STAFFGROUP STRATEGIC SURVEYS TNO
MOBILITY OF RESEARCHERS IN THE NETHERLANDS
(summary)
D.R. Davies
REHM. Smits
R. Tweehuysen
W. Wiis
December 1980
CONTENTS
2, This research project
3. Conclusions
3.1. General conclusions
3.2. Conclusions based on the labour
market mode!
3.3. Conclusions based on the R & D model
3.4. Conclusions concerning the need of data
and further research
4. Recommendations for the measures to be taken
page
10
14
BACKGROUND
At the beginning of the seventies, grave concern existed over low mobility
of researchers due to the stagnation in the growth In the research
capacity available. Through a strong expansion in research capacity prior
to this condition of stagnation, the age of researchers was relatively
low. it was feared that the small natural turnover (as the result of a
low average age) together with the low mobility would lead to a collective
aging of the research corps itself. This aging factor was considered to be
a threat to research as a whole since it could lead to mental fixation and
loss of creativity.
In addition to this, the expectations for mal
possibilities open to the then recently graduated university students had
9 @ career and the employment
strongly decreased. This situation resulted in a loss of talent for research
groups, and it was feared that there would be a decline in the motivation
and development possibilities for researchers.
The developments briefly described here formed no phenomena exclusive to
the Netherlands but also made their appearances in substantially all of the
western countries. i
This situation resulted in Mr. L. de Brauw, the Minister for Science Policy
at that time, to ask advice from the Advisory Council for Science Policy
(RAWa) on the following matters:
= the factors possibly influencing mobility in scientific education as well
as in the other (research) institutes and,
- the measures which could be taken to promote mobility.
The Counci! tendered its advice in 1976 but, prior to Its analysis and
suggestions, pointed to a lack of statistical material and an Insight into
the problem. Moreover, and as a result of the Minister seeking advice, the
Counci1 (RAWB) took the view that mobility proposed as an alm in Itself and
not included in a broader cadre of causes and effects would be an Impediment~
ary limitation, and thus it was offered to develop the study further. The
Inter Ministerial Consultative Committee on Research and Development Policy
set up a working party concerned with questions of mobility and whose task
would be to advise on concrete measures to be taken on the basis of the
proposals put forward by the RAWB.
The complete report (in Dutch) can be obtained from the Staffgroup
Strategic Surveys of TNO, P.0. Box 541, 7300 AM Apeldoorn, Netherlands.
2. THIS RESEARCH PROJECT
Currently herewith, the Minister for Science Policy instructed the Staff-
group Strategic Surveys of TNO to carry out a system-dynamic study of the
mobility of researchers on the basis of a long-term perspective, and in
relation to a background of the quality of research and employnent ocpor-
tunities for those engaged in research. This project was initiated in Harch
1979 and was concluded in September 1980. A sumnary of the final report now
lies before you, The project was conducted through a commissicn which in-
cluded representatives from industrial concerns (Shell, Philips), the
Directorate General for Science Policy, and the Ministry of Social Affairs,
the Universities, the Central Bureau for Statistics (C8S), the Advisory
Council for Science Policy and the Central Planning Bureau (CPS).
The research project itself was finally directed to three areas: statistics
and other data, the influence of mobility with respect to research and
mobility in the cadre of the employment market for researcners. In carrying
out the investigation, use was made of the System-Dynanics Method. This
relates to a problem-directed system-analytic approach which is used namely
for complex, long-term policy problems.
The project was begun with the gathering of background material by means
ofa
iterature study, interviewing and the analysis of statistical cata.
From the information obtained in this manner, it became rapidly clear that
mobility was only one of the many factors influencing research. In this
connection, and amongst other matters, the quality of the infrastructure
(apparatus and buildings) and many managerial aspects (e.g. the drafting
of research programmes, Contacts with other establishments) played an
equally important role.
Whilst in carrying out the research project it was not attempted to trace
all these factors and unravel the effects on research itself, it was well
attempted as far as possible to study the effect of mobility on research in
relation to these other factors. In this sense then, the study presented
here is limited!), This limitation was applied for two reasons. On the one
hand, a limitation was imposed by the terms of the Minister's instructions
relative to the research project wherein explicit reference to mobility was
1) The study is also limited in the sense that it is not detailed in answer
to the question - "What is the Importance of research for society".
