This is especially true in U.S. health sciences, where to get money from the NIH, you must plan and describe the outcome of the next 3-5 yrs of research. It's not acceptable to say, "We're going to explore this area for 5 years and see what we find and hope for a surprise."
Obviously, you then only get very incremental, low-risk, low-reward research, but high-profile scientists who mainly serve on the committees at the NIH and dole out funding get to keep their small business (err, I mean lab) going with minimal disruption in funding.
Obviously, you then only get very incremental, low-risk, low-reward research, but high-profile scientists who mainly serve on the committees at the NIH and dole out funding get to keep their small business (err, I mean lab) going with minimal disruption in funding.