As a whole, manufacturing industries operating in the United States are more engaged in innovation than their non-manufacturing brethren. So suggest preliminary data from the National Science Foundation, an independent U.S. government agency that promotes science and engineering.
At least such was the case between 2006 and 2008, the period addressed by the NSF research. Survey data show that about 22% of manufacturers introduced product innovations (defined as one or more new or significantly improved goods or services), compared with 8% of companies in non-manufacturing sectors. The same held true for process innovation: About 22% of manufacturers introduced process innovations compared with 8% of non-manufacturers. (The data are courtesy of the NSF's Business R&D and Innovation Survey, fielded for the first time in 2009. Manufacturers comprised 8% of the 1.5 million for-profit firms represented.)
To read the full, original article click on this link: IndustryWeek : Innovation Nation?
Author: Jill Jusko
