Network analysis to measure academic performance in economics

Network analysis allows us to introduce different metrics that complement the traditional indicators to measure academic performance, generally based on individual production. In this paper, we show how the use of these techniques provides a more global point of view, introducing indicators that, beyond individual merits, measure the capacity of researchers to generate more intangible assets. We focus on collaboration among groups that can enrich the potential of the research ecosystem as a whole. We present not only numerical indicators, but also several visualisation schemes to see how this approach can help in the academic evaluation and decision-making process of research managers. We have used, as a case study, the research ecosystem formed by more than five thousand economists from Spanish institutions.