Effects of release-time on R&D outputs and scientists' gratification

Abstract

A release-time policy which permitted scientists to periodically work on their own ideas was implemented on an ex perimental basis at a market oriented R&D laboratory. Only a small percentage of the laboratory personnel took advantage of the new policy. These few participants quickly became disillusioned, and their attitudes spread among the remaining nonparticipants. Reasons for the apparent failure of release-time in this situation are cited, and several general pitfalls to be avoided in administering release-time are enumerated. The compelling conclusion is advanced that the seem ingly innocuous idea of letting scientists work on their own ideas is an extremely complex and difficult concept to successfully implement.The particular case studied here involved an R&D labora tory which had developed several leading technologies and products in the past. During recent years, the laboratory's efforts had shifted toward maintaining existing products and market positions. This change in emphasis had resulted in the curtailment of a large amount of fundamental research and an increase in product maintenance research. The laboratory administration sensed an increasing discontent among their most productive personnel, as a result of these changes.Although the administration felt that the laboratory could never return to its earlier mode of heavy emphasis on funda mental research, the administration sought to regain some of the former atmosphere through a release-time policy. This policy allowed any scientist 1 to propose a one-man effort, four-month duration project which he or she could carry out when his or her current assignment was completed. Funds for equipment, travel, supporting service, and technician time also were provided. Projects were selected at random from the population of proposals, up to a maximum of fifteen con currently ongoing release-time projects. Selected release-time individuals were allowed to work unsupervised for a period of up to four months. The policy specified that the disposition of each release-time project's results would be determined in a postproject review meeting between the individual and the laboratory director. All release-time personnel were required to return to their prior research groups at the end of their four-month periods. 1 The term "scientist" is here used in its broadest sense, to include all 197 degreed professional employees of the laboratory. 0018-9391/81/0200-0008$00.75 © 1981 IEEE SOUDER: EFFECT S O F RELEASE-TIM E O N R& D OUTPUT S 9 CONDITIONS BEFOR E TREATMENT : Scientists dissatisfie d wit h th e (lew ) leve l o f organizational receptivit y fo r thei r ideas . Management dissatisfie d wit h th e (low ) leve l o f "creativity" an d "ide a outputs" . TREATMENT Release-time policy Release-time policy INTERVENING VARIABLE S (for scientists ) Perceived organizationa l reward s Perceived persona l reward s Perceived persona l risk s EXPECTED EFFECT S O F TREATMENT : Decrease i n scientist' s dissatisfaction s (a s measure d by thei r attitudes ) wit h respec t t o ...