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Governance and Performance in the German Public Research SectorSuccess and Failure of PhD Programmes: An Empirical Study of the Interplay Between Interests, Resources and Organisation

Governance and Performance in the German Public Research Sector: Success and Failure of PhD... [On the basis of a study of 14 European departments, we analyse NPM mechanisms meant to favour a successful PhD education. Relying on the results of Multi-Value Qualitative Comparative Analysis (MVQCA), we demonstrate that only a few organisational characteristics (medium level of financial funds or a critical mass of faculty committed to PhD education in accordance with sufficient time capacities) are essential for a successful PhD education. We also demonstrate that these characteristics can be modified and provided, and that there are the right incentive structures. Competition for scientific reputation is a basic driving force for a variety of gradual organisational changes in the PhD production process often going hand in hand with financial benefits. Should the financial existence of a department depend on its research success, then disruptive organisational turn arounds can be observed. In most of our cases NPM mechanisms were not the decisive trigger for change but enhanced already existing dynamics. They made a difference only where a critical mass of a research-prone faculty was present and where organisational settings (insufficient time capacities, low research competence, low total number of PhD students or no critical mass of faculty committed to PhD education) obstruct strong efforts toward a successfully changing PhD education.] http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png

Governance and Performance in the German Public Research SectorSuccess and Failure of PhD Programmes: An Empirical Study of the Interplay Between Interests, Resources and Organisation

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References (31)

Publisher
Springer Netherlands
Copyright
© Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2010
ISBN
978-90-481-9138-3
Pages
107 –123
DOI
10.1007/978-90-481-9139-0_6
Publisher site
See Chapter on Publisher Site

Abstract

[On the basis of a study of 14 European departments, we analyse NPM mechanisms meant to favour a successful PhD education. Relying on the results of Multi-Value Qualitative Comparative Analysis (MVQCA), we demonstrate that only a few organisational characteristics (medium level of financial funds or a critical mass of faculty committed to PhD education in accordance with sufficient time capacities) are essential for a successful PhD education. We also demonstrate that these characteristics can be modified and provided, and that there are the right incentive structures. Competition for scientific reputation is a basic driving force for a variety of gradual organisational changes in the PhD production process often going hand in hand with financial benefits. Should the financial existence of a department depend on its research success, then disruptive organisational turn arounds can be observed. In most of our cases NPM mechanisms were not the decisive trigger for change but enhanced already existing dynamics. They made a difference only where a critical mass of a research-prone faculty was present and where organisational settings (insufficient time capacities, low research competence, low total number of PhD students or no critical mass of faculty committed to PhD education) obstruct strong efforts toward a successfully changing PhD education.]

Published: Jun 5, 2010

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