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Facts and fads in academic research management: The effect of management practices on research productivity in Australia

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  • Beerkens, Maarja

Abstract

As a response to competitive market forces and governmental steering policies, Australian universities have strengthened considerably their internal research management in the last two decades. This paper examines empirically the effect of management on academic research productivity. The results suggest that management practices indeed seem to have some positive effect on research productivity, and the effect is consistent in the earlier (1995–2000) and later (2001–2007) time period. Universities with a more intensive management approach not only have higher absolute level of research productivity but they demonstrate also faster growth in productivity. An omitted variable bias and robustness of the results to the choice of the output measure are under a particular attention and call for some caution in interpreting the results.

Suggested Citation

  • Beerkens, Maarja, 2013. "Facts and fads in academic research management: The effect of management practices on research productivity in Australia," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 42(9), pages 1679-1693.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:respol:v:42:y:2013:i:9:p:1679-1693
    DOI: 10.1016/j.respol.2013.07.014
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    6. Amanda H. Goodall & John M. McDowell & Larry D. Singell, 2017. "Do Economics Departments Improve after They Appoint a Top Scholar as Chairperson?," Kyklos, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 70(4), pages 546-564, November.
    7. Aliakbar Akbaritabar & Niccolò Casnici & Flaminio Squazzoni, 2018. "The conundrum of research productivity: a study on sociologists in Italy," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 114(3), pages 859-882, March.
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    9. Goodall, Amanda H. & McDowell, John M. & Singell, Larry D., 2014. "Leadership and the Research Productivity of University Departments," IZA Discussion Papers 7903, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    10. Stefan P L de Jong & Corina Balaban, 2022. "How universities influence societal impact practices: Academics’ sense-making of organizational impact strategies [Between Relevance and Excellence? Research Impact Agenda and the Production of Pol," Science and Public Policy, Oxford University Press, vol. 49(4), pages 609-620.

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