-We
& raat the ~obtiity probiem vill be solved when the bulk of 344
the resesrehers (around the year 2000) ia peneloned, ia not
Through the expansion of the research system in the sixties, the number
going on pension in the eighties and nineties will increase. From calculations
made with the labour market model, it appears, however, that this number will
not create the room that is needed to make an adequate Influx of young
researchers possible.
From the simulations, it came to the fore that the number of pensioning
cases during the period extending to the year 2000 will never come to more
than 2 to 3% of the total number of researchers. Pensioning of personne! wil!
well contribute to the lightening of the mobility problem but will not ob-
viate this problem.
a. If the present policy is continued, strong discrepancies will arise in
the fusure concerning ages and conditions of employment between senior and
ovher reszarchers.
The strongly increasing supply of academicians will lead to a lowering of
the conditions of employment for researchers commencing their careers, and
through this the average conditions of employment for researchers in the
junior category will also be lowered. The conditions of employment for senior,
researchers are high, and these will also stay high since (through the low
mobility of this group amongst other matters) only a few juniors will pass
through to this group.
10. Correction in the composition of the personnel (through the ranke) vill
onty be brought about by a laborious proces
Alongside the increase in the average age and the changes in the condition
‘of employment (see previous conclusion), changes In the mobility and in the
composition of the personnel also occur extremely slowly. Amongst other
matters this delay resulted in this, that the incidental adjustment of the
number of senior places via the transfer of senior places to junior places
through considerations of the legal position, could only. be realised by
means of the natural course of events in the matter. We already mentioned in
conclusion 8 that the outflow through pensioning is lower than some 2% which
“412+
means that a reduction in the number of senior places by about 302 will
take at least 6 years!), Since it also appears that this instrument in
of importance that the measures
Itself Is no quick-acting panacea
to be taken are taken quickly.
11. A policy directed to a strong increase in the share of researchers
in temporary positions ia no solution to the problem of finding work.
The increasing number of temporary researchers causes many problems. The
mobility in this group often appears to rise extremely high since the
chances of the temporarily appointed to obtain a permanent position are
strongly decreasing. For the greater part, this decrease must be attributed
to the expansion of the number.of temporary positions because this expansior.
takes place to the cost of permanent positions. Through this situation, —
researchers use these positions as lookout-posts for those having more per~
spective. This has the result that temporarily employed researchers leave
their employment quite some time before their "contract" expires. This
situation has more than a disastrous effect on continuity of the research
projects in which they are engaged.
Thus temporary appointments appear to be unattractive and thus are also
often used incorrectly.
Furthermore, the transfer from permanent to temporary appointments occupies
much time (see 9). During this time, little or no inflow occurs to the
higher ranks. Due to this policy the aging of those in these higher ranks
runs its course even faster than it would have done without it, This is to
be considered as very undesirable.
12, Legislated early retirement offere no real solutton to the mobility
problem.
We have already seen in conclusion 8 that the increase in pensioning to the
year 1990 offers no effective solution. Early retirement only means that
the situation existing after 1990 will arrive somewhat earlier. Since this
only affects the situation depicted at the tailend of the graph giving the
1) At the moment the total number of senior positions amounts to
approximately 33%.
-13-
age structure (see fig. 3) the effect on the situation as a whole Is but
slight.
13, The nobility can be well tnereased by increasing. the number of juviore
vitn cenins to the cost of the eentore.
From the data available it appears that mobility of the permanently
appointed is highest in the lowest ranks. An increase in the number of
juniors with tenure thus leads to a growth of the category in which the
mobility is high, Oue to the fact that the junior places increase relative~
ly with respect to the senior positions the chances of promotion to the
senior positions become smaller. Because of the fact that a junior place
will not very often be seen as the end of a career, the permanently
appointed junior will try to find another position more than their senior
col leagues.
-This is also often a need for those who want to make a career, since in
this situation the transfer of senior to junior positions will result in
decreased probabili
Such a policy exhibits many resemblances to the policy which is exercised
in industry. The policy in industry is also often directed to stimulating
the outflow from research by excluding from the résearch the career peak
(acquisition of the highest conditions of employment). Furthermore, such
a policy could be of importance in the propagation of knowledge of technic-
ally-high value and perhaps through this the establishment of smal? compa-
ies to promote to a senior position.
nies can be stimulated. 4
The category "permanent junior" is also on the increase in relation to the
group of juniors in temporary service. Thus, due to this situation, the
chances of this last quoted group being taken on permanently has become
greater, and so that it has become more attractive to serve out the contract
whereby the continuity of the research is ensured. Finally since relatively
more people are being taken on permanently, there will be less wastage of
the experience that has been built up. As an extra advantage of such a
policy, it can even be reported here that from the simulations it
appears that there is a supple transition to a situation In which those of
the juniors taken on permanently are in the majority as compared with a
transition to a situation in which more juniors are being taken Into tem
345 ¢
porary service.
