Vol 143 No. 2, December 2014
EDITORIAL
Human Resource Generation in the Philippine Scientific Enterprise System
Countries with high GDP per capita are also prolific generators of valuable scientific knowledge [1]. National prosperity correlates well with scientific productivity and the higher the per capita income the stronger becomes the citation intensity [2]. Investing seriously in its scientific enterprise system is a wise move for a country to do since technological innovation relies heavily on the successful application of new scientific knowledge [3].
Innovative products and processes empower people and boost their productivity. They create new economic opportunities and improve the living standards of society. It is reckoned that in the 25 years following the introduction of the light bulb, the car and the radio, the average GDP per capita of Britain and the US increased by more than one and 1.5 percent per year, respectively [4]. Apple Incorporated is the most valuable company in the world in 2014 with a market capitalization that far exceeds the GDP of the Philippines.
Scientists and researchers drive the vitality of the scientific enterprise system. To succeed in their increasingly difficult task to understand Nature more accurately, they need an enabling environment with well-equipped research laboratories, uncomplicated access to research funds, efficient administrative and technical support infrastructure, and a fair compensation scheme that rewards productivity and celebrates excellence.
Universities are at the heart of the scientific enterprise system. They provide core knowledge to budding researchers and grant PhD degrees to students who made original, novel, and significant contributions to the body of scientific knowledge. The intangible contributions of graduate students are vital in the operation of academic research laboratories and the availability of generous scholarships are crucial in allowing them to complete their studies in due time. . . . . . read more
