Publication Performance Through the Lens of the h‐index: How Can We Solve the Problem of the Ties?

Abstract

Objective The h‐index is the most diffused bibliometric measure to evaluate publication performance at the author level. Despite its popularity, it is unable to provide a thorough ranking of the authors since it generates many ties. This problem is especially severe in the lower part of the distribution and is a serious shortcoming because the h‐index is used in a variety of decision‐making situations that have profound impacts at both the personal and institutional levels. Method We propose a method to differentiate authors with the same h‐index, thereby solving the problem of the ties. Results We conduct an empirical analysis covering 472 economists from the departments of economics of the top 10 world universities. When the h‐index and the measure proposed in this study are considered together, the problem of the ties diminishes dramatically. Conclusion In this study, we add to the available metrics aiming to increase fairness in ranking and selection processes.

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