According to the January online Reader Poll question, which  asked, For 2010, will your company’s research and development expenditures increase, decrease, or remain the same?, Medical Design readers and their companies will kick off the new decade with increased R&D expenditures. Forty-one percent answered that their companies’ R&D expenditures are expected to increase; 33% expect a decrease; and 25% expect spending to remain the same. 

Last year, only 19% of the respondents predicted an increase; 30% respondents a decrease; and the majority (51%) were hopeful that expenditures would  remain the same. This month’s question is to gain a feel for the roles lean design and lean manufacturing methods are playing in the medical-device industry.

 Please take a moment to provide us with your answer. In return, you’ll get instant poll results that reflect your input, and we will report the final results next month.