Search results

1 – 10 of over 141000
Article
Publication date: 1 May 2006

Amanda H. Goodall

This paper seeks to address the question: should the world's top universities be led by top researchers, and are they?

3105

Abstract

Purpose

This paper seeks to address the question: should the world's top universities be led by top researchers, and are they?

Design/methodology/approach

The lifetime citations are counted by hand of the leaders of the world's top 100 universities identified in a global university ranking. These numbers are then normalised by adjusting for the different citation conventions across academic disciplines. Two statistical measures are used – Pearson's correlation coefficient and Spearman's ρ.

Findings

This study documents a positive correlation between the lifetime citations of a university's president and the position of that university in the global ranking. Better universities are run by better researchers. The results are not driven by outliers. That the top universities in the world – who have the widest choice of candidates – systematically appoint top researchers as their vice chancellors and presidents seems important to understand. This paper also shows that the pattern of presidents' life‐time citations follows a version of Lotka's power law.

Originality/value

There are two main areas of contribution. First, this paper attempts to use bibliometric data to address a performance‐related question of a type not seen before (to the author's knowledge). Second, despite the importance of research to research universities – as described in many mission‐statements – no studies currently exist that ask whether it matters if the head of a research university is himself or herself a committed researcher. Given the importance of universities in the world, and the difficulty that many have in appointing leaders, this question seems pertinent.

Details

Journal of Documentation, vol. 62 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0022-0418

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 7 April 2015

Naceur Jabnoun

This paper aims to explore the influence of wealth, transparency and democracy on the number of universities per million people ranked among the top 300 and 500. The highly ranked…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to explore the influence of wealth, transparency and democracy on the number of universities per million people ranked among the top 300 and 500. The highly ranked universities in the world tend to be concentrated in a few countries.

Design/methodology/approach

ANOVA was used to test the differences between the two groups in terms of three key national variables that are likely to affect higher education. These variables are gross domestic product per capita (GDPPC), transparency and democracy. Cluster analysis was used to find out if there were any groupings of countries based on the number of top-ranked universities and the above three variables. Correlation analysis was also used to confirm the relationship between the key variables and the number of universities among the top 500 and 300 universities per million people. Finally, partial correlations and linear regression were used to identify the most important factor(s) affecting the number of universities among the top 500 and 300 universities per million people.

Findings

ANOVA revealed that countries with top-ranked universities had higher GDPPC, transparency and democracy levels than countries with no top-ranked universities. Cluster analysis resulted in two groups of countries: one group of countries with a higher number of ranked universities, higher democracy level, higher transparency and higher GDPPC. The other group had lower values for each of the above variables. Pearson correlations confirmed that the number of top universities per million people is related to the three national variables. Partial correlation and regression revealed that transparency is the only significant factor that directly determines the number of universities among the top 500 in the world. On the other hand, both transparency and GDPPC are significant in determining the number of universities ranked in the top 300 per million people. This means that universities ranked among the top 500 are generally found in countries with higher transparency levels, while top 300 universities are generally found in countries that have both higher transparency levels and higher GDPPC.

Research limitations/implications

This paper paves the way for further research on transparency and ethics in higher education. The impact of wealth, transparency and democracy can also be measured in other industries, and particularly those linked to learning and innovation.

Practical implications

This paper draws the attention to the fact that top universities are found in richer, more democratic and more transparent countries. It, however, indicates that the single factor associated with the number of universities ranked among the top 500 is transparency. Policy makers should therefore focus on increasing transparency to increase the likelihood of having top-ranked universities. Having universities ranked among the 300 is also linked to having higher GDPPC. This indicates that transparency can drive all other factors associated with having universities ranked among the first 500 in the world, but further improvement of university ranking to first 300 universities also requires greater financial strength. This is understandable given the expense associated with attracting first-class faculty members and having world-class research programs.

Originality/value

This is the first paper that researched the differences between countries having top-ranked universities and countries having no top-ranked universities. It also identified transparency as the single factor affecting the number of top 500 ranked universities per million people. It is also the first paper to have distinguished between having universities ranked among the top 300 in the world and universities ranked among the top 500. It showed that factors expected to be play a key role in determining higher education success such as democracy index and GDPPC were not significant in determining the number of top 500 universities per million people. This paper, however, showed that the number of top 300 universities per million per country depends not only on transparency but also on GDPPC. This paper provides a good understanding of barriers to university excellence in many countries. These barriers may also be pertinent to other institutions where learning is highly significant.

