Organizational environment and performance of research groups—A typological analysis

Abstract

In this paper an attempt is made to construct a typology of research units according to a set of organizational features and relate the resulting classification to a set of performance measures. The organizational features include (i) resources and facilities for research; (ii) Communication and transfer of new ideas; (iii) Planning and organization of research; and (iv) Social psychological environment for research. The performance measure include (i) General R&D effectiveness, which essentially connotes the quality dimension of research performance; (ii) Recognition of the work of the research unit by the scientific community; (iii) User-oriented effectiveness; and (iv) Administrative effectiveness (budget and schedule compliance).

This study is based on the subset of empirical data on 220 research units collected in India for the third round of the UNESCO International Comparative Study on the Organization and Performance of Research Units (ICSOPRU). Twenty three measures of organizational environment, operationalized by multiple indicators, were chosen as discriminant criteria for the construction of the typology, using a classification computer programme SYSTIT (Systeme' de Typologie Iterative). The relationship between typology groupings and performance measures was analyzed through multiple correspondence analysis.

This study brings out that resources and facilities for research are a necessary but not a sufficient condition of performance. The sufficiency condition implies a positive work environment, effective communication within and outside the research group and a conceptually exciting research programme.