Generate QR code
Open Access
Subscription Access
Citation metrics: To refuse or use?
https://doi.org/10.32609/0042-8736-2023-2-116-126
Abstract
The article analyzes the use of bibliometric indicators to evaluate the work of scientists. We answer the question of why bibliometric assessments of scientific work have become so widespread in recent decades; also, we consider the pros and cons of such assessments from the point of view of public welfare. The paper gives recommendations for reforming the current system of assessing the effectiveness of scientific work. It is necessary to minimize reporting on publications and citations and not create conditions for a race in the number of citations and articles. Since citations of scientific papers have a delay, the assessment of published articles based on bibliometrics should have a lag of 1 to 5 years, depending on the research area. Publication in a scientific journal should not be the only form of presenting the results of scientific work: conference reports, reports (including grants), monographs, etc. must also be taken into account. For effective organization of science, formal rules alone are not sufficient; informal institutions are no less important, primarily the institution of scientific reputation. In order to stimulate its development in the Russian scientific community, we offer using the formal institution of vicarious liability — the responsibility of employers for violations of employees. Liability, in this case, means the dependence of state funding of an organization on violations of scientific ethics committed by its researchers. Finally, it is necessary to reinforce the significance of the institution of peer review, making this process more public.
Keywords
scientific research efficiency evaluation,
scientometrics,
bibliometric indicators,
scientific reputation
JEL: D83, I23
About the Authors
I. E. Kalabikhina
Lomonosov Moscow State University
Moscow
G. V. Kalyagin
Lomonosov Moscow State University
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Moscow
References
1. Martynov A. I. (2005). Archeology: A textbook. 5th ed. Moscow: Vysshaya Shkola. (In Russian).]
2. Milgrom P., Roberts J. (1999). Economics, organization and management. In 2 vols. St. Petersburg: Ekonomicheskaya Shkola. (In Russian).]
3. Ahn Y., Resh W. G. (2022). The political economy of bureaucratic motivation. In: E. C. Stazyk, R. S. Davis (eds.). Research handbook on motivation in public administration. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar, pp. 10—26. https://doi.org/10.4337/9781789906806.00007
4. Bernstein L. (1992). Opting out of the legal system: Extralegal contractual relations in the diamond industry. Journal of Legal Studies, Vol. 21, No. 1, pp. 115—157. https://doi.org/10.1086/467902
5. Bisso J. C., Choi A. H. (2008). Optimal agency contracts: The effect of vicarious liability and judicial error. International Review of Law and Economics, Vol. 28, No. 3, pp. 166—174. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.irle.2008.06.005
6. Brainard J. (2022). Journal declares an end to accepting or rejecting papers. Science, Vol. 378, No. 6618, p. 346. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adf4964
7. Chun S.H., Kim J.Y. (2021). Vicarious liability under a strict liability rule. Asian Journal of Law and Economics, Vol. 12, No. 3, pp. 287—297. https://doi.org/10.1515/ajle20210045
8. Connelly B. L., Certo S. T., Ireland R. D., Reutzel C. R. (2011). Signaling theory: A review and assessment. Journal of Management, Vol. 37, No. 1, pp. 39—67. https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206310388419
9. Cyrus Chu C. Y., Qian Y. (1995). Vicarious liability under a negligence rule. International Review of Law and Economics, Vol. 15, No. 3, pp. 305—322. https://doi.org/10.1016/01448188(95)000162
10. Greif A. (1989). Reputation and coalitions in medieval trade: Evidence on the Maghribi traders. Journal of Economic History, Vol. 49, No. 4, pp. 857—882. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0022050700009475
11. Kreps D. M., Wilson R. (1982). Reputation and imperfect information. Journal of Economic Theory, Vol. 27, No. 2, pp. 253—279. https://doi.org/10.1016/00220531(82)900308
12. Mattiacci G. D., Parisi F. (2003). The cost of delegated control: Vicarious liability, secondary liability and mandatory insurance. International Review of Law and Economics, Vol. 23, No. 4, pp. 453—475. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.irle.2003.07.007
13. Merton R. K. (1968). The Matthew effect in science. Science, Vol. 159, No. 3810, pp. 56—63. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.159.3810.56
14. Merton R. K. (1988). The Matthew effect in science, II: Cumulative advantage and the symbolism of intellectual property? Isis, Vol. 79, No. 4, pp. 606—623. https://doi.org/10.1086/354848
15. Milgrom P. R., North D. C., Weingast B. R. (1990). The role of institutions in the revival of trade: The law merchant, private judges, and the champagne fairs. Economics & Politics, Vol. 2, No. 1, pp. 1—23. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.14680343.1990.tb00020.x
16. Niskanen W. A. (1968). The peculiar economics of bureaucracy. American Economic Review, Vol. 58, No. 2, pp. 293—305.
17. Niskanen W. A. (1971). Bureaucracy and representative government. Chicago, IL: AldineAtherton.
18. Prendergast C. (2007). The motivation and bias of bureaucrats. American Economic Review, Vol. 97, No. 1, pp. 180—196. https://doi.org/10.1257/aer.97.1.180 Resnick P., Zeckhauser R. (2002). Trust among strangers in internet transactions: Empirical analysis of eBay’s reputation system. Advances in Applied Microeconomics, Vol. 11, pp. 127—157. https://doi.org/10.1016/S02780984(02)110303
19. Riley J. G. (2001). Silver signals: Twentyfive years of screening and signaling. Journal of Economic Literature, Vol. 39, No. 2, pp. 432—478. https://doi.org/10.1257/jel.39.2.432
20. Spence M. (1973). Job market signaling. Quarterly Journal of Economics, Vol. 87, No. 3, pp. 355—374. https://doi.org/10.2307/1882010
21. Spence M. (2002). Signaling in retrospect and the informational structure of markets. American Economic Review, Vol. 92, No. 3, pp. 434—459. https://doi.org/10.1257/00028280260136200
22. Spindler J. C. (2011). Vicarious liability for bad corporate governance: Are we wrong about 10b5? American Law and Economics Review, Vol. 13, No. 2, pp. 359—401. https://doi.org/10.1093/aler/ahq026
Supplementary files
Review
For citations:
Kalabikhina I.E., Kalyagin G.V. Citation metrics: To refuse or use? Voprosy Ekonomiki. 2023;(2):116-126. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.32609/0042-8736-2023-2-116-126
Views:
599
Email this article 
