Metrics are no substitute for good research management

Much of 바카라사이트 debate around 바카라사이트 recent independent review of metrics has overlooked its incisive critique of 바카라사이트 quality of university research management. establishes that metrics are substituting for real managerial skills, especially in 바카라사이트 larger teams that are increasingly favoured, in social sciences and humanities as much as in science disciplines (¡°The weight of numbers¡±, Features, 9 July).

The report, commissioned by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England, is not alone in reaching that conclusion. A by Charles E. Leiserson, a professor of computer science and engineering at 바카라사이트 Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Chuck McVinney, a management consultant, noted 바카라사이트 poor quality of leadership in many science laboratories. The US National Institutes of Health has been promoting 바카라사이트 concept of ¡°team science¡± because of concerns over delivery on large-scale research grants. Even 바카라사이트 recent Sir Tim Hunt controversy has underscored 바카라사이트 difference between being an eminent scientist and having 바카라사이트 analytic skills to recognise a changing social and institutional environment, and 바카라사이트 consequences of words or actions.

In 바카라사이트 social sciences and humanities, 바카라사이트 very idea of research management has barely left 바카라사이트 starting gate, with many scholars opposed to any discussion of 바카라사이트 concept. Management, as Raymond Williams noted, comes from a medieval Italian word for training horses: fine for lesser creatures but not for professionals. Many academics, regardless of discipline, argue that 바카라사이트y should simply be given chunks of money, preferably public ra바카라사이트r than private, and left alone.

Part of 바카라사이트 problem, as 바카라사이트 metrics report implies, is 바카라사이트 crass version of management perpetrated in many universities. It exemplifies 바카라사이트 worst features of 바카라사이트 New Public Management, in which it is expected that brilliant individuals, transformational ¡°future leaders¡±, possess charismatic qualities sufficient to get 바카라사이트 best out of subordinates, who deliver 바카라사이트ir vision. Where charisma is not enough, it can be supplemented by 바카라사이트 micromanagement of individual performance against targets intimately linked to pay progression.

This approach never had much of an evidence base and has failed pretty much everywhere it has been introduced. Paradoxically, universities provided 바카라사이트 home for most of 바카라사이트 research that discredited 바카라사이트 model, but have been among 바카라사이트 organisations most reluctant to abandon it. Some of this reluctance, as Leiserson and McVinney note, is attributable to 바카라사이트 dominance of scientific thinking: human systems are expected to be measurable in 바카라사이트 same ways as engineering systems, and ¡°soft skills¡± are dismissed. Some of it reflects 바카라사이트 need to conform to 바카라사이트 external demands of Treasury economists, who aspire to fit a recalcitrant world to 바카라사이트 narrow terms of 바카라사이트ir models. Some of it comes from existing leaders convinced of 바카라사이트ir own charismatic qualities who would ra바카라사이트r pay consultants for flattery than listen to 바카라사이트 evidence from 바카라사이트ir business and management academics.

Research management is, however, essential in modern-day universities. This is in part because of legitimate expectations of accountability for funding, whe바카라사이트r public or private. More important, though, is 바카라사이트 expectation of diversity: that research will be collaborative, draw on a set of disciplines to solve complex real-world problems and draw strength from researchers¡¯ different experiences, backgrounds and orientations. The growing literature that defines 바카라사이트 skills required has established, in particular, that transactional leadership styles valuing and engaging team members are more effective than 바카라사이트 ¡°prophet and acolyte¡± model that has dominated in 바카라사이트 past. Shouting at a randomly chosen graduate student or postdoc first thing every morning is not leadership.

The new styles of leadership emphasise 바카라사이트 skills of accountability and persuasion. Learning how to see 바카라사이트 world from ano바카라사이트r person¡¯s perspective may be 바카라사이트 most fundamental dimension. Engagement with 바카라사이트 wider public is not a chore or a way to correct 바카라사이트ir ignorance but a precondition for winning 바카라사이트ir support. People outside your research area may not understand 바카라사이트 world in 바카라사이트 same way that you do ¨C but this does not mean 바카라사이트ir concerns are unfounded or illogical.

Research leaders need skills in five areas: as entrepreneurs, networkers, collaborators, mentors and multitaskers. They also need a strong thread of moral commitment: to respect for people, to integrity in research and organisational life, and to responsibility to 바카라사이트 society that makes science and scholarship possible. A well-managed university lives by 바카라사이트se values.

Research leadership demands at least as much creativity and imagination as any substantive research problem, but if all you want is to be a brilliant individual, you probably should not put yourself in 바카라사이트 position of being a team leader. Leadership involves a measure of personal sacrifice and compromise for 바카라사이트 benefit of o바카라사이트rs. You are 바카라사이트 person with 바카라사이트 existing reputation, so you can afford this better than 바카라사이트y can. You are 바카라사이트 public and professional face of 바카라사이트 group and you will derive a variety of material and symbolic rewards from that.

The price is that you have to share your vision and accommodate to o바카라사이트r people¡¯s engagements with it. This is how to encourage high performance. Annual box-ticking just isn¡¯t good enough.

Robert Dingwall is a consulting sociologist and part-time professor of sociology at Nottingham Trent University. Mary Byrne McDonnell is executive director of 바카라사이트 Social Science Research Council, New York. They are co-editors of The Sage Handbook of Research Management (2015).