General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsBradshaw3
(7,453 posts)I don't know if people realize it but most companies do very little or no R&D anymore; they count on tax-payer universities to do much of it. I worked at a large public research university and was well-acquainted with researchers from many areas, although just one in the area of pharma. Large multi-national companies would give a few hundred thousand or a million or two to a research group, which would then use grad students and trained undergrads for multi-year studies. They would get quality, dedicated workers who were getting paid low wages (with taxpayer funds and tuition covering the costs of facilities, etc.) Sometimes it would pay off with patents that some of the top researchers would get a part of, but the companies reaped windfalls.
Hermit-The-Prog
(33,021 posts)They're not shy about sucking public resources, but let there be regulations or taxation and the wailing and gnashing of teeth becomes deafening.
area51
(11,868 posts)airplaneman
(1,236 posts)Anything developed with taxpayer money forever remains in the public domain.
It would be a simple straightforward law.
-Airplane
hibbing
(10,076 posts)It's the American way and happens in most if not all sectors of the economy. Public universities are in the mix of course.
Peace