Abstract
Modern economies are characterized by a significant division of labor in the production of scientific and technical advance. In broad generalization, universities, other non-profit institutes and government laboratories pursue fundamental scientific and engineering research with little expectation of immediate commercial result. In contrast, private firms undertake applied research and development intended to improve the products and processes available for commercial use. Traditionally, these different missions have been largely carried out within incentive/reward systems that differ significantly between the two realms. University and government research is carried out largely with public funding, with the individual researchers receiving much of their “compensation” in the form of recognition within the profession, derived from publication of research results. Scientists and engineers working in firms are financed by those firms, and are more likely to receive financial rewards and less likely to receive wide public recognition for their discoveries.