h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

When I worked at an airport, badges and keys were designed to keep the hordes OUT of restricted areas. When I worked at a university, keys and badges were designed to let anyone and everyone IN to areas. I believe the difference might have been that in research, there is some level of desire to induce feelings of indebtedness in others to facilitate cooperation. This is why jewelry stores clean rings and inspect them for free--the customer feels they have been done a favor, so will chat with and develop a relationship with the store personel, presumably resulting in future sales. Thus, professors with adjacent offices demand other space for phone calls with their respective corporate sponsors (because the companies in question are competitors and they wish NOT to be overheard) BUT want access to each others' labs and students austensibly in the interest of providing guidance and expertise (and... OOOPS... colaboration).