Chris Rowan is a geologist specialising in the dark arts of paleomagnetism, and getting people to pay him to travel to exotic destinations for fieldwork. Having drilled up New Zealand during his PhD, he is now a post-doc at the University of Johannesburg. 
There was an interesting article in Science last week, which argues that a successful career in research requires much the same skills as running a successful business. The author, Peter Fiske, argues that a number of business strategy ideas can be profitably employed in the academic arena, which may be particularly relevant as the competition for research funding becomes ever more intense:
- Product differentiation - developing novel ways of approaching scientific problems, or the techniques that you employ to solve them, so that you stand out as a unique individual within your particular subfield.
- Customer base - specifically, diversifying your sources of funding, so that you are not completely reliant on the fickle attentions of one big 'customer' or funding body
It's an interesting way of thinking about things, and I'd be interested to hear whether people more well-versed in the ins and outs of a successful research "business" see any value in it. However, I was also struck by another interesting point made in this article: that "most businesses are solo ventures led by one person who starts the company and then does all, or almost all, the work." One thing that we academics like to pride ourselves on is that, for the most part, our job is more than something which puts food on the table, it's something we believe in, and find rewarding to do, and will often sacrifice our free time to. Perhaps that's not so different from someone who runs their own little cafe, or t-shirt printing business, or garage. We're not the only ones who make sacrifices for a career we believe in; something that we would do well to remember from time to time, before we start thinking we're too special.
Education & Careers
Comments
You know that Peter's PhD is in geology, don't you? In fact, I'm one of the people Peter refers to here:
Personally, I like the alternate career path. (And I'm not sure what he means about the reality not matching up. I would argue that the expectations have increased, but... well, I'm not sure Peter knows what goes on in a place where research isn't the top priority.)
Posted by: Kim | May 15, 2008 1:24 PM
I think the business-perspective analogy works fine (I only read your post, not the whole article yet) if you're coming from that world. It's a way to relate perhaps. It might not make much sense for some that have never been exposed to that world (and I'm sure some will look down their nose from the Ivory Tower and proclaim it's a poor analogy).
And, as you allude to, small business owners often take a lot of pride in what they do, and put a lot of blood, sweat, and tears into their businesses ... much like some researchers do with their science, or educators do for their students. Being a drone in a large corporation ... well, that's another story.
Posted by: BrianR | May 15, 2008 2:10 PM
I should clarify a little - I went to grad school with Peter. And he did exactly what he recommends: he diversified, doing a second research project on the side of his dissertation and getting a PhD minor. The second research project led to his first job, and the minor led (I think) to his business career (and, I believe, his MBA). Oh, and he managed a big field trip to the Alps, funded by a gigantic yard sale. It was clear that he had a great talent for management. So I can see where he's coming from. But on the other hand, he's thinking of academia as a world where research is the top priority (and at both his undergrad and grad institutions, it was). I think the analogy to the passion of small business owners is good, but I'm not sure that much else can be squeezed out of it, in terms of how to make a small business/teaching career succeed. (I'm not interested in being either a CEO or a research scientist, including an academic who defines herself as a "PI" first, so I won't comment on that part.)
Posted by: Kim | May 15, 2008 3:09 PM
Can you twist analogies any further than this guy does?
Also, there doesn't seem to be anything about taking care of employees, paying them a living wage, treating them professionally...
And, to reiterate Kim's point:
"When I was a graduate student, there was an equivalent career-path fantasy that many of my fellow graduate students dreamed about: being a professor at a small liberal arts college, where research was a sidelight to one's career and teaching was the main attraction. It sounds nice, but the reality rarely matches up. A more realistic variation is the sole investigator who has an active connection to someone else's lab."
Spoken with all the arrogance of someone who doesn't know shit of what he speaks. Idiot...
Posted by: Transient Reporter | May 15, 2008 6:42 PM
Scientific research is only peripherally like running a business... What is it like, however, is running a non-profit organization or a charity. One has no inherent source of income besides grants from well-meaning organizations or individuals who give you money to advance the common good. The "product", in that sense, is not really a product as it is in business, but rather a perception of providing a benefit to humanity. The line between 'production' and 'income' is much less direct. The downsides are also similar: underpaid employees and troubling politics, and the temptation to be able to exploit people based on their dedication to their interests and their cause.
Posted by: Sara | May 16, 2008 12:27 AM
Having worked in both the private sector (as a consultant/senior project mgr) and government, as well as watched my ex go thru the tenure/professor/PI at a high-falutin' research institution, I would tend to agree that the process is much closer to that of an entrepreneur/small non-profit. There's much bureaucracy involved in grant administration/grad student funding that would be similar to how a non-profit works and the actual work is mostly do-it-yourself. I actually got to see my ex only after 8 or 9 at night, and only 5-8 months out of the year (the rest of the time he was in the field either teaching field camp or doing his own field work). He was usually in the office earlier, and left later than most of his grad students on a daily basis, much like you would expect an entrepreneeur/small business owner's life to be. Additionally, in my experience, nine times out of ten, the owner of a one- or two-to-three-person consulting shop is doing most of the management work and putting most of the hours into running the business. The employees are usually there for technical work only.
Posted by: coconino | May 16, 2008 11:59 AM
I knew his dad from the Smithsonian, but I haven't ever met Peter. I recommend his career book, linked at the bottom of the article, for anyone trying to plan a career.
Posted by: Lab Lemming | May 19, 2008 7:07 PM