The Creative Individual in Industrial Research

Abstract

A project was undertaken to analyze the processes associated with individual creativity in industrial research organizations and the effects of the company environment and management policies on the results of research and development (R and D) activities. Interviews were held with two hundred and nine technical researchers drawn from the fundamental, applied, and development staffs of seventeen private industrial firms, one research institute, one university laboratory, and the members of a creative engineering seminar for industry held at Stanford. One aspect of the study concerned the dichotomy of research specialist vs generalist. Most of the men participating in this study had broad technical and personal interests even though their current job assignments might each involve a definite specialization. Data on a wide range of characteristics and attitudes of research people are presented.