Abstract:

The purpose of this study is to identify the factors that explain the research productivity of education faculty, within seven different universities in Québec-Canada. In our paper, publications in refereed journals (number, citations and impacts) were used as surrogate for research productivity. We described the research productivity of education faculty, researcher attributes (gender, age, language, etc.); institutional attributes (university size, the number of students, collaboration, etc.) and the funding sources and amounts (from governments, private sector, funding councils, etc.). Based on a provincial sample of 194 researchers and time series data (2001-2008), we conduct regressions analysis that characterizes a production function analysis (Cobb-Douglas specifications) at the individual level. Our results imply sharply diminishing returns to academic R&D using published papers, as an «output» indicator. We find that individual variables, related to age and gender, are statistically significant. The size and the dominant language (Francophone versus Anglophone) of the university teaching play a positive effect on productivity. Provincial government funding and federal research agency funding (federal versus provincial) affect significantly researcher productivity. Individual research production figures are significantly enhanced by international collaboration on research (mainly with international colleagues). Our results rouse questions about whether financial incentives boost publication productivity, and whether policy-makers should place greater emphasis on other factors relevant to high productivity among researchers, faculties and departments operating on education field.

http://www.crexe.enap.ca

Keywords:

research productivity, resarch performance, research impact evaluation