Industrial Research 



115 



able to work more effectively and to concentrate his 

 efforts on planning: and experimentation. 



These service facilities are not, however, a substitute 

 for experience. He will as rapidly as possible familiar- 

 ize himself with the principles underlying them, and 

 with the special techniques of his industry. In some 

 organizations the importance of this is recognized by 

 having all new research workers serve a brief apprentice- 

 sliip in the service departments. 



Another important aid to the research worker is 

 discussion with othei-s in his organization, including 

 particularly those outside the technical unit. Such 

 conferences give him an excellent opportunity to ac- 

 quire knowledge regarding the practical and commercial 

 I)hases of the problem. They also help develop the 

 important arts of discussing technical matters in ordi- 

 nary EngHsh, and of presenting ideas and facts clearly. 



Progress of the Research Worker 



The purpose of this part of the discussion is to outline 

 the possible progress of the research worker, with par- 

 ticular reference to the role played by the various 

 quahties and abihties discussed earlier. 



Subordination versus assumption of responsibility.- — 

 Here we are stating the subject as a dilemma, and the 

 solution depends on a nimiber of circumstances includ- 

 ing the degree to which the worker and his superior 

 possess a number of the qualities discussed under 

 "Qualifications for a Career in Research." A properly 

 qualified superior will encourage those working with 

 him to take responsibility to as great a degree as 

 possible. A properly qualified research worker will 

 accept responsibility to as great a degree as he is per- 

 mitted. This being the case, the only question then 

 is what is meant by "possible." Someone must be 

 responsible for the success of the entire project and the 

 final decision rests with tliis incUvidual. 



This situation may be clarified by the following 

 method of approach. The worker is spending the em- 

 ployer's money in an endeavor to solve a problem. 

 This expenditure includes, in addition to the worker's 

 salary and materials used, part of the salary of those 

 who supervise him, particularly his immediate superior. 

 He is therefore entitled to a reasonable amount of assist- 

 ance from his superior, but he will become a more 

 efficient worker to the extent to which this need is 

 reduced. 



An equally good approach was suggested by a com- 

 mentator. 



I have frequently heard reference to the desirability of a 

 man learning to distinguish between the three cases; first, a 

 decision which he is entitled to and should make on his own re- 

 sponsibility; secondly, a decision which he should make but of 

 which he should inform his superior; and third, a decision requir- 

 ing the authorization of his superior before it is consummated. 

 If a man in research can learn to distinguish as to these three 

 321835—41 9 



cases, he will increase his own responsibility and function effi- 

 ciently as a member of the organization. 



As the worker progresses he may find that he is faced 

 with two types of responsibility. In the first place it 

 may be his responsibility to carry a project through to 

 successful completion, then later he may be faced with 

 the responsibility for supervisory and executive work. 

 It is here that other qualities such as leadership, com- 

 mon sense, and judgment will become increasingly 

 important. 



Acquisition of experience. — In industrial research, 

 experience plays a role of peculiar importance. The 

 scientist who has done research work in connection 

 with his postgraduate course knows the importance of 

 thoroughly studying the literature on a subject before 

 he starts to work on it. Wlien he enters an industrial 

 research organization he will probably find that the same 

 necessity exists, but that the facilities for acquiring this 

 information are quite different and more complicated. 

 Most of the process industries, at least, did not have 

 technical origins, but started as arts or handicrafts. 

 Progress in the early stages was largely empirical and 

 was in many cases the result of inventive ability rather 

 than thorough study. To make liis efforts of the great- 

 est usefulness the research worker must familiarize 

 liimself with those parts of the industry which are 

 related to his work. He must not assume that because 

 a process cannot be explained or a material described 

 in precise scientific terms it is outside liis field of inter- 

 est. Much of the work of an industrial research labora- 

 tory consists in the wise application of technology to 

 just such situations. 



It has frequently been found, however, that too 

 much experience in a field may blind a person to the 

 possibihty of doing something quite different and better. 

 Information derived through experience should be 

 treated as the best information available at that time, 

 but subject always to further change. 



Evaluation and utilization of ideas. — As the worker 

 progresses in his career he will find that his ability to 

 evaluate and to utihze ideas is a matter of considerable 

 importance, whether the ideas are his own or come from 

 another source. Tliis ability depends in part on his 

 training and experience, and in part on temperament. 

 He should cultivate the habit of taking a constructive 

 rather than an instinctively destructive attitude toward 

 new ideas. By "constructive" we do not mean blind 

 optimism but rather an attitude of examining an idea 

 carefully and making a conscientious effort to use 

 whatever is good. If part of the idea is unsatisfactory 

 he may attempt to replace it with something better. 

 He should not make undue use of scientific facts or 

 principles to destroy new ideas. He should particu- 

 larly remember that the principal use of scientific 

 theories is to suggest action and should not get into 



