Abstract
Quality, Quantity, Performance,… An unresolved challenge in performance evaluation in a very general context that goes beyond scientometrics, has been to determine a single indicator that can combine quality and quantity of output or outcome. Toward this end, we start from metaphysical considerations and propose introducing a new name called Quasity to describe those quantity terms which incorporate a degree of quality and best measures the output. The product of quality and quasity then becomes an energy term which serves as a performance indicator. Lessons from kinetics, bibliometrics and sportometrics are used to build up this theme.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Glanzel, W. (2008), On some new bibliometric applications of statistics related to the h-index. OR 0801, KU Leuven.
Hirsch, J. E. (2005). An index to quantify an individual’s scientific research output. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA, 102, 16569–16572.
Prathap, G. (2010a). Is there a place for a mock h-index? Scientometrics, 84, 153–165.
Prathap, G. (2010b). Top 20 national rankings in molecular biology and genetics: a scientometric analysis using the iCX map representation. Current Science, 99, 1639–1640.
Prathap, G. (2011). Who won at ASIAD 2010? Current Science, 100, 8–9.
Terall, G. (2004). Vis viva revisited. History of Science, 42, 189–2009.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Prathap, G. Quasity, when quantity has a quality all of its own—toward a theory of performance. Scientometrics 88, 555–562 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-011-0401-2
Received:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-011-0401-2