Main trends of research in the social and human ... - unesdoc - Unesco

738 Eric Trist
universities through the University Grants Committee were to be used to improve
departmental facilities and to increase the teaching strength of the social
sciences. The straitjacket in which the British economy has been placed
has retarded these developments; but not changed their direction.
36. The smaller countries already in advance of Britain and France are known
to be increasing their social science expenditure substantially between 1965 and
1970.168 By that date it is virtually certain that the CNR in Italy will have made
systematic arrangements for the social s~iences,~9 as it already has done for the
natural sciences, and that financial arrangements in the Federal Republic of
Germany will also have achieved co-ordination at a higher level of support. 51
Manpower
37. Data on social science manpower are even more meagre than on sources of
financial support. Yet in almost all Western European countries a social science
manpower crisis is either said to exist now or to be imminent. In face of the
rising demand for the services of social scientists the Netherlands would seem
to be by far the most advantageously placed nation - the only one with the
potentiality of exporting social scientists to its neighb0urs.3~
38. The most complete data were for Belgium. 404 For 1962 total research
manpower employed in 'scientific units', including teaching establishments in
higher education, is given in the table below which separates those professionally
qualified (all those with a first degree) from technicians and auxiliaries. Among
the professionals, in some disciplines as many as a half and in the others at
least in third were too junior to take responsibility for independent projects.
BELGIUM. I. Research manpower (1962)
Scientists % All personnel %
only including
technicians and
auxiliaries
Physical 3,604 53.8 15,723 69.9
Biological 21.3
5,433 - 27*3 81.1 4,797 20,520 - 91.2
Social 880 12.1 1,262 5.1
Humanities 6.8
390 1,270 ~ 18.9 - 623 1,885 - 3'7 8.8
Total 6,703 100.0 22,405 100.0
39. The second table distinguishes scientists and support staff by disciplines and
sector. 168
The third table" gives the disciplines in greater detail. It offers an estimate of
time spent on research or 'in favour of research' as against teaching and other
activities. The allowances are generous. The picture for social research in
Belgium in the early sixties is one in which some 800 people, a substantial
proportion of whom are very junior (and with not more than 70% of their