Publication Scripts in Higher Education: Gaming as Grey-zone Behaviour

Inspired by the Thomas theorem and scripting theory, this article analyses ‘gaming’ in higher education as a response to performance metrics. It shows how scholars react to performance measurement systems in the of form journal lists defining appropriate outlets for their research. Two central beliefs about successful publishing are identified: the first is that US top journals only accept articles addressing certain topics and research based on specific methods; the second ties publication successes to strategic networking with editors and reviewers in these journals. The article uses scripting theory to analyse performance measurement and its consequences, differentiating between three levels of scripting: cultural scripts in the form of journal lists, interactional scripts defined as participants’ redefinitions/enactments of these overarching scripts, and intrapsychic scripts concerning participants’ self-scripting and personal relationship to gaming. The study is based on qualitative interviews with 173 associate and full professors in the social sciences in Denmark.