Managing Scientists: Leadership Strategies in Scientific Research (2004)

Abstract

Managing Scientists: Leadership Strategies in Scientific Research (2004) Alice Sapienza, Wiley-Liss, Inc., 246 pp. Managing Scientists: Leadership Strategies in Scientific Research is kind of that researchers in all disciplines, not just sciences, will want to read in their capacities as Principal Investigators (PIs), collaborators or team members. It is equally useful to research administrators charged with responsibility of assisting scholars who may benefit from help in leading, managing, and collaborating with peers, students, post doctoral fellows, and bureaucrats. Alice Sapienza believes this second edition further illuminates those consequences that arise when PIs are unable to mediate, mentor, or manage their projects. Like others who write in her field, Sapienza notes that leadership results almost invariably in poor productivity and a lack of creativity (Preface, p. x), and that emerging theories, polices, and practices need to be easily accessed and implemented to ensure maximum output from research project and its participants. She suggests that the journey from occupying a managerial/leadership role to being an effective leader sometimes begins with a book (Preface, p. x), and this is one that she feels will provide researchers with context-specific examples of joys and challenges of leading and managing in an academic milieu. I am not a scientist, but in my capacity as a university administrator I offer assistance in managing scientific research projects. Over time I have come to understand that many of challenges researchers face are not unique to their discipline. I also understand that, while they are cognizant of latest scientific studies in their fields, they typically are not aware of emerging leadership literature. As a result, my role as an administrator involves apprising them of those theories, models, and practices that will have an impact on their work. This role is one that we, as research administrators, are called upon to assume in our capacities as managers, leaders, planners, counselors, conciliators, and compliance officers, so we need to be aware of these new and emerging theories and tools. Alice Sapienza also supports this assertion, and as a professor of leadership, she is uniquely situated to study and appreciate issues articulated to her by individuals who take part in scientific research. Over a three-year period she and a colleague conducted a study of engaged in research; results of her findings are published in this book. Encouraged by her reflections, new theories of management and leadership, and a renewed enthusiasm for topic area, she has written a that is an excellent resource for research administrators, PIs, and others engaged in scientific research. What makes this of interest to members of SRA is author's unique perspective--one that is familiar to us. Sapienza knows that, based in a setting where main activity occurs between ears of scientists (p. 168), it is difficult to adapt management strategies from private sector to academia, as there is a difference between a organization and organization (p. 168-169) in regards to expectations related to output. She suggests that we need to be cognizant of differing purposes of discovery and development organizations, as well as project management language used in each. For example, there is a marked difference between traditional definitions of project management and those used in discovery organizations. Words such as develop, construct, and implement are widely used in development organizations, while explore and discover (p. 168) are used in research settings. These differences need to be understood by research administrators who are disseminating information on new approaches to leadership and project management. We need to be selective as to what theories or models will be most useful to our cohort prior to addressing their questions and concerns about management of their research projects. …