3 ms·

Why would a researcher funded by government grants be more independent than a researcher at a think tank funded by a corporation?

leot 10y ago
Because gov't grants are awarded by a committee of people with lots of different opinions, while corporations have only one interest in mind.
- 1123581321 10y ago
  Careful: a government board has one interest (welfare of its constituents) and multiple opinions about how to serve it. A corporate board has one interest (welfare of its shareholders) and multiple opinions above to how to serve it. Besides that, both types of boards can have a variety of unofficial/official power structures, consideration of the welfare of non-constituents/non-shareholders, and varying degrees of competency. This isn't to say that any type of governing body has arbitrary properties. Predictable inequalities exist.
- atemerev 10y ago
  Governments also have only one interest in mind: continuity of power and welfare of the government members. Or somebody still thinks that governments serve the people?
imh 10y ago
In theory, the government should be more transparent.
dredmorbius 10y ago
Governments are accountable to constituencies and/or electorates. Companies to directors, management, stockholders, and other stakeholders, roughly in that order (where stakeholders == employees, customers, vendors, business partners, community, etc.). Governments can be investigated by legislators, executive agencies, and courts, as well as subject to document requests (e.g., FOIA in the US), and journalists. Governments themselves don't typically operate as an advertiser in the press, hence, putting purse control over coverage. Governments are typically more long-lived, and hence have longer-lived planning and concern horizons, than corporations. It's not perfect, but political power is a check on corporate or financial power, one of several.

leot 10y ago

Because gov't grants are awarded by a committee of people with lots of different opinions, while corporations have only one interest in mind.

1123581321 10y ago
Careful: a government board has one interest (welfare of its constituents) and multiple opinions about how to serve it. A corporate board has one interest (welfare of its shareholders) and multiple opinions above to how to serve it. Besides that, both types of boards can have a variety of unofficial/official power structures, consideration of the welfare of non-constituents/non-shareholders, and varying degrees of competency. This isn't to say that any type of governing body has arbitrary properties. Predictable inequalities exist.
atemerev 10y ago
Governments also have only one interest in mind: continuity of power and welfare of the government members. Or somebody still thinks that governments serve the people?

imh 10y ago

In theory, the government should be more transparent.

dredmorbius 10y ago

Governments are accountable to constituencies and/or electorates. Companies to directors, management, stockholders, and other stakeholders, roughly in that order (where stakeholders == employees, customers, vendors, business partners, community, etc.). Governments can be investigated by legislators, executive agencies, and courts, as well as subject to document requests (e.g., FOIA in the US), and journalists. Governments themselves don't typically operate as an advertiser in the press, hence, putting purse control over coverage. Governments are typically more long-lived, and hence have longer-lived planning and concern horizons, than corporations. It's not perfect, but political power is a check on corporate or financial power, one of several.