ABSTRACT
Concerns over a so-called shortage of scientific and engineering personnel occur with frequency in the media, in industry forums, and on the floors of Congress. A role for government can emerge from this discussion; in the absence of other government intervention, social welfare can be increased through government subsidies to appropriate types of scientific research and perhaps to the training of scientific manpower. There are many nations with the economic resources that permit them to invest in scientific research and the trained personnel capable of filling such a perceived gap. This chapter explains about shortages of scientific and engineering manpower and whether the government is doing enough to support the training of these personnel in this country. It has been argued that scientific knowledge moves readily across borders and those countries that lag behind others in the production of knowledge can nevertheless enjoy its fruits at little cost in terms of economic growth and competitiveness.
