24 Aug
2001
24 Aug
'01
10:42 a.m.
At 03:47 am 24/08/2001 -0600, Richard Erlacher wrote:
Having worked in R&D most of my last 25 years,
I've got to disagree about the
notion that it's a good place for "head-in-the-clouds" types.
Please don't take me the wrong way - it was not meant in a derogatory way
at all. There's plenty of call for blue-sky research (as I've heard it
called). And off-the-wall ideas are often good ones, e.g. the Fritter.
Generally, R&D
has not only to develop entirely new technologies, but has to take the
current
set of needs and cook up ways of meeting those needs
with currently avaialble
technology and get the job done before the market window closes.
Head-in-the-clouds types may excel at basic research, but often don't fit
in
the
"get-the-job-done-now" environment that
business demands.
Agreed. However, you have to appreciate the history of this place: It
started life as part of the nationalised UK electricity industry. As a
nationalised industry, "value for money", "return on investment" and
other
such terms had no meaning. As my Dad said - every three months a big tipper
wagon turned up and deposited several million pounds of cash in the car
park. No-one ever questioned where or how it was spent, just that it was...
Basically, until privatisation in 1989, the word "profit" did not enter
into the vocabulary of this place. Gradually, since 1989, this has changed;
and funnily enough many of the PhDs have left for pastures new.
Cheers!
Ade.
--
B-Racing: B where it's at :-)
http://www.b-racing.co.uk