Every month I look forward to the day when my MIT Technology Review arrives. This month did not disappoint. I spent just enough time in the office yesterday to sign a few purchase requests, review a couple of late-breaking e-mail messages and grab my copy of Tech Review.

I was especially interested in the Corporate R&D Scorecard 2003. It was packed with loads of great information and thought provoking facts. Here are a few.

Look at the gross revenue numbers and R&D investment dollars for the big three auto manufacturers. Between them they bring in over $500 Billion annually. They also spent nearly $20 Billion last this year on development. No doubt that these continue to be important to the international economy. Also, no doubt that car makers are very technology driven.

Oh, and these three companies spent more on R&D than Cisco grossed. Also, of humorous note, Cisco was categorized in the TELECOMMUNICATION area. Huh? Is that a mistake? Either on the part of Cisco to become so telcom oriented or on the part of the MIT staff to categorize them that way.

Just for kicks, Microsoft spent $4.3 Billion in R&D, four times the Novel gross revenues.

And, most glaring, AT&T spent $254 million in R&D on revenues of over $37 Billion. Granted, Lucent spent over $2B. And if AT&T is relying on Lucent, so be it. But I have a feeling that they don't, so how are they going to compete in a tech world that is moving forward on the engine of R&D?

One last note. If you have an online account for Technology Review you can download an excel spreadsheet of the 2003 R&D Scorecard. It's cool. And even cooler, they called it Scorecard..........
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