  Governments and organizations design performance-based research funding
systems (PBFRS) for strategic aims, such as to selectively allocate scarce
resources and stimulate research efficiency. In this work we analyze the
relative change in research productivity of Italian universities after the
introduction of such a system, featuring financial and reputational incentives.
Using a bibliometric approach, we compare the relative research performance of
universities before and after introduction of PBFRS, at the overall, discipline
and field levels. The findings show convergence in the universities'
performance, due above all to the remarkable improvement of the lowest
performers. Geographically, the universities of the south (versus central and
northern Italy) achieved the greatest improvement in relative performance. The
methodology, and results, should be of use to university management and
policy-makers.
