Chapter IX 



APPLIED SCIENCE AND INDUSTRIAL 



RESEARCH 



As we have seen, the apphcation of science to industry 

 developed first in the industries which themselves owed their 

 existence to the gi^owth of science, especially the chemical and 

 electrical industries. The value of research in producing new 

 materials and methods of manufacture slowly made it clear 

 that in every industry in which technical processes were in- 

 volved—and in what industries are they not involved?— organ- 

 ized scientific research was necessary if the industry was to 

 survive and flourish. The thing that convinced business men 

 of this was the age-old fear of competition. A man might 

 believe that new scientific discoveries were of no value to 

 him, but he could not entirely forget that his active com- 

 petitor might take advantage of these discoveries— might, in- 

 deed, even be secretly making discoveries behind his back 

 and might come out some day with a new line of products 

 that would take his business away from him. 



The primary function of the research department in an 

 industry is to provide the scientific knowledge to meet diffi- 

 culties, improve processes and products, and discover and 

 develop new products; but in modern industry the research 

 department has assumed broader functions. George East- 

 man once said that his research laboratory ^vas "responsible 

 for the future of photography." On the other hand, C. C. 

 Paterson of the General Electric Company, Ltd., has said: 

 "Industrial research exists in order that industry may have 

 within itself those scientific resources in workers and equip- 

 ment which will help the industry to cultivate the scientific 



outlook throughout all its personnel and activities." These 



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