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.
Comments (7)