P 86 - 12
Problem-Oriented Social Science Research:
The Example of the Social Science Research Centre Berlin (Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin für Sozialforschung)
von Georg Thurn
B e rlin , December 1986
Der Beitrag is t die englische Übersetzung einer Darstellung von For
schungskonzeption und Organisationsstruktur des WZB, die im Jahrbuch zur Staats- und Verwaltungswissenschaft (hrsg. v. Th. Ellwein, J.J. Hesse, R. Mayntz, F.W. Scharpf), Baden-Baden (Nomos Verlag), Band 1 (1987) erscheint.
Eine erweiterte Fassung in deutscher Sprache lie g t als WZB paper P 86-11 vor.
Zunächst werden die Veränderungen in den forschungspolitischen Z ie l
setzungen und in s titu tio n e lle n Voraussetzungen e rö rte rt, die das WZB seit seiner Gründung 1969 erfahren hat; dieser Teil mündet in eine Zusammenfassung der Ergebnisse der sogenannten Strukturreform der letzten drei Jahre. Daran anschließend werden die Schwerpunkte der Forschungstätigkeiten s k iz z ie rt. Schließlich wird die Frage nach den Möglichkeiten und Grenzen "problemorientierter Grundlagenforschung" in den Sozialwissenschaften aufgegriffen und auf der Basis der im WZB gewachsenen Erfahrungen e rö rte rt.
Abstract
The paper is the English translation of a report on the research goals and organisational structure of the WZB which is published in Jahrbuch zur Staats- und Verwaltungswissenschaft (edited by Th. E il wein,
J .J. Hesse, R. Mayntz, F.W. Scharpf), Baden-Baden (Nomos), v o l. 1, (1987).
An extended version, in German, is available as WZB paper P 86-11.
In it s f i r s t part, the paper concentrates on the changes in research policy and in s titu tio n a l structures which the WZB underwent since its foundation in 1969, th is chapter ends with a summary of the results of the so-called structural reform of the past three years. A fter th a t, the major areas of research are delineated. F in a lly, the p o s s ib ilitie s and lim ita tio n s of "problem-orientated basic research" in the social
sciences are discussed on the basis of the experiences gained in the course of the past development of the WZB.
Problem-Oriented Social Science Research: The Example of the Social Science Research Centre Berlin (Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin fü r Sozi alforschung)
1. Research Goals and Organizational Structure 5
2. Research Areas and Units 10
3. On the Concept of Problem-Oriented Social Science Research 14
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1, Research Goals and Organizational Structure
Social developments take place in a complex confluence of technological, economic, social and cultural changes and p o litic a l decisions. In many cases one must take into account sociological, p o litic a l, economic, psychological, ju r id ic a l, and other aspects as well as th e ir interplay.
An adequate analysis must thus often go beyond the bounds of a single s c ie n tific d is c ip lin e . Often i t must also extend beyond the boundaries of a single country, since the conditioning factors and repercussions of so
cia l processes frequently transcend national borders. Moreover, these processes may follow sim ilar courses in d iffe re n t countries. The world is thus replete with "natural" experiments that social scientists can use - with due caution in transferring the results - when working on th e ir p a rticular research questions. For these reasons, m u ltid iscip lin a ry, in te rn a tio n a lly oriented investigations based on broad empirical foun
dations and carried out by large research teams are often meaningful and necessary.
The Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin fü r Sozialforschung (Social Research Science Centre Berlin - WZB) takes on such assignments by focusing on complex, problem-oriented topics with an in te rd is c ip lin a ry and
cross-national comparative approach, usually involving teams consisting of scientists from d iffe re n t countries who work in research units that are established fo r lim ited periods. The research programs of these units focus on problems that p o litic a l decision-makers, social interest groups and society at large have special interests in solving. Although such work is oriented towards the possible application of it s results, i t does not at a ll aim at short-term problem-solving, but rather at basic
research generating s c ie n tific knowledge and defining it s themes in large theoretical contexts.
