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Lookup NU author(s): Professor James Cunningham
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).
Scientists and funding bodies are interdependent actors involved in an ongoing two-way signalling interaction; however, we lack insight on the social mechanisms underpinning this interaction. To address this issue, we examine how successfully funded scientists interpret and address criteria set by the funding body to maximise their chances of funding success. We also consider the possible adverse side effects that can arise from scientists’ competitive efforts to address these criteria. Our findings identify a portfolio of funding criteria—research feasibility, research alignment and team credentials—that scientists address when preparing grant applications. Effectively addressing these criteria enhances the prospects of funding success and value creation. However, we also find that scientists can over-address funding criteria, which is counterproductive and yields undesirable side effects. Our research therefore makes an important distinction between the possibilities for value creation and the value creation frictions that can unintentionally arise based on how grant-submitting scientists interpret and address the criteria signalled by the funding body. Our research has implications for policymakers, funding bodies and scientists which we also discuss.
Author(s): O'Kane C, Zhang JA, Haar J, Cunningham JA
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: Small Business Economics
Year: 2023
Volume: 61
Pages: 799-826
Print publication date: 01/08/2023
Online publication date: 10/10/2022
Acceptance date: 20/09/2022
Date deposited: 26/10/2022
ISSN (print): 0921-898X
ISSN (electronic): 1573-0913
Publisher: Springer
URL: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11187-022-00697-4
DOI: 10.1007/s11187-022-00697-4
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