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Withering Academia

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  • Bruno S. Frey

Abstract

Strong forces lead to a withering of academia as it exists today. The major causal forces are the rankings mania, increased division of labor in research, intense publication pressure, academic fraud, dilution of the concept of "university", and inadequate organizational forms for modern research. Academia, in a broader sense understood as "the locus of seeking truth and learning through methodological inquiry", will subsist in different forms. The conclusion is therefore pessimistic with respect to the academic system as it presently exists but not to scholarly endeavour as such. However, the transformation predicted is expected to be fundamental.

Suggested Citation

  • Bruno S. Frey, 2010. "Withering Academia," CREMA Working Paper Series 2010-19, Center for Research in Economics, Management and the Arts (CREMA).
    • Handle: RePEc:cra:wpaper:2010-19
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    5. Margit Osterloh & Bruno S. Frey, 2010. "Academic Rankings and Research Governance," CREMA Working Paper Series 2010-04, Center for Research in Economics, Management and the Arts (CREMA).
    6. Harvey, James S., Jr., 2009. "Is the Just Man a Happy Man? An Empirical Study of the Relationship Between Ethics and Subjective Well-Being," Working Papers 92617, University of Missouri Columbia, Department of Agricultural Economics.
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    12. Harvey S. James & Mary K. Hendrickson, 2008. "Perceived economic pressures and farmer ethics," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 38(3), pages 349-361, May.
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    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Blog mentions

    As found by EconAcademics.org, the blog aggregator for Economics research:
    1. Academia vs. university
      by Economic Logician in Economic Logic on 2010-11-11 21:55:00

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    Cited by:

    1. Gebhard Kirchgässner, 2011. "Kaderschmieden der Wirtschaft und/oder Universitäten? Der Auftrag der Wirtschaftsuniversitäten und –fakultäten im 21. Jahrhundert," Perspektiven der Wirtschaftspolitik, Verein für Socialpolitik, vol. 12(3), pages 317-337, August.
    2. Gebhard Kirchgässner, 2015. "Wissenschaftlicher Fortschritt in den Wirtschaftswissenschaften: Einige Bemerkungen," Schmollers Jahrbuch : Journal of Applied Social Science Studies / Zeitschrift für Wirtschafts- und Sozialwissenschaften, Duncker & Humblot, Berlin, vol. 135(2), pages 209-248.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    academia; universities; research; rankings; publications; fraud;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • A1 - General Economics and Teaching - - General Economics
    • I23 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Higher Education; Research Institutions
    • L30 - Industrial Organization - - Nonprofit Organizations and Public Enterprise - - - General
    • Z0 - Other Special Topics - - General

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