This general task had not been predefined when the WZB was founded 17 years ago. Research goals and organizational structures have developed slowly in the course of changing research policy conditions and accruing in s titu tio n a l experience. The original plans fo r the WZB of 1968/69 in terms of the research policy discussions then attempted to respond to the
"scientific-te chn olo gical gap". In addition to problem-oriented research in s titu te s , the plans emphasised on in te rd is c ip lin a ry centres fo r
advanced study, thereby follow ing U.S. American examples (p a rtic u la rly Princeton and Stanford) and thus aiming at tasks sim ilar to those presen
t l y pursued by the Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin (In s titu te fo r Advanced Study). As a "centre of innovative research", the WZB intended to provide a counterforce to the so-called "brain-drain" of European scientists going overseas.
Various factors combined to hinder the smooth development of the new WZB in the late sixtie s at the time of the student movement: it s founding by representatives from several p o litic a l parties of the Bundestag, each with d iffe rin g objectives; the opposition o f the Berlin universities to
i t as a supposed "counter u n ive rsity"; and it s " e l i t i s t " connotation as a research in s titu te outside the u n ive rsitie s. Also since the WZB did not f i t into conventional categories of tra d itio n a l research, statements and recommendations from the German Science Council supporting it s program were hesitant and non-committal. In addition, the financing m inistry in Bonn showed only lim ited understanding and support fo r the concept and costs of high-standard, basic research conducted by in te rn a tio n a lly com
posed research teams.
With such co n flicts and opposition from d iffe re n t quarters, in 1972/73 the vervexistence of the less than four-year-old in s titu tio n was called in to question. Surprisingly, however, the follow ing years became a period of quick and constant growth based on strong in it ia tiv e taken by the main financial supporter, the Federal M inistry fo r Research and Technology.
The m inistry emphasised application-oriented social research re la tin g to the tasks and problems of policy-making in Western in du strial countries, with a particular accent on the transfer of research results. This they based on th e ir b e lie f in the importance of s c ie n tific knowledge and of it s problem-solving capacity fo r the development of society. According to th is conviction, prominent in the beginning of the seventies, the
Enlightenment idea of progress combined with socio-technological reform strategies to form a "p o litic a l-p h ilo s o p h ic a l" consciousness according to which s c ie n tific ra tio n a lity and technological ra tio n a lisa tio n were to lay the material foundations fo r humane societies. From th is i t followed - in line with the "Brooks Report" ("Science, Growth and Society") - that research capacities had to be increased in order to study the positive and negaWW Sönge^detfc^ W tWh'h^lögical innovations.
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For the WZB th is meant the establishment, in quick succession, of three in s titu te s , the in s titu tio n a lis a tio n of public funding ( jo in tly by the federal government with 75 % and the state government of Berlin with 25 % of the expenditures), and "detente" with the u n ive rsitie s, p a rtic u la rly the Berlin universities with which an agreement of cooperation was signed in 1974.
In subsequent years, the "research units" ("Forschungsschwerpunkte") as structural e n titie s became more important than the three in s titu te s into which they were grouped. In each of these un its, established fo r a lim i
ted time of normally fiv e years, research generally concentrated on a policy area received external evaluation procedures. In such a research un it approximately fifte e n research fellows and additional v is itin g pro
fessors, doctoral students and researchers financed by th ird -p a rty grants worked together under a director responsible fo r the research program which he had worked out and proposed in advance to the Board of Trustees in advance. Within the lim its of th is program, the u n it's work was car
ried out independent from the central administration of the WZB; only towards the end of the five-year period did the un it begin to become affected by decisions of the president and of the Board of Trustees on future in s titu tio n a l p r io r itie s .
With th is goal of concentrating research on societal problems, one can on one hand, speak of a period of conceptual as well as in s titu tio n a l consolidation in the seventies. However, as a consequence of the very d iffe re n t conditions in the in it ia l years a fte r the founding, the in s t i
tu tio n has been characterized, on the other hand, by an unusual degree of extremely fle x ib le (and flu id ) structures in terms of programs and per
sonnel. In subsequent years, therefore, the president and the directors of the research units were formulating urgent demands fo r strengthening the continuity as well the autonomy of th e ir research; with th e ir
detailed proposals aimed at creating better conditions fo r long-term research.
1973 International In s titu te of Management (Directors: F ritz W. Scharpf and Walter H. Goldberg); 1975 International In s titu te fo r Comparative Social Research (Directors: Karl W. Deutsch and Frieder Naschold); 1975 International In s titu te fo r Environment and Society (Director: Meinolf Dierkes).
