Explaining poor performance of European science: institutions versus policies

Abstract

This paper offers detailed evidence of the weak performance of European science in the upper tail of scientific quality, in fast moving scientific fields, and in new fields that follow a proliferation pattern of growth, or divergent search regime. The relatively poor performance is offered as a better explanation than the European paradox for current difficulties in high technology industries and trade. The paper calls for a shift of attention, from the level of science policy to the dynamic comparative analysis of deep institutional features of scientific systems, offering a number of provocative statements on scientific institutions in European countries. Note:Italics indicate non-US universities Source: Bonaccorsi (2006) based on elaboration from CVs of scientists ranked in <www.citeseer.com>

Egyetemi vállalkozás – Lehetőség az egyetemi karrier előmozdítására Közép-Európában?

“…Az USA-ban a kutatók általában egyetemi alkalmazottak, míg a kontinentális európai országokban közszolgák vagy ál-lami alkalmazottak (Franzoni, Lissoni 2009). Ez természetesen a jövedelmükre is hatással van; az USA-ban a javadalmazás decentralizált módon határozódik meg, míg a központosítottabb európai rendszerben a bérek nem tükrözik köz-vetlenül a termelékenységbeli különbségeket (Bonaccorsi 2007).…”

“…A kutatók státuszához kapcsolódóan éles verseny figyelhető meg az egyetemek között a legtehetségesebb kutatókért az USA-ban (Bonaccorsi 2007), mivel ők képesek további finanszírozási forrásokat vonzani az egyetemre. Követke-zésképpen az USA-ban a kutatók nagyfokú mobilitása figyelhető meg, továbbá lehetséges az akadémiai és a nem akadémiai szférák közti rövid távú átjárás.…”

Universities and public research institutes as collaboration partners for firms

“…This paper adds to a growing stream of research that seeks to improve our understanding of the role of public sector R&D in modern economies by turning attention to the role of a number of interrelated institutional factors such as organisation, research management, incentives and (local) culture (Bonaccorsi, 2007;Carayol & Matt, 2004). While many recent studies have investigated how institutional differences shape differences in academic collaboration patterns (Heinze & Kuhlmann, 2008;Boardman & Corley, 2008), there is a parallel interest in how technology transfer from public organisations is mediated by institutional factors.…”

Supporting Frontier Research, Which Institutions and Which Processes

“…As soon as the paradox was issued, there were voices to demonstrate that this was untrue. Focused on science-based industries, and looking at science shaping new directions and new paradigms (manifested by highly cited researchers or Nobel prizes), Europe was no longer leading, it was mostly strong in cumulative areas and weak in new fast growing fields (Dosi et al, 2006, andBonaccorsi 2007 for the versions published). How then explain that spending as great an investment than the US, drove to such a 'poor' record?…”