Eric Spiegel T’87 Joins Wall Street Journal Panel of Experts in New Online Feature

Eric Spiegel T'87 outlines three ways in which the government can encourage innovation.

In a new feature called The Experts: Leadership, Spiegel responded to the question, "What role does government play in spurring innovation? For instance, do you think our patent system hurts or helps innovation?"

Spiegel posted that, "The government can play an important role in several ways. First, by promoting free markets and free-trade agreements which encourage more innovation and the faster adoption of the best ideas. Second, by providing tax incentives for the longer-term, bigger bets required for new technologies.  By making the R&D tax credit permanent we could avoid the “on again, off again” situation that creates uncertainty. And third, by protecting intellectual property rights with strong patent, trademark and copyright systems. These systems provide a reliable safeguard for our innovations driven by research and development investments and serve to protect our products and solutions. Siemens is one of the largest holders of patents among industrial companies and without a sound patent system, we would have difficulty in turning our innovation machine into commercial success."

Eric Spiegel is a member of the Tuck Board of Overseers and is the author of the book, “Energy Shift: Game-changing Options for Fueling the Future.”