Here or There?

In this report to the Government-University-Industry Research Roundtable, authors Jerry Thursby and Marie Thursby summarize their research on the globalization of corporate RD. The authors surveyed 200 multinational companies about recent and future RD location decisions, and the factors influencing those decisions. The survey confirms that China and India are primary targets of RD expansion, but this trend does not yet portend a "e;hollowing out"e; of RD capability in the United States. RD location decisions are complex and driven by a variety of factors, including the potential for market growth, the quality of RD personnel, and the environment for collaborating with universities. The cost of research, while important, is not the primary factor in siting decisions.