The State of the Field in UK Management Research: Reflections of the Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) Panel

Abstract

This paper reviews the state of the field of the sub-disciplines within UK management research, based upon the submissions of 94 UK higher education institutions to the Business and Management Studies Panel in the UK's 2001 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE). It offers observations on the UK model of the assessment of quality in, and funding of, research conducted in publicly funded higher education institutions.

The UK Research Assessment Exercise 2001: an analysis for hospitality research

“…More positively the debate on the definition, purpose and direction of hospitality research was seen as vigorous. By contrast, the panel recognised a wide social science discipline base in tourism though it noted 'y one of the least well-defined areas in tourism research is that related to business and management' (Bessant et al, 2003). In assessing quality of research the panel judged tourism as relatively mature with 20% of output of international quality.…”

“…Also studied were the individual panel UoAs reflective commentary. For unit 43 this was supplemented by a longer article by the panel members (Bessant et al, 2003).…”

“…On any reading the analysis of the current state of hospitality research is poor relative to other areas within UoA 43. Olsen's (2001) view that hospitality is behind the times with a body of knowledge that is nowhere-near defined, is quoted in Bessant et al (2003) who also mention Lashley's (2000) work as a quest to solve some of these definitional issues. Interestingly, neither unit panel made explicit references in their feedbacks to relationships between subject areas that appeared in UoAs 43 and 69: an omission particularly pertinent to tourism but also relevant to hospitality and leisure.…”

Os Estudos em Administração se Perderam no Meio do Aaminho? Ideias para Pesquisas mais Construtivas e Inovadoras

“…Universidades e pesquisadores de diferentes países ao redor do mundo são direcionados por várias fórmulas de avaliação introduzidas pelos governos para avaliar o desempenho de pesquisas acadêmicas, como a RAE/REF no Reino Unido e ERA na Austrália (BESSANT et al, 2003;LEUNG, 2007;WILLMOTT, 1995;. Um indicador importante de desempenho nessas fórmulas de avaliação é o número de artigos publicados nos melhores periódicos da área.…”

An investigation into the role played by research assessment in the socio-geographic fragmentation of undergraduate economics education in the UK

“…If teaching is not underpinned by research, the quality of the student experience may suffer. Old universities have long been active in research as well as teaching though they have not always been easy bedfellows (Bessant et al, 2003). Many new universities have traditionally focused on teaching to the detriment of research activity.…”