Abstract

The IAB is reflecting on the concept of quality at various points, as well as it is managing quality and performing quality assurance. This has been acknowledged by the German science council (Wissenschaftsrat) in its report on the IAB, too. The IAB is strives to enhance this processes as has been pointed out in the implementation report to the science council last year. In the larger picture the growing discussion on quality management in social science is a background for these efforts.

Measures of quality assurance may be distinguished in ex-ante and ex-post-processes. Ex-ante-quality assurance leads to establish standards and reliable processes. Ex-post-quality assurance deals with evaluation processes (whether internal or external) and -- ideally -- consistent criteria. This project concentrates on internal Ex-ante-quality assurance.
The project deals with quality assurance of achievements that are directly connected to research productivity. Processes of quality assurance in the service divisions of the IAB will be handled within a separate project afterwards. This is also to document that QA in the IAB rests on a common concept of quality.