Final answer:
No, companies cannot be guaranteed all social benefits of a new invention due to the unpredictable nature of social impacts, potential unintended consequences, and the spread of benefits beyond the innovating firm.
Step-by-step explanation:
Can a company be guaranteed all of the social benefits of a new invention? The correct answer is B. No, because the social impact of an invention can vary and may have unintended consequences.
While a company invests in research and development with the expectation of generating positive social benefits, there is no certainty that these benefits will fully materialize or accrue exclusively to the company responsible for the invention.
Innovations can indeed have positive externalities, which are beneficial spillovers to third parties or society at large, beyond the private profits of the firm. However, these social benefits are not always predictable, and negative externalities can also occur.
Furthermore, even when positive externalities do arise, they are typically enjoyed not just by the innovating firm, but by other firms and society as a whole. This dynamic means that while a company may receive a portion of the benefits, it does not receive all the social benefits attributable to the invention.
Therefore, while companies may contribute to social benefits through their innovations, these contributions are often spread across society, and issues such as unintended consequences mean that there are no guarantees associated with the social impact of new technologies.