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In search of excellence: a case study of the first excellence initiative of Germany

Author

Listed:
  • Matthias Menter

    (University of Augsburg)

  • Erik E. Lehmann

    (University of Augsburg and CCSE (Augsburg/Bergamo, It))

  • Torben Klarl

    (University of Bremen)

Abstract

As higher education policies are often associated with intense public spending, the evaluation and performance measurement of respective initiatives becomes increasingly crucial. An extensive and fruitful strand of literature has dealt with the assessment of university performance, yet mainly focused on point-in-time rather than period-of-time examinations. This study investigates the effects of Germany’s first Excellence Initiative, a political measure aimed at building up world-class universities to be able to compete in the globalizing research world. Relying on both qualitative and quantitative measures, taking into account a 15-year period from 1998 to 2012, we analyze the selection process and how and whether the Excellence Initiative fulfilled its ambitious goals. Our results suggest that not the political initiative per se, i.e. the treatment, but the announcement of the treatment triggered diverging performance paths within the German higher education system, thus positively contributed to augmented research performance of the promoted universities. Based on these findings, we provide policy recommendations and avenues for future research.

Suggested Citation

  • Matthias Menter & Erik E. Lehmann & Torben Klarl, 2018. "In search of excellence: a case study of the first excellence initiative of Germany," Journal of Business Economics, Springer, vol. 88(9), pages 1105-1132, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jbecon:v:88:y:2018:i:9:d:10.1007_s11573-018-0909-5
    DOI: 10.1007/s11573-018-0909-5
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    2. James A. Cunningham & Erik E. Lehmann & Matthias Menter, 2022. "The organizational architecture of entrepreneurial universities across the stages of entrepreneurship: a conceptual framework," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 59(1), pages 11-27, June.
    3. Servedio, Vito D.P. & Ferreira, Márcia R. & Reisz, Niklas & Costas, Rodrigo & Thurner, Stefan, 2023. "Scale-free growth in regional scientific capacity building explains long-term scientific dominance," Chaos, Solitons & Fractals, Elsevier, vol. 167(C).
    4. Duanhong Zhang & Wenjia Ding & Yang Wang & Siwen Liu, 2022. "Exploring the Role of International Research Collaboration in Building China’s World-Class Universities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-17, March.
    5. Massimiliano Coda-Zabetta & Francesco Lissoni & Ernest Miguelez, 2024. "Star recruitment and internationalization effects: an analysis of the Alexander von Humboldt professorship programme," Economia e Politica Industriale: Journal of Industrial and Business Economics, Springer;Associazione Amici di Economia e Politica Industriale, vol. 51(3), pages 667-690, September.
    6. Mario Fernandes & Andreas Walter, 2023. "The times they are a-changin’: profiling newly tenured business economics professors in Germany over the past thirty years," Journal of Business Economics, Springer, vol. 93(5), pages 929-971, July.
    7. James A. Cunningham & Erik E. Lehmann & Matthias Menter & Nikolaus Seitz, 2019. "The impact of university focused technology transfer policies on regional innovation and entrepreneurship," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 44(5), pages 1451-1475, October.
    8. Erik E. Lehmann & Matthias Menter, 2018. "Public cluster policy and performance," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 43(3), pages 558-592, June.
    9. Civera, Alice & Lehmann, Erik E. & Paleari, Stefano & Stockinger, Sarah A.E., 2020. "Higher education policy: Why hope for quality when rewarding quantity?," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 49(8).
    10. Buenstorf, Guido & Koenig, Johannes, 2020. "Interrelated funding streams in a multi-funder university system: Evidence from the German Exzellenzinitiative," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 49(3).
    11. Cantner, Uwe & Grashof, Nils & Grebel, Thomas & Zhang, Xijie, 2023. "When Excellence is not Excellent: The Impact of the Excellence Initiative on the Relative Productivity of German Universities," MPRA Paper 118139, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    12. Arturo Vega & Claudia Gabbioneta & Carlos Osorio & James Cunningham, 2024. "A micro-level study of research impact and motivational diversity," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 49(4), pages 1303-1346, August.
    13. Aloys Prinz & Thomas Ehrmann, 2022. "Academia as a league system," Journal of Business Economics, Springer, vol. 92(7), pages 1065-1092, September.
    14. Maribel Guerrero & Matthias Menter, 2024. "Driving change in higher education: the role of dynamic capabilities in strengthening universities’ third mission," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 63(3), pages 1321-1337, October.
    15. Krieger, Bastian, 2023. "Heterogeneous regional university funding and firm innovation: An empirical analysis of the German excellence initiative," ZEW Discussion Papers 23-006, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Excellence initiative; Universities; Treatment effect; Announcement effect;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H52 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Government Expenditures and Education
    • I23 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Higher Education; Research Institutions
    • O38 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Government Policy

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