AbstractFor X and Y Banach spaces, let X⊗εY, be the injective tensor product. If Z is also a Banach space and U ∊ L(X⊗εY,Z) we consider the operatorWe prove that if U ∊ PI(X⊗εY, Z), then U# ∊ I(X, PI(Y,Z)). This result is then applied in the case of operators defined on the space of all X-valued continuous functions on the compact Hausdorff space T. We obtain also an affirmative answer to a problem of J. Diestel and J. J. Uhl about the RNP property for the space of all nuclear operators; namely if X* and Y have the RNP and Y can be complemented in its bidual, then N(X, Y) has the RNP.