ABSTRACT
This chapter outlines some of the pressures that forced our business in India to set up a Research Centre for buttressing and diversifying the activities of the local enterprise. It analyses some of the environmental conditions that were conducive for the promotion of the establishment of such a Research Centre. The chapter examines the interaction with academia, other research institutes and consulting engineering and design organizations, which supported the development and effective use of Research by the business. It discusses some of the broader aspects of interlinks and interrelationships and management support that led to more effective Research contributions to the business. A number of fine chemicals substituting imported chemicals are being produced by the company through the efforts of the Research Centre. Industrial research as in Hindustan Lever fully recognises that scientific facts are often not usable by themselves — the context is the source of their meaning, the business provides.