1h
3.3. CONCLUSIONS BASED ON THE 8 c 0 MCOEL
The R & D model comprises two more or less Pars sectors (reseercvers ars
infrastructure, namely apparatus) and a softer sector retatir: gts tre
level of research. The revelations from tne hare sector relating te ne
researchers completely support the conclusions whicn were obtained witn
the assistance of the labour market model. Thus we do not repeat this part
of the study and limit ourselves to other sectors. For the rest, it can be
commented that the R & D mode! is adjustea to the needs of the pnysical anc
technical sciences
14. Whilst the research system may be quoved as being robusz up to a
certain level it ie umstable in ite essentializies.
In general, small changes in the circumstances (age, level of the apparatus
used and suchlike) only give rise to Proportionately small adaptions to the
level of the research. Howdver, if the circumstancial pressures applied tc
the system are great enough (bad apparatus, an aging of the knowledge anz an
increase in the average age) then these can lead to relative small alterations
which, as it were, break internal resistance and positive feed-back processes
are Initiated which have the result that the level of the research continues
falling. <
At this point we can say that the research system can take a knock under
normal circumstances, but that if the external circumstances become too bad
a fall in the level of research automatically leads to further falling.
Several positive feed-back chains play an important role in this process,
these are outlined in figure 5 (see also figure 2).
desired
rate of Je-——— level
learning of i
researchers infrastructure
level
level _
a: the
research
level
= 155
The interconnecting loons (A) iVlustrate that the level of the research
personnel is dependent on the level of the research via the desired level
of research. A fall in this level leads to a fall in the level of the
researchers which, in its turn, again leads to a fall in the level of the
research itself.
Loop B is illustrative of a similar process for the level of the infra~
structure.
15. It is of great importance to continuously monitor the research system.
From simulations made with the model it appears that a decrease of the
level of research is brought about slowly, and it often goes unnoticed
because together with the level of the research also the "norms" of the
researchers are lowered. In view of the fact that It also appears from
these simulations that recovery takes a very ong time, continuous monitoring
of the research is necessary. Moreover, it may yet be commented that It
would seem very unintelligible to put one's trust In an "automatic!
correction of the system.
18. Low mobility and aging can form a great problem for the level of the
research.
for two reasons. In the first
In this conclusion we use the word "can!
place no rigorous theory exists concerning the connection between age and
level. This means that we must make some assumptions on this point In our
model, These assumptions can be formulated as follow:
- If a research group works over a long period on the same subject with
the same composition of personnel then the level of the group will fall
because the personnel becomes, amongst other things, less ambitious and
less studious.
ity leads to less exchange of ideas and thus to a lower rate of
= Low mobi
learning.
Neither of these two effects have been accentuated in our model.
In the second place, the effect of the low mobility and aging depends on
other influences on the research system. If the circumstantial pressure
caused by these factors is slight then low mobility and aging exercise little
influence. However, should the research system be subjected to heavy pressure
then the low mobility and aging may be likened to the final straw that broke
the camel's back (see also 14).
346
= 1b
17. Mobility ts only one of the many factors which determine the Le:
of the research. The influence which the i
el of che apparatus and che
policy have on the level of the research also needs to be looked at.
The level of the apparatus is determined by the investment policy herefor,
the rate at which apparatus becomes obsolescent and the moment at which it
is taken out of service. In the mode), bad apparatus exercises only a
modest!) influence on the research. The level of the apparatus can be im-
proved by either purchasing more new and modern instruments or by taking
obsolescent apparatus out of service.
In the event of resort to the last action, one must take care that the
instrumentation remains at an adequate level. it is namely in this area
that age and policy play an important role.
18. The extension of the number of temporary positions espectally for junior
researchers of'fere no sclution for the problems caused by aging.
From the model results it appears that, making the assumptions, temporary
positions create no problems for the level of the research. This result
Is presumably unrealistic for two reasons.
In the first place we have always assumed that the temporarily employed
researchers are completely integrated in research. Presumably this. is in-
correct since, in this case, a research employee taken on in a temporary
appointment expends a good deal of the time available to him in settling
himself in.
