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Excellence and growth dynamics: A comparative study of the Matthew effect

Langfeldt, Liv ; Benner, Mats LU ; Sivertsen, Gunnar ; Kristiansen, Ernst H. ; Aksnes, Dag W. ; Brorstad Borlaug, Siri ; Foss Hansen, Hanne ; Kallerud, Egil and Pelkonen, Antti (2015) In Science and Public Policy 42(5). p.661-675
Abstract
In the past two decades, centres of excellence (CoE) and other ‘research excellence initiatives’ likely to increase the cumulative advantages and stratification of science, have been implemented in many countries. Based on empirical studies of CoE in four Nordic countries, this paper examines how the resources provided by CoE schemes (generous long-term funding, prestige and visibility) add to the success and growth dynamics of the CoE. The data indicate a modified Matthew effect with ceilings and limits avoiding excessive accumulation of resources. Important impacts of the CoE are found, in particular in terms of enabling more interdisciplinary collaboration and risk-taking and enhancing international recruitment to the research areas... (More)
In the past two decades, centres of excellence (CoE) and other ‘research excellence initiatives’ likely to increase the cumulative advantages and stratification of science, have been implemented in many countries. Based on empirical studies of CoE in four Nordic countries, this paper examines how the resources provided by CoE schemes (generous long-term funding, prestige and visibility) add to the success and growth dynamics of the CoE. The data indicate a modified Matthew effect with ceilings and limits avoiding excessive accumulation of resources. Important impacts of the CoE are found, in particular in terms of enabling more interdisciplinary collaboration and risk-taking and enhancing international recruitment to the research areas involved. But, in contrast to what might be expected, the CoE grant seem to add less to the relative citation rate of those already performing at the highest level, than for those performing at a somewhat lower level prior to the CoE grant. (Less)
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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
centres of excellence, impact of funding instruments, cumulative advantages, Nordic countries
in
Science and Public Policy
volume
42
issue
5
pages
661 - 675
publisher
Oxford University Press
external identifiers
  • wos:000363980600005
  • scopus:84943775637
ISSN
1471-5430
DOI
10.1093/scipol/scu083
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
b2b65b6d-9860-4ffb-bb56-4a3ece8cb526 (old id 8309855)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 10:03:22
date last changed
2022-04-12 01:20:38
@article{b2b65b6d-9860-4ffb-bb56-4a3ece8cb526,
  abstract     = {{In the past two decades, centres of excellence (CoE) and other ‘research excellence initiatives’ likely to increase the cumulative advantages and stratification of science, have been implemented in many countries. Based on empirical studies of CoE in four Nordic countries, this paper examines how the resources provided by CoE schemes (generous long-term funding, prestige and visibility) add to the success and growth dynamics of the CoE. The data indicate a modified Matthew effect with ceilings and limits avoiding excessive accumulation of resources. Important impacts of the CoE are found, in particular in terms of enabling more interdisciplinary collaboration and risk-taking and enhancing international recruitment to the research areas involved. But, in contrast to what might be expected, the CoE grant seem to add less to the relative citation rate of those already performing at the highest level, than for those performing at a somewhat lower level prior to the CoE grant.}},
  author       = {{Langfeldt, Liv and Benner, Mats and Sivertsen, Gunnar and Kristiansen, Ernst H. and Aksnes, Dag W. and Brorstad Borlaug, Siri and Foss Hansen, Hanne and Kallerud, Egil and Pelkonen, Antti}},
  issn         = {{1471-5430}},
  keywords     = {{centres of excellence; impact of funding instruments; cumulative advantages; Nordic countries}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{5}},
  pages        = {{661--675}},
  publisher    = {{Oxford University Press}},
  series       = {{Science and Public Policy}},
  title        = {{Excellence and growth dynamics: A comparative study of the Matthew effect}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/1520514/8310382.pdf}},
  doi          = {{10.1093/scipol/scu083}},
  volume       = {{42}},
  year         = {{2015}},
}