Project management mechanisms have been introduced only in a third of universities, research institutes and commercial scientific organizations

Project management mechanisms have been implemented in only a third of universities, research institutes and commercial scientific organizations. This was shown by a survey conducted by the Institute for Statistical Research and Economics of Knowledge (ISSEK) of the National Research University Higher School of Economics (representatives of 577 universities and scientific organizations – heads or their deputies for scientific activities – took part in it). Meanwhile, the state program for scientific and technological development (the emphasis in it, we recall, is on supporting the creation of final products and technologies) presupposes the principles of project management, experts remind.

ISSEK notes that the project approach is more adopted by multi-tasking organizations: its mechanisms were implemented by half of universities (51.6%) and commercial scientific organizations in the form of joint-stock companies, LLCs and federal state unitary enterprises (50%). For research institutes (SRI), this figure is three times lower – 16.9%. Under these conditions, the main tool for managing scientific and technical activities in most organizations is strategies or programs. Most often they are developed by universities (85.3%). Universities and research institutions more actively use their own key performance indicators, independent of government performance assessment procedures (71.4% and 70.3%). Commercial scientific companies and federal state unitary enterprises do this somewhat less frequently – in 62.5% of cases.

Universities and scientific institutions more often rely on feedback from employees in management (67.7% and 67.2%), while for scientific organizations this figure is 57.1%. Long-term (five years or more) research and development programs are used even less frequently. On average, only every fifth organization (21.3%) plans to finance them from their own funds for many years. Experts note that most budget sources of financing are not designed for long periods.

Director of the ISSEK Center for Science, Technology, Innovation and Information Policy Mikhail Gershman believes that scientific organizations certainly have the potential to improve management practices – many in this area are still working in the old fashioned way. “Achieving goals to ensure technological sovereignty without changing approaches to management will be problematic,” believes Mikhail Gershman.

Venera Petrova