Details

Quality Assurance in Education, vol. 23 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0968-4883

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 8 June 2015

Fabian Hattke and Steffen Blaschke

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the influence of top management team diversity on academic excellence in universities. Academic excellence is conceptualized as…

1290

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the influence of top management team diversity on academic excellence in universities. Academic excellence is conceptualized as successfully gaining funds for inter-organizational research collaborations, interdisciplinary graduate schools and high-ranked scientific reputation.

Design/methodology/approach

The study applies upper echelon theory to universities. Three hypotheses are developed: (overall) top management team heterogeneity is positively associated with successful funding of excellence clusters, (overall) top management team heterogeneity is positively associated with successful funding of graduate schools and (overall) top management team heterogeneity is positively associated with academic reputation. The empirical study is based on a cross-sectional dataset with a time lag, covering characteristics of 75 German public universities from 2008 to 2013. Multiple-regression analysis is applied to test the hypotheses.

Findings

Our results indicate that disciplinary and educational diversity of upper echelons has a positive effect on the outcomes. Other top management team characteristics (age, gender, etc.) show no significant effects. Besides top management team composition, we find that a high number of faculties and a broad inclusion of internal status groups (students, tenured faculty, academic and administrative staff) and external stakeholders in decision making processes may enhance academic excellence of universities.

Research limitations/implications

First, the study contributes to the body of literature concerned with higher education. It is situated at the crossroads of management studies and higher education research, unlocking strategic management theorizing for the public context. Furthermore, the study contributes to the body of literature on strategic leadership in pluralistic organizations. It highlights the importance of heterogeneous governance structures and modular organization designs for achieving academic excellence.

Practical implications

The paper may inform practitioners in administrative or leading positions and policy-makers concerned with higher education. The more diverse a top management team is in terms of multiple disciplinary backgrounds, the more likely they succeed in driving the university toward academic excellence.

Originality/value

The study is among the first to evaluate the influence of top management teams in universities with a quantitative research design.

Details

Team Performance Management: An International Journal, vol. 21 no. 3/4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1352-7592

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 3 August 2012

Mu‐Hsuan Huang

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the scientific performance of universities by extending the application of the h‐index from the individual to the institutional level. A…

1873

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the scientific performance of universities by extending the application of the h‐index from the individual to the institutional level. A ranking of the world's top universities based on their h‐index scores was produced. The geographic distribution of the highly ranked universities by continent and by country was also analysed.

Design/approach/methodology

This study uses bibliometric analysis to rank the universities. In order to calculate their h‐index the numbers of papers and citations in each university were gathered from Web of Science, including the Science Citation Index and Social Science Citation Index. Authority control dealing with variations in university names ensured the accuracy of each university's number of published journal papers and the subsequent statistics of their citations.

Findings

It was found that a high correlation exists between the h‐index ranking generated in this study and that produced by Shanghai Jiao Tong University. The results confirm the validity of the h‐index in the assessment of research performance at the university level.

Originality/value

The h‐index has been used to evaluate research performance at the institutional level in several recent studies; however these studies evaluated institutions' performance only in certain disciplines or in a single country. This paper measures the research performance of universities all over the world, and the applicability of the h‐index at the institutional level was validated by calculating the correlation between the ranking result of the h‐index and the ranking by the Shanghai Jiao Tong University.

Details

Online Information Review, vol. 36 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1468-4527

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 26 October 2016

Daryl M. Guffey

This paper ranks university faculties, accounting doctoral programs, individual behavioral accounting researchers, and the most influential articles based on Google Scholar…

Abstract

This paper ranks university faculties, accounting doctoral programs, individual behavioral accounting researchers, and the most influential articles based on Google Scholar citations to publications in Advances in Accounting Behavioral Research (AABR). All articles published in AABR in its first 15 volumes are included and four citation metrics are used. The paper identifies the articles, authors, faculties, and doctoral programs that made the greatest contribution to the development of AABR. Such an analysis provides a useful basis for understanding the direction the journal has taken and how it has contributed to the literature (Meyer & Rigsby, 2001). The h-index and m-index for AABR indicates it compares favorably among its peers. Potential doctoral students with an interest in behavioral accounting research, “new” accounting faculty with an interest in behavioral accounting research, current behavioral accounting research faculty, department chairs, deans, and other administrators will find these results informative.

