Research in science has provided the basis for many of our most significant technological breakthroughs, from insulin to the Internet. It’s only natural, then, that science and business would work together – after all, businesses require new technologies to survive, while scientists benefit from commercialization of their discoveries.
But that’s not always the situation. Certain scientific discoveries aren’t commercialized. This could be due to how innovation credit is given out. For example, a scientist may include their technician as a co-inventor but this does not necessarily reflect the actual contribution each contributed to the research that led to the discovery. The most important thing, however, are the differences in attitudes and goals that block the open exchange of ideas. Business is concerned with sustainable profits, for instance while science focuses on the sustainability of a certain level that doesn’t lead to the over-exploitation of resources.
Ultimately, the key to the achievement of business and science is collaboration. Scientists and businesspeople must learn to communicate in the same way and listen to each other’s issues, and look for innovative ways to connect the two fields.
Fortunately, top universities such as Woxsen offer integrated science and business programs that give students the best of both worlds. In these programs, students concentrate on a chosen area of science and also take classes that are part of the general management curriculum. This provides the skills necessary to be successful in a variety of business areas, including intellectual property mutual funds, technical sales, and more.