Research environments of four leading universities were studied: University of California at Berkeley (UC-Berkeley), Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and Stanford University. Attention was directed to organizational responses for encouraging collaboration in research at these leading universities, as well as to implications for encouraging excellence in research at other institutions that are striving for increased productivity and quality during hard times. Two independent organized research groups located at Stanford University, SRI International and the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences, helped promote research vitality at the university. At MIT, there is an emphasis on innovation and high levels of communication between disciplines, and a willingness to take risks in an uncertain environment. Internal organizational reforms at MIT include a new definition of faculty associated with organized research units. UC-Berkeley has experimented with a governance process to help reorder departmental boundaries in an academic area so that the reorganized units are less damaging to the development of new fields of study. Harvard has increased ties with industry and business, which provide opportunities to promote technological developments. (SW)