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Assessing The Assessment Or, The Rae And The Optimal Organization Of University Research

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  • Manfredi M. A. La Manna

Abstract

The UK Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) is assessed as an incentive scheme affecting the allocation of research talent of varying ‘quality’ across departments. The ‘centres of excellence’ policy implicitly pursued through the RAE is an optimal allocation strategy only if all departments in all disciplines are of the generalist variety, i.e. each pursues a research path through all its stages. Conversely, the RAE‐induced research allocation minimizes efficiency if applied to specialist departments, when resources are concentrated on one specific research obstacle. It is argued that the RAE should not take the organization of University research as exogenous, but rather should encourage specialization. All results are obtained by applying to University research concepts and solutions borrowed from the mathematical theory of systems reliability.

Suggested Citation

  • Manfredi M. A. La Manna, 2008. "Assessing The Assessment Or, The Rae And The Optimal Organization Of University Research," Scottish Journal of Political Economy, Scottish Economic Society, vol. 55(5), pages 637-653, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:scotjp:v:55:y:2008:i:5:p:637-653
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-9485.2008.00469.x
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Johnes, Geraint & Johnes, Jill, 1993. "Measuring the Research Performance of UK Economics Departments: An Application of Data Envelopment Analysis," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 45(2), pages 332-347, April.
    2. Gautier, Axel & Wauthy, Xavier, 2007. "Teaching versus research: A multi-tasking approach to multi-department universities," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 51(2), pages 273-295, February.
    3. Ameen Ali Talib, 1999. "Simulations of the Submission Decision in the Research Assessment Exercise; the 'who' and 'where' decision," Education Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 7(1), pages 39-51.
    4. De Fraja, Gianni & Iossa, Elisabetta, 2002. "Competition among Universities and the Emergence of the Elite Institution," Bulletin of Economic Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 54(3), pages 275-293, July.
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    6. Monojit Chatterji & Paul Seaman, 2007. "Research Assessment Exercise Results and Research Funding in the United Kingdom: A Regional-Territorial Analysis," Education Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 15(1), pages 15-30.
    7. Monojit Chatterji & Paul Seaman, 2006. "Research Assessment Exercise Results and Research Funding in the United Kingdom: A Comparative Analysis," Education Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 14(3), pages 259-279.
    8. Johnes, Geraint, 1990. "Measures of Research Output: University Departments of Economics in the UK, 1984-8," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 100(401), pages 556-560, June.
    9. A Bhattacharya & H Newhouse, 2010. "Allocative Efficiency and an Incentive Scheme for Research," Discussion Papers 10/02, Department of Economics, University of York.
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    Cited by:

    1. A Bhattacharya & H Newhouse, 2010. "Allocative Efficiency and an Incentive Scheme for Research," Discussion Papers 10/02, Department of Economics, University of York.
    2. Manfredi M.A. La Manna, 2009. "The surprising benefits of a parallel universe," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 30(2), pages 109-117.

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