The purpose of our contribution is to discuss shortcomings of purely descriptive quantitative evaluation of research policies -- based either on inputs (public investment, number of researchers), or outputs (publications, EU grants, number of patents). To give an example, we compare selected indicators across Visegrad countries in the period between 2006 and 2015. We conclude that both quantitative and qualitative perspectives as well as societal and political contexts should be taken into account when the performance of any R&D system and the impact of public investments into a public R&D sector are scrutinized.