These in te rn a l dynamics had led to a number o f s tru c tu ra l improvements by the end o f the seventies. A fte r the change in the Bonn government in 1982/83 the WZB met w ith a new confluence o f in te re s ts from the fin a n cin g m in is tr ie s , who emphasised the need fo r basic research and downgraded the aspects o f i t s p ra c tic a l a p p lic a tio n . This p o s itio n the m in is trie s held on the basis o f general science p o lic y p rin c ip le s as well as from a c e r
ta in scepticism about the philosophy o f the seventies and in p a rtic u la r against a type o f socia l science research th a t was seen as too c lo s e ly associated w ith p o lit ic s . Largely independent o f conceptual considera
tio n s w ith regard to the adequate forms o f organizing p a rtic u la r research tasks, the in te n tio n s centered on the improvement o f in s titu tio n a l condi
tio n s so th a t the most distin g u ish e d professors in th e ir various subject areas could more e a s ily be hired to work in B e rlin . In in te n sive discus
sions i t became, from the p o int o f view o f the WZB, o f primary importance to re ta in and confirm the notion o f problem -oriented social science
research and to secure the appropriate o rg a n iza tio n a l forms. They reached a consensus on a concept fo r s tru c tu ra l reform , and accordingly changed the ch a rte r o f the WZB in the summer o f 1985.
The most im portant element in the discussion on the re s tru c tu rin g of the WZB became the question o f how the e v o lu tio n o f knowledge-oriented basic research could be supported w ithout i t s f a llin g apart in to separate in d i
vidual a c t iv it ie s and how at the same time p ro b le m -orienta tion and cross- - d i sei p iin a ry perspectives could be strengthened. Combining conceptual and in s titu tio n a l aspects, th is question touches upon the very d iffe r e n t i a s p e c ific a o f the WZB (and thus - in the Federal Republic o f Germany - on the science p o lic y ju s t if ic a t io n f o r fin a n cin g research in s titu te s outside o f the u n iv e r s itie s ) . The s o lu tio n is the fo llo w in g : On the one hand there w ill in the fu tu re be a greate r v a rie ty o f smaller research u n its which incorporate th e o re tica l-co n ce p tu a l perspectives growing out o f the d iffe r e n t so cia l science d is c ip lin e s . These sm aller u n its w i l l , on the other hand, be brought to bear on the framework o f a la rg e r research u n it ( "Forschungsschwerpunkt"), the d iffe r e n t dimensions o f which can thus be studied from d iffe r e n t th e o re tic a l po ints o f view and w ith the expectation o f an a d d itio n a l synergetic e ffe c t. By th is co n stru ctio n , a b e tte r connection should be e ffected between basic and problem -oriented research.
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In p a rtic u la r, the following principles of the in s titu tio n a l structure of the WZB have been established:
- Research at the WZB is carried out in Research Departments, Research Groups and Research Professorships; there are also positions for V isitin g Professors.
- These d iffe re n t units are usually organized within a larger Research Unit ("Forschungsschwerpunkt"); Research Groups and Research Professor
ships can also be in s titu te d d ire c tly from the o ffic e of the President.
- Research Groups are established fo r a lim ited period, normally fo r five years; V isitin g Professorships are lim ited to a maximum of three years.
- The Research Departments are run by Directors who receive a fixed basic budget.
- Employment contracts granting tenure can be effected (on the C4 level fo r f u ll professors) with the directors of the Research Departments and with the Research Professors; as fa r as possible, these appointments should be made jo in tly with one of the Berlin u n ive rsitie s, but can also be made independently.
- The specific s c ie n tific orientation of the individual Research Units w ill be determined in a "theme-finding and re cru itin g process", adapted to the respective (problem-oriented) "Forschungsschwerpunkt". In th is process, the d iffe re n t theoretical and methodological concepts of interested leading scientists can be considered; when discussing the appropriate allocation of s c ie n tific tasks, i t w ill be p a rticu la rly important to decide about themes and persons not with respect to in d i
vidual units in is o la tio n , but with a view to the possible results of th e ir collaboration.
