fs@caesar.cs.tulane.edu (Frank Silbermann) (11/12/90)
In the economic competition between American and Japanese electronics companies, America has so far maintained at least one advantage -- superior basic research. According to a feature in yesterday's local newspaper, Japanese computer companies are now trying to open labs for theoretical research _in America_, by hiring top American researchers away from American labs and universities. I am curious as to the reaction of this newsgroup's readership, especially after seeing only a half-dozen responses from American research universities to the query "Which of you are now recruiting in C.S. theory?" Frank Silbermann fs@cs.tulane.edu Tulane University New Orleans, Louisianna USA
halldors@yoko.rutgers.edu (Magnus M Halldorsson) (11/13/90)
In article <4905@rex.cs.tulane.edu> fs@caesar.cs.tulane.edu (Frank Silbermann) writes: > According to a feature in yesterday's local newspaper, > Japanese computer companies are now trying to open > labs for theoretical research _in America_, > by hiring top American researchers away from > American labs and universities. New York Times had a front page article of this sort yesterday. While attempting to provide varying opinions, the undercurrent theme was "the Japanese are draining our brainpower". I couldn't help finding it most short-sighted. The basic assumption was that those hired by Japanese companies are our loss. That completely ignores the fact that the number of computer science researchers is no constant, but heavily dependent of demand, i.e. the availability of CS research jobs. Without research jobs, you can't expect much research. With the decline of Bell Labs, the tough situation for IBM,DEC, and Unisys, declining defense spenditures, and generally worsening economic situation, research and development are bound to suffer. A sudden influx of R&D capital is like a shot against these negative factors. Not only does it provide significant number of well paying jobs, but will result in a larger total number of qualified CS researchers in this country. Would we like the possible alternatives: that they start attracting more people to move, and eventually settle in Japan? That they locate their research centers, say, in Canada? Or that they hire only non-U.S. citizens? Magnus M. Halldorsson [ Want to hire a super-duper TCS person? Make me an offer I can't refuse... :-) ]
wilf@sce.carleton.ca (Wilf Leblanc) (11/13/90)
halldors@yoko.rutgers.edu (Magnus M Halldorsson) writes: >In article <4905@rex.cs.tulane.edu> fs@caesar.cs.tulane.edu (Frank Silbermann) writes: >> According to a feature in yesterday's local newspaper, >> Japanese computer companies are now trying to open >> labs for theoretical research _in America_, >> by hiring top American researchers away from >> American labs and universities. >[stuff deleted] >Would we like the possible alternatives: that they start attracting >more people to move, and eventually settle in Japan? That they locate >their research centers, say, in Canada? Or that they hire only non-U.S. >citizens? Sounds good to me, (locating in Canada that is). If you don't want research dollars, we'll take'em. >Magnus M. Halldorsson Wilf LeBlanc, Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada wilf@sce.carleton.ca -- --- Wilf LeBlanc Systems and Computer Eng. Internet: wilf@sce.carleton.ca Carleton University UUCP: ...!uunet!mitel!sce!wilf Ottawa, Ont, Canada
novick@svax.cs.cornell.edu (Mark B. Novick) (11/14/90)
I think it would be a good idea if there were Japanese research labs in America. There would be more jobs for theoreticians and other CS researchers in what has become a tight job market. There would be pressure on American employers to offer attractive job environments to researchers. All of this would mean a larger number of Americans doing basic research. It would also be good for the U.S. economy. Foreign employers would be paying U.S. taxes, providing jobs to Americans, and helping local communities. Workers who worked at these labs would learn how the Japanese do things, and be able to transfer this knowledge to American businesses if they later change employers.
marc@sei.cmu.edu (Marc Graham) (11/15/90)
The key point of the Times article was the quotations of starting
salaries at these Japanese labs: $70K for new PhD's; up to $250K for
the super stars. (Now, where did I put that copy of Rogers, ...)
Marc H. Graham Software Engineering Institute
marc@sei.cmu.edu Carnegie Mellon University
(412) 268 7784 Pittsburgh, PA 15213
--
Marc H. Graham Software Engineering Institute
marc@sei.cmu.edu Carnegie Mellon University
(412) 268 7784 Pittsburgh, PA 15213
gillies@m.cs.uiuc.edu (11/16/90)
> The key point of the Times article was the quotations of starting > salaries at these Japanese labs: $70K for new PhD's; up to $250K for > the super stars. (Now, where did I put that copy of Rogers, ...) What is so surprising about this? The starting salary is perhaps $10K higher than average for C.S. PhD's, but then, who knows how selective they are in their hiring? Many top-notch schools produce stars who warrant this extra money to start. $250K for a super star is by no means surprising. I know some universities which have paid more than this amount for a super star in computer science. Don W. Gillies, Dept. of Computer Science, University of Illinois 1304 W. Springfield, Urbana, Ill 61801 ARPA: gillies@cs.uiuc.edu UUCP: {uunet,harvard}!uiucdcs!gillies