Final answer:
The claim highlights the role of inventors as contributors to both the creation and engineering of their innovations, and how this involvement does not necessarily lead to increased profits due to the distribution of economic benefits within the market. This underscores the complex nature of innovation and profit allocation.
Step-by-step explanation:
The claim that inventors sometimes serve as their own engineers plays a role in the argument which demonstrates an aspect of the inventor's contributions to the innovation process. Economists have found that inventors often receive only a fraction, specifically one-third to one-half, of the total economic benefits from their innovations, with the remainder benefitting other businesses and users. This may be indicative of the broad impact an invention can have beyond the inventor's own financial gain.
In doing so, inventors who act as their own engineers are not only creating a new product but are also involved in the development and refinement of the invention. This dual role may require a deep understanding of both the concept and the practical application, which involves utilizing math and science. However, even with this significant investment in the innovation, inventors' profits may be less than expected, as the value is distributed within the economy. By taking on engineering tasks, inventors may be attempting to optimize their control over the invention process to maximize returns, but market dynamics and other factors play a major role in determining the financial outcome.