General considerations of R & D activities

Abstract

Research and development can best be effectively carried out with a background knowledge of what is going on outside the immediate activities of an R & D department. The researcher himself must know what scientific work has been published and what is being presently conducted in so far as this is available to him relative to his own work; the manager must be aware of the nature of the operations of the organisation for which the R & D is being carried out as well as having a wide knowledge of the scientific background to the work of his group; the director should additionally be aware of the scenario of R & D on a national or even an international scale so that he can bring to bear on the operations of his department those activities which will make them more fruitful and more efficient.