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Michael Thorne's article "Do the market research before you try to make the business case" (29 October) and the recent C.P. Snow lecture in Cambridge are timely reminders of the persisting crudeness of thinking about the relationship between economic development and the so-called "two cultures". The assumption that a thriving economy relates exclusively to science remains as dangerously entrenched and ill-informed as ever, it seems.

I propose we develop far more extensive postdoctoral research in theatre, where the negotiating skills and awareness of the audience required might be of great benefit to managers, such as Royal Mail's.

Julia Swindells, Cambridge.