Basic research in industry: Status symbol or necessity?

At the Westinghouse Research Laboratories we have recently re‐examined four questions which scientists have asked many times: (1) What does a corporation expect of a central research and development activity?; (2) Why carry out basic research in industry?; (3) Are scientific objectives and the profit motive compatible?; (4) What support should management provide the research scientist? The answers to these questions are important to us because they are important to our scientists. We have sought, therefore, to ask ourselves these and similar questions as directly as the scientists themselves would put them and then to seek answers in language just as understandable.