Academic researchers as ‘agents’ of science policy

Abstract

This paper focuses on the interests and strategies of the academic researcher as agent in the research and science policy system. It looks in particular at the UK context, and the structural and operational features that mitigate principal-agent tensions and allow academic ‘agents’ considerable freedom of action. It examines how academics themselves perceive their role, whether they exhibit classic agent behaviour and what they are observably doing. This latter includes some strategies to deal with problems (complementary to those besetting the principal) inherent to the situation of agent. Possible implications are discussed for the conduct of research and the sustainability of the system.