this decline?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 30 2017, @03:32AM
They also got to look at the longer term picture when deciding how to spend their money. Any research, even the most trivial stuff, isn't going to see any fruits until at least a quarter or two down the line. For major stuff it might be years.
Part of the problem here is that the absurdly low tax rates on the richest provide a disincentive to companies investing in things like this because it gets in the way of the short-term goal of hoarding large sums of money.