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This paper is a study of the debate on science indicators in Danish knowledge policy. The study is delimited from the period 1985 to 2010, which it examines in three phases: a first phase from approximately 1985 to 1992, when the earliest Danish debates on the use of science indicators emerge. A second phase, running from approximately 1994 to 1998. During this period, major policy attempts are made to reform the distribution model of basic university funds, which constitute the backbone of the resources available to universities for research activity. A third phase, running from approximately 2005-2010. In this phase, a so-called Globalisation Strategy re-launches the debate on reforming - and extending - the basic funding allocation model with a quality indicator. The process culminates in the introduction of the Danish BFI in 2010. The paper argues that there has been a shift in the view of science through the three phases in at least four areas. First of all, the paper shows that the view on science behind the research indicators oscillates between two objectivity ideals, which can be called 'the mechanical objectivity' and 'the practiced judgment'. While the mechanical objectivity is pervasive in the three phases, the ideal of 'the practiced judgement' is nevertheless difficult to get rid of completely. The view of science also shifts from being primarily reflexive through the 1980s to being equally instrumental and reflexive through the 1990s, and finally to being almost exclusively instrumental in the 2000s. In addition, there is an axiological shift in the logic driving the discussion of introducing research indicators. In the first phase, the purpose is mainly scientific-ideological and democratic. In the second phase, it is governance and control mechanisms - a kind of New Public Management paradigm - that drives the purpose. In the third and final phase, the purpose is heavily inspired by OECD's socio-economic logic and driven by growth and innovation policy. Finally, the paper finds that the discussion on research indicators is mostly oriented towards improving research internal conditions. Although the discussion in phase three is rhetorically oriented towards improving broad societal conditions, the Danish bibliometric research indicator ends up being research-internal oriented.

Indførelsen af performance management-systemer er den måske mest udbredte reformstrategi i den offentlige sektor. I den danske universitetssektor er den bibliometriske forskningsindikator (BFI) en central del af den performancebaserede model. Der er lavet flere undersøgelser af BFI’ens betydning og effekt i dansk sammenhæng, men primært ud fra kvantitative data. Denne masterafhandling forsøger via interviews med 43 forskere at åbne den sorte boks mht. forskernes oplevelse og italesættelse. Den teoretiske ramme er motivationsteori.

Et meget omdiskuteret pointsystem, der fordeler basismidler tilforskning efter universiteternes produktivitet, har en mærkbarpositiv effekt på dansk forskningsproduktion.

Da uddannelserne tilknyttet Humanistisk Informatik i sin natur både inddrager humanistiske og teknologiske elementer, bør det overvejes, hvad grundlaget for evaluering af forskning bør være ifht. de publikationstyper, som områdets forskere publicerer i. I denne rapport analyseres derfor forskningsmiljøerne i tilknytning til Humanistisk Informatiks forskningsprofil i fht. AAU’s hovedområder for perioden 2010-2013. Analysen baserer sig på publikationstyperne for publikationer registreret i AAU’s VBN system. Samlet set viser analyserne et særdeles stærkt forskningsmiljø omkring HumInf uddannelsen på Aalborg Universitet med en unik profil. Uddannelsens undervisere er som gruppe bredt engageret i forskning, og publicerer hyppigt via traditionelle humanistiske publikationskanaler suppleret med kanaler der ofte anvendes af mere tekniske videnskaber. Forskningsproduktionen og indhentning af BFI-point er stigende, både absolut set og per VIP-årsværk, og HumInf på Aalborg Universitet ligger helt i top ifht. BFI-point per VIP-årsværk sammenlignet med landets humanistiske fakulteter.