Details

Advances in Accounting Behavioral Research
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78560-977-0

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 26 April 2013

Teresa Carvalho, Kate White and Maria de Lourdes Machado‐Taylor

The purpose of this paper is to analyse if the existence of equal opportunity legislative frameworks and affirmative action programs make any difference to the way senior managers…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyse if the existence of equal opportunity legislative frameworks and affirmative action programs make any difference to the way senior managers perceive the role of top university managers in influencing women's position in their institutions. A comparative study was therefore undertaken between a country with traditions in implementing AA in universities – Australia – and another which has no tradition in this domain – Portugal.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative methodology was chosen to collect and analyse data. A total of 44 interviews with male and female university senior managers – 21 in Australia and 23 in Portugal – were conducted by the principal researcher in each country.

Findings

When describing the role of top managers, gender equality was not often mentioned, suggesting that it may not be a topic on the current institutional political agenda either in Australia or in Portugal. When specifically asked about gender, respondents considered that Rectors and VCs in the two countries took opposite positions with Australian VCs being more aware of their role in improving gender equality. The study therefore concluded that the existence of equal opportunities frameworks and AA policies may have an influence in increasing top managers’ awareness of their roles in improving women's representation in management teams.

Research limitations/implications

The research was restricted to public universities. In Portugal the system is more diverse and comparing HE with private and polytechnic institutions could provide important insights about senior managers’ roles in relation to improving women's position in HE. More in‐depth qualitative studies are needed, to obtain top managers’ perceptions of the variables that impact on their views and attitudes to women in senior management.

Practical implications

This study provides new and innovative contributions to knowledge about the perceptions of senior managers of their top managers and their roles in eliminating gender discrimination and the influence of affirmative action in HE in these perceptions.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to the discussion on the advantages and disadvantages of using affirmative action programmes by analyzing a dimension which has not been explored – its impact on senior managers’ perceptions of their role in promoting gender equality in HEIs.

Details

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: An International Journal, vol. 32 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2040-7149

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 2 August 2013

Teerasak Markpin, Nongyao Premkamolnetr, Santi Ittiritmeechai, Chatree Wongkaew, Wutthisit Yochai, Preeyanuch Ratchatahirun, Janjit Lamchaturapatr, Kwannate Sombatsompop, Worsak Kanok‐Nukulchai, Lee Inn Beng and Narongrit Sombatsompop

The purpose of this paper is to study the effects of the choice of database and data retrieval methods on the research performance of a number of selected Asian universities from…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to study the effects of the choice of database and data retrieval methods on the research performance of a number of selected Asian universities from 33 countries using two different indicators (publication volume and citation count) and three subject fields (energy, environment and materials) during the period 2005‐2009.

Design/methodology/approach

To determine the effect of the choice of database, Scopus and Web of Science databases were queried to retrieve the publications and citations of the top ten Asian universities in three subject fields. In ascertaining the effect of data retrieval methods, the authors proposed a new data retrieval method called Keyword‐based Data Retrieval (KDR), which uses relevant keywords identified by independent experts to retrieve publications and their citations of the top 30 Asian universities in the Environment field from the entire Scopus database. The results were then compared with those retrieved using the Conventional Data Retrieval (CDR) method.

Findings

The Asian university ranking order is strongly affected by the choice of database, indicator, and the data retrieval method used. The KDR method yields many more publications and citation counts than the CDR method, shows better understanding of the university ranking results, and retrieves publications and citations in source titles outside those classified by the database. Moreover the publications found by the KDR method have a multidisciplinary research focus.

Originality/value

The paper concludes that KDR is a more suitable methodology to retrieve data for measuring university research performance, particularly in an environment where universities are increasingly engaging in multidisciplinary research.

Article
Publication date: 20 December 2017

Wenjing Li, Tahseen Ahmed Bhutto, Ali Reza Nasiri, Hamid Ali Shaikh and Fayaz Ali Samo

The purpose of this paper is to approach the issue of how organizational innovation can be accelerated with the support of leadership structures and the organizational climate…

4176

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to approach the issue of how organizational innovation can be accelerated with the support of leadership structures and the organizational climate, specifically taking into account the top innovative universities of the world, which has not been found in previous empirical studies.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey, based on a deductive approach, is adopted since the questionnaire for organizational innovation is designed for organizations in order to measure organizational innovation, widely used by experienced employees from senior managers to all kind of employees (Caird et al., 2013) facilitating the European Commission work, whereas for transformational leadership, a Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (Bass and Avolio, 1994) is utilized. A complete online questionnaire was developed for collecting data, and the PLS-SEM statistical technique is used for analysis and results.

Findings

Top innovative universities of the world mostly have a transformational leadership style directly triggering organizational innovation which is consistent with the previous studies, while transactional leadership is having a positive relationship with organizational culture and innovation, but the results were statistically insignificant.

