Management of Scientific Resources: People, Ideas, and Time

Abstract

People, ideas, and time are important variables within any professional environment and can have a profound impact on the success of any research program. However, these topics are not frequently discussed with very little information being presented to most scientists. In this article, we evaluate the importance of managing people, ideas, and time in research. Managing people is a multi-faceted task. Promoting teamwork is one important variable. Supporting teamwork among researchers requires the provision of resources, information, and responsibility. This promotes professional development and allows capitalization of individual talents. Generating and implementing new ideas requires a strong support network, both in terms of the physical environment and the ability to create and sustain momentum. Time management strategies need to be implemented to balance the diverse array of tasks associated with research. Collectively, the ability to manage people, ideas, and time is about creating an environment that is able to realize the true potential of each individual, promoting the growth of each individual, leading to a success in research.