Research in the sciences has been the basis of many of our greatest technological breakthroughs, from insulin to the Internet. It seems logical, then that business and science would work together – after all, businesses require new technologies to survive, while scientists benefit from commercialization of their discoveries.
However, this is not always the case. Certain inventions in science are not commercialized. It could be due to do with the manner in which the credits for innovations are additional resources distributed. For example, a scientist may include his or her technician as a coinventor, however, this doesn’t necessarily reflect the actual contribution each contributed to the research that led to the discovery. The differences in mindsets and goals that hinder the free exchange of ideas are more important. Businesses talk about sustainable profits, as an example while science focuses on the sustainability of a certain level that doesn’t result in over-exploitation of resources.
In the end, the key to the success of business and science is collaboration. Business and scientists must learn to speak each other’s language, listen to each other’s concerns, and find creative ways to bridge the gap.
Fortunately, top universities like Woxsen provide integrated science and business programs that allow students to have the best of both worlds. Students in these programs are able to focus on a specific area of science while also taking courses that are part of the general business curriculum. This helps them acquire the knowledge and skills to succeed in a range of business areas, including intellectual property, mutual funds, technical sales and many more.