Problems of Scientometrics and its Suitability for Management Scientific Activity in Modern Russia

Abstract

The purpose of the study is a critical analysis of the Russian practice of using the main indicators of sci entometrics in management activities at various levels. To achieve this goal, it was necessary to solve several problems, namely: to study the main scientometric parameters; determine the degree of accuracy and reliability of information indexed by the major bibliographic databases; to formulate a number of principles of management practice related to scientometrics; to identify and consider the shortcomings of management decisions recorded in regulatory documents; to develop recommendations aimed at resolving a number of problems related to the use of scientometric indicators. The research is based on both general scientific theoretical methods: induction and deduction, analysis and synthesis, systems approach, social modeling, comparative typological and comparative analytical methods, and practical methods: working with documents, analysis of printed and electronic sources of information, content analysis and bibliographic combination of documents. In the course of the work, it was revealed that scientometrics in its applied version still clearly lacks reliability both due to imperfections associated with both its main indicators in all databases and with the indexing of publications in them, as well as due to management miscalculations reflected in regulations. In particular, in the light of the current political events caused by the special military operation in Ukraine, and in connection with difficult access to Western bibliographic data bases, the problem of a radical reorganization of the Russian Science Citation Index (RSCI) and the transition to a new system of scientometric indicators clearly arises. The data and recommendations obtained as a result of the study will help management structures avoid obvious omissions and errors in planning and monitoring the scientific activities of university and academic research institute staff, as well as optimize scientometric reporting.