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Ring a Ring o’ Roses: Quality Journals and Gamesmanship in Management Studies

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  • Stuart Macdonald
  • Jacqueline Kam

Abstract

abstract A paper in one of the quality journals of Management Studies is much more important as a unit of measurement than as a contribution to knowledge. It measures academic performance and determines much academic funding. There is consequently some pressure to publish in quality journals. But quality journals are defined in terms that are themselves defined in terms of quality journals – a circularity that explains both the paper's title and the frustration of those who do not mix in these circles. We examine the gamesmanship of publishing in quality journals. Findings from a survey of heads of Management Studies departments in UK universities suggest that such gamesmanship is common. Cunning and calculation now support scholarship in Management Studies. Gamesmanship will remain common until the rewards for publishing attach to the content of papers, to what is published rather than where it is published. We propose a ‘Tinkerbell Solution’: without belief in the value of a paper in a quality journal, the game is no longer worth playing.

Suggested Citation

  • Stuart Macdonald & Jacqueline Kam, 2007. "Ring a Ring o’ Roses: Quality Journals and Gamesmanship in Management Studies," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 44(4), pages 640-655, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:jomstd:v:44:y:2007:i:4:p:640-655
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-6486.2007.00704.x
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    1. Ben D. MacArthur & Richard O. C. Oreffo, 2005. "Bridging the gap," Nature, Nature, vol. 433(7021), pages 19-19, January.
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    Cited by:

    1. Clarke, Caroline & Knights, David & Jarvis, Carol, 2012. "A Labour of Love? Academics in Business Schools," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 28(1), pages 5-15.
    2. Damien Besancenot & Kim Huynh & Joao Faria, 2012. "Search and research: the influence of editorial boards on journals’ quality," Theory and Decision, Springer, vol. 73(4), pages 687-702, October.
    3. Hussain, Simon, 2010. "Accounting journals and the ABS quality ratings," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 42(1), pages 1-16.
    4. Osterloh, Margit & Frey, Bruno S., 2020. "How to avoid borrowed plumes in academia," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 49(1).
    5. Prasad, Ajnesh, 2015. "Liminal transgressions, or where should the critical academy go from here? Reimagining the future of doctoral education to engender research sustainability," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 26(C), pages 108-116.
    6. Pontille, David & Torny, Didier, 2010. "Revues qui comptent, revues qu’on compte :produire des classements en économie et gestion," Revue de la Régulation - Capitalisme, institutions, pouvoirs, Association Recherche et Régulation, vol. 8.
    7. repec:dau:papers:123456789/8741 is not listed on IDEAS
    8. Wijnberg, Nachoem M., 2011. "Classification systems and selection systems: The risks of radical innovation and category spanning," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 27(3), pages 297-306, September.
    9. Mark D Lindner & Richard K Nakamura, 2015. "Examining the Predictive Validity of NIH Peer Review Scores," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(6), pages 1-12, June.
    10. Tourish, Dennis & Willmott, Hugh, 2015. "In Defiance of Folly: Journal rankings, mindless measures and the ABS Guide," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 26(C), pages 37-46.
    11. McKercher, Bob & Tung, Vincent, 2015. "Publishing in tourism and hospitality journals: Is the past a prelude to the future?," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 306-315.
    12. Yoon, Hyungseok & Belkhouja, Mustapha & Wei, Yingqi & Lee, Sangho, 2021. "Born to be similar? Global isomorphism and the emergence of latecomer business schools," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 30(5).
    13. de Mesnard, Louis, 2017. "Attributing credit to coauthors in academic publishing: The 1/n rule, parallelization, and team bonuses," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 260(2), pages 778-788.
    14. Polonsky, Michael, 2008. "What is a Research Track Record?," Australasian marketing journal, Elsevier, vol. 16(2), pages 67-72.
    15. João Ricardo Faria & Damien Besancenot & Andreas J. Novak, 2011. "Paradigm Depletion, Knowledge Production And Research Effort: Considering Thomas Kuhn'S Ideas," Metroeconomica, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 62(4), pages 587-604, November.
    16. Vogel, Rick & Hattke, Fabian & Petersen, Jessica, 2017. "Journal rankings in management and business studies: What rules do we play by?," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(10), pages 1707-1722.
    17. Brooks, Chris & Schopohl, Lisa, 2018. "Topics and trends in finance research: What is published, who publishes it and what gets cited?," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 50(6), pages 615-637.
    18. Michael Hall, C., 2011. "Publish and perish? Bibliometric analysis, journal ranking and the assessment of research quality in tourism," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 32(1), pages 16-27.
    19. Brooks, Chris & Fenton, Evelyn M. & Walker, James T., 2014. "Gender and the evaluation of research," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 43(6), pages 990-1001.

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