Tom Burns undertook several large scale research studies during his time at Edinburgh. This series includes papers relating to his research into the management of industrial and manufacturing firms, much of which contributed to his first book "The Management of Innovation" (co-authored with G M Stalker and published in 1961) and material relating to his research into the internal organisation of both British Petroleum and the NHS.

Towards the end of his professional career Tom Burns also conducted a large scale study of the BBC, little of the research survived within his papers but some of the articles he wrote as a result can be found within his draft papers and publications.