- Therefore, the WZB accords p a rticular importance to the larger Research Unit (Forschungsschwerpunkt) as an intermediate level of in s titu tio n a lis a tio n . On th is le ve l, collaboration should adopt what may be called a "p rin cip le of coordination", following a middle route between mere
Cooperation and s t r i c t in te g ra tio n : underneath th is c o lla b o ra tio n lie s a coordinated Research Program, which, however, does not l im it the r e s p o n s ib ility o f the leading s c ie n tis ts fo r t h e ir research.
- N either the "Forschungsschwerpunkte" nor the a llo c a tio n o f a Research Department to a p a rtic u la r "Forschungsschwerpunkt" are permanent;
ra th e r, they are determined on a temporary basis which may be extended.
- During t h e ir agreed period o f tim e, Forschungsschwerpunkte w ill have t h e ir own a d d itio n a l budgets which serves the purpose o f ty in g together research tasks w ith in the framework o f the common program; thus, in d i
vidual departments can receive a d d itio n a l funding beyond th e ir basic budgets.
- The D irecto rs o f a given Forschungsschwerpunkt decide j o in t ly on the d is tr ib u tio n o f resources and other im portant m a tters. One o f the D ire cto rs w ill act as managing d ire c to r o f the Forschungsschwerpunkt.
2. Research Areas and Units
"Developmental tendencies, adjustment problems and inn o va tive p o te n tia l o f modern democratic s o c ie tie s " has re c e n tly been set as the overarching research theme o f the WZB. This t i t l e is meant as a general o rie n ta tio n fo r fu tu re research p ro je c ts , but i t also allow s, w itho ut any d i f f i c u l t y , the in c lu s io n o f research work c a rrie d out in the past. Taking in to con
s id e ra tio n the developed research p o te n tia l as w ell as new research per
spectives, the President and Board o f Trustees (Kuratorium ), aided by external experts in d iffe r e n t commissions, are c u rre n tly concerned w ith d e fin in g the them atic o rie n ta tio n o f fu tu re research u n its and preparing the appointments o f leading s c ie n tis ts . In the fu tu re there w ill be fo u r research u n its working in the fo llo w in g areas:
- Labour Market and Employment;
- Technology, Work and Environment;
- Social Movements and P o lit ic a l In s titu tio n s (te n ta tiv e fo rm u la tio n );
- Market Processes and Business S trategies (te n ta tiv e fo rm u la tio n ).
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The f i r s t theme b a s ic a lly comprises the subject area of the e x is tin g Labour Market P olicy research u n it which has been in s titu te d u n til 1989.
For .the other three fu tu re research u n its , "Thematic O rie n ta tio n and Search Commissions" have been e sta b lish e d . In t h e ir d e lib e ra tio n s they w ill take in to account the evaluation re s u lts fo r the research u n its whose programs run out in th is or the next year and w ill discuss and recommend research perspectives th a t are to be continued and inte gra ted in the framework o f the new u n its .
P resently the WZB comprises fo u r Research Units ("Forschungsschwerpunk
t e " ) , one Research Group and two Research Professorships. The fo llo w in g u n its are conducting research in the framework o f fiv e -y e a r research programs:
- Labour Market P olicy (D ire c to r: Professor Egon Matzner);
- In d u s tria l P olicy (A cting D ire c to r: WZB-president Professor M einolf D ierke s);
- Labour P olicy (D ire c to r: Professor F riede r Naschold);
- Environmental P olicy (D ire c to r: Professor Udo Ernst Sim onis).
Apart from these u n its , a Research Group (le d by Dr. S tu a rt Bremer) is charged w ith the fu r th e r development o f the GLOBUS com puter-sim ulation- model. In a d d itio n , Professors Karl W. Deutsch and F r itz W. Scharpf are working as research professors at the WZB.
Common to a ll research u n its o f the WZB lie s the task o f conducting social science research in a given p ro b le m -fie ld on the basis o f a
th e o r e tic a lly and conceptually defined research program and, w ith in th is framework, to carry out em pirical p ro je c ts th a t aim at in te r d is c ip lin a r y connections and in te rn a tio n a l comparisons.
The persistence o f high unemployment and the changes in the basic para
meters fo r labour market and employment p o lic ie s form the s ta r tin g point fo r the Labour Market P o licy research u n it in i t s research program fo r the period from 1984 to 1989. Here work continues in areas in which the u n it (under i t s former d ire c to r F r itz W. Scharpf) has already gained
w idely recognized competence. In a d d itio n , there are new p ro je cts th a t concentrate on the in te rre la tio n s h ip s between the global and national economy and the employment system.