Research limitations/implications

Based on this research and other previous studies, it is suggested that universities across the world ought to imply transformational leadership traits and style which have fostered organizational innovation in the top-ranked innovative universities in developed nations, whereas more factors needed to be studied so that comprehensive guidelines should be provided to universities and research institutes where innovation is stagnant and passive.

Practical implications

The finding has practical implications, suggesting that universities and research institutes should draft and implement guidelines where leaders with certain traits and norms can play a role to nourish an environment where stakeholders think outside the box, with learning and knowledge creation, and proactive contribution beyond responsibilities, obligations, and compulsion.

Social implications

This study has suggested that less innovative universities should draft and design leadership and cultural enriching plans so that society, organizations, and commercial firms could foster innovation, ultimately benefiting general public and society.

Originality/value

Very few of the scholars have investigated from the perspective of innovative universities, where knowledge is created and flows into organizations, either governmental or private, and society in general. As a result, this study aims to investigate how leadership has impacted the culture of knowledge creation and innovativeness in the top 100 innovative universities. So, this is among rare studies where universities are suggested to adopt innovation supporting culture and leadership.

Details

International Journal of Public Leadership, vol. 14 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2056-4929

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 24 October 2022

Arnab Kundu, Mrityunjoy Kaibarta and Subhadip Mukherjee

It is unfortunate yet true that in India, research starts and ends with a Ph.D. The steady decline in the quality of doctoral research has been an articulated concern among Indian…

Abstract

Purpose

It is unfortunate yet true that in India, research starts and ends with a Ph.D. The steady decline in the quality of doctoral research has been an articulated concern among Indian academics at a time when research and innovation should be a priority. One of the feasible ways of resurrecting or reconstructing Indian research is to open up to examine contemporary international trends. Against this backdrop, the study aimed to make a comparative analysis of doctoral research in education in top-ranking international and top-ranking Indian universities.

Design/methodology/approach

Adopting a comparative education methodology, this paper examines 100 doctoral dissertations from the top 10 international universities as per Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) ranking and 100 doctoral theses from the top 10 Indian universities following National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) submitted in the past decade. Four significant issues were investigated during the comparison – topic, procedure, presentation, and dissemination – based on the premeditated Research Quality Relevance Metrics (RQRM) designed by the authors for quality improvement of research.

Findings

Findings revealed stark differences between two trends in all four domains. The top international universities focus on the contemporariness scattered across diverse issues while Indian studies continue to engage on a few archetypal conventional issues with dreary reiterations. The newness of thought is rare in Indian research, while the interdisciplinary mixing of methods and practices had been the hallmark of its international comportment. Practice orientation has been a unique research attribute found in the top 10 international universities. The methods applied have attempted to reduce the age-old gap between educational research and practice. Methodological innovativeness, structural orientation, readability, and dissemination of research were also exemplary in those international theses, whereas Indian theses are still reeling under orthodox surveys with hesitant reporting.

Research limitations/implications

This study put an exclusive mirror in front of Indian doctoral research on its current state in respect of international standards. At the same time, it upholds a framework to promote research quality and impact. Dimensions of research quality relevance matrices and recommendations for effective doctoral research are two vibrant contributions to the intelligentsia in general for bringing Indian research out of its cocoon to make it internationally comparable.

Originality/value

It reports a study conducted by the researchers and the write-up is based on the empirical findings only.

Details

International Journal of Comparative Education and Development, vol. 24 no. 3/4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2396-7404

Keywords

Open Access
Book part
Publication date: 25 July 2022

Maria Caprile, Mina Bettachy, Daša Duhaček, Milica Mirazić, Rachel Palmén and Angelina Kussy

Universities are large, complex and highly hierarchical organisations with deeply engrained gendered values, norms and practices. This chapter reflects on the experiences of two…

Abstract

Universities are large, complex and highly hierarchical organisations with deeply engrained gendered values, norms and practices. This chapter reflects on the experiences of two universities in initiating structural change towards gender equality as supported by the TARGET project. A common aspect thereby is the lack of a national policy in higher education and research providing specific support for implementing gender equality policies. The process of audit, design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the first gender equality plan (GEP) in each of these universities was conceived as a first step in a long journey, providing a framework for engaging different institutional actors and fostering reflexive, evidence-based policy making. The analysis deals with reflexivity and resistance and seeks to draw lessons from bottom-up and top-down experiences of GEP implementation. It is the result of shared reflection between the GEP ‘implementers’ in the two universities and the team who provided support and acted as ‘critical friends’.

Details

Overcoming the Challenge of Structural Change in Research Organisations – A Reflexive Approach to Gender Equality
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-80262-122-8

Keywords

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