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Research governance in academia: are there alternatives to academic rankings?

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  • Margit Osterloh
  • Bruno S. Frey
Abstract
Peer reviews and rankings today are the backbone of research governance, but recently came under scrutiny. They take explicitly or implicitly agency theory as a theoretical basis. The emerging psychological economics opens a new perspective. As scholarly research is a mainly curiosity driven endeavor, we include intrinsic motivation and supportive feedback by the peers as important determinants of scholarly behavior. We discuss whether a stronger emphasis on selection and socialization offers an alternative to the present regime of academic rankings.

Suggested Citation

  • Margit Osterloh & Bruno S. Frey, 2009. "Research governance in academia: are there alternatives to academic rankings?," IEW - Working Papers 423, Institute for Empirical Research in Economics - University of Zurich.
    • Handle: RePEc:zur:iewwpx:423
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    Cited by:

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    2. Gebhard Kirchgässner, 2011. "Kaderschmieden der Wirtschaft und/oder Universitäten? Der Auftrag der Wirtschaftsuniversitäten und -fakultäten im 21. Jahrhundert," CREMA Working Paper Series 2011-05, Center for Research in Economics, Management and the Arts (CREMA).
    3. Jenny M. Lewis, 2014. "Research productivity and research system attitudes," Public Money & Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 34(6), pages 417-424, November.
    4. Benno Torgler & Marco Piatti, 2011. "A Century of American Economic Review," Working Papers 2011.27, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei.
    5. Gebhard Kirchgässner, 2011. "Kaderschmieden der Wirtschaft und/oder Universitäten? Der Auftrag der Wirtschaftsuniversitäten und –fakultäten im 21. Jahrhundert," Perspektiven der Wirtschaftspolitik, Verein für Socialpolitik, vol. 12(3), pages 317-337, August.
    6. Julien Pénin, 2012. "Motivation crowding-out: Is there a risk for science?," Working Papers of BETA 2012-13, Bureau d'Economie Théorique et Appliquée, UDS, Strasbourg.
    7. Bouyssou, D. & Marchant, T., 2010. "Consistent bibliometric rankings of authors and of journals," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 4(3), pages 365-378.
    8. Torgler, Benno & Piatti, Marco, 2011. "A Century of American Economic Review," Berkeley Olin Program in Law & Economics, Working Paper Series qt6h59v4m6, Berkeley Olin Program in Law & Economics.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Peer reviews; rankings; research governance; agency theory; psychological economics; new public management; economics of science; control theory;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O30 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - General
    • O39 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Other

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