The multi-layered and multilevel use of bibliometric measures in Swedish universities: Isomorphism, translation and strategic choice

• Main Authors: Hammarfelt, Björn, Åström, Fredrik
• Format: Conference Object
• Language: English
• Published: 2015
• Subjects: Information Studies; Swedish Universities; Bibliometrics; Research evaluation systems; Aagaard; Hicks; Luleå
• Online Access: https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/7864175; https://portal.research.lu.se/files/6145435/7864251.pdf

In recent years, systems for resource allocation in academic research based on performance indicators have been introduced in many European countries (Hicks, 2012). Today, we are at a point where the use of bibliometrics based indicators for research evaluation and resource allocation more or less permeates academic systems on all levels and across the world. The implementation—and the effects of the use—of bibliometric indicators on the micro- and macro-levels have been studied, but the exploration of the use of bibliometric indicators for resource allocation in academic research on the meso-level—that is within HEIs, between faculties and departments—has so far been limited, albeit with some exceptions (Aagaard 2015; Hammarfelt & de Rijcke 2015). This study provides a comprehensive overview and analysis of the local use of bibliometric indicators at Swedish universities through a survey directed at 26 Swedish institutions of higher education and our theoretical focus is inspired by new institutionalism theories (DiMaggio & Powell, 1983). Findings Bibliometric measurement is currently applied in 24 of the 26 HEIs in our study. There is large variation in terms of what kind of bibliometric indicator being used for resource allocation. Generally, we can identify three main types of indicators: those counting number of publications, those based on citation frequency, and those making calculations based on a combination of citation and publication counts (Table 1). As with the choice of publication or citation based indicators, we find a wide variation in terms of on which levels bibliometric indicators are used for distributing resources at different HEIs. Seven out of the 26 HEIs in our sample are use bibliometric indicators to allocate resources directly to individuals. The models used at Blekinge Institute of Technology and Luleå University of Technology are perhaps the most straightforward ones as they directly allocate resources—in the form of research time or travel money—based on articles published ...