In the evolving landscape of higher education, business schools stand at a pivotal crossroads, challenged to redefine the pillars of academic excellence. Recent research underscores the urgency of shifting focus from merely accumulating publications to fostering meaningful, high-impact scholarship that resonates beyond the ivory tower. Grounded in a novel theoretical framework, the study advocates for a fundamental transformation in how research quality and reputation are evaluated, signaling a call to action for institutions, policymakers, and faculty alike.
Traditional metrics, long revered as the bedrock of academic assessment, have shown limitations in capturing the multifaceted nature of research impact. Quantitative indicators such as publication counts and citation indices, though objective and widely utilized, often fail to account for innovation, societal relevance, and practical applicability. This observation is critical, especially within business schools, where research should ideally bridge theory with real-world managerial practice and policy influence. As such, reliance on bibliometrics may inadvertently promote a narrow conception of success that overlooks valuable contributions to teaching, societal development, and international collaboration.
The research further reveals that current incentive structures within business schools predominantly reward volume and prestige, particularly publications in elite journals, rather than tangible, diversified impact. This selective emphasis shapes faculty behavior in predictable ways, including strategic responses to evaluation criteria. While some tactics—such as focusing on high-impact outlets or synthesizing comprehensive reviews—align with scholarly norms, others border on questionable ethics. Practices such as excessive self-citation, biased reviewing, ghostwriting, or manipulating editorial processes signal a growing tension between traditional academic virtues and market-driven performance metrics.
Compounding these dynamics is the intensely competitive atmosphere fostered by a relentless quest for ‘research excellence.’ While the concept carries inherent value, its dominant association with quantifiable outputs risks engendering hypercompetitiveness that stifles creativity and reinforces hierarchies favoring elite institutions. This environment can alienate emerging and smaller business schools, whose contributions may not be immediately evident through conventional ranking mechanisms but are nonetheless vital to the broader academic ecosystem and societal progress.
Amidst these challenges, the study calls for a recalibration of evaluation paradigms to embrace a more holistic and nuanced understanding of impact. Incorporating qualitative assessments, stakeholder feedback, and engagement indicators can enrich the picture of research performance beyond numeric scores. Feedback from students, alumni, employers, and policymakers offers valuable insights into how research informs teaching, innovation, and policy-making, thereby broadening the criteria used to assess academic merit and institutional reputation.
International accreditation bodies such as AACSB and EQUIS emerge as crucial players in this transformative agenda, serving as gatekeepers signaling research relevance and quality. However, their influence is gradual and contingent upon sustained interaction between business schools, the corporate sector, and society at large. Strategic alignment with global priorities—such as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals—can amplify research resonance and demonstrate tangible contributions to pressing economic, environmental, and social challenges.
The study highlights another major imperative: fostering genuine international and interdisciplinary collaborations. Funding, institutional encouragement, and administrative support are essential to empower faculty to engage in multinational research ventures that transcend disciplinary silos. Such collaborations not only broaden intellectual horizons but also enhance the practical applicability and societal relevance of research outputs, bridging gaps between academia, industry, and policy domains.
Communication strategies warrant significant attention as well. The traditional dissemination of knowledge confined to academic journals and conferences restricts potential impact. Diversifying outreach through industry forums, policy briefs, mainstream media, and digital platforms ensures that research findings permeate diverse audiences, catalyzing innovation and informed decision-making. Elevating the visibility of impactful research contributes to a more dynamic and responsive academic culture.
Moreover, the article illuminates the complexity of academic reputation as a dynamic construct, subject to influences beyond immediate research outputs. Reputation intertwines with governance, faculty quality, stakeholder perceptions, and societal engagement. Metrics capturing these multidimensional attributes can mitigate biases inherent in rankings and conventional evaluations. By accentuating a broader suite of indicators, business schools can more authentically reflect their distinctive strengths and societal contributions.
Country-specific and regional contexts further complicate the research evaluation landscape. The study’s European focus, with its unique regulatory frameworks such as the Bologna Process and European Qualifications Framework, reminds us that contextual factors—including cultural norms and funding mechanisms—shape institutional behaviors and research priorities. Expanding inquiry beyond Europe would enrich theoretical models and empirical insights, accommodating diversity in higher education systems worldwide.
A longitudinal lens is particularly valuable to comprehend the temporal dynamics of reputation building and research impact. Cross-sectional snapshots, while informative, cannot sufficiently capture the evolving relationships amongst faculty achievements, institutional strategies, stakeholder engagement, and societal needs. Future research embracing time-series data and mixed methods can elucidate trends, causal inferences, and emergent patterns that advance a more sophisticated understanding of academic reputation.
Critically, stakeholder diversity underscores the necessity for pluralistic evaluation frameworks. Students, industry partners, policymakers, and academia possess different priorities that shape their perceptions of research value. A business school researcher’s focus on theoretical advancement may diverge from an employer’s interest in applied innovation or a student’s concern with employability. Incorporating this plurality strengthens the legitimacy and relevance of assessments, guiding institutions towards more inclusive and adaptive research ecosystems.
Addressing these intertwined challenges entails rethinking faculty incentive systems, institutional policies, and broader academic culture. Reward mechanisms must transcend simplistic metrics and recognize diverse contributions, including research integration into pedagogy, societal engagement, and successful international collaborations. Leadership commitment to fostering ethical conduct and balancing market-driven pressures with scholarly integrity is paramount to cultivating sustainable excellence.
The urgency of these transformations is underscored by escalating pressures to align academic outputs with global societal challenges. The twin digital and green transitions represent arenas where business school research can significantly contribute by generating practical tools, influencing policy, and shaping corporate strategies. Aligning research themes accordingly not only secures relevance but also strengthens reputational capital through demonstrated societal impact.
Considerations of alternative metrics or ‘altmetrics’ emerge as promising pathways to capture wider dimensions of impact. Monitoring attention through social media, policy citations, media mentions, and public engagement provides complementary insights beyond traditional bibliometrics. However, standardizing and validating these indicators require methodological rigor to ensure balanced and credible assessments that resist manipulation.
In conclusion, this comprehensive study advocates for a reconceptualization of research evaluation in business schools that embraces complexity, diversity, and societal relevance. Such an approach promises to alleviate detrimental competition, furnish equitable recognition for a broader range of institutions, and enhance the flow of knowledge between academia and society. By weaving research excellence with practical significance and stakeholder resonance, business schools can position themselves as dynamic engines of innovation and social progress in an increasingly interconnected world.
Subject of Research: Research impact, collaboration, and reputation at European business schools
Article Title: Signaling impact: research, collaboration and reputation at European business schools
Article References:
Alfirević, N., Arslanagić-Kalajdžić, M., Škokić, V. et al. Signaling impact: research, collaboration and reputation at European business schools.
Humanit Soc Sci Commun 12, 752 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-025-05111-4
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