Final answer:
The company can choose several options when a nonproprietary technology is not available for sale, such as developing it internally, forming a research partnership, or acquiring the technology owner. Forming a research partnership is one mentioned option that allows for collaboration and shared risk. Patents protect inventions and encourage R&D by allowing companies to earn monopoly profits for a period, typically up to 20 years.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a company needs a nonproprietary technology that is not available for sale, it has several options at its disposal. One tactic might include entering a partnership with a research institution, such as a university, where both parties can collaborate on developing the technology. This is one of the multiple-choice options presented. Alternatively, a company can choose to develop the technology internally, investing in its own research and development (R&D) department. This requires significant commitment in terms of time and resources but allows the company to maintain full control over the development process and intellectual property rights. Finally, if possible, the company can acquire the technology owner, meaning it can purchase another company or entity that owns the technology, thereby obtaining the proprietary rights to use and further develop the technology for its purposes. Taking into account all these choices, one viable option for a company, as listed in the question, is to form a research partnership (Option B), which can provide access to shared expertise, reduce overall costs, and mitigate some of the risks associated with R&D.
Intellectual property rights, such as patents, play a key role in protecting innovations and offering an incentive to invest in R&D. A patent grants an inventor exclusive rights to make, use, and sell an invention for a generally predetermined period, which is typically up to 20 years for most inventions. This encourages the development of new technologies by ensuring that firms can potentially earn monopoly profits on their products during this timeframe, offsetting the risks and costs associated with the R&D process.