Renwick, D., Breslin, D. orcid.org/0000-0001-8309-7095 and Price, I. (2019) Nurturing novelty: Toulmin's greenhouse, journal rankings and knowledge evolution. European Management Review, 16 (1). pp. 167-178. ISSN 1740-4754
Abstract
Reflecting on Toulmin’s 1972 conceptualization of the academic research process, we fast-forward his thinking to the current climate of academic excellence and associated journal ranking lists. We argue that the formal and informal use of rankings throughout the hierarchy of research institutions creates an artificial environment within which favoured ‘branches’ of knowledge continue to flourish at the expense of new conceptual saplings. This ‘greenhouse’ effect might result in the creation of a knowledge tree which is increasingly unfit to the external world for which it is intended. We thus step back and examine wider implications of these factors on the broader evolution of knowledge in the research process. In sum, we argue for a Toulminian explanation of the process by which journal ranking lists reduce academic innovation and creativity, bias academic selection and constrain dissemination processes in the academic community.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2018 European Academy of Management. This is an author produced version of a paper subsequently published in European Management Review. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher's self-archiving policy. |
Keywords: | Journal ranking; evolution; Toulmin |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Sheffield |
Academic Units: | The University of Sheffield > Faculty of Social Sciences (Sheffield) > Management School (Sheffield) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Sheffield |
Date Deposited: | 19 Nov 2018 14:35 |
Last Modified: | 15 Nov 2020 01:38 |
Published Version: | https://doi.org/10.1111/emre.12334 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Wiley |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.1111/emre.12334 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:138747 |