An inventor is one who can see the applicability of means to supply demand five years before it is obvious to those skilled in the art. Reginald Fessenden More Quotes by Reginald Fessenden More Quotes From Reginald Fessenden All our civilization is based on invention; before invention, men lived on fruits and nuts and pine cones and slept in caves. Reginald Fessenden sleep men science No organization engaged in any specific field of work ever invents any important developers in that field, or adopts any important development in that field until forced to do so by outside competition. Reginald Fessenden hard-work organization science Combination does not produce though mergers and combinations are still the accepted panacea. In Big business there appears to be increasing aridity, bureaucracy, and stultifying sacrifice of initiative and above all fear. Reginald Fessenden sacrifice acceptance science The inventor and the research man are confused because they both examine results of physical or chemical operations. But they are exact opposites, mirror images of one another. The research man does something and does not care [exactly] what it is that happens, he measures whatever it is. The inventor wants something to happen, but does not care how it happens or what it is that happens if it is not what he wants. Reginald Fessenden confused mirrors men ... in going over the history of all the inventions for which history could be obtained it became more and more clear that in addition to training and in addition to extensive knowledge, a natural quality of mind was also necessary. Reginald Fessenden science history knowledge Personality and salesmanship do not produce except in the competitive sense. Reginald Fessenden produce personality science And invention must still go on for it is necessary that we should completely control our circumstances. It is not sufficient that there should [only] be organization capable of providing food and shelter for all and organization to effect its proper distribution. Reginald Fessenden organization goes-on science [In relation to business:] Invention must be its keynote-a steady progression from one thing to another. As each in turn approaches a saturated market, something new must be produced. Reginald Fessenden progression something-new science Standardization does not produce although admirable as an efficiency method. Reginald Fessenden efficiency doe science