Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The effect of academic inbreeding on scientific effectiveness

  • Published:
Scientometrics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In academia, the term “inbreeding” refers to a situation wherein PhDs are employed in the very same institution that trained them during their doctoral studies. Academic inbreeding has a negative perception on the account that it damages both scientific effectiveness and productivity. In this article, the effect of inbreeding on scientific effectiveness is investigated through a case study. This problem is addressed by utilizing Hirsch index as a reliable metric of an academic’s scientific productivity. Utilizing the dataset, constructed with academic performance indicators of individuals from the Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering Departments, of the Turkish Technical Universities, we demonstrate that academic inbreeding has a negative impact on apparent scientific effectiveness through a negative binomial model. This model appears to be the most suitable one for the dataset which is a type of count data. We report chi-square statistics and likelihood ratio test for the parameter alpha. According to the chi-square statistics the model is significant as a whole. The incidence rate ratio for the variable “inbreeding” is estimated to be 0.11 and this ratio tells that, holding all the other factors constant, for the inbred faculty, the h-index is about 89% lower when compared to the non-inbred faculty. Furthermore, there exists negative and statistically significant correlation with an individual’s productivity and the percentage of inbred faculty members at the very same department. Excessive practice of inbreeding adversely affects the overall productivity. Decision makers are urged to limit this practice to a minimum in order to foster a vibrant research environment. Furthermore, it is also found that scientific productivity of an individual decreases towards the end of his scientific career.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. Similar results are obtained when only mechanical engineering departments are considered.

  2. Model is estimated also by using only rank specific, only department specific and non-specific (pooled data).

  3. We would like to acknowledge the anonymous reviewer for pointing out this issue.

References

  • Baldock, C., Ma, R. M. S., & Orton, C. G. (2009). The h-index is the best measure of a scientist’s research productivity. Medical Physics, 36, 1043–1045. doi:10.1118/1.3089421.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cameron, A. C., & Trivedi, P. K. (1998). Regression analysis of count data, Econometric Society Monographs No. 30. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Glanzel, W. (2006). On the opportunities and limitations of the h-index [In Chinese]. Science Focus, 1, 10–11.

    Google Scholar 

  • Greene, W. H. (2003). Econometric analysis. New Jersey: Prentice Hall.

    Google Scholar 

  • Greenwood, M., & Yule, G. U. (1920). An inquiry into the nature of frequency distributions of multiple happenings, with particular reference to the occurrence of multiple attacks of disease or repeated accidents. Journal of the Royal Statistical Society, 83, 255–279.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hamermesh, D. S., & Khan G. A. (2009). Markets for reputation: Evidence on quality and quantity in academe. National Bureau of Economic Research Working Paper Series, paper no: 15527.

  • Hirsch, J. E. (2005). An index to quantify an individual’s scientific research output. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 102, 16569–16572. doi:10.1073/pnas.0507655102.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Horta, H., Veloso, F. M., & Grediaga, R. (2010). Navel gazing: Academic inbreeding and scientific productivity. Management Science, 56, 414–429. doi:10.287/mnsc.1090.1109.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jaffe, A. (1989). Real effects of academic research. American Economic Review, 79, 957–970.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jin, B. H. (2006). h-index: An evaluation indicator proposed by scientist. Science Focus, 1, 8–9.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jin, B. H., Liang, L., Rousseau, R., & Egghe, L. (2007). The r and ar indices: Complementing the h-index. Chinese Science Bulletin, 52, 855–863. doi:10.1007/s11434-007-0145-9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Knetter, M. M., & Prusa, T. J. (2003). Macroeconomic factors and anti-dumping filings: Evidence from four countries. Journal of International Economics, 61, 1–17.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lazaridis, T. (2009). Ranking university departments using the mean h index. Scientometrics, 82, 211–216. doi:10.1007/s1192-009-0048-4.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Long, S. L. (1997). Regression models for categorical and limited dependent variables. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  • Long, J. S., & Freese, J. (2003). Regression models for categorical dependent variables using stata. College Station, TX: STATA Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nelson, R. R. (1993). National innovation system? A comparative analysis. New York: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Panaretos, J., & Malesios, C. (2009). Assessing scientific research performance and impact with single indices. Scientometrics, 81, 635–670. doi:10.1007/s11192-008-2174-9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rosenberg, N., & Nelson, R. R. (1994). American universities and technical advance in industry. Research Policy, 23, 323–348.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Economics, Işık University, Istanbul, Turkey

    Ozlem Inanc

  2. Department of Aeronautical Engineering, Istanbul Technical University, Maslak, 34469, Istanbul, Turkey

    Onur Tuncer

Authors
  1. Ozlem Inanc
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Onur Tuncer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Onur Tuncer.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Inanc, O., Tuncer, O. The effect of academic inbreeding on scientific effectiveness. Scientometrics 88, 885–898 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-011-0415-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-011-0415-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation