| Abstract: |
Professional management is increasingly important for successful research at
universities as well as other organizations. This exploratory review draws on
different bodies of literature in order to reformulate the complex challenges
of research management by applying newer organizational theory. Research
management can be described as boundary work that produces couplings between
science and the wider society. Because of the complexity of organized science,
management is increasingly indispensable to ensure the social, cognitive, and
material preconditions of research. This paper discusses different means of
research management on the research group level and within university
departments. Research organizations are characterized by their relative
diffuse distribution of management functions over organizational levels as
well as by little direct determination between organizational elements.
Charismatic scientific leaders can enhance the efficiency of research
organizations and projects. More recently, universities have started to create
new management positions within projects and centers. Scientifically trained
people are hired as specialists in research management, constituting a new
professional role. In contrast to pure administration, the new research
managers make decisions with reference to scientific knowledge and the
societal environment of research. |
| Keywords: |
IES, Institute of European Studies, Research Management, Higher Education, Research Organization, Organizational Theory, University Collaboration, Science Studies, Scientific Leadership, Organization of Science, Boundary Work, Professionalization |