The chapter listed four ways that people react to a measurement that affects them: doing what the measurer wanted; doing something slightly different that is measured well; lying; and avoiding being measured. Note which type of behavior you think is being exhibited in each of 1 to 7 below. Also note if there are unintended consequences.

A business school wants to be better known for the intellectual quality of its faculty. It knows that schools are often judged on the quality and quantity of the faculty research professors. It begins measuring the number of articles that faculty publish in the top 10 peer-reviewed publications in their area. Professors are told that this is an important measurement for achieving tenure, and for being promoted. Some of the reactions are:

1. Professors make extra efforts in research during the summer, when they are not teaching, and publish more articles in top 10 journals 2. Professors reduce the time they spend preparing their classes, and spend more time on researching articles. They are able to publish more in top 10 journals 3. Professors who were known for publishing many short articles in less prestigious journals stop publishing in those journals, as they work on articles for top 10 journals. Instead of publishing eight articles in a five-year period, they are only able to publish one 4. Professors who have research ideas that will result in “top 10” articles help their friends by listing them as co-authors 5. The professors in a department agree to list some journals that are easier to publish in as “top 10” journals. The process of identifying “top 10” is subjective 6. Newly graduated doctoral students who are seeking their first job decide that it will be too hard to get tenure at this school, and take offers in other places 7. Professors who have tenure and were considering seeking promotion decide the standards are too high, and stop publishing altogether.