Methodologies for the analysis of research funding and expenditure: from input to positioning indicators

Abstract

This paper discusses the status of indicators concerning research funding and expenditure and proposes some pathways for further developments. First, I discuss in depth the design of the R&D statistics based on the Frascati manual and its limitations concerning analytical categories, data availability and quality. Further I argue that, to answer to specific policy questions concerning the allocation of funds, the development of a new generation of indicators is needed — so-called positioning indicators — focusing on the analysis of financial fluxes between research funders, intermediaries and performers, and I present some recent results of comparative European work in this direction. Finally, I draw some general methodological lessons on the nature of these indicators and on the procedure for their production, discussing key aspects such as reproducibility, quality validation, simplicity, contingency and transparency.

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