In the second place a problem plays a role here in sofar that very often
the research policy is determined by the permanently employed researchers
(the temporarily appointed never often reach this stage during the period
of their temporary appointment). The transfer of positions in this category
to the temporarily employed group reduces the inflow to the permanently
employed group and thus causes an accelerated aging of the latter. Further-
more much time and attention Is needed to educate and allow for the settling-
In of a continuous influx of new people, and due to the high outflow from
the temporary group much experience and knowledge is prematurely lost.
Finally here we will yet indicate the consequences of a policy, directed
to increasing the number of temporary positions, on the age distribution
of the researchers. Figure 6 Is illustrative of the (bi-polar) age
1) Modest because as much (see 16) great uncertainty exists over these
relationships.
3.4,
Pe
distribution which can result from such a policy. From the view point of
and also in the interests of the research (see 3.1)
1
organisational-theory
sucn a distribution must be considered as undesirable.
3
3
3
a
3
ro)
3
3
5
é
18. Eecra funds are needed in order to maintain the level of research,
Concerning the infrastructure, the simulations are very explicit. Some
deterioration in respect of the growth situation is unavoidable and this
must also be accepted. However, too great a slip needs to be avoided and
therefor a good policy for the replacement of apparatus is necessary.
Further hereto extra means must become available in order to give extra
stimulation to promising researchers, to finance guest researchers and
study trips to other institutions (also those located abroad) and to free
researchers from other tasks such as teaching for example. A part of these
gs accruing from the measures taken in
costs will be financed from sa’
the area of personnel in general.
CONCLUSIONS CONCERNING THE NEED OF DATA AND “FURTHER RESEARCH
During the course of this study we came into contact with many areas of
activity over which little was known but which are, in our opinion, well
of great importance to the investigated problem. Owing to this some of the
parts of this study could not be worked out sufficiently. These sectors
1) In an organisation in which such an age distribution exists the "middle
cdaeeraaetty and thera te often talk of a strong
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= 18 -
are briefly given below. Finally, those points on which existing data is
lacking are set out in the second part of this section.
Further parts of this study still to be worked out
= The Research & Development investment policy.
Fuller sensitivity-analysis of the models.
Breakdown of research organisations into types.
ds.
Firm establishment further of direct measures for promoting mob
= Detailed personnel planning for longer pe
ty.
- Firm establishment further of the measures having the aim of stimulating
renewal of the research.
Improvement of the data
From the study it appeared that insufficient data was available relating to:
> Personnel, separated into ranks, age classes and disciplines.
- Turnover, reasons for turnover and new sphere of activity.
~ Level and extent of the infrastructure per researcher.
~ Availability of the infrastructure per researcher.
Academicians per age group, discipline and sphere of activity.
Number of employment vacancies open to academicians
= Conditions of employment for academicians.
- Changes in the conditions of employment during tne last 20 years and
the influence hereof on the demand for academicians.
= Career-course of academicians.
Potential careers for academicians.
The need of industry and local government institutions for academicians
and data relative to the knowledge and proficiency which are required
herefor.
Forecast of the academicians required per discipline.
= The reasons for following a scientific education, influences on the
influx of students.
Percentage of fall-out and duration of the period of scientific education.
1) In connection with this it fs interesting to point out that, in the
near future, shortages are to be expected in certain disciplines
. (chemical engineers, mechanical engineers).
5
-19-
Furthermore, it appears useful at this juncture to point out the small
degree of uniformity of the data available through which it is difficult
or impossible to compare information provided by different organ-
isations.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE MEASURES TO BE TAKEN
A series of concrete. recommendations can be derived from the conclusions
discussed in the foregoing paragraphs. it should be commented on here that
these measures will very often only achieve the desired effect If they are
pushed-through at research group levels. We will now quote the main of
these measures with a brief explanation. The first eight recommendations
more or less relate to the policy to be exercised in respect of personnel,
the others are more generally concerned with the improvement of the function-
ing of the research groups.
1. Ering the career perspectives of the researchere more into conformity
vita chose of the employees with the sane Level of education ("higher-
grade personnei"}. rn
lt still often occurs that researchers have better conditions of employment
than other employees with a similar level of education. This holds good not
only for the primary conditions of employment but also for the secondary
thereof and this can act as a brake on mobility to (often at lowered alarted)
functions outside of research. The present situation impedes mobility because
an older person engaged in research will often lose-out if he transfers to
a higher-grade function.
