The abandonment of  basic scientific research by industry is
probably another example of  C. P. Snow's "Two Cultures" wending
its way into the industrial complex. In 1959, Snow described the
incompatibility of the culture of  the scientific/technical
community with that of the non-technical establishment. In the
contact I have had with several corporations that enjoyed highly
respectable scientific research establishments as a technical
executive, consultant and plodding researcher, I have observed
how the technical and business communities were constantly at
odds in their goals and the means to achieve them. The Ford
Motor Company in the 1950's and 60's supported a fine scientific
research laboratory populated by scientists and engineers who
achieved international prestige in their scientific
accomplishments while at the same time assessing how their
scientific productivity can contribute to the future strategies
of an automobile company. They participated in task forces
assessing the future of the transport