| Indicator | University Z-score | Average country Z-score |
|---|---|---|
|
Multi-affiliation
|
0.485 | 0.648 |
|
Retracted Output
|
-0.118 | -0.189 |
|
Institutional Self-Citation
|
-1.611 | -0.200 |
|
Discontinued Journals Output
|
-0.477 | -0.450 |
|
Hyperauthored Output
|
-0.768 | 0.859 |
|
Leadership Impact Gap
|
1.221 | 0.512 |
|
Hyperprolific Authors
|
-1.413 | -0.654 |
|
Institutional Journal Output
|
-0.268 | -0.246 |
|
Redundant Output
|
-1.186 | 0.387 |
Audencia Nantes, School of Management presents a robust scientific integrity profile, with an overall risk score of -0.368 indicating a performance that is generally stronger than the global average. The institution's primary strengths lie in its exceptionally low rates of institutional self-citation, redundant output (salami slicing), and engagement with discontinued journals, demonstrating a solid culture of external validation and quality control. These strengths are particularly notable as they often run counter to prevailing national trends, showcasing effective internal governance. The main strategic vulnerabilities are a medium-risk dependency on collaborative impact, where the institution does not hold intellectual leadership, and a moderate rate of multiple affiliations. According to SCImago Institutions Rankings data, these integrity metrics support a strong thematic reputation, particularly in Business, Management and Accounting (ranked 7th in France) and Economics, Econometrics and Finance. While the institution's specific mission was not available for this analysis, the identified dependency on external leadership for impact could challenge common goals of achieving sustainable academic excellence. However, the outstanding performance across multiple integrity indicators provides a powerful foundation for any mission rooted in ethical conduct and social responsibility. The key recommendation is to leverage this strong integrity culture to develop strategies that foster greater internal research leadership, thereby closing the impact gap and ensuring long-term scientific sovereignty.
The institution's Z-score of 0.485 is situated within a national context where the average is 0.648. This indicates that while the practice of multiple affiliations is present, the institution demonstrates a more controlled and moderate approach compared to the common trend across France. While multiple affiliations are often a legitimate result of researcher mobility or partnerships, disproportionately high rates can signal strategic attempts to inflate institutional credit. Audencia Nantes's position suggests a differentiated management of this practice, effectively moderating a risk that appears more systemic at the national level and maintaining a healthier balance in its collaborative footprint.
With a Z-score of -0.118 compared to the national average of -0.189, the institution displays a low level of risk that is nonetheless slightly more pronounced than its national peers. This subtle difference suggests an incipient vulnerability that warrants proactive review. Retractions are complex events, and a high rate can suggest that quality control mechanisms prior to publication may be failing. Although the current level is not alarming, this signal indicates that a preventative check of supervision and methodological rigor could be beneficial to ensure this indicator does not escalate and remains a sign of responsible error correction rather than systemic weakness.
The institution exhibits an exceptionally low Z-score of -1.611, a figure that is significantly better than the country's already low-risk score of -0.200. This result reflects a low-profile consistency, where the near-total absence of risk signals surpasses the national standard. A certain level of self-citation is natural, but the institution's performance demonstrates a strong reliance on external validation, effectively avoiding the creation of scientific 'echo chambers'. This indicates that its academic influence is robustly recognized by the global community rather than being inflated by internal dynamics.
The institution's Z-score of -0.477 is in almost perfect alignment with the national average of -0.450, showcasing integrity synchrony with a secure national environment. This demonstrates a shared commitment to avoiding publication channels that fail to meet international ethical or quality standards. Such a low rate is a strong indicator of excellent due diligence in selecting dissemination venues, protecting the institution from reputational risks and ensuring that research efforts are channeled through credible and sustainable outlets, thereby avoiding 'predatory' practices.
With a Z-score of -0.768, the institution maintains a low-risk profile in a national context that shows a medium-risk tendency (Z-score of 0.859). This demonstrates significant institutional resilience, as internal control mechanisms appear to successfully mitigate a systemic risk prevalent in the country. While extensive author lists are legitimate in 'Big Science', their appearance elsewhere can indicate author list inflation. Audencia Nantes's ability to filter this national trend suggests strong internal governance regarding authorship, promoting transparency and individual accountability.
The institution's Z-score of 1.221 is considerably higher than the national average of 0.512, indicating a high exposure to this particular risk. This wide positive gap signals a significant dependency on external partners for achieving high-impact research, suggesting that the institution's scientific prestige may be more exogenous and reliant on collaborations where it does not exercise intellectual leadership. This is a critical sustainability risk, prompting reflection on whether its excellence metrics stem from genuine internal capacity or from strategic positioning in partnerships. This vulnerability is more pronounced at the institution than in its national environment.
The institution's Z-score of -1.413 is exceptionally low, positioning it far below the national average of -0.654. This demonstrates a low-profile consistency and a commitment to research quality that exceeds the national standard. Extreme individual publication volumes can challenge the limits of meaningful intellectual contribution and may signal imbalances between quantity and quality. The institution's very low score in this area is a positive sign of a healthy academic culture that discourages practices like coercive authorship or metric-chasing, prioritizing the integrity of the scientific record.
With a Z-score of -0.268, the institution's performance is in close synchrony with the national average of -0.246. This shared very low-risk profile reflects a strong commitment to external, independent peer review across the French academic system. By avoiding excessive dependence on in-house journals, the institution mitigates potential conflicts of interest and the risk of academic endogamy. This practice ensures its scientific production is validated through standard competitive channels, enhancing its global visibility and credibility.
The institution shows a Z-score of -1.186, indicating a very low risk, in stark contrast to the national medium-risk average of 0.387. This demonstrates a remarkable case of preventive isolation, where the institution does not replicate the risk dynamics observed in its environment. Massive bibliographic overlap between publications often indicates data fragmentation to artificially inflate productivity. Audencia Nantes's excellent result suggests a strong institutional culture that prioritizes the generation of significant new knowledge over the distortion of the scientific record for metric-based gains.
