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Reports on the growth in the number of scientific papers published by European and Japanese commercial firms during the period 1980 to 1989. Study conducted by the Science Policy Research Unit at Sussex University; Firms' purpose of gaining scientific credibility.

The article considers a warning from a study titled "The New Geography of Science" that the U.S. and Europe could face intellectual marginalisation if they fail to seize opportunities offered by the research power of Latin American countries. Scheduled for release in July 2009, the study warned that established research power is still ignorant of the increasing strength of the Latin American power. According to Thomson Reuters' Web of Knowledge, the region's share of the world's scientific papers increased to 4.8 per cent in 2008.

The article discusses the results of a research led by Jonathan Drennan at the University of College Dublin which found that age, gender and teaching load have little impact on the number of papers written. Findings show that motivation and the ability to network have a far greater impact on research productivity. The study looked at the responses of almost 11,000 full-time academics from 12 European countries.

Opinion. Focuses on the role of education in growth, competitiveness and employment as contained in the European Commission's White Paper. Limited ability to convert scientific and technological breakthroughs into industrial and commercial successes as greatest weakness of Europe's research base; European Union's fourth Framework research program; Emphasis on coordination off national and industrial research policy.