Figure 37 



Natural Scientists and Engineers Engaged 

 in R&D, 1960-70 



Percent of total in R&D 



(Peicent) 

 44 



(Index) 

 160 



150- 



Relative change (1960 = 100) 



Total US, 



140- 



130- 



120- 



110 - 



100 - 



J L_J L 



J L I L 



Academia 



1950 '65 70 1960 



SOURCE US Department of Labor and National Science Foundation 



70 1960 



1970, for the first time since 1960, the total 

 number in R&D decreased. This trend con- 

 tinued in 1971 . Most of the decline took place in 

 industrial R&D and was sufficient to reduce the 

 total in this sector to the 1967 level. Not sur- 

 prisingly, this downward turn followed closely 

 the first reduction in national R&D expendi- 

 tures (in constant dollars) in the 1960-70 period, 

 a decrease felt most in industrial R&D. (See 

 figure 14.) 



Another indicator of the downward trend is 

 the decline in the percentage of all natural scien- 

 tists and engineers engaged in R&D (figure 37). 



This trend began as early as 1964, when it had 

 reached a high of 37 percent. The proportion 

 then steadily declined to 34 percent in 1970. This 

 trend was more pronounced among academic 

 than industrial scientists and engineers. 



The relative decline of the proportion in R&D 

 in industry suggests a greater growth of scien- 

 tists and engineers in technological operations, 

 management, and other non-R&D activities, and 

 possibly a lower priority for R&D in periods of 

 slow economic growth. The first factor was 

 probably a prime cause for the decreases in the 

 mid-1960's, while the second was dominant at 



51 



