Luck and the ‘situations’ of research

Davies, Sarah R.; Pham, Bao-Chau

doi:10.1177/03063127221125438

Cited by 5 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 45 publications

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“…Intertwined with prize winning and navigating the many “metrics challenges” of academic career development can be the growing perception that luck plays a critical role. A summary of interviews from those navigating academic careers repeatedly cited being lucky [45], while a similar summary of those navigating paths to become medical educators cited serendipity [46]. Similarly, there is growing data to suggest that the review processes used to rank grant applications are frequently underpowered, and winning can be assumed to be significantly influenced by chance or luck [39, 47].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Australian academic STEMM workplace post-COVID: a picture of disarray

Christian

Larkins

Doran

2022

Preprint

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In 2019 we surveyed Australian early career researchers (ECRs) working in STEMM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine). ECRs almost unanimously declared alove of research, however, many reported frequent bullying and questionable research practices (QRPs), and that they intended to leave because of poor career stability. We replicated the survey in 2022 to determine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and sought more information on bullying and QRPs. Here, we compare data from 2019 (658 respondents) and 2022 (530 respondents), and detail poor professional and research conditions experienced by ECRs. Job satisfaction declined (62% versus 57%), workload concerns increased (48.6% versus 60.6%), more indicatednow is a poor time to commence a research career(65% versus 76%) from 2019 to 2022, and roughly half reported experiencing bullying. Perhaps conditions could be tolerable if the ecosystem were yielding well-trained scientists and high-quality science. Unfortunately, there are signs of poor supervision and high rates of QRPs. ECRs detailed problems likely worthy of investigation, but few (22.4%) felt that their institute would act on a complaint. We conclude by suggesting strategies for ECR mentorship, training, and workforce considerations intended to maintain research excellence in Australia and improve ECR career stability.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Australian academic STEMM workplace post-COVID: a picture of disarray

Christian

Larkins

Doran

2022

Preprint

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Between Delivery and Luck: Projectification of Academic Careers and Conflicting Notions of Worth at the Postdoc Level

Nästesjö

2024

Minerva

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This paper investigates how early career academics interpret and respond to institutional demands structured by projectification. Developing a ‘frame analytic’ approach, it explores projectification as a process constituted at the level of meaning-making. Building on 35 in-depth interviews with fixed-term scholars in political science and history, the findings show that respondents jointly referred to competition and delivery in order to make sense of their current situation. Forming what I call the project frame, these interpretive orientations were legitimized by various organizational routines within the studied departments, feeding into a dominant regime of valuation and accumulation. However, while the content of the project frame is well-defined, attempts to align with it vary, indicating the importance of disciplines and academic age when navigating project-based careers. Furthermore, this way of framing academic work and careers provokes tensions and conflicts that junior scholars try to manage. To curb their competitive relationship and enable cooperation, respondents emphasized the outcome of project funding as ‘being lucky.’ They also drew on imagined futures to envision alternative scripts of success and worth. Both empirically and conceptually, the article contributes to an understanding of academic career-making as a kind of pragmatic problem-solving, centered on navigating multiple career pressures and individual aspirations.

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Gendered Constructions of Luck at Work: The Case of Career Narratives of Female and Male Managers

Poorhosseinzadeh,

Özbilgin,

Strachan

2024

Gend. Issues

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There is a ubiquitous assumption that luck is a gender-neutral and equally distributed phenomenon. Drawing on 50 interviews with female and male managers, we examine their constructions of luck at work and demonstrate the gendered construction of luck in career narratives. Despite the dearth of attention to luck in the career literature, luck often features in the career narratives of professional workers. In line with the literature, we define the construct of luck as something outside the locus of control of individuals. Yet, we identify that luck is a gendered construct in career narratives. We demonstrate that while female managers define luck as receiving equality of opportunity in the process of their careers, male managers define luck as structures of support that offer them opportunities above and beyond their merit at work, which is a privilege that men appear to enjoy. The perception and interpretation of luck have far-reaching effects on addressing and comprehending gender disparities in career advancement, decision-making, negotiation and organisational leadership. Recognising the gender-specific impact of luck is vital in promoting gender equality and offering equitable chances for the career progression of women and non-privileged employees. It offers a persuasive option to challenge the dominant meritocratic assumptions on equality of chances, structures and the distribution of resources.

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Luck and the ‘situations’ of research

Cited by 5 publications

References 45 publications

The Australian academic STEMM workplace post-COVID: a picture of disarray

The Australian academic STEMM workplace post-COVID: a picture of disarray

Between Delivery and Luck: Projectification of Academic Careers and Conflicting Notions of Worth at the Postdoc Level

Gendered Constructions of Luck at Work: The Case of Career Narratives of Female and Male Managers

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