Evaluation of research and evolution of science indicators

TL;DR

This paper reviews the evolution of science indicators and research evaluation methods, highlighting how global and systemic changes have increased the complexity of measuring scientific activity and communication.

Contribution

It analyzes the historical development and current challenges in research evaluation, emphasizing the impact of globalization and systemic complexity on scientometric measures.

Findings

Research systems have become more complex over time.

Globalization influences research evaluation metrics.

Communication among subsystems is central to scientific assessment.

Abstract

Whereas the research program of the measurement of scientific communications emerged in a context where the delineations among academia, government, and industry were institutionalized, the systemic development of these relations during the second half of the 20th century has changed the system of reference for the evaluation of research. In a knowledge-based economy science fulfills functions that change the definitions of what is considered research and globalization has changed the relevance of national systems of reference. Science, of course, has been internationally oriented from its very beginning, but the entrainment of the research process in these global developments is reflected in the research evaluation and the scientometric measurement. In other words, the systems under study have become more complex. A complex dynamics can analytically be decomposed in several subdynamics. The evolving systems and subsystems communicate in different dimensions and the evaluation has become part of the codification of these communications.