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Research Restructuring and Assessment Can We Apply the Corporate Experience to Government Agencies? (1995) / Chapter Skim
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3 Research Restructuring and Assessment at AT&T
Pages 20-26

The Chapter Skim interface presents what we've algorithmically identified as the most significant single chunk of text within every page in the chapter.
Select key terms on the right to highlight them within pages of the chapter.


From page 20...
... ~ , ~ ~ ~ r r ~ ~ ~ -- r- This includes the basic handset corded phone business, cordless phones, cellular phones, and the private branch exchange (PBX) systems that are used to control office building communications.
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From page 21...
... Large contracts have been signed among AT&T, Pactel, and a number of the regional companies to essentially introduce broadband services into your house. There are various technical schemes for doing that, but every regional operating company wants to have broadband access and to be able to supply cable television.
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From page 22...
... We try in research to work the interface with the business unit but, at the same time, keep a balance in the spectrum of research both the applied research, working with business units, and basic research. If you listen to the story of what our corporation is that we have just spent $25 billion on McCaw, which is a service corporation, and that our revenues from long distance are $45 billion you realize that services dominate AT&T.
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From page 23...
... We are still interested in and want to maintain a strong scientific base, albeit a smaller one. In order to do that we use fairly conventional means of measuring the value of those people; we have annual reviews.
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From page 24...
... First of all, I would like to say that as we have converted to more applied research, it has been fascinating to watch our researchers because they have been tremendously enthusiastic about what they have done; their enthusiasm is fantastic. They have discovered that the idea of creating real value in the corporation by actually delivering a product, and working on research that the corporation makes a profit on, is an interesting, exciting thing.
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From page 25...
... It is not easy, and I think the question you are wrestling with today is not an easy issue either because NSF is really supposed to be in basic research. The thing I think that we do, and I would claim NSF does not do, is any systematic evaluation of results, rather than proposals.
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From page 26...
... What we should have is a measurement of our education system because if you cannot convert people, if they overspecialize and that is what it sounds like because RF has been around for 50 years or so then there is something wrong with the education system. We should ask ourselves again what measure we have been using for education, not just for research.
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Key Terms

  • business unit
  • research organization
  • wireless communications
  • joint projects
  • easy issue

  • telecommunications equipment
  • meet regularly
  • third business
  • bell laboratories
  • playing field

  • cellular phones
  • cellular phone
  • little bit
  • cable television
  • regional operating

  • mccaw cellular
  • merit review
  • phone business
  • integrated circuits
  • level playing

  • practical reality
  • local access
  • sells complete
  • run telephones
  • five business

  • card call
  • cellular company
  • corporate institution
  • building communications
  • little tricky


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