Performance-based governance in academia
This research programme analyses fundamental mechanisms determining how core professional practices in academia are affected by the introduction of organisational level systems for performance-based allocation of funding.
Funded by: Riksbankens Jubileumsfond, The Swedish Science Council, Forte, Formas
Time period: 2016-2021
Project members: KTH
Project contact persons:
Background:
With academic staff employed at research-intensive Swedish higher education institutions in focus, we study the identity construction of academics in relation to "economistic" forms of organizational governance, and how these interdependent processes affect the behaviour of individuals. In particular, we analyse effects on individuals priorities and time allocation between different activities in their professional activities (within and between broad categories such as teaching, research, leadership and service) and career choices (attractiveness of different types of academic positions in the university sector, attractiveness of jobs in universities vs. in other sectors). In the final phase of the project, theoretical results and empirical findings produced within the context of Swedish academia are related to different institutional settings. That is, we address questions of how and why performance-based funding systems may play out differently in different national settings and identify differences and similarities between higher education institutions and other dedicated research organisations in this respect.
Publications:
- Ekman, M, Lindgren, M., Packendorff, J. (2018), Universities need leadership, academics need management: discursive tensions and voids in the deregulation of Swedish higher education legislation. Higher Education 75(2):299-321
- Söderlind, J., & Geschwind, L. (2019). Making sense of academic work: the influence of performance measurement in Swedish universities. Policy Reviews in Higher Education, 3(1), 75-93.
- Broström, A. (2019). Academic breeding grounds: Home department conditions and early career performance of academic researchers. Research Policy, 48(7), 1647-1665.
- Zhao, Z., Broström, A., Cai, J., (2020). Promoting academic engagement: university context and individual characteristics. The Journal of Technology Transfer, 45(1), 304-337.