Concentration or dispersal of research funding?

Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskriftTidsskriftartikelfagfællebedømt

Standard

Concentration or dispersal of research funding? / Aagaard, Kaare; Kladakis, Alexander; Nielsen, Mathias W.

I: Quantitative Science Studies, Bind 1, Nr. 1, 2019, s. 117-149.

Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskriftTidsskriftartikelfagfællebedømt

Harvard

Aagaard, K, Kladakis, A & Nielsen, MW 2019, 'Concentration or dispersal of research funding?', Quantitative Science Studies, bind 1, nr. 1, s. 117-149. https://doi.org/10.1162/qss_a_00002

APA

Aagaard, K., Kladakis, A., & Nielsen, M. W. (2019). Concentration or dispersal of research funding? Quantitative Science Studies, 1(1), 117-149. https://doi.org/10.1162/qss_a_00002

Vancouver

Aagaard K, Kladakis A, Nielsen MW. Concentration or dispersal of research funding? Quantitative Science Studies. 2019;1(1):117-149. https://doi.org/10.1162/qss_a_00002

Author

Aagaard, Kaare ; Kladakis, Alexander ; Nielsen, Mathias W. / Concentration or dispersal of research funding?. I: Quantitative Science Studies. 2019 ; Bind 1, Nr. 1. s. 117-149.

Bibtex

@article{d47df849c99648e8969ff4a9b8f62ff6,
title = "Concentration or dispersal of research funding?",
abstract = "The relationship between the distribution of research funding and scientific performance is a major discussion point in many science policy contexts. Do high shares of funding handed out to a limited number of elite scientists yield the most value for money, or is scientific progress better supported by allocating resources in smaller portions to more teams and individuals? In this review article, we seek to qualify discussions on the benefits and drawbacks of concentrating research funds on fewer individuals and groups. Based on an initial screening of 3,567 articles and a thorough examination of 92 papers, we present a condensation of central arguments. Further, we juxtapose key findings from 20 years of empirical research on the relation between the size of research grants and scientific performance. Overall, the review demonstrates a strong inclination toward arguments in favor of increased dispersal. A substantial body of empirical research also exhibits stagnant or diminishing returns to scale for the relationship between grant size and research performance. The findings question the rationale behind current funding trends and point toward more efficient ways to allocate resources. In addition, they highlight the need for more research on the interplay between science-internal mechanisms and policy priorities in accelerating concentration of funding.",
keywords = "Faculty of Social Sciences, research funding, funding concentration, diversity, research performance, research policy",
author = "Kaare Aagaard and Alexander Kladakis and Nielsen, {Mathias W.}",
year = "2019",
doi = "10.1162/qss_a_00002",
language = "English",
volume = "1",
pages = "117--149",
journal = "Quantitative Science Studies",
issn = "2641-3337",
publisher = "MIT Press",
number = "1",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Concentration or dispersal of research funding?

AU - Aagaard, Kaare

AU - Kladakis, Alexander

AU - Nielsen, Mathias W.

PY - 2019

Y1 - 2019

N2 - The relationship between the distribution of research funding and scientific performance is a major discussion point in many science policy contexts. Do high shares of funding handed out to a limited number of elite scientists yield the most value for money, or is scientific progress better supported by allocating resources in smaller portions to more teams and individuals? In this review article, we seek to qualify discussions on the benefits and drawbacks of concentrating research funds on fewer individuals and groups. Based on an initial screening of 3,567 articles and a thorough examination of 92 papers, we present a condensation of central arguments. Further, we juxtapose key findings from 20 years of empirical research on the relation between the size of research grants and scientific performance. Overall, the review demonstrates a strong inclination toward arguments in favor of increased dispersal. A substantial body of empirical research also exhibits stagnant or diminishing returns to scale for the relationship between grant size and research performance. The findings question the rationale behind current funding trends and point toward more efficient ways to allocate resources. In addition, they highlight the need for more research on the interplay between science-internal mechanisms and policy priorities in accelerating concentration of funding.

AB - The relationship between the distribution of research funding and scientific performance is a major discussion point in many science policy contexts. Do high shares of funding handed out to a limited number of elite scientists yield the most value for money, or is scientific progress better supported by allocating resources in smaller portions to more teams and individuals? In this review article, we seek to qualify discussions on the benefits and drawbacks of concentrating research funds on fewer individuals and groups. Based on an initial screening of 3,567 articles and a thorough examination of 92 papers, we present a condensation of central arguments. Further, we juxtapose key findings from 20 years of empirical research on the relation between the size of research grants and scientific performance. Overall, the review demonstrates a strong inclination toward arguments in favor of increased dispersal. A substantial body of empirical research also exhibits stagnant or diminishing returns to scale for the relationship between grant size and research performance. The findings question the rationale behind current funding trends and point toward more efficient ways to allocate resources. In addition, they highlight the need for more research on the interplay between science-internal mechanisms and policy priorities in accelerating concentration of funding.

KW - Faculty of Social Sciences

KW - research funding

KW - funding concentration

KW - diversity

KW - research performance

KW - research policy

U2 - 10.1162/qss_a_00002

DO - 10.1162/qss_a_00002

M3 - Journal article

VL - 1

SP - 117

EP - 149

JO - Quantitative Science Studies

JF - Quantitative Science Studies

SN - 2641-3337

IS - 1

ER -

ID: 235585563