Asks Quote by Alan Tower Waterman
“It may also be pertinent to ask whether a greater effort in the less expensive basic stages of research may not lead to reductions of effort in the far costlier stages of development and prototype construction.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Research Funding Policy Discussion, 1970s
Investing more in early, cheap research can lower later, expensive development costs.
In simple terms: Early research saves later effort.
Key Takeaway
Fund basic research heavily.
Themes
research efficiency
cost management
innovation
Mood
analytical
pragmatic
Type
policy
strategic
When to use this quote
- government budgeting
- R&D planning
- prototype design
Key Concepts
economics
risk reduction
technology development
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we measure early research impact?
- What risks exist in shifting funds?
A Different Perspective
Assumes early research always yields applicable results.
