The emperor's new clothes: the h-index as a guide to resource allocation in higher education

Abstract

This article calls into question the use of the h-index as an aid to decision-making in the higher education sector. The h-index is increasingly employed by institutions, funding bodies and even governments as a guide to the allocation of resources. This practice is contrary to the evidence that the h-index is intrinsically meaningless, a point which this article seeks to document in detail. Greater user of the h-index as a management tool can only lead to further inefficiencies in resource allocation within the higher education sector.