Governance of Research: Nature, Scope and Tools

Directing research and changing its approach, problem and subject is the goal pursued by a wide range of governmental and non-governmental actors (including industry, private sector, social groups, etc.). But how is this Direction and, more precisely, the governance of research possible? This article is designed to answer this and other similar questions.

The present article is a review of literature and researchers have adopted a narrative review method based on sixteen types of literature reviews. Therefore, based on previous knowledge, they have analyzed the existing literature in the field of Research Governance and classified it into three categories: nature, scope and tools of research governance.

Based on the network of themes and analyses obtained from the literature, the essence of governance and the governance of research was explained as "construction and exercise of authority over interdependent actors". Based on this insight, the existing literature in the field of research governance was classified into two sections: macro and micro approach. The unique features of the research world (especially the prominent role of the micro-level, ie researchers in the science system) cause the critique of the two approaches and, as a result, the combination of approaches and the presentation of the research governance toolkit.

Based on the nature of governance and by combining approaches and considering the unique feature of the science system, the research governance toolkit to change the decision-making situation of researchers or their interpretation of those situations, including styles: forcing researchers, equipping (or not) Researchers, inducing them and re-interpreted those situations. In order to realize and use these tools accurately, the mediation of epistemological features of different fields in this effect as well as possible reactions of researchers to these tools have been investigated.