Ceris-CNR Working paper
01/2003
MODELS FOR MEASURING THE RESEARCH PERFORMANCE AND MANAGEMENT
OF THE PUBLIC LABS
Mario Coccia *
Marzo 2003
Abstract
The science sector, in some European countries, is doing a strategic restructuring due to budget cuts (e.g. Italy). Thus, the measure and evaluation of research performance (metrics) of its units (public research institute) is needed. General models to assess the R&D performance of a public research lab are presented here. The methodology uses the discriminant analysis and the results are two canonical discriminant functions (direct and Wilks methods) that could provide indications about the performance of research bodies. The functions are successfully applied to 200 public research institutes belonging to the Italian National Research Council. These functions are also tools for appropriate decisions and actions to improve research performance, especially by the more effective use of existing resources and for reducing the X-inefficiency. Some policy and management implications are discussed.
Keywords:
Research performance, Performance measurement, Performance
indicators, R&D evaluation, Public research lab, Discriminant analysis,
X-inefficiency
Jel Classification: C1, H50,
L32, O32
The present work is the continuation of the research, which began in 1998, analyzing the activities of the Italian research bodies Istituti of the Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (Cnr). While I alone am responsible for any errors or omissions to be found in the text, I wish to thank those who offered a contribution in scientific terms and in personal support, amongst them Prof. Secondo Rolfo, for the intense scientific cooperation and Mr. Diego Margon of Ceris-CNR for the meticulous computer elaboration of the CNR databases. Particular thanks go to Prof. Luca Gnan of the Università Commerciale Luigi Bocconi in Milan, for his useful tuition in SPSS in company modeling. I also am indebted to Maria Zittino and Silvana Zelli, who patiently and carefully edited the work, and to all the staff of Ceris-Cnr.
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* Mario Coccia
(Ceris-Cnr)
National Research Council of Italy
Ceris-Cnr - Institute for Economic Research on Firms and Growth
Via Avogadro, 8 - 10121 – Torino – Italy
Tel.: +39.011.56.01.225 Fax: +39.011.56.26.058
email:
m.coccia@ceris.to.cnr.it