Search

Article Information


The Proper Administration of Scientific Research
Kaar, Ira J.
3/1  (Fall 1960): 12-17

To the general public, a research scientist is an awesome fellow dressed in a long white coat and surrounded by a maze of glass plumbing and high voltage wires, who peers owlishly into a bubbling retort and speaks only to his fellow scientists. But, it is a different matter entirely when managers and executives share these ideas. In a way, it is unfortunate that research has attained such a reputation for producing miracles. Too many executives seem to think that the secret of success lies simply in budgeting a fund for research. While research costs have grown over fourfold since 1947, the number of production workers has grown only six percent over the same period, so it is obvious that research is becoming an increasingly important element of the cost of doing business, to say nothing of the new problems of management, which it raises. It strongly behooves each manager to scrutinize his research activities and expenses on a continuing basis and to become as knowledgeable in this area as he is, traditionally, in manufacturing and marketing.

 

California Management Review

Berkeley-Haas's Premier Management Journal

Published at the University of California for more than sixty years, California Management Review seeks to share knowledge that challenges convention and shows a better way of doing business.

Learn more
Follow Us