Foreign Affairs Discussion Group Message Board

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group

Public Reply Prvt Reply Mark as Last Read File

Previous 10 Next 10 Previous Next

To: jttmab who wrote (122187)	12/30/2003 2:32:26 PM
From: Lazarus_Long	Read Replies (1) of 281500

Patents per capita is not a valid metric. For one thing, it is easier to get patents in some countries than in others. More importantly, some inventions are breakthroughs, others refinements, still others have no real consequence to society. The Japanese are brilliant at refining existing technology, honing it to perfection. But their ability to creatively transform a field through a different way of looking at a problem has long been a subject of criticism. I am not sure I totally buy the argument that a lack of diversity and extreme cultural hegemony and obedience within Japan deters "outside the box" thinking while the more freewheeling American culture encourages such thinking. But I do think there is something to that argument, even if it gets overstated, and looking at absolute numbers of patents doesn't tell the whole story. Where was the light bulb invented? Who brought principles of mass production to automobiles? Americans. Who makes cars the most efficiently now? The Japanese. Which inventions were more valuable to society and created more value for shareholders?

Report TOU Violation

Share This Post

Public Reply Prvt Reply Mark as Last Read File

Previous 10 Next 10 Previous Next