Let’s talk about some of the 2021 research and development spending trends we’re seeing across industries:
- According to The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, R&D spending across industries in 2020 increased 6.21%.
- In 2020, R&D spending by the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies jumped 11% to $86.3 billion, according to Evaluate Pharma’s annual reports.
- In the United States, the Biden Administration has proposed “significantly increasing spending on R&D programs,” including climate science, clean energy innovation, biomedical research, and emerging technologies. Meanwhile in China, spending on R&D in 2020 hit a record $378 billion, and they recently announced a plan to increase annual R&D spending 7% every year over the next five years.
- Tesla, one of the fastest growing companies in the world, announced R&D expenses increased 106% when comparing the first quarter of 2021 to the same timeframe of 2020. Even non-traditional research-heavy companies like Nintendo also announced major increases to R&D spending, with a record increase of 10.8% in the past year.
It’s easy to see that R&D spend is increasing across industries, while at the same time, the amount of scientific information being published is accelerating. And whether you’re an individual researcher working on a one-off project, or you’re looking to purchase scientific articles over time for your organization, there are a few considerations to keep in mind when purchasing STM articles from a document delivery provider.
CCC delivers an annual 1.7 million documents every year, so we know a thing or two to look out for. We recommend asking yourself the following:
Will I know my rights if I choose to collaborate with others using this article?
Taking the guesswork out of copyright will help ensure you’re staying compliant, while also letting you focus on your most important task: the research at hand. Be sure the source you’ve chosen to work with gives you details about the rights you have access to.
If your use case requires additional rights, such as digital sharing and storing within your organization, photocopying and sharing within your organization, responsive rights, or including in a regulatory submission, Copyright Clearance Center has licensing options that make it easy within your existing workflow.
Related Reading: Copyright and Licensing Around the World: A Look Into 2021
Am I selecting/choosing the most comprehensive document delivery resource available?
When choosing where to get articles for your research, you’ll want to be sure you are utilizing the most comprehensive resource available. Supplemental data, which can include raw data, graphics, videos, graphics and more, can provide valuable insights beyond an article, but they won’t always be available through every document delivery provider.
Our advice? Look for a provider that features a request tool for those added-value supplementary materials.
How long will it take to receive the article I want?
Time equals money when it comes to research, so receiving an article in the quickest turnaround time possible is always a priority. Not all articles are available instantly, but a source with strong publisher relationships can quickly find the article you need or acquire the rights for your intended use.
If I need additional help, is there an easy way to get it?
When you need additional help, there are few things worse than dealing with a bad customer service experience.
“Good customer service should not only be pleasant to interact with, it should also be simple and effortless,” said CCC’s Tom Ogier, who won the 2020 Best in Biz Award for Customer Service Executive of the Year. “An effective support representative should intuitively understand customers’ challenges and offer useful suggestions that not only solve problems but enhance value.”
So how can you look for clues that your customer service experience will meet your expectations? Start with 24/7 customer support teams that are available not only by email, but also by phone and chat, so you can get answers regardless of what time zone you’re operating in.
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