Research administrators must understand who they are and what they do. A metaphor for the research administrator's identity and service mission is proposed: "custodian of the corporate conscience and culture." The role of this administrator is viewed as part of the entire process of learning for the development of generalizable knowledge…

After a continuing effort to improve its grant application process, the department of medical microbiology and immunology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison is submitting many more applications and realizing increased funding. The methods and strategy used to make the process more efficient and effective are outlined. (Author/MSE)

Key elements of public relations that may apply to the university research environment and lead to greater financial support for research activities are outlined, and examples from the private sector are used to explore the relationships between public relations, organizational growth, and financial stability. Practical suggestions are offered for…

Factors in effective research program administration are discussed, and administrators are urged to focus on understanding and supporting what's important, and subordinating all other organizational functions to that; using good managerial skills (effective planning, organization, staffing, delegation of duties, control, creativity, and positive…

A survey of 49 university and other research administrators investigated attitudes concerning research productivity and measures to assess it. Results are compared with those of an earlier survey of research scientists, including a rank-order comparison of the relative importance of a number of productivity measures. Implications for demonstrating…

Principles of effective research administration originally written over a decade ago are revised to reflect the challenges of a new, technologically advanced, and rapidly changing climate. They now include establishing, communicating, and constantly evaluating the goals of research administration in conjunction with institutional partners;…

To understand causes of stress in the workplace, research administrators can use the theory of "personality priorities" to understand researcher behavior. The theory suggests each individual adopts rules to help make decisions and maintain a sense of belonging. Each of these personality priorities (control, comfort, pleasing,…

Cultural and organizational issues arising in university-industry partnerships are explored, outlining benefits and risks to both parties. A short-term partnership between Southern Illinois University and the high-tech Hewlett Packard Company is examined, including its origins, the nature of the contract, communication between cultures, time…