According to a survey, the popular companies Microsoft, Siemens, IBM and others have spent during this year quite important amounts of money on research and development (R & D) programs and projects. Microsoft has been showed of having spent up to 6.5 percent on R & D for 2006, and has gained the top place in the tech companies chart.

According to Booz Allen Hamilton’s annual study of the largest corporate R & D spenders from all over then world, Microsoft has started to get more and more serious about investing in research and development projects. The popular software maker has been ranked on the 7^th position for 2006, as it has devoted no less than $6.58 billion to R & D programs, which is up to 6.5 percent comparing to 2005 and which is also 14.9 percent of its 2006 sales.

Booz Allen Hamilton’s annual study’s list has been however topped by Toyota, which has spent no less than $7.7 million in research and development. Furthermore, Merck has invested the most in research and development as a percentage of sales among the top 20 companies, at 21.1%.

Among the other IT companies that one could find on the list, Siemens is on the No. 9 place, after having fallen three positions and invested $6.2 billion; IBM, which has also fallen from the 9^th to the 10^th position although it has spent $6.1 billion in research and development; Samsung, with $5.9 billion; Intel, which has stayed on the 12^th position with $5.8 billion spent on research and development; Matsushita – with $4.99 billion and Nokia – with only $4.89 billion.

So, Microsoft could be crowned as the king of the tech companies section of Booz Allen Hamilton’s annual list!