We know that manufacturing jobs are being exported. But, now the R&D is being exported, too. Not only because the US is not producing fantastic scientific and engineering talent, but to afford corporations the ability to tailor their products to the overseas markets…plus, this curries favor with foreign governments by opening R&D centers in their lands. 
The US National Science Board (part of the National Science Foundation) reported that US multinationals have grown their R&D employment tallies overseas- with 85% of all new jobs being located outside the US. Right now, the total employment in US R&D activities is 73% of the total overall (down from 84% in 2004). Before you jump up and down, consider this fact- more than ½ of the engineering degrees being awarded are from Asia (56% in 2008) and only 4% graduate from the US- and that does not include the fact that more than ½ the PhD degrees granted in the US are awarded to foreign students (57%).
Continue reading Whither R and D? Or, is it wither R &D?
