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Up or Out: Research Incentives and Career Prospects of Postdocs in Germany

Author

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  • Fitzenberger Bernd

    (University of Freiburg, Fahnenbergplatz,Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany)

  • Schulze Ute

    (University of Freiburg, Fahnenbergplatz,Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany)

Abstract

Academic careers in Germany have been under debate for a while. We conduct a survey among postdocs in Germany to analyze the perceptions and attitudes of postdocs regarding their research incentives, their working conditions, and their career prospects. We conceptualize the career prospects of a postdoc in a life-cycle perspective of transitions from academic training to academic or non-academic jobs. Only about half of the postdocs sees strong incentives for academic research, but there is quite a strong confidence to succeed in an academic career. Furthermore, postdocs who attended a PhD program show better career prospects and higher research incentives compared to others. Academic career prospects and motivation are strongest for assistant professors. Apart from this small group, however, postdocs report only a small impact of the university reforms of the last decade. Female postdocs show significantly higher research incentives but otherwise we find little gender differences. Finally, good prospects in nonacademic jobs are not associated with a reduction in the motivation for research.

Suggested Citation

  • Fitzenberger Bernd & Schulze Ute, 2014. "Up or Out: Research Incentives and Career Prospects of Postdocs in Germany," German Economic Review, De Gruyter, vol. 15(2), pages 287-328, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:bpj:germec:v:15:y:2014:i:2:p:287-328
    DOI: 10.1111/geer.12010
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    Cited by:

    1. Lutter, Mark & Schröder, Martin, 2016. "Who becomes a tenured professor, and why? Panel data evidence from German sociology, 1980–2013," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(5), pages 999-1013.
    2. Erina Ytsma, 2022. "Effort and Selection Effects of Performance Pay in Knowledge Creation," CESifo Working Paper Series 10153, CESifo.
    3. Doris Fischer, 2014. "The Impact of Changing Incentives in China on International Cooperation in Social Science Research on China," Journal of Current Chinese Affairs - China aktuell, Institute of Asian Studies, GIGA German Institute of Global and Area Studies, Hamburg, vol. 43(2), pages 33-46.
    4. Nurith Epstein & Daniel Lachmann, 2018. "Gender Inequity during the Ph.D.: Females in the Life Sciences Benefit Less from Their Integration into the Scientific Community," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 7(8), pages 1-15, August.

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