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The heterogeneous landscape of bibliometric indicators: Evaluating models for allocating resources at Swedish universities

Hammarfelt, Björn ; Nelhans, Gustaf ; Eklund, Pieta and Åström, Fredrik LU orcid (2016) In Research Evaluation 25(3). p.292-305
Abstract
The use of bibliometric indicators on individual and national levels has gathered considerable interest in recent years, but the application of bibliometric models for allocating resources at the institutional level has so far gathered less attention. This article studies the implementation of bibliometric measures for allocating resources at Swedish universities. Several models and indicators based on publications, citations, and research grants are identified. The design of performance-based resource allocation across major universities is then analysed using a framework from the field of evaluation studies. The practical implementation, the incentives as well as the ‘ethics’ of models and indicators, are scrutinized in order to provide... (More)
The use of bibliometric indicators on individual and national levels has gathered considerable interest in recent years, but the application of bibliometric models for allocating resources at the institutional level has so far gathered less attention. This article studies the implementation of bibliometric measures for allocating resources at Swedish universities. Several models and indicators based on publications, citations, and research grants are identified. The design of performance-based resource allocation across major universities is then analysed using a framework from the field of evaluation studies. The practical implementation, the incentives as well as the ‘ethics’ of models and indicators, are scrutinized in order to provide a theoretically informed assessment of evaluation systems. It is evident that the requirements, goals, possiconsequences, and the costs of evaluation are scarcely discussed before these ble systems are implemented. We find that allocation models are implemented in response to a general trend of assessment across all types of activities and organizations, but the actual design of evaluation systems is dependent on size, orientation, and the overall organization of the institution in question. (Less)
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author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
research evaluation, performance indicators, university governance, bibliometrics, Sweden
in
Research Evaluation
volume
25
issue
3
pages
14 pages
publisher
Oxford University Press
external identifiers
  • wos:000383508200008
  • scopus:85042404635
ISSN
0958-2029
DOI
10.1093/reseval/rvv040
project
"Forskningen granskad": Användningen av prestationsindikatorer för att mäta akademisk forskning, praktiker och effekter
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
f6d828c4-d974-4190-ba95-f4f20fc71345 (old id 8520300)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 10:15:22
date last changed
2022-04-12 03:29:57
@article{f6d828c4-d974-4190-ba95-f4f20fc71345,
  abstract     = {{The use of bibliometric indicators on individual and national levels has gathered considerable interest in recent years, but the application of bibliometric models for allocating resources at the institutional level has so far gathered less attention. This article studies the implementation of bibliometric measures for allocating resources at Swedish universities. Several models and indicators based on publications, citations, and research grants are identified. The design of performance-based resource allocation across major universities is then analysed using a framework from the field of evaluation studies. The practical implementation, the incentives as well as the ‘ethics’ of models and indicators, are scrutinized in order to provide a theoretically informed assessment of evaluation systems. It is evident that the requirements, goals, possiconsequences, and the costs of evaluation are scarcely discussed before these ble systems are implemented. We find that allocation models are implemented in response to a general trend of assessment across all types of activities and organizations, but the actual design of evaluation systems is dependent on size, orientation, and the overall organization of the institution in question.}},
  author       = {{Hammarfelt, Björn and Nelhans, Gustaf and Eklund, Pieta and Åström, Fredrik}},
  issn         = {{0958-2029}},
  keywords     = {{research evaluation; performance indicators; university governance; bibliometrics; Sweden}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{01}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{292--305}},
  publisher    = {{Oxford University Press}},
  series       = {{Research Evaluation}},
  title        = {{The heterogeneous landscape of bibliometric indicators: Evaluating models for allocating resources at Swedish universities}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/1691642/8520302.pdf}},
  doi          = {{10.1093/reseval/rvv040}},
  volume       = {{25}},
  year         = {{2016}},
}