Evaluation document, KoF11 Part A: Strategic aspects on research ...

Uppsala University 17<strong>KoF11</strong>A7.As a result of the previous research assessment, Uppsala University decided to strengthen itsresearch by creating numerous tenure track positions for younger researchers. This wasfinanced centrally and executed at faculty level. The Department of Business Studies gainedan opportunity to use its share of the resources to finance part-time research for one of ouryounger teachers/researchers in accounting. We used this opportunity to strengthen the areathat came out weakest from the previous assessment. This decision was in line with the effortsstarted by the Department already before the previous assessment. The Department hasrecruited five younger lecturers in accounting since 2007. All of these new faculty membersobtained positions that include 50 percent research.The Department suffered a regrettable loss in the autumn of 2007 when our previousprofessor in accounting and finance, Jan Erik Gröjer, passed away. In view of the severecompetition for faculty in the area of accounting, the Department was unable to recruit a newprofessor until the spring of 2010. Although a temporary leader was appointed for this period,development of the sector slowed somewhat while waiting for a permanent recruitment.Despite the rather short period of time our new professor, Fredrik Nilsson, has been inUppsala, he has successfully assembled the faculty around common research questions. Takentogether with the aforementioned recent recruitments, the sector’s situation now seemsencouragingly optimistic.One of the challenges highlighted in the previous assessment was the limited guidance fromexperienced researchers in the Management and Organization group. The panel suggested thatthe group should endeavour to attract prestigious visitors who are eager to work with a groupof ambitious researchers over a long period. Since the assessment, the group has associatedseveral guest professors who now visit the Department on a regular basis. The Department hasalso recruited two professors (one for only about two years) and one senior lecturer. Since theprevious assessment, several members of this group have become senior lecturers and are nowresponsible for applying for funding, recruiting doctoral students, etc.Although the previous panel praised the relatively high degree of integration among thedifferent research sections, they also encouraged the Department to continue to work withintegration in order to find synergies. Since the assessment, the Department has introducedseveral integrated courses with integrated lecturer teams. One of the objectives of thismeasure was to provide an environment where lecturers from different research groupsnaturally socialize with each other. We have also introduced minor release-events when newpublications appear in order to learn more about ongoing research at the Department. TheDepartment has also introduced internal research conferences for the same purpose.Since the previous assessment, the Department has adopted a long-term vision, and preparesan annual plan of the measures to be taken each particular year. The objective is to plan in aconcrete manner the prioritization of resources and efforts for the coming year. Follow-up isperformed annually and is presented to the Department at the beginning of each academicyear. Action plans are prepared separately for research, graduate and undergraduateeducation, external relations and internal environment.The Department of Business Studies has also made major structural changes since 2007 inorder to create better conditions for research. The Department is a large provider of higher2011-02-28 Dept of Business Studies v 1.0