Faraday brings light and magnetism together (1845)
Faraday was not alone in envisioning a single theory encompassing all physical phenomena. Indeed, once Ørsted discovered that a magnetic compass needle could be deflected by an electric current, the relationship of electricity and magnetism, as well as other forces, was very much on the minds of physicists. Faraday, however, led the charge in actually demonstrating these relations.
Michael Faraday had no formal schooling beyond the age of 14. Certainly absent prior theory he should not have been allowed to diddle in a lab. What assurances were there that the right things would be discovered? On what schedule? Within what budget? Were safety goals set, met, and regularly documented?
This is the irresponsible, wasteful, intolerable randomness that doomed Bell Labs. Lavish waste of corporate assets to no discernable goals by peons is 100% counter to professional management doing it. After Lucent took over Bell labs noses were applied to the grindstone. The result? Budgets were impressed, PERT charts were drawn, DCF/ROI metrics were established. Personnel were hired supportive of Corporate Culture. Subsequent performance analyses indicated R&D programs were more vigorous and more tightly focused. Bell Labs rapidly transformed into a one time write-down, cost against revenues, generating a tremendous pulse of net retained earnings against taxation. Managers who cracked the whip earned their bonuses.