Multiple competition in science - effects on scientists and on the scientific production function in and between disciplines

Prof. Dr. Carolin Häussler (University of Passau)

Marc Diederichs (University of Passau)

Charlotte Musso (University of Passau)

The scientific production function relates inputs and organizational structures to the production of knowledge. While numerous studies have examined the relationship between input and output, i.e. how science builds on scientific knowledge (Adams, 1990; Jones, 2009; Wuchty et al., 2007), far fewer studies have looked at the organization of the scientific process itself. In particular, little research has been done on how the various forms of competition to which scientists are exposed affect the scientific production function.

This project aims to investigate how different forms of competition shape the behavior of scientists and ultimately influence the scientific production function within and between scientific fields. It thus contributes to the overarching objectives of DFG FOR 5234 as described in the framework proposal. Specifically, at the level of individual scientists, the project will analyse how the various forms of competition are related to the selection of research projects, the type of research and the interactions of scientists within and across organizational boundaries. As scientific competition and incentive systems differ between countries, the project will also take an international perspective.

A large-scale survey of German and US scientists will provide insights into four dimensions of perceived competition (reputation, resources, talent and jobs, and transfer-related aspects) and detailed information on characteristics and interactions in science. The survey data will be supplemented by publication data and bibliographic data. In addition, the quantitative approach will be complemented by a qualitative interview study to understand the mechanisms behind the collected patterns.

In particular, this project contributes to the emerging field of "Science of Science", which builds on comprehensive datasets to investigate mechanisms related to the way science is done-from the choice of what is researched to the way researchers organize the scientific process to progress in a field. This approach fits ideally with the DFG FOR's overall goal of integrating insights from different disciplines, e.g. metrics from scientometrics, insights into the production of knowledge from both innovation research and organizational research, and insights into social processes from the sociology of science. In particular, the integration of the project into the DFG FOR creates a solid sociological foundation in addition to the economic and organizational aspects.