[_carbyau_]

Oh, so they increase productivity across the industry, thus leading to wage rises for employees, increased margins for company profits and a higher GDP for the country.... right?

(Off to dig my tongue out of the deep hole in my cheek.)

[yamtaddle]

Didn't necessarily say it was bad. It's a bit like the Japanese R&D-pooling system post-WWII, in some ways, and AFAIK that worked great. Just unofficial, and with a profit margin.

[EDIT] Well, and also it's not kept within the host country, but exports those ideas & methods globally.