2, Endeavour to achieve a personnel butld-up in which the permanently
appointed category of juniore have a greater share of the poste available
(for example, 25% temporarily employed juntors, 50% permanently employed
duntcrs and 25% sentor-grade employees).
In the matter of this recommendation, we refer to conclusions 11, 13 and
18. We expect the following advantages to accrue from the implementation
of this recommendation:
~ Less unrest in the organisation.
- The younger of the researchers will also be able to determine the
348
-20-
research policy jointly with others.
There will be a lessening in the loss of experience.
‘
Career perspectives for temporarily empioyed personnel will become more
favourable and there will be a lesser turnover of personnel in this
group, a situation which will be all to the good of continuity of the
research.
There will be ‘a build-up of personnel which will’ be more in keeping with
the "ideal" composition (see conclusion 2).
Savings will be made in salaries in relation to the present system.
An increase in mobility, especially if this recommendation is realised
In practice in combination with the three earlier quoted recommendations.
There will be a better distribution of mobility over the age classes.
3. Tighten up the selection requirement prior to promotion to senior rats
of the researchers. In the exercise of this selection, consider aspects
other than research capacity and namely managerial ability.
Many of the present problems have arisen due to the fact that many of the
researchers have been able to pass through to the ranks of the senior
researchers too easily (often, even more or less automatically). In order
to remove this sort of problem in the future, it is also recommended that there
will be a tightening-up in the selection requirements. One of the principal
tasks of the seniorsconsists of research management, little account was
taken of this aspect of the function on the appointment of seniors in the
past. This situation has glven rise to our reconmendation that more attention
should be paid to managerial capacity in’ the future.
4. Improve the quality of management in non-industrial research organtsaticns.
The great importance of good research management has already been commented
on at different times here in. It seems that industry itself is thouroughly
conscious of this and has invested much time and money, by regularly ‘sending
research managers to acquire education and attend courses herein. This is
probably one of the reasons why industrial research management has been more
successful in maintaining its researchers better motivated (by continuously
offering them challenging problems) than university research managers.
Whilst university management cannot exercise an influence on research policy
-ae
such as is exercised by industrial managers and whilst, through the
oppressive financial situation, one and another things have still happened
in this area of activity lately (better research proposals, thighter
selection, development of assessment criteria) we are of the opinion still
that too little has been achieved in this field within the universities
and other (semi-)governmental organisations.
|. Iv deserves recommendation that the practice of demotion (a change to
other appointment, an advisory function for example) be resorted to in
tie case of older research managers.
Resort to the demotion of older research management personne} opens the
possibility for younger researchers to flow-through to management functions.
This flow-through will increase the vitality of the management which is
essential for the research itself and concurrently, through demotion, the
older researchers will contribute to the solution of the mobility problem,
Further the build-up proposed in recommendation 2 can be realised more
quickly.
6. Stimlate the outflow of the more experienced researchers to functions
outside of research. .
‘As already commented on herein this outflow is of great importance since,
through this, possibilities are created for the inflow of the recently
graduated as well as flow-through of young researchers. Furthermore, a more
Har
effective distribution of research results Is to be expected from a
outflow of personnel.
The project team itself realises that it will not be easy to meat these
recommendations and suggests several ideas which follow hereon and which
can be helpful in the matter.
~ Connection hereto can be sought from the investigation that Is to be
carried out by Twente University of Technology. The object of this invest-
igation is to determine in what manner the universities of technology can
be helpful to the engineers desirous of starting a business.
= In view of the fact that breaks in the pension build-up still act with a
great braking effect on mobility, it is useful in this connection te refer
to the report of the working group occupied with matters relating to the
349
= 22+
legal position of TNO personnel. This report explains in which manner the
TNO pension provisions must be adapted in order to take care that employees
can leave’the organisation before their 65th year without problems of too
great a magnitude arising In the matter of their pensions.
Often, and certainly If it is attended with a domestic move, externa!
mobility brings with it costs for the employee which are only very partly
covered by the so-called removal costs arrangement. It thus deserves re-
commendation that this reimbursement be increased so that the employee is
no longer punished financially for his mobility.
The offer of an appointment with another organisation brings with it an
k for the employee since he is giving up a permanent position,
and is often required to serve a probationary period first with his new
employer. It must be determined just how much this risk can be obviated. To
this end then agreements can be made between the two organisations concerned
attendant
for example, and through which the probationary period may be conceived as
a sort of detachment.
