Assessment of the impact of an effective contract introduction on the publication activity of a university faculty: The case of a regional university

Abstract

The introduction of an effective contract into the Russian public sector was due to the need to ensure compliance regarding wages and the quality of services provided. A review of existing studies on contract relationships within academia and practices to stimulate publication activity in Russian and foreign universities has shown that the key factors influencing scientific activity by university teachers are internal motivation, favorable academic environment, and relationships in a team. This paper analyzes two systems of stimulation of publication activity in higher education: a rating of scientific activity and a system of the effective contract. To analyze the introduction of an effective contract in educational organizations, researchers primarily use methods of content analysis of normative legal acts and sociological surveys. Based on data about the publication activity of teachers of the Institute over 6 years (3 years before the introduction of an effective contract and 3 years after), the authors conducted an econometric study of the impact of an effective contract on the quantity and quality of publications. To test the hypothesis the authors used a fixed effect model, a random effects model, and pooled ordinary least squares and least squares dummy variable. In this article the authors suggest a methodology for assessing the impact of an effective contract on the publication activity of university teachers. The authors conclude that salary and incentive payments, as well as participation in conferences and teacher training, have had a significant positive impact on the number of publications. The quality of publications was significantly influenced by incentive payments and professional development. The introduction of an effective contract had an impact only on the total number of publications.