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

Table of Contents


Front Matter
Executive Summary
Introduction
General Background
R&D Location Strategies
Location of Recent or Planned R&D Sites
Factors in the Selection of R&D Sites
Protecting and Capitalizing on Intellectual Property and the Types of Research Conducted
Concluding Remarks
Appendix A: Respondent Pool, Statistical Tests, and Presentation of Results