There are
several different ways the term "commercialization" is used. The advantages and
disadvantages of it depend on the type of commercialization to which you are referring. One area
is commercialization of underdeveloped nations or regions. Others are commercialization of
technologies and education.
One area the term is applied to is
commercialization of technologies. Take, for example biotechnology and medical research. When
academic scientists are supported by government grants, they can focus on the basic science, on
making discoveries that can benefit all of humanity. Many government grants require that the
recipients make their results freely and publicly available. Commercialization is the design,
development, manufacture, and marketing of "products based on new technologies"
("
Princeton.edu). The advantage of commercializing this research is that it means a boost to the
economy. The downside is that corporations aren't in the business of benefiting humanity but in
the business of making a profit. This may mean focusing on the most profitable lines of research
rather than on affordable cures for diseases and on keeping information proprietary to maximize
profit from a monopoly on it rather than sharing it where it could be useful.
Another area of concern in North America is commercialization of education. Imagine
something innocuous, such as a soft drink company, having an exclusive contract to sell and
advertise sodas on a university campus. While the university benefits from the extra revenue, it
might have a stifling effect on scientists researching the bad effects of soft drinks on health
or the possibility that Beverage X contains cancer-causing chemicals. Any form of
commercialization of education helps fund it but also threatens to limit intellectual
freedom.
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