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Impact of inbreeding on scientific productivity: A case study of a Japanese university department

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  • Noriyuki Morichika
  • Sotaro Shibayama

Abstract

Recent science policies emphasize academic mobility and denounce inbreeding as an impediment to scientific productivity. This study aims to investigate the impact of inbreeding on productivity, distinguishing various forms of inbreeding, and to explore the mechanism behind which inbreeding is translated into productivity, drawing on in-depth longitudinal data of academics’ careers in a university department in Japan. The results suggest that the effect of inbreeding on productivity differs with the organizational levels (university, department, and laboratory) with which inbreeding is defined, as well as with past affiliation to other institutions (purely inbred vs. silver-corded). A negative effect on productivity is indicated for inbreeding that occurs at the department level, which seems to be partly explained by non-merit-based employment criteria. The results also suggest that laboratories consisting of higher rates of their own graduates yield lower productivity. Finally, inbred academics tend to change research subjects less frequently over their career, implying that inbreeding may cause risk-averseness and deter creativity.

Suggested Citation

  • Noriyuki Morichika & Sotaro Shibayama, 2015. "Impact of inbreeding on scientific productivity: A case study of a Japanese university department," Research Evaluation, Oxford University Press, vol. 24(2), pages 146-157.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:rseval:v:24:y:2015:i:2:p:146-157.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/reseval/rvv002
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Noriyuki Morichika & Sotaro Shibayama, 2016. "Use of dissertation data in science policy research," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 108(1), pages 221-241, July.
    2. Sotaro Shibayama & Yoshie Kobayashi, 2017. "Impact of Ph.D. training: a comprehensive analysis based on a Japanese national doctoral survey," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 113(1), pages 387-415, October.
    3. Olga Gorelova & Andrey Lovakov, 2016. "Academic Inbreeding and Research Productivity Of Russian Faculty Members," HSE Working papers WP BRP 32/EDU/2016, National Research University Higher School of Economics.
    4. repec:hig:wpaper:32edu2015 is not listed on IDEAS
    5. Olga Alipova & Lada Litvinova & Andrey Lovakov & Maria Yudkevich, 2018. "Inbreds And Non-Inbreds Among Russian Academics: Short-Term Similarity And Long-Term Differences In Productivity," HSE Working papers WP BRP 48/EDU/2018, National Research University Higher School of Economics.
    6. Olof Ejermo & Claudio Fassio & John Källström, 2020. "Does Mobility across Universities Raise Scientific Productivity?," Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Department of Economics, University of Oxford, vol. 82(3), pages 603-624, June.
    7. Fabio Zagonari, 2019. "Scientific Production and Productivity for Characterizing an Author’s Publication History: Simple and Nested Gini’s and Hirsch’s Indexes Combined," Publications, MDPI, vol. 7(2), pages 1-30, May.
    8. Laudel, Grit & Bielick, Jana, 2019. "How do field-specific research practices affect mobility decisions of early career researchers?," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(9), pages 1-1.
    9. Ana Maria Takahashi & Shingo Takahashi & Atsuko Ueda, 2019. "Gender Promotion Gap in Japanese Academia in 2004-2013: Has It Changed Over Time?," Discussion Papers 1914, Graduate School of Economics, Kobe University.

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