Evaluating the Impact of Research Produced by a Mission-Directed Emergent University

Introduction and Contextualization Brief History of UTech The University of Technology, Jamaica (UTech), succeeded the Jamaica Institute of Technology (JTI), which was established in 1958 and re-branded as the College of Arts, Science, and Technology (CAST) in 1959. On September 1, 1995, the Jamaican Parliament accorded CAST university status under its current name, the University of Technology, Jamaica (Sangster, 2010). The mission of the University of Technology, Jamaica is: "To stimulate positive change in Caribbean society through the provision of high quality learning and research opportunities and service to our communities" University of Technology, Jamaica, Student Handbook, 2012-2013, p.1). UTech is viewed as Jamaica's National University, with a student population of more than 12,000 pursuing more than 50 programmes at certificate, diploma and undergraduate and graduate degree levels through three Colleges and five Faculties. The history of UTech and the contributions of its staff and students are intimately connected with the social and economic development of Jamaica. UTech's Research and Innovation Management Ecosystem It is generally agreed that research output is one of the key indicators that sets a university apart from other post-secondary institutions (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, 2004). Also, research is central to the very appealing idea of the university as an autonomous entity with the freedom to make its own rules (Lemann, 2014). On being accorded university status, it was important for the newly-created University of Technology, Jamaica to establish and implement a coherent research agenda and a supporting ecosystem of research management. Accordingly, the Office of Research and Graduate Studies (ORGS) was initially established (Onyefulu & Ogunrinade, 2005). However, in 2007 with the appointment of a new president who set about establishing research and graduate studies as major thrusts at the institution, the ORGS was replaced by the School of Graduate Studies, Research, and Entrepreneurship (SGSRE) as the unit responsible for Research and Innovation Management (RIM) at UTech. Two imperatives motivated the change from the ORGS to the SGSRE. One, an understanding that "research management" comprises a distinct suite of activities separate from the conduct of research itself (Association of Commonwealth Universities [ACU], 2004). And two, the fact that university-based research has come to be seen not merely as the catalyst of economic growth, but a vital part of the research-innovation ecosystem. Indeed, the concept of the "knowledge economy" based on the application of scientific knowledge as the key source of economic and political power, and social and individual prosperity is now one of the main paradigms across the world. This correlation is strongly promoted by the OECD, the World Bank, UNESCO, and the European Union, among others, and by many national governments (Hazelkorn, 2012). Key Institutional Research-Related Initiatives Directed by its mission, "To stimulate positive change in Caribbean Society through the provision of high quality learning and research opportunities and service to our communities," key institutional research-related initiatives are included in UTech's Strategic Plan (Table 1). In addition, through a consultative process led by the SGSRJE, "research focus areas" have been identified reflecting the perceived strengths of the university that may be applied to address significant social and economic problems nationally (Table 2). The SGSRE has been designated "owner and driver" of UTech's strategic research-related initiatives and is required to provide performance status reports on them at monthly meetings of the university's executive management committee. Supporting the work of the SGSRE are College/Faculty Graduate Studies, Research and Entrepreneurship Coordinators (C/FGSRECs) serving as the critical link between the SGSRE and the various academic units within the university (University of Technology, Jamaica, Research Policy, 2009, p. …