The u n it concentrates on the analysis o f in s t it u t io n a l and economic co n dition s necessary fo r a maximum o f s o c ia lly acceptable employment o p p o rtu n itie s . Toward th is end, research p ro je c ts in d iffe r e n t sub-areas study the p o s s ib ilit ie s created through new technologies and business i n it ia t iv e s , the impact o f w elfare sta te re g u la tio n s and o f in d u s tria l re la tio n s , the in flu e n ce o f in te rn a tio n a l c a p ita l and commodity markets, and the e ffe c ts (and t h e ir determinants) o f p u b lic labour market p o lic y .
The research program o f the In d u s tria l P o licy u n it runs u n til the end o f 1986. The research focuses on problems o f s tru c tu ra l change and p a rtic u l a r ly on the importance o f legal and in s t it u t io n a l conditions fo r the s tru c tu ra l development o f the economy. By employing th e o re tic a l and applied micro-economic models, researchers can in v e s tig a te the impact o f government re g u la tio n s and the re la tio n s h ip s between in d iv id u a l actions and markets. In a d d itio n , they are developing fu r th e r approaches fo r the explanation o f macro-economic processes.
Research p ro je c ts concentrate, on one hand, on the in te ra c tio n between market s tru c tu re and corporate stra te g ie s and thus on the development o f market systems. The In te rn a tio n a l I n s t it u te o f Management U nit in it ia t e d th is type o f research in Europe, fo llo w in g an in d u s tria l economics
approach. On the other hand, emphasis also lie s on the analysis o f the e ffe c ts o f government re g u la tio n s on the insurance markets and in the health sector.
In another area, a research u n it is guided by an overarching concept of Labour P o lic y , defined as a c o lle c tiv e bargaining process engaged in by actors at the p la n t, s e c to ra l, and sta te le v e ls , to in flu ence t h e ir own various in te re s ts in shaping the social organ ization s o f the labour- and production process and on the social consequences o f those processes. The present research program (1982-1986) concerns i t s e l f la rg e ly w ith , f i r s t , the c o n f lic t between the demands in the p la n t determined by the o rg a n i-
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zation of work and by technological arrangements, as well as with th e ir social consequences as manifested in the emphasis on q u a lifica tio n and control of employees; second, with the reactive and anticipatory p o l i t i cal regulation of the firm 's labour- and production processes as these relate to th e ir social consequences.
With these perspectives, projects study, fo r example, new models of production in certain key sectors (lik e automobile production) with a view to technological and social pro du ctivity. To give another example, the projects analysed the s o cio -p o litica l dimension with a project on the connection between cardiac in fa rction and in d u stria l work. Building on such work, d iffe re n t projects on the prevention of work-related stresses and strains have been carried out in welfare state in s titu tio n s . F in a lly, there are also studies on the "inform atisation" of the work process in welfare state organizations and th e ir impact on the quality of c lie n t- oriented services.
The research program 1983 to 1987 of the Environmental Policy research unit remains guided by the concept of preventive environmental policy - aiming at the tra n s itio n from a prim arily reactive to a more anticipatory management of the relationships between the environment and the society.
Research oriented to th is concept aims to promote the early recognition of environmental problems and entails the analysis of the basic require
ments fo r long-term, preventive goals, measures, and in s titu tio n s dedica
ted to conserving and regenerating the natural environment.
Thus, the unit studies the development and application of concepts and methods of environmental monitoring and assessment. In another sub-area, the unit analyses conditions affecting the perception of ecological problems and the public's active involvement in environmental issues.
Additionally, the unit conducts international comparative analyses to determine the most e ffic ie n t regulatory systems used in media-oriented environmental policy, especially a ir-p o llu tio n control. F in a lly, the unit evaluates, from environmental perspectives, other sectoral policies
relevant to the environment, especially a g ric u ltu ra l, energy, and tech
nology policies.
The GLOBUS Research Group has developed out o f the former research u n it on "global developments" (which, under the d ire c to rs h ip o f Karl W.
