(b) Research groups; varied and specialised skills; capacity to deal with complex
systems and large amounts of data; results relevant to real world problems of practice. 6. Research sponsorship: Contract research: covers most large scale research effort, employing groups of qualified staff; effective for limited time periods with no obligation to ensure continuity; projects have to be "sold" before they are started; early anticipation of research reults; possibly appropriate for the development of applications for use in practice. University supported research; teaching staff expected to undertake some research, usually acting as individuals; low priority on employment of research staff; limited resources for large scale research efforts, but continuity assured; may be appropriate for theoretical studies. Studentships; supported by government departments; apparently cheap but difficult to concentrate effort; divergent goals; poor continuity beyond two to three years; useful for dealing with research topics which can be isolated from long term developments, tendency towards theoretical studies. 7.
Implementation of research results in practice: Research directed at applications; implementation by one identified user or a group of unidentified users; knowledge of detailed circumstances of implementations; negotiations with people. Research directed at complete revolution of practice, or at integration of new techniques into existing practice. Research directed at a large or small part of the overall process involved in practice, i.e. at sketch design only or including detailed design and production information. Introduction of unfamiliar techniques into existing practices; may produce crisis of confidence; resistance of the establishment to change. Implementation of technical results in an existing organisation requires politica. acceptance, i.e. rational arguments must achieve a favourable subjective response. Initially new techniques are likely to be costly, but should become cheaper over long term; improved use of diminishing resources; may enable things to be done which could not otherwise be possible. Anticipation of cost benefit; calculations necessarily uncertain; cost effectiveness may only be evident over long time scale; requires act of confidence.
Discussion Professor Robertson introduced Mr. Harold Buteux, Chief Technical Officer, Scottish Special Housing Association. A discussion took place, of which the following were the main points: Page sixty
