BC Ministry of Health
Document 32442
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March 9, 1970
SUGGESTIONS FOR COORDINATION OF RESEARCH AMONGST THE RESEARCH CENTRES
OF BRITISH AMERICAN TOBACCO AND ASSOCIATED COMPANIES
Since the total number of scientists in the entire BAT
organization is probably greater than that of any other tobacco
company in the world, there is every reason to expect the BAT group
to be at the technological forefront of the world's tobacco industry.
One can question whether the total effort is currently achieving the
output expected and whether better coordination of research and
development would enhance the output. The coordination of research
activities within the BAT group has been discussed and attempted to
some degree by the research people several times in the past. The
development of PCL is an example of the potential of coordination.
This project which involved BAT, General Cigar Inc., B & W and our-
selves was the first and perhaps the only major mroject to be closely
coordinated. Experience has shown that it was technically %uccessful.
The subject of coordination of research has been discussed
at the various Group Research Meetings held during the past two and
a half years. The current philosophy on coordination was recorded
in Minute No. 37 of the Krpnberg Conference "The aim is for each
laboratory to control its own work in such a way that it integrates
into a total effort so that the laboratory gets the maximum advantage".
The present degree of coordination, albeit fairly loose, has no doubt
been stimulated by the research conferences held during the past couple
of years. It is also aided by a reasonably good information exchange
in the form of formal reports and correspondence supplemented by rather
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infrequent visits, together with the inherent desires of scientists
not to duplicate that which has already been done. Nevertheless,
one cannot help but feel that some more formal method of coordination
would result in improved effectiveness of a total BAT research program
and better use of skills, equipra~nt and money than currently. Of
course, not a11 projects are amenable to coordination insofar as
each country has proDlems which are unique to that particular location
and can best be solved by them. Nevertheless, there are a number of
specific areas such as the development of a cigarette with less bio-
logically active' smoke condensate, improvement of filling power, and
development of a better reconstituted tobacco, which are of mutual
interest to most of the group laboratories. These subjects involve
lengthy and difficult programs and I believe would lend themselves
very suitably to greater coordinated approaches. Any laboratory in
undertaking a role in coordinated research would, of course, be
committed to satisfactorily fulfilling its obligations yet, at the
same time, would have to be able to cope with local problems which
may at times be of very high priority.
The establishment in October 1968 of a Research Planning
Section at Southampton, headed by Dr. Felton, indicates the intention
of ultimately achieving some degree of coordination amongst research
centFes, but so far due to other major responsibilities they have
been unable to devote sufficient time to activities in the associated
laboratories. The following sections of this memorandum set forth
suggestions of achievinq coordination through group planning and
cooperation to complement the central planning function.
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I. The research managers at regular meetings should define
major problems in the industry, explore new research areas
and ideas, review major progress, decide on future action,
and up-date each other on the special skills and potentials
in the members' laboratories. Agreement should be achieved
on programs to be coordinated, the general scooe of these
programs, the identifying of the participating laboratories
and the degrees of participation.
2. Once the overall program involving coordinated projects
has been agreed upon, then a meeting of the scientists
from the different laboratories who will be directing the
different phases of the project should be held, in order to
po0| ideas and discuss methods of approach, staff, facilities,
schedules, etc., so that a suitably detailed program, designed
to meet the objectives of the participating groups, can be
formulated. It may be desirable for the research managers
to also attend this meeting but this will depend upon the
size and complexity of the individual project under discussion.
It is not inconceivab|e that on some occasions one laboratory
would carry out all the experimental ~.~ork but that individuals
from the other partlcipatinq laboratories would cooperate in
the direction and monitoring of the project in order to ensure
that objectives of all participating groups are being met.
The contributions to each project by individual organizations
should be so planned as to maintain the ~otivating forces
v~ithin those organizations. In other vtords, a balance of
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the in~ortance and quality of the contributions should be
kept, and unreasonable distribution of the more mundane
tasks avoided.
3. At various stages throughout the life of the project, the
scientific leaders of the project from the various laboratories
should convene to review the project to date and plan the
future directions to be followed. Written progress reports
at suitable intervals should, of course, be circulated
between meetings and, in addition, frequent co~unication
via letters and short notes should be encouraged.
A project leader should be appointed for each project so
that he can act as the coordinator for that particular
project.
5. The role of the Research Planning Section would be that of
overall coordination of the joint projects and to act as
chairman of the Research Managers' meetings when projects
are reviewed, formulated, etc. It should also encourage and
develop the proper atmosphere for coordination to occur.
In addition, it should have a responsibility to alert the
group to new areas requiring attention for ultimate discussion
by the research managers as to action required. The research
managers should be equally responsible for identifying future
problem areas of the industry. Research Planning should
probably not act as a clearing house for all information
on an individual project; rather this should be a responbibility
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of the project leader to keep all concerned informed.
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APPENDIX
A SUGGESTED LIST OF PROJECTS WHICH
LEND THEHSELVES TO COORDINATION
I. Improvement of filling power.
Development of reconstituted tobacco having lowered
biological activity of the condensate relative to that of
lamina and which can be used at substantially higher
percentages of ~he total blend than presently, without
adverse effects on taste, burn rate, etc.
Methods of reducing the biological activity of tobacco
condensates such as through treat~nt of the tobacco or
development of inert materials to act as diluents.
4. Methods of Biological Assay of smoke.
5. Development of techniaues to make high filtration cigarettes
more acceptable to the smoking public.
Development of filters having selectivity for particular
components of the smoke.
Improved methods of subjective evaluation of tobaccos and
the development of relationships between subjective and
objective parameters such as leaf and smoke components
and/or physiological responses, as aids in leaf blending
and product development.
o
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The development of blends and processes to produce products
which will compete with the Dutch type pipe tobaccos, in
particular Amphora.
The evaluation of all types of machinery for the processing
and manufactur~ of tobacco products and filters. In the
latter would be included evaluation of tow processing equip-
ment and equipment for multiple filters with and without
additives or granular chambers.
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