Performance Assessment of Public Sector Scientists

Publicly-funded scientific research establishments are complex organizations requiring considerable management skills to optimize performance. This article identifies the performance indicators (PIs) used in the appraisal of public sector science in the UK and assesses their relevance in relation to the Balanced Score Card (BSC) management tool. The author found that current PIs in UK science relate primarily to scientific peer-group interests and are unlikely, on their own, to facilitate the optimization of organizational management. The article also suggests how concentration on these PIs could hinder the implementation of government science policies, for example public understanding of science, and wealth creation.