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The combined effects of age and seniority on research performance of full professors

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  • Giovanni Abramo
  • Ciriaco Andrea D’Angelo
  • Gianluca Murgia

Abstract

In this paper we examine the relationship between research performance, age, and seniority in academic rank of full professors in the Italian academic system. Differently from a large part of the literature, our results generally show a negative monotonic relationship between age and research performance, in all the disciplines under analysis. We also highlight a positive relationship between seniority in rank and performance, occurring particularly in certain disciplines. While in medicine, biology, and chemistry this result could be explained by the ‘accumulative advantage’ effect, in other disciplines, like civil engineering, and pedagogy and psychology, it could be due to the existence of a large performance differential between young and mature researchers, at the moment of the promotion to full professors. These results, witnessed both generally and at the level of the individual disciplines, offer useful insights for policy makers and administrators in academia on the role of older professors.

Suggested Citation

  • Giovanni Abramo & Ciriaco Andrea D’Angelo & Gianluca Murgia, 2016. "The combined effects of age and seniority on research performance of full professors," Science and Public Policy, Oxford University Press, vol. 43(3), pages 301-319.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:scippl:v:43:y:2016:i:3:p:301-319.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/scipol/scv037
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    Cited by:

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    3. Mutz, Rüdiger & Bornmann, Lutz & Daniel, Hans-Dieter, 2017. "Are there any frontiers of research performance? Efficiency measurement of funded research projects with the Bayesian stochastic frontier analysis for count data," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 11(3), pages 613-628.
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    7. Liang, Zhentao & Ba, Zhichao & Mao, Jin & Li, Gang, 2023. "Research complexity increases with scientists’ academic age: Evidence from library and information science," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 17(1).
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