NOTA MENTAL


John R. Pierce

"(John R.) Pierce created a rare environment in any industry or research lab, one in which the scientists felt empowered to do their best and in which creativity was highly valued. At the time, the Bell Telephone Company/AT&T had a complete monopoly on telephone service in the U.S. and a large cash reserve. Their laboratory was something of a playground for the very best and brightest inventors, engineers and scientists in America. In the Bell Labs 'sandbox', Pierce allowed his people to be creative without worrying about the bottom line or the applicability of their ideas to commerce. Pierce understood that the only way true innovation can occur is when people don't have to censor themselves and can let their ideas run free. Although only a small proportion of those ideas may be practical, and a smaller proportion still would become products, those that did would be innovative, unique, and potentially very profitable. Out of this environment came a number of innovations including lasers, digital computers, and the Unix operating system". (Daniel J. Levitin, This Is Your Brain On Music)

(2009)