There are two types of research: 1. Research directly useful to end user 2. Research for generating data for scientific community.
Research is generally 2 types (basic or fundamental & applied). Both types complement each other.
The aim of basic research is to expand scientific knowledge (by generating novel data, explaining a phenomenon, inter-relating pieces of information, deducing a theory or a law or modifying it, studying a case ...etc) without an obvious or immediate benefit.
Applied research aims at finding practical solutions to existing problems and developing innovative technologies to reach such goals so as the "products" directly go to the end user.
Academia gives priority to fundamental research while industry prefers applied research but it also does the basic which serves the applied.
My personal view is that applied research is much more needed in the world of today with so many problems that we have to solve. When the academia moves to this direction, the quality of the scholars will be evaluated in real terms & promtions will be done on solid foundations. However, many academicians wish that they are kept in basic research because the "game" is played more easily.
Research is generally 2 types (basic or fundamental & applied). Both types complement each other.
The aim of basic research is to expand scientific knowledge (by generating novel data, explaining a phenomenon, inter-relating pieces of information, deducing a theory or a law or modifying it, studying a case ...etc) without an obvious or immediate benefit.
Applied research aims at finding practical solutions to existing problems and developing innovative technologies to reach such goals so as the "products" directly go to the end user.
Academia gives priority to fundamental research while industry prefers applied research but it also does the basic which serves the applied.
My personal view is that applied research is much more needed in the world of today with so many problems that we have to solve. When the academia moves to this direction, the quality of the scholars will be evaluated in real terms & promtions will be done on solid foundations. However, many academicians wish that they are kept in basic research because the "game" is played more easily.
Dear Nizar,
I agree with you but in my view applied research is more important for developing countries as they are lacking full fledged laboratories with sophisticated instruments. The fundamental research is possible with only available all type of resources. I personally believe that applied research is more useful to common man.
Developing countries have many severe problems so they need more of applied research than basic research. However, moving into applied research cannot be done jumpwise & it ought to be done stepwise. A research council has to be established in a developing country in order to coordinate concerted efforts towards this goal. The council must know the available material & human resources that could be utilized in a systematic manner. Of course, the move will start on limited fronts & then expands. Sometimes, an applied research could be done with ordinary available equipment but the trouble is that the scholars in academia prefer the more "relaxed" atmosphere which is associated with basic research. In applied research, they will be under the pressure to find real solutions so they either succeed or fail. Judging by the basic research papers that most academic scholars publish, they thinks of themselves as successful all the time with "promising" results that will change the surface of the earth!
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