Richard Watermeyer, School of Education, University of Bristol, UK

‘Watermeyer’s book encourages academics all over the world to reflect on both the potentials and down-sides of these accountability systems. The underlying analysis is provocative, as it fundamentally questions taken for granted ways in which research is assessed, not only in the UK but also in many other Western countries. Scholars in public policy, education policy and public management and accounting can benefit from taking notice of this book.’

• Contents: 1. The noose of competitive accountability 2. Policy permutations and the elusiveness of a fair system of accountability 3. A shortfall of resistance: peripheral yet powerful zones of (non)participation 4. Producing competitive accountability 5. Evaluating competitive accountability 6. Recognising competitive accountability 7. Declaiming competitive accountability: pay and pensions 8. Paradoxes of competitive accountability References Index

Richard Watermeyer, School of Education, University of Bristol, UK

‘Watermeyer’s book encourages academics all over the world to reflect on both the potentials and down-sides of these accountability systems. The underlying analysis is provocative, as it fundamentally questions taken for granted ways in which research is assessed, not only in the UK but also in many other Western countries. Scholars in public policy, education policy and public management and accounting can benefit from taking notice of this book.’

• Contents: 1. The noose of competitive accountability 2. Policy permutations and the elusiveness of a fair system of accountability 3. A shortfall of resistance: peripheral yet powerful zones of (non)participation 4. Producing competitive accountability 5. Evaluating competitive accountability 6. Recognising competitive accountability 7. Declaiming competitive accountability: pay and pensions 8. Paradoxes of competitive accountability References Index