And corporations have changed their focus. The annual or even quarterly evaluations for bonus money. If the project can't be brought to completion or at least shown to be viable in the very near future then the stock price is flat or the revenue is flat or... in any case there is no reward. Basic research (research for the purpose of just finding things out) cannot be a high priority in the corporate culture. Historically, colleges have done basic research. Now the University and the Corporation have in many cases joined hands. There is some basic work being done but you'd better believe that the CEO behind the door wants some good results he can market and he wants 'em pretty darn quick.

The suits fail to discern the difference between computer charting and charting on a computer. We have a system that prints a PAPER chart on discharge. It freezes and shuts down hourly BUT the big bosses can still watch the ebb and flow of the revenue. We hafta switch to old paper charts routinely but the only time the IT takes a complaint about service seriously is when a CEO complains that he can't watch a patient census in his pajamas from his bed room.