Competition in UK higher education: applying Porter's diamond model to geography departments

In a linked paper (Curran, 2000) Porter's diamond model of competitive adva ntage was proposed as a framework with which to evaluate the research perfo rmance of departments in UK higher education institutions. This article dis cusses the application of this model to an initial dataset of thirty-six de partmental and institutional variables (later reduced to eight) for sixty-e ight departments of geography. Approximately two-thirds of the variability in the results of the 1996 research assessment exercise (RAE) was accounted for using quantitative measures, leaving approximately one-third of the va riability accounted for by the judgement of the RAE panel. These quantitati ve and qualitative measures were used to locate departments of geography al ong a spectrum of development from factor-driven (similar performance to th at of institution as only factor conditions in place) to investment-driven (heavy investment leading to an upgrade of factor conditions, demand condit ions and departmental strategy, structure and rivalry) to innovation-driven (four corners of diamond in place leading to continuous innovation/upgradi ng) and finally wealth-driven (seeking advantage through accumulated wealth leading to gradual decline). The most research successful departments were those in the innovation-driven stage. UK geography was seen to have a larg e proportion of its departments in the investment-driven stage with several in, or moving into, the innovation-driven stage. This bodes well for the f uture vitality of the discipline.