About this issue

The article by Abrahamson is one of many that have appeared in the past 2–3 years in connection with meetings, conferences, investigations, and other activities related to the issue of the status of the innovation process in the U.S. Both the Department of Commerce and the U.S. Congress (via the Joint Economic Committee) have undertaken major studies of the causes of, and potential remedies for, what is perceived to be a general malaise in the process underlying our industrial technological capabilities. One important part of this picture is the role of small business, in particular small high-technology firms, which many people believe have made contributions to our technological advancement out of proportion to their aggregate size in the economy. What concerns some of the advocates and observers of this innovation role of small business, however, is that many small businesses operate under inhibiting conditions which do not provide the incentives and the means for them to participate fully in the transfer of technology and the overall R&D/Innovation process. Abrahamson discusses some of the issues involved and makes some recommendations.