WHAT RESEARCH EXPECTS OF MANAGEMENT* By WALTER J. HAMBURGER Director, Fabric Research Laboratories, Inc., Boston, Mass. WHAT DOES RESEARCH expect of management is a question which is or should be continuously in the minds of progressive scientific personnel. The answer has rarely been offered audibly or formally, but it appears timely to consider at least some of the beliefs in and attitudes toward re- search which the research worker may justifiably expect of management. Management for the most part is not involved in the doing of scientific research, but the success of its enterprises will depend upon its beliefs in, and attitudes toward scientific research. Both its beliefs and its attitudes are vitally important to its employees, to industry as a whole, and to society. It seems prudent first to establish the defintions of some words that are in frequent use, but seldom considered, in a truly applied sense. Res'earch: Studious inquiry, usually critical and exhaustive investigation or experimentation, having for its aim the revision of accepted conclu- sions in the light of newly discovered facts. Critical.' Of, or pertaining to a critic or criticism. ztnalytical: Thorough, exact. Exhaustive: Having a tendency to exhaust, as by thorough and complete discussion, covering all points or items as in an investigation or dis- cussion. Investigation: Systematic inquiry. Experimentation: Action or operation designed as a test, trial, or at- tempt. Conclusion: A conviction from inference, a practical determination, decision. When considered objectively, it becomes immediately obvious that re- search is not exclusively an activity reserved for the scientist or the engi- neer. Indeed, persons in any walk of life may, and do, conduct research, unwittingly perhaps, in the course of their day-to-day associations with * Presented at the May 14, 1954, Meeting, New York City. 260

WHAT RESEARCH EXPECTS OF MANAGEMENT 261 their fellow men. Those who seek truth in the quest fl0r accomplishment, constantly engage in "studious inquiry, usually critical and exhaustive in- vestigation or experimentation, having for its aim the revision of accepted conclusions in the light of newly discovered facts." To express it more simply and succinctly they strive to keep up-to-date in a complex and ever- changing society. They conduct research at an informal level. To live and act intelligently--as researchers--they must not of necessity, be scientists. To be successful they must be "analytical, thorough, and exact by means of thorough and complete discussion (or consideration) covering all points or items .... "They must see to it that they consistently engage in systematic inquiry by means of action or operation designed as a test, trial, or attempt. Their prowess will be judged by the conclusions at which they arrive, their "convictions from inference," their "practical determinations," their "decisions." BE•aEr •N RESE^ke, To achieve the major objective--success in the modern industrial race for technological supremacy--management must sincerely believe in re- search. Its actions must be research-oriented its belief in the fruitfulness of research should be intuitive and unhesitant, so that when faced with technical problems it instinctively seeks answers with an open mind and critical experimentation, rather than with prejudice, opinion, and a mythi- cal recantation of some prior art. Management should not have to be per- suaded to support research. This statement does not mean that management should support research uncritically, or that all research is either worthy of support or timely. Frequently, political and economic facts may overrule the logic of a re- search program. Frequently the answers to industrial problems are not technical but rather, social in nature, such as a breakdown in production because of faulty human relations between labor and management. The fact remains, however, that the great industrial development of the present era is the brainchild of scientific research, and no industrial organization can compete successfully unless it is convinced and aggressive about it. RESEARCH Is LIKE INSURANCE No respected, capable, business executive would ever dream of conduct- ing his business regardless of economics or politics without the benefit of the protection afforded by adequate insurance coverage. To this end, a wager is made by business with the insurance company on a basis of odds actuarily established. Business bets (at these odds) with an insurance company that it will have a fire and hopes that it will not, and with the sol- ace gained from such a protective arrangement, management puts its mind to the pressing problems at hand,