handbook-executive-leadership-of-research-development-pdf-v10

2. Leadership, management and academics in the context ofchanging policiesChanges in national policies and funding regimes for university research have led toenlarged scrutiny of research productivity and activity, which has in turn influenceduniversity structures and processes. To the traditional focus on research as theadvancement of knowledge have been added systems of research assessment,growing competition for research funding and increased emphasis on thecontribution of research to the economy and its benefits to society. Research activityis more expected more than ever before to lead to outputs such as publication andcommercial application. These changes have highlighted the importance of researchcentres, interdisciplinarity and partnerships between entrepreneurs and universities 14 .As demands for higher institutional performance have increased, so accountabilityrequirements for individual academics have inevitably become greater thanbefore. There is a general view that these changes may lead to tensions and havedamaging consequences for academic work. Academic research is by definitionabout unpredictability and personal commitment; it sits uneasily with managementsystems that rely on command and control. Solutions to this dilemma revolve arounddistributed leadership, collegiality, the need to recognise the mutual dependencyof different functions and the alignment of management, leadership and individualresponsibilities. These strategies call to mind the characteristics of productiveresearch environments described by Bland and Ruffin. They are relevant not only toresearch-intensive universities but also to institutions that aspire to a larger researchrole.Executive leadership for research, research management and the work of researcherscan be understood along a single continuum 15 . To enable research activity andproductivity to flourish at individual level, each party to needs to show mutual respectand support for the others. Research support offices and executive leadership workbest in close partnership; the requirement for complementarity between managementand leadership identified by classic writers on modern leadership applies accuratelyin this context.A particular emphasis appears to be necessary on effective and empathiccommunication between the groups and on creating an environment in whichacademics feel actively engaged. These are clearly fundamental leadershipresponsibilities. Executive leaders leading change in research development mustA background briefing on the evidence17