In recent years the academic market in many fields is suffering from saturation, and the few academic positions that go out to competition are hoarded by colleagues/friends/relatives of someone with influence who can run the contest. In my particular case I have seen this situation happen at the University of Bologna, where some professors handpicked the person or even prepared the competition according to the person who wanted to fill the position.
Both i.e. merit and contact is necessary to getting good academic position.
I have also heard that in China there is a tradition of interpersonal relations which can be crucial in the distribution of jobs - from