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In this article, we show that, in high-tech industries, there are significant differences in the Habitual Domains (HD) of technologists/researchers (T/R) and managers/leaders (M/L). The differences are measured specifically in the following: characteristics, attitudes toward career and life, perception of business problems, business competences and resources. We then describe how a T/R can effectively transform himself/herself into a successful M/L, by transforming his/her HD closer to that of a successful M/L.

Various possibilities for the determination of trace impurities in high-purity iron by atomic spectrometry were investigated in detail. For Ba, Bi, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, Ti and V, flame AAS, furnace AAS and ICP-OES were firstly evaluated in terms of their power of detection. Detection limits in the μg/g-range could be achieved by direct determination. For determination in the ng/g-range a removal of iron by a solvent extraction technique prior to the instrumental measurement was required. The power of detection of direct determination, and of combined procedures were compared with regard to routine applicability and a minimization of systematic errors.

A combined procedure enabling simultaneous multielement analysis of trace impurities in high-purity iron is presented. After removal of the iron matrix by solvent extraction with methyl isobutyl ketone, the trace elements Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Ni, Cu, Pb and Bi are determined by means of total reflection X-ray fluorescence analysis. Detection limits are found in the range of 100 ng/g. The reliability of the method is verified by the analysis of commercial high-purity iron and by the comparison of analytical data obtained by ICP-AES.

A newly developed apparatus was used for the determination of carbon in pure and high-purity iron samples. It enables the differentiation between the carbon content of the surface and the bulk by temperature-controlled heating in an oxygen flow. The carbon dioxide formed was measured by an IR-gas analyzer, type BINOS. At sample weights of about 0.1 g with surface areas of about 0.5 cm2, carbon concentrations of ≥0.04 Μg/cm2 of the surface and of ≥0.2 Μg/g of the bulk can be determined. By means of the results on 6 certified reference materials with low carbon concentrations and on 7 high-purity iron samples, the influence of sample form, treatment and storage on surface and bulk carbon is demonstrated. The findings confirm the already formerly stated tendency to too high values in the certificates of reference samples with carbon concentrations in the lower Μg/g range.