Abstract
Ali Muhammad, Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU), July 1994. "Scientists' Perception
on Determinants of Research Productivity in Crop Science". Major Supervisor: Dr. Abdul
Halim, Professor, Department of Agricultural Extension Education, BAU.
The purpose of the study was to find out the factors effecting research productivity of scientists
engaged in agricultural research system in Bangladesh. Out of ten institutes of National
Agricultural Research System (NARS), the study was undertaken with the scientists of
Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI),
Bangladesh Jute Research Institute (BJRI), Sugarcane Research and Training Institute (SRTI)
and Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture (BINA).
Q-sort technique was used in measuring the scientists' perception with 90 variables which were
categorized into 11 piles. Ninety cards, each containing a single variable, were sorted into
eleven categories (from most important category to least important category) by the
respondents on the basis of their perception. Data were collected from 270 respondents of 4
levels from the 5 crop research institutes. Median, Analysis of Variance, Kendall's Coefficient of
Concordance (W) and Factor analysis were used in analyzing and describing scientists'
perception.
The respondents of Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (RAR), Bangladesh Rice
Research Institute (RRR), Bangladesh Jute Research Institute (RJR), Sugarcane Research and
Training Institute (RSR) and Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture (RNA) perceived the
organizational-software variables at the highest level effecting the research productivity of the
scientists. The RRR and RSR ranked the organizational-hardware variables as the second
highest important followed by dynamic-auto, static, dynamic-nurtured and societal variables. On
the other hand the RAR, RJR and RNA ranked the dynamic-auto variables as the second
highest important followed by organizational-hardware group. The RAR and RJR ranked static
variables as the 4th important followed by dynamic-nurtured and societal variables. But the RNA
ranked dynamic-nurtured and static variables as equally important next to organizationalhardware variables. The societal variables occupied the lowest in order of importance to
increase scientists' productivity. All the 4 levels of scientists i.e., Agricultural Research Managers (ARM), Upper Level Scientists
(ULS), Mid Level Scientists (MLS) and Junior Level Scientists (JLS) of five research institutes
adjudged highest importance to organizational-software variables. Dynamic-auto variables
received the second highest importance by the ARM, ULS and MLS followed by organizationalhardware, static, dynamic-nurtured and lastly societal. But the JLS ranked organizationalhardware variables as the second highest important followed by dynamic-auto group. The 4th
rank was occupied by both static and dynamic-nurtured and lastly by societal variables.
The pooled respondents of five research institutes (PRFI) perceived the organizational-software
variables as the most effective in increasing research productivity of scientists followed by
dynamic-auto, organizational-hardware, static, dynamic- nurtured and lastly by societal variables.
Analysis of Variance and Kendall's Coefficient of Concordance (W) test revealed that there was
an overall agreement among the scientists of BARI, BRRI, BJRI, SRTI and BINA as well as
among the 4 levels of scientists of five research institutes in their relative perception of important
variables effecting the research productivity of scientists.
Factor analysis of scientists of BARI showed that there were 13 factors effecting research
productivity along with their 28 major constituent variables. The 13 factors were: perseverance;
dedication; research provision on technology transfer; well managed field, labours and inputs;
research instrumental facilities; autonomy; free from frustration; research assignment according
to specialization; easily and timely purchase and procurement of needed research materials; self
evaluation; interaction of scientists; availability of operational cost to active scientists; and easy
access to the needed literature.
Factor analysis of scientists of BRRI revealed that there were 13 factors effecting research
productivity along with their 31 major constituent variables. The 13 factors were: instrumental
and research materials facilities, dedication, research provision on technology transfer, policy
for regular and unbiased promotion, experience through personal involvement, autonomy,
accountability for the work done, multidisciplinary research through developed leadership, well
defined system for the scientific development, job satisfaction, perseverance, power of critical
analysis, and transfer and mobility facilities according to research need. Factor analysis of scientists of BJRI indicated that there were 13 factors effecting research
productivity along with their 31 major constituent variables. The 13 factors were: research
provision on technology transfer; initiativeness; research materials, instruments and professional
development facilities; timely availability of operational cost; adequate fund; policy for regular
and unbiased promotion; well defined system for the scientific development; creative with power
of critical analysis; free from frustration; perseverance; commitment to research; accountability
for the work done; and mechanism for job evaluation, assessment and appreciation.
Factor analysis of scientists of SRTI showed that there were 10 factors effecting research
productivity along with their 24 major constituent variables. The 10 factors were: creativity,
devotion to research work, common research instruments with timely operational cost,
autonomy, provision of multidisciplinary research, adequate fund for research, easily and timely
purchase and procurement of needed research materials, research provision on farmers' needs
assessment, research communication skill, and Job satisfaction.
Factor analysis of scientists of BINA indicated that there were 11 factors effecting research
productivity along with their 27 major constituent variables. The 11 factors were: perseverance,
frustration free research system, job satisfaction, bureaucracy free administration, research
materials and instrumental facilities, capacity to work under constraints, research provision on
technology transfer, policy for higher studies and promotion, easy access to the needed
literature, timely inputs availability to active scientists, and research assignment to a scientist
according to specialization.
Factor analysis of pooled respondents of five research institutes (PRFI) revealed that there were
13 factors effecting research productivity along with their 32 major constituent variables. The
13 factors were: perseverance, instrumental and research materials facilities, research provision
on technology transfer, enhancement of national research budget, assignment on the basis of
research experience and specialization, autonomy, provision of multidisciplinary group research,
dedication, job priority, facilities for interaction of scientists, bureaucracy free well managed
research organization, easy access to the needed literature, and Physical fitness.