More on the SOE R&D acronym encouragement drive

here.
I'm biased, but i think it's a good idea if done well. Any billion dollar company should be throwing a % point or three at innovation and looking for new revenue schemes. I reiterate my concern that these skills aren't exactly think on the ground however.
I suspect much iterative and derivative work will be done with a couple of PhD scholorships held up as examples of their new innovation drive. Hope i'm wrong.