The Interdependence of Science and Business

Science has been at the heart of a lot of the significant technological advancements in the world. From the latest drug treatments and energy production, to computer chip technology. While innovation is the http://scorbe.de/generated-post main driving power behind science business, it’s all about making money and keeping shareholders satisfied. Traditionally, the sciences and business have been thought of as separate entities. However, they are inextricably linked and it is impossible to separate the impact of research in science from its business impacts.

While business is focused on profit, the long-term ramifications of its decisions can have major environmental, social and economic consequences. Science is also concerned about the effects of its actions and its decisions, particularly those regarding resource exploitation and sustainability. A wise business will, for example exploit a resource at the level that scientists consider sustainable. However, greedy businesses have led to over-exploitation of natural resources and ecological catastrophe.

We have categorised the many ways corporations try to influence science at macro and meso levels and coded the intended effects and outcomes of these strategies (TL carried out the initial coding, AG second-coded 20 per percent of the papers). We found that corporations employ five macro-level strategies that reduce the perceived credibility of unfavourable scientific findings and boost the credibility of favorable scientific findings. These strategies are implemented via meso-strategies that, over time skew evidence in favour of the industry. This leads to three distal outcomes – to create doubt about the potential harms posed by industry products and practices, to support industry-favoured policy responses and to boost consumption, use, and sales of industry products and services – thereby maximising corporate profits.