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High technology industries depend more heavily on brainpower than other industries do, and successful high-tech products can usually be traced to ideas contributed by specific persons. High-tech geniuses are therefore valued as vital assets who can sometimes provide businesses with a decisive competitive advantage. Technology companies carefully nurture their high-tech talent, beginning from before the time of recruitment. Before a candidate is hired, he or she is carefully considered and discussed. After recruitment, personalized attention and special attentions keep creative individuals happy so that they do not leave. High-tech companies tend to pay extra attention to their 'environments,' which can refer to anything from facilities to perks.

Individual creativity is an important and highly valued factor for high-technology businesses. The Wall Street Journal conducted an informal survey among high-tech leaders, asking the question: What distinguishes genius? Respondents agree that geniuses tend to be young and that they usually have more than one good idea. Geniuses are hard workers and risk takers who can simplify ideas and communicate them. They are also stubborn and they are often lucky. The most widely acknowledged high-tech genius in today's high-tech industry is Microsoft Corp's Bill Gates. Various results and responses derived from the Wall Street Journal's survey are provided.

An informal survey of high-technology leaders was conducted by the Wall Street Journal. A result was the selection of five men who are seen by their colleagues as important personalities who have made outstanding contributions. Among these, Microsoft Corp's Bill Gates is an overwhelming choice as an especially outstanding and significant figure. Seymour Cray, of Cray Computer Corp, did original work in semiconductors, which led to the development of supercomputers. Alan Kay, currently a fellow at Apple, is an industry visionary who first gained notice when he worked in the 1970s at Xerox's near-legendary Palo Alto Research Center. Jack Kilby, of Texas Instruments Inc, is credited with the invention of the integrated circuit. John Cocke, of IBM, invented the chip design known as reduced instruction set computing (RISC). Honorable mention selections include Paul Allen, Michael Dell, Andrew Grove, Antony Hoare, Steven Jobs, William Joy, Mitch Kapor, David Liddle and Akira Tonomura.

IBM physicist Philip Seiden, working with New York immunologist Franco Celada, has created a biology laboratory environment with computer software. The immunology laboratory functions using cellular automata, which are groups of computer code that simulate the actions of organisms. Seiden intends to refine his program so that scientists can use it to perform some experiments that would otherwise require laboratory animals. Use of computer models would save research time and expense, not to mention lab mice. The automata exhibit life-like behavior, simulating cells and molecules that comprise the human immune system. Seiden used cellular automata for galaxy research until immunology caught his interest.

Two joint ventures being formed by Blockbuster Entertainment Corp and IBM could fundamentally alter the economics of the music and other industries. NewLeaf Entertainment Corp and Fairway Technology Associates Inc will develop and market retail systems that manufacture and dispense audio compact disks on request. The technology could be adapted to sell video games, computer software and even videos of movies. Because the systems would access audio recordings on huge data bases, customers need never worry about a sought-after recording being out of stock. The success of the systems would require licensing agreements with major music publishers, who might be leery of the systems' theoretical ability to mix and match music from different artists, albums and labels. The two new joint ventures will be based near Blockbuster's Fort Lauderdale, FL, headquarters.

IBM Vice Chmn Jack Kuehler announces plans to retire Aug 31, 1993, shortly after he turns 61. IBM many not name a successor because new Chmn and CEO Louis Gerstner has not decided on the organization of his long-term management team. Earlier in 1993, Kuehler, a 35-year IBM veteran, gave up the company presidency to become vice chairman. In 1992, then-Chmn John Akers asked Kuehler to stay an extra year after reaching the customary IBM retirement age of 60. In a separate development, IBM stock advances $1.50 to $49.875 in New York Stock Exchange composite trading on speculation that Christopher Steffen, who tendered a surprise resignation as chief financial officer of Eastman Kodak Inc, will take over the same job at IBM.