Actually, my understanding of Microsoft Research is that their main focus is on promoting and sharing innovative ideas. A MSR researcher's performance is reviewed based on academic publications and the amount of impact that their work has on the communities in which their work lies. If their work happens to help one of MS's products, then that is a bonus.
That's what I've been told at least by someone who works for MSR in Seattle. In fact, some of the most passionate people in my field of study (I'm a graduate student in electrical/computer engineering) work for MSR.
^^ this. I didn't known about MSR until I became a grad student in comp sci and started seeing the name pop up time and again in the literature whether it was graphics, computer vision, AI, etc etc.
If you like computer science, you like MSR. (Plus, they gave the world F# and C# which are an oasis in the world of enterprise development)
That's what I've been told at least by someone who works for MSR in Seattle. In fact, some of the most passionate people in my field of study (I'm a graduate student in electrical/computer engineering) work for MSR.