Die navorsingsprestasie van akademici in Suid-Afrika

Abstract

The research performance of academics in South Africa. Notwithstanding the multidimensionality of research performance, university managements tend to distinguish scientific contributions as a single performance criterion. The feasability of a one-sided approach to the measurement of research performance is therefore questionable. The aim of this article is to investigate (a) the level of research performance of academic personnel and (b) the validity of scientific contributions as a predictor of research performance. The results indicate that more under- performers than average to above-average performers are found and that scientific contributions are indeed a strong predictor of most other research dimensions. It is therefore not one-sided to distinguish this criterion as a measure of research performance.

Opsomming
Nieteenstaande die multidimensionaliteit van navorsingsprestasie, is universiteitsbesture geneig om wetenskaplike bydraes as 'n enkele prestasiedimensie uit te sender. Die wenslikheid van 'n eensydige benadering tot die meting van navorsingsprestasie word derhalwe bevraagteken. Hierdie artikel het ten doel om ondersoek in te stel na (a) die stand van navorsingsprestasie by akademici en (b) die geldigheid van wetenskaplike bydraes as 'n voorspeller van navorsingsprestasie. Die resultate toon aan dat meer onder- as gemiddelde rot bogemiddelde presteerders aangetref word en dat wetenskaplike bydraes 'n sterk voorspeller van die meeste ander navorsingsdimensies is. Dit is derhalwe nie eensydig om hierdie dimensie as 'n prestasiemaatstaf uit te sender nie.