Researching Research Culture

An organisational culture approach

Abstract

Developing and sustaining a thriving research culture for the long term is vital not only for researchers, but also for our ability to address global challenges. Yet several high-profile reports have highlighted concerns. Whilst sector organisations and universities alike have begun to address these issues, research culture can be a fuzzy concept with uncertainties about how it can be measured and improved. While psychologists have been examining work culture in other sectors for decades, including developing evaluation measures, the underlying dimensions, norms, and behaviours that constitute a positive research culture are less well understood. These studies of organisational culture from industry and healthcare offer opportunities for cross-sector learning. Taking an innovative approach, this Critical Reflection outlines lessons learned from organisational psychology that can be applied to the study of research culture, including understanding its underlying dimensions and enabling mechanisms and studying research culture using surveys. Specifically, key findings from developing and running three research culture surveys in a Scottish university are discussed, along with advice on conducting surveys and overall research best practices involving research culture.