It should be endeavoured to make functions outside of research more
attractive for researchers.
in view of the fact that obscurity still leads to unpopularity, a first
step to Improve situations”) between organisations snould be taken through
communication (via contract research for example). In parellel with this,
it should be determined which knowledge and which skills researchers
themselves should acquire before transferring to functions outside of
research. The research organisations must consider how far they must go
jonal
ities of acquiring this add
in offering researchers the possi
knowledge and skill themselves.
7. The promotion of internal mobility.
The importance of internal mobility in conducting alert research policy has
been under discussion In the foregoing. Here we shall permit several ideas
and suggestions to follow:
= The following should serve as a basis for conducting a policy of mobility:
an inventory of currently running research, the potential of the re~
searchers the desires of the researchers and the desires of the managerent.
On the basis of these inventories answers can be obtained to the questions
1) On a somewhat longer-term basis, this communication can also led to a
better directivity of the research to the demands of the surroundings.
= 23 -
as to whether there is a willingness, a possibility and a demand for
internal mobility.
= It will require much attention and time to free the term internal mobility
from the stigma "failure". To this end it is desirable amongst other things
that internal mobility is explicitly placed in the cadre of a well-founded
research policy.
= It deserves recommendation that internal mobility be made financially
attractive and to fit into a career policy (to be internally mobile ts
good for your career!).
= Internal mobility is very often braked by organisational difficulties,
these difficulties should be overcome.
The mamner in whieh data concerning mobility can be gathered in a more
wm uay needs to be investigated by the universities and
adequate @
the Central Bureau of Statistics.
During the course of this study, it seemed more than once that data concerning
AGvITEy WaRlabwant (Far Rimepley, whore ae es) Sap iayesie’ Cane’ frm Or Whereta'se
those employees go?). Such data coming from different organisations was often
difficult to compare.”
9, It deserves recommendation that a part of the government subsidies to
inesitutions for applied research be chancelled through the (potential)
"elients” of these institutions.
This recommendation aims at coupling the research carried out by the quoted
institutions to the problems existing in society and thus, by doing so, im-
proving the relationship between these institutions and their "clients" by
using the financial means (partly) to determine in which fields of activity
research is to be carried out.
10, Increase the number of detachments and take on more guest-teachere.
If it appears that it is not adequately possible to get the outflow of the
older personnel under way, then it will not be a simple matter to bring new
knowledge in house (by an inflow of new personnel for example). The ex-
ing personnel and taking on guest-teachers can be of help
pedients of detact
in attempting to bring in new knowledge. From this point of view, fellowships
for study abroad can play an important role. In this connection, a Canadian
359
- 2h -
Initiative is worth reporting. In Canada, it is possible to obtain a
fellowship abroad if one (on the basis of a worked-out research proposal)
shows that they can go and work on a project with one or more foreign people
engaged in research).
11, In the interests of safeguarding the Level of research, it te to be
reeonmended that a "research-monitoring syaten" be developed.
As appearing from the foregoing discussion on the R & D model, the changes
executed in the matter of the level of research are slow and often go un=
noticed by researchers. In order to react to changes in the level of research
ina more alert manner, it also deserves recommendation that a “research- 7
monitoring system" be instituted and which closely follows these changes.
Through this, and for example, thought can be given to the establishment of
@ management information system
‘hin the different research organisations
and/or at a national level from which information concerning current research
can be extracted rapidly.
Such systems can play an important role in assessing the quality of various
research projects, and through which the norms established therefor can be
better or more objectively maintained.
Contacts with top-functioning groups abroad can also be of great importance.
On one hand, researchers from ‘these foreign-based groups can be more easily
co-opted into the evaluation of research carried out in the Netherlands or
research proposals originating herefrom. On the other hand, these contacts
are of Importance because attention wil be attracted more quickly herethrough
Tf there Is 2 lag and at the same time it will be easier to “cath-up! again.
12. Make extra means available to solve crucial bottle-neck problems.
In view of the fact that many of the measures previously proposed herein will
only have their effects over 3 long period, it can occur that short and medium
term research will be threatened with involvement in the problems and good
researchers will possibly be subjected to Frustration because they wil! not
get the chance to realise their plans. In order to prevent these problems
having disastrous consequences for the functioning of the research carried
out on a long term basis, it deserves recommendation that these problems be
solved through direct additional financing which, for example, can be used
to temporarily free good researchers from the task of teaching. In this matter,
thought can also be given to extra means for apparatus and personnel and the
stimulation of efficiently functioning research groups.
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