The year after a company whose success depends on product innovation has a profitable year, it invests more cash in its research and development department to attempt to generate innovations that can ensure future success. Therefore, companies whose success depends on product innovation should generate more innovations during the year following a profitable year of business than during years following unprofitable years of business.
Which of the following, if true about a company whose success depends on product innovation during the year after a profitable year, casts the most serious doubt on the conclusion drawn above?