What is Research and development?
'''Research and development''' ('''R&D''') refers to a wide range of [[wikt:activity|activities]] by [[business]]es, [[government]]s and [[academic institution]]s designed to gather [[knowledge]] and test new ideas.<ref name=MichaelSC>{{cite web |url=http://study.com/academy/lesson/what-is-research-and-development-definition-methods-examples.html |title=What is Research and Development? - Definition, Methods & Examples |author=Rodney Michael |publisher=Study.com |access-date=11 October 2016}}</ref> This often leads to the development of new [[product (business)|product]]s or new ways of doing things.<ref>{{cite book |title=A Dictionary of Aviation |url=https://archive.org/details/dictionaryofavia0000wrag |first=David W. |last=Wragg |isbn=9780850451634 |edition=first |publisher=Osprey |year=1973 |page=[https://archive.org/details/dictionaryofavia0000wrag/page/n232 223]}}</ref><ref name=r&dINVESTOP>{{cite web |url=http://www.investopedia.com/terms/r/randd.asp |title=Research And Development - R&D |publisher=Investopedia |access-date=11 October 2016}}</ref> R&D generally has three main activities.<ref name=HallUCB>{{cite web |url=https://eml.berkeley.edu/~bhhall/papers/BHH06_IESS_R&D.pdf |title=Research and Development |author=Bronwyn H. Hall |date=December 2006 |publisher=Economics Laboratory, University of California; Berkeley |access-date=11 October 2016}}</ref> These are: basic [[research]], applied research and development.<ref name=HallUCB/> Basic research is aimed at getting new knowledge with no immediate [[wikt:use|use]] or [[wikt:purpose|purpose]] in mind.<ref name=HallUCB/> Applied research is just the opposite. It is research for a definite purpose or product.<ref name=HallUCB/> Development has more to do with adding features to a product. Often, development is a process of eliminating all but the best idea to arrive at the best solution.<ref name=GoldenseMD>{{cite web |url=http://machinedesign.com/goldense-research-product-development/what-s-difference-between-research-and-development |title=What’s The