Industrial Research 



81 



number appeared to depend most on the state of the 

 art m the industry, that is, on tlio age of its establish- 

 ment and on the degree of its coniplexitj'. 



While 14 companies have no specialized facilities for 

 research or experimentation, they carry on such activi- 

 ties to the extent that opportunities in the plant permit. 

 Fifteen companies have laboratories for routine testing, 

 out of which come ideas which are further studied 

 through other means. A model shop is mauitained by 

 6 companies and an experimental unit forms a part of 

 the technical activities of 7 others. Specialized research 

 equipment has been installed by 5 companies, scattered 

 throughout the whole range of size of small companies 

 studied. 



The continuity of activity was marked testimony to 

 the dependence of the small enterprise on research. 

 Twenty-nine companies claimed that, having built up 

 an effective teclmical organization, they could not 

 afford to diminish its activity. It is only the routine 



members of sucii units that are allowed to vary. In 

 fact, 8 com])ani('s pointed to the steady growth of their 

 technical units. Only among 10 companies where the 

 art was relatively well established did the number of 

 trained engineers vary with the needs of the business. 

 It is notable that, for small companies able to cite 

 figures, research expenditures ranged somewhat above 

 5 percent of net sales for those having more than 200 

 factory employees and as much as 8-10 percent for 

 those with fewer wage earners. 



In contrast to the organized research of large cor- 

 porations, individual elfort characterizes the technical 

 activities of the small company. For the most part, 

 individuals arc given the responsibility for specific 

 technical work and only informally exchange ideas or 

 knowledge with their associates. Thus the technical 

 requirements of 20 companies come more witliin Ihc 

 area of individual ingenuity and accumulated practical 

 experience. Fifteen of these companies spoke of en- 



FiGURE 12. — Strips of Light-Polarizing Film Hanging in the Luljorutory of Ihc rulaiuid Cur|jur;t(iuij, Cauibriiit; 



The Strips Are Transparent Unless Two Are Crossed at Right Angles 



Massachusetts. 



