their respective functions for the organization as 

 a whole. The distinction between line and staff 

 functions in the academies of sciences is somewhat 

 less clear, due in part to their relative autonomy 

 which in turn is related to the nature of fundamental 

 research. The academies themselves conduct a rela- 

 tively large share of the planning and other func- 

 tional activities for their subordinate facilities, 

 although academy facilities are also subject to the 

 policy formulated by the various specialized state 

 committees and, overall, by the GKNT. 



Within this context the three principal central 

 management agencies which are concerned with R&D 

 planning and administration are the GKNT, the USSR 

 Academy of Sciences, and Gosplan. Of these, the 

 GKNT's functions may be described as comprehensive, 

 incorporating overall managerial responsibility for 

 Soviet S&T policy and particular concern with inter- 

 branch coordination problems and with facilitating 

 integration between academy, university, and indus- 

 trial R&D. The Academy and Gosplan are more special- 

 ized, concentrating respectively on fundamental re- 

 search and on industrial R&D and technology utiliza- 

 tion. They, in turn, are more heavily involved in 

 operational management in their respective areas, 

 either by formal administrative responsibility in 

 the Academy's case or by the significant de facto 

 authority of Gosplan in managing the economic and 

 technical activities of industrial establishments. 

 The three organs jointly issue many position or pol- 

 icy statements setting forth regulations and guide- 

 lines on one or another aspect of R&D planning and 

 management . 



In general, the basic principles which underlie 

 the organizational structure also tend to undermine 

 its "systemic" character and cohesiveness . The key 

 to effective organization in the Soviet Union, just 

 as in the United States, lies not in structure but 

 in relationships between individuals and institu- 

 tions. With parts but no couplings between the parts 

 there can be no system. The traditional design 

 principles of extreme functional specialization by 



78 



