JAMES B. FISK 



an industrial laboratory. More recently Mervin Kelly, in several 

 addresses, and, indeed, a number of participants in this sym- 

 posium have spoken and written on this subject. 



I expect we would all be pretty well agreed on essential 

 conditions. If there are differences, they arc likely to show up 

 in discussion of how certain conditions are best achieved or 

 how closely they can be approximated, or in questions of empha- 

 sis and relative importance. 



Sometimes an analogy is helpful — and I have looked for 

 one, but not very successfully. The arch is an old favorite. I 

 can identify the keystone, the larger and some of the smaller 

 blocks, and perhaps the mortar. But this analogy is static. Re- 

 search is alive and dynamic. Perhaps it is better to assemble 

 some of the essential ingredients and simply remember that in 

 any complex, dynamic organism there are many of these, and 

 many conditions to be met. Some are more important than 

 others, but health and vigor depend on attention to all of them. 



The principal ingredients for successful research in an 

 industrial laboratory are: people, purpose, and environment. 



People obviously come first: professional competence, 

 scientists of the highest intellectual quality. This means pains- 

 taking search and careful selection of those rare individuals 

 who have the gift of uninhibited insight so essential to research 

 in its creative aspects. It means recognition of the role of tech- 

 nology in a dynamic industry, the role of science as its source, 

 and most importantly, the role of the individual as the producer 

 of new science. It also means generating and maintaining esprit 

 de corps, a will to accomplishment, and a pride in accomplish- 

 ment. Successful solution of these human problems determines 

 the vitality and conditions the technical performance of a 

 research organization. 



Second is purpose. A prime need of an industrial labora- 

 tory is a clear understanding of why it exists. What are its tech- 



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