After posting the previous comment about HP, and the lack of R&D, I found this interview with the now CEO of SAP, Henning Kagermann. Didn't know about the heavy metal thing, which is a bit worrying. However, the comments about the R&D spend reflect my bias, although having been with and around SAP for twelve years, I guess I have gone native on this one. Bottom line, no innovation without R&D, no innovation, only deriative products. Derivative products, in the end, do not inspire, and leave the company relying on them in "cheapest", not "best" mode. And that is difficult for any organisation, especially in a relatively high cost environment.
And the Phd thing is frankly scary sometimes. I am very struck by the middle European emphasis on education, versus the British ethos of "gifted gentleman amateur." It can be a little rigid, with some overspecialisation, but the academic rigour in the internal discussions definitely drives something good.
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