Deutsch, existed u n t il 1S85)„ Here, the Group createda m acro-quantita
t iv e , long-term computer sim ulation model (GLOBUS = Generating Long Term Options by Using S im ulation) fo r the analysis o f economic and p o lit ic a l developments on the national as well as in te rn a tio n a l le ve l - thus going beyond previous world models. With the aid o f th is model, which encompas
ses 25 nations, the research group aims at broadening the basis fo r understanding long-term aspects o f economic and socia l change in a global context and at tra c in g a lte rn a tiv e decisions and t h e ir consequences.
U n til 1988, th is research group has set i t s e l f the task o f fu r th e r developing the s c ie n t if ic p o te n tia l o f the model and o f improving the p o s s ib litie s o f d ir e c t a p p lic a tio n s .
3. On the Concept o f Problem-Oriented Social Science Research
In view o f the at times ra th e r d i f f i c u l t and c o n tro v e rs ia l discussions on goals and s tru c tu re o f the WZB, i t may be worth noting th a t the research under the d iffe r e n t programs has been c a rrie d on continuously and produc
t iv e ly . In a d d itio n to t h e ir d ire c t s c ie n t if ic tasks, the d ire c to rs and fe llo w s o f the WZB have had to concern themselves w ith in te rn a l and external reform proposals and to engage in discussions on d iffe r e n t le v e ls w ith sometimes unexpected changes o f the agenda. E sp e cia lly in an e x tra -u n iv e rs ity in s t it u t io n w ith tim e - lim its on programs and c o n tra cts, such debates are o ften affe cte d by the p a r tic u la r tension between the in d iv id u a l career prospects and the common in s t it u t io n a l in te re s ts .
Nonetheless, th is process o f reconsidering the guiding p rin c ip le s of research at the WZB led to a new fo rm u la tio n o f the in s t it u t io n a l s e lf- -understanding th a t - not w ithout some disappointments and reservations - re fle c ts a broad consensus. C le a rly , the s tru c tu ra l changes are sub
s ta n tia l ones; many o f t h e ir im portant elements, however, correspond to proposals put forward by the WZB i t s e l f . On the whole, the reform process and i t s re s u lt can be taken as a con firm a tion of the g e n e ra lly r e la tiv e ly moderate way in which in the Federal Republic o f Germany - as compared to
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other countries - translates overall policy changes into new accentua
tions of science policy principles and into changes in in s titu tio n a l structures. Such a judgment, however, can be offered only with the reservation that much w ill s t i l l depend on the implementation of the newly established principles and the experiences to be garnered in the upcoming months and years.
Considerations had centered on the question of developing an adequate concept of problem-oriented social science research. Drawing on insights gained from a meanwhile rather strenuous experience, the WZB discussed the p o s s ib ilitie s and lim ita tio n s of th is type of research were discussed with respect to the guiding s c ie n tific concepts as well as the appropri
ate in s titu tio n a l conditions. To conclude th is presentation, i t may therefore be useful to summarize some of the central aspects of this debate as perceived by the author:
- Problem-oriented research as understood by the WZB holds a middle position within the spectrum of possible research concepts - situated between individual research a c tiv itie s aiming at generating s c ie n tific knowledge, as regularly conducted in the u n ive rsitie s, and commissioned research related to concrete problem-solving demands, as carried out by commercial in s titu te s . In th is sense, the German Science Council (in its statement on the WZB of 1981) has acknowledged a p a rticu la r scien
t i f i c interest in the form of empirical social research that is charac
te r is t ic fo r the WZB programs.
- Such research is basic research, re la tin g to larger s c ie n tific contexts and contributing to theory-building.
- In addition to the general commitment to s c ie n tific knowledge, the question of relevance plays a role in the p rio r choice of the over
arching research object on problem areas in society.
- There is certainly an expectation that the knowledge gained by such problem-oriented work may be useful fo r policy-making. However, th is is understood not in terms of immediate application and d ire ct practical
advice, but rather in the sense of more in d ire c t and long-term effects that make fo r a c la rific a tio n and a deepened understanding of the prob
lem-area.
- More and more p o litic a l decision-makers and advisors need to draw on continuous theoretical and empirical research in larger contexts. An independent social science research in s titu tio n , therefore, should not attempt to respond to immediate demands fo r quick solutions; rather, th e ir contributions should be the "results of the process of colle ctive
s e lf-c ritic is m of a s c ie n tific community" (Scharpf).
- The emphasis on broadly based, long-term basic research does not exclude the p o s s ib ility of also working on individual projects that respond to concrete demands. On the contrary, the results of such an enterprise can be s c ie n tific a lly f r u it f u l and stim ulating. The decisive question, however, w ill be whether such a project can be sensibly
embedded in the predefined research context and it s theoretical perspectives.
- The WZB may not always have been immune to accepting lim ited commis
sions that were, fo r example, offered from federal m inistries and to engaging in re la tiv e ly lim ited projects on actual issues. In many cases
(in past and present) the real problem, however, lay in having to explain to a m in isteria l bureaucracy interested in direct problem
solving that such requests ran contrary to th e ir own self-declared science-policy principles which on other occasions were being invoked to emphasize the importance of basic research in larger frameworks.
- The WZB has never perceived it s e lf as a consulting instrument fo r policy-makers. On the contrary, i t has on a number of occasions rejec
ted opportunities which in effect would have meant some form of social - -technological implementation separated from s c ie n tific knowledge
interests. Nevertheless, that problem-oriented research was to be con
ducted in p o lic y -fie ld s has time and again led to misunderstandings. To some degree th is had to do with the d iff ic u lt y that in the German lan
guage there is only one and the same word (" P o litik " ) fo r "p o litic s " as
17 -
well as for "p o lic y ". The goal has never been to do research in direct association with " p o litic s " , but rather to study problems of societal development in larger "policy-areas".
- Thus the emphasis on problem-oriented or - in other formulations -
"application-oriented" or "policy-oriented" research does not aim at narrowly conceived policy analysis. Far from being re stricte d to " p o li
cies", the object areas encompass th e ir preconditions and backgrounds in a broad social fie ld .
- Problem-oriented research by d e fin itio n goes beyond the s c ie n tific access offered by a single d iscip lin e . The structure of teaching and research at the u n ive rsitie s, however, often makes d i f f ic u lt the work
ing on themes that transcend the boundaries of an individual department or chair. I t can therefore be seen as a p a rticu la r challenge for
in s titu te s outside of the universities to develope innovative in s titu tional arrangements in order to bring together perspectives and persons fo r an in te rd is c ip lin a ry approach.
- In addition to m u lti-d is c ip lin a ry research, in te rn a tio n a lly comparative work serves an important function in broadening the empirical basis and revising theoretical constructs. In terms of methodology and organisa
tional requirements such research projects often are p a rtic u la rly demanding and also ca ll fo r in s titu tio n a l conditions that usually are not available in the universities.
- Opinions may d iffe r on the conceptual and pragmatic p o ssib litie s and lim ita tio n s of in te rd is c ip lin a ry and in te rn a tio n a lly comparative re
search. Those who, being convinced of the potential advantages, put a particular accent on these dimensions w ill have to be mindful of securing adequate organizational forms, p a rtic u la rly with respect to time frames and personnel q u a lifica tio n s. Without lowering quality standards, such projects cannot be in itia te d or changed on short
notice. From th is point of view, too, an in s titu tio n a l orientation to narrow practical demands would be quite inappropriate.
- Policy consulting may often be d ire c tly assisted by the interpretation of existing , and generation of new, data sets. Basic research, however, w ill have to adapt and address it s e lf to existing theoretical approa
ches which may then be fu rth e r developed or replaced by better ones.. To th is end i t is important that in te rd is c ip lin a ry projects are oriented at theoretical contructs and broader s c ie n tific perspectives; on the other hand, an emphasis must be put on inte nsifying the connections and interchanges with theory formation in the individual disciplines.
- Progress in theory building cannot so much be expected from a single project from the results of
a
systematic research enterprise carried on continuously over a longer period of time that can, therefore, react fle x ib ly to instances of success and disappointment. This is a ll the more true fo r in s titu tio n s devoted to in te rn a tio n a lly comparative and in te rd is c ip lin a ry research in broad problem areas.- Research fellows in a problem-oriented research un it w ill find that th e ir success is depends not only on the integration of th e ir work into the overarching research program but on the recognition of th e ir
achievements by an external peer-group. This tension between inward and outward orientation w ill be stronger the more the type of research undertaken in a given in s titu tio n deviates from "normal" research done elsewhere.
- In a large research un it the need fo r "research management" can become so demanding that the p o s s ib ilitie s fo r the responsible director to personally pa rticipate in the s c ie n tific work might be narrowly lim ited .
- In the la st two instances particular importance has to be attached to the internal structure of a research in s titu te or - in the case of the WZB - a Research Unit (Forschungsschwerpunkt). Better conditions are expected to re su lt from the structural solution found fo r the WZB For
schungsschwerpunkte - the interlocking of smaller units, representing (d iscip lin a ry) theoretical-conceptual perspectives, with a more encom
passing in s titu tio n a l framework, representing the in te rd is c ip lin a ry dimensions of a problem-area.
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- In matters of thematic orientation, the discussion often centers on the crucial question whether a research in s titu tio n in the f i r s t place ought to decide on a specific thematic area or a p a rticular th e o re ti
cal-methodological approach, or whether, independent of such consi
derations, i t would be more important f i r s t to id e n tify the most pro
minent representatives of the p a rticu la r d iscip lin e with the intention of hiring that authority. The solution found fo r the WZB attempts to combine these two aspects of "programs" and "persons" in the task of the so called "Thematic Orientation and Search Commissions". Ideally, wide and re la tiv e ly open d e fin itio n of the thematic area would serve as a basis fo r id en tifying possible candidates who would then be invited to present and discuss the perspectives of th e ir intended research so that the thematic directions of a future research unit could be more concretely c la rifie d , defined and modified in a dialogue between in terested scientists and commission members. In such a process, more
over, the adequate composition of a Forschungsschwerpunkt with d if ferent smaller units, from whom a coordination of research a c tiv itie s would be expected, can be discussed with a view to a favourable com
bination of themes and persons.
The research work in the upcoming years w ill have to prove the f r u i t f u l ness of th is concept of problem-oriented social science research and the corresponding in s titu tio n a l arrangements. In it s past history, the WZB has been subjected to various changes in goal d e fin itio n and organiza
tion al structure. I t w ill now be of decisive importance to keep the in s titu tio n fo r a number of years free from new fundamental debates and give i t a chance to consolidate it s research work under new thematic perspectives and changed organizational forms. The prospects appear favorable; i t remains to be seen whether the future development w ill d iffe r from the history of previous reforms.
References:
M einolf Dierkes, Macht die P o litik fo rs c h u n g n ic h t k a p u tt!, in : Die Z e it, 11. November 1983.
M einolf Dierkes, Research in Search o f Relevance and Excellence. The Management o f C re a tiv ity in the Social Sciences, in : Robert Lawrence Kuhn (e d .), F ro n tie rs in Creative and Innovative Management, Cambridge, Mass. 1986, pp. 221-243.
Joachim l-lirsch/Stephan L e ib frie d , M a te ria lie n zur Wissenschafts- und B ild u n g s p o litik , 2. A u f!., F ra n kfu rt 1973 (e d itio n suhrkamp 480) S. 403-417.
Doris Janshen, M a te ria lie n zur In s titu tio n a lis ie r u n g des Wissenschafts
zentrums B e rlin (Dezember 1978), WZB-Paper GS-79/2.
F r itz W. Scharpf, S elektive A rb e its m a rk tp o litik . Risiken und Chancen ein er Forschungskampagne, in : WZB-Mitteilungen 25, September 1984, S.
5-7.
Georg Thurn, Forschungspolitische Z ie le , w issensch aftlich e Aufgaben, in s t it u t io n e lle S trukture n: Das B eispiel des Wissenschaftszentrums B e rlin (WZR), in : Clemens B u rric h te r (H rs g .), Forschungspolitische Probleme und S trategien fü r die achtziger Jahre ( X II. Erlanger Werkstattgespräch 1983), Erlangen 1984, S. 81-112.
W issenschaftsrat, Stellungnahme zum Wissenschaftszentrum B e rlin , in : Stellungnahmen zu geistesw issenschaftlichen Forschungseinrichtungen außerhalb der Hochschulen, Köln (1981), S. 39-65.
W issenschaftsrat, Empfehlungen zur Förderung em pirischer Sozialforschung (vom Januar 1981), in : Empfehlungen und Stellungnahmen des
W issenschaftsrates 1981 (Köln 1982), S. 80-106.
