Industry or Academia: Where Are the Innovators?

Where are the innovators? The answer to this question is complex; as an immediate response, one might answer, "It depends!" To begin with, it is appropriate to define two words that frequently cross each other in such discussions? innovation and research. Innovation has two common definitions: 1) a new idea, device, or method and 2) the act or process of introducing new ideas, devices, or methods. In contrast, research is defined as the systematic investigation into and study of materials and sources to establish facts and reach new conclusions.