IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/scaman/v34y2018i4p303-310.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Precarious postdocs: A comparative study on recruitment and selection of early-career researchers

Author

Listed:
  • Herschberg, Channah
  • Benschop, Yvonne
  • van den Brink, Marieke

Abstract

This paper investigates how the recruitment and selection for project-based postdoc positions are organised in the current academic landscape characterised by increasing temporary research funding and how principal investigators construct the ‘ideal’ postdoc. Our findings are based on a qualitative comparative multiple-case study in Social and Natural Sciences departments of universities in four European countries. This study contributes to the literature on the neoliberal university and academic staff evaluation by using a systemic, power-sensitive approach that examines how postdocs enter the academic system and how manifestations of precarity are exacerbated. Our critical analysis reveals three manifestations of precarity that the current academic system creates for postdocs, related to control, contracts, and careers. We discuss the effects for individual postdocs and their careers and the quality of knowledge production in public funded higher education institutions.

Suggested Citation

  • Herschberg, Channah & Benschop, Yvonne & van den Brink, Marieke, 2018. "Precarious postdocs: A comparative study on recruitment and selection of early-career researchers," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 34(4), pages 303-310.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:scaman:v:34:y:2018:i:4:p:303-310
    DOI: 10.1016/j.scaman.2018.10.001
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S095652211830040X
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.scaman.2018.10.001?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Marieke Brink & Yvonne Benschop, 2014. "Gender in Academic Networking: The Role of Gatekeepers in Professorial Recruitment," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 51(3), pages 460-492, May.
    2. Viviane Callier & Jessica Polka, 2015. "Fellowships are the future," Nature, Nature, vol. 528(7580), pages 155-156, December.
    3. Pleun van Arensbergen & Inge van der Weijden & Peter van den Besselaar, 2014. "Different views on scholarly talent: What are the talents we are looking for in science?," Research Evaluation, Oxford University Press, vol. 23(4), pages 273-284.
    4. Clarke, Caroline & Knights, David & Jarvis, Carol, 2012. "A Labour of Love? Academics in Business Schools," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 28(1), pages 5-15.
    5. Lund, Rebecca, 2012. "Publishing to become an “ideal academic”: An Institutional Ethnography and a Feminist Critique," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 28(3), pages 218-228.
    6. Alice Lam, 2007. "Knowledge Networks and Careers: Academic Scientists in Industry–University Links," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 44(6), pages 993-1016, September.
    7. Louise Ackers & Liz Oliver, 2007. "From Flexicurity to Flexsecquality?: The Impact of the Fixed-Term Contract Provisions on Employment in Science Research," International Studies of Management & Organization, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 37(1), pages 53-79, January.
    8. Elaine Farndale & Veronica Hope-Hailey, 2009. "Personnel Departmental Power: Realities from the UK Higher Education Sector," management revue. Socio-economic Studies, Rainer Hampp Verlag, vol. 20(4), pages 392-412.
    9. Engwall, Lars, 2014. "The recruitment of university top leaders: Politics, communities and markets in interaction," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 30(3), pages 332-343.
    10. Elaine Farndale & Veronica Hope-Hailey, 2009. "Personnel Departmental Power: Realities from the UK Higher Education Sector," management revue - Socio-Economic Studies, Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG, vol. 20(4), pages 392-412.
    11. Pleun van Arensbergen & Inge van der Weijden & Peter van den Besselaar, 2014. "The selection of talent as a group process. A literature review on the social dynamics of decision making in grant panels," Research Evaluation, Oxford University Press, vol. 23(4), pages 298-311.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Anna Maria Górska & Karolina Kulicka & Zuzanna Staniszewska & Dorota Dobija, 2021. "Deepening inequalities: What did COVID‐19 reveal about the gendered nature of academic work?," Gender, Work and Organization, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(4), pages 1546-1561, July.
    2. Ilenia Picardi, 2019. "The Glass Door of Academia: Unveiling New Gendered Bias in Academic Recruitment," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 8(5), pages 1-17, May.
    3. Dominik Emanuel Froehlich, 2021. "Career Networks in Shock: An Agenda for in-COVID/Post-COVID Career-Related Social Capital," Merits, MDPI, vol. 1(1), pages 1-10, November.
    4. Jia Song & Zunwei Yang, 2023. "Striving Transition for University Academics: The Academic Role Identity of Young Postdocs at Universities in China," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(1), pages 21582440231, February.
    5. Anke Strauβ & Ilaria Boncori, 2020. "Foreign women in academia: Double‐strangers between productivity, marginalization and resistance," Gender, Work and Organization, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 27(6), pages 1004-1019, November.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Cathy Sheehan & Helen De Cieri & Brian K Cooper & Robert Brooks, 2016. "The impact of HR political skill in the HRM and organisational performance relationship," Australian Journal of Management, Australian School of Business, vol. 41(1), pages 161-181, February.
    2. Amalou-Döpke, Linda & Süß, Stefan, 2014. "HR measurement as an instrument of the HR department in its exchange relationship with top management: A qualitative study based on resource dependence theory," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 30(4), pages 444-460.
    3. Sofia Moratti, 2020. "Do Low-Openness, Low-Transparency Procedures in Academic Hiring Disadvantage Women?," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 9(6), pages 1-13, May.
    4. Lindström, Sara, 2016. "‘An army of our own’: Legitimating the professional position of HR through well-being at work," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 32(4), pages 189-196.
    5. Tartari, Valentina & Salter, Ammon, 2015. "The engagement gap:," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 44(6), pages 1176-1191.
    6. Bryce, Cormac & Dowling, Michael & Lucey, Brian, 2020. "The journal quality perception gap," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 49(5).
    7. Hottenrott, Hanna & Lawson, Cornelia, 2014. "Flying the nest: How the home department shapes researchers’ career paths," Department of Economics and Statistics Cognetti de Martiis LEI & BRICK - Laboratory of Economics of Innovation "Franco Momigliano", Bureau of Research in Innovation, Complexity and Knowledge, Collegio 201409, University of Turin.
    8. van den Besselaar, Peter & Sandström, Ulf, 2015. "Early career grants, performance, and careers: A study on predictive validity of grant decisions," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 9(4), pages 826-838.
    9. Ding, Waverly & Choi, Emily, 2008. "Divergent Paths or Stepping Stones: A Comparison of Scientists’ Advising and Founding Activities," Institute for Research on Labor and Employment, Working Paper Series qt4907j25p, Institute of Industrial Relations, UC Berkeley.
    10. Esther Chan & Di Di & Elaine Howard Ecklund, 2024. "Scientists explain the underrepresentation of women in physics compared to biology in four national contexts," Gender, Work and Organization, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(2), pages 399-418, March.
    11. Vanda Papafilippou & Susan Durbin & Hazel Conley, 2022. "Women's formal networking: The relationship between networking activities and power," Gender, Work and Organization, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(5), pages 1712-1741, September.
    12. Sandrine Frémeaux & Thibaut Bardon & Clara Letierce, 2020. "How To Be a ‘Wise’ Researcher: Learning from the Aristotelian Approach to Practical Wisdom," Post-Print hal-03232780, HAL.
    13. Lee, Hsing-fen & Miozzo, Marcela & Laredo, Philippe, 2010. "Career patterns and competences of PhDs in science and engineering in the knowledge economy: The case of graduates from a UK research-based university," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(7), pages 869-881, September.
    14. Petra Moog & Arndt Werner & Stefan Houweling & Uschi Backes-Gellner, 2015. "The impact of skills, working time allocation and peer effects on the entrepreneurial intentions of scientists," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 40(3), pages 493-511, June.
    15. Lucia Cervi & David Knights, 2022. "Organizing male infertility: Masculinities and fertility treatment," Gender, Work and Organization, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(4), pages 1113-1131, July.
    16. Rhoda Ahoba-Sam & David Charles, 2019. "Building of Academics’ Networks—An analysis based on Causation and Effectuation theory," Review of Regional Research: Jahrbuch für Regionalwissenschaft, Springer;Gesellschaft für Regionalforschung (GfR), vol. 39(2), pages 143-161, October.
    17. Lawson, Cornelia & Salter, Ammon, 2023. "Exploring the effect of overlapping institutional applications on panel decision-making," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(9).
    18. Zhiyan Zhao & Anders Broström & Jianfeng Cai, 2020. "Promoting academic engagement: university context and individual characteristics," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 45(1), pages 304-337, February.
    19. Tijssen, Robert J.W., 2018. "Anatomy of use-inspired researchers: From Pasteur’s Quadrant to Pasteur’s Cube model," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(9), pages 1626-1638.
    20. Giulia Rossello & Robin Cowan & Jacques Mairesse, 2024. "Ph.D. publication productivity: the role of gender and race in supervision in South Africa," Journal of Productivity Analysis, Springer, vol. 61(3), pages 215-227, June.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:scaman:v:34:y:2018:i:4:p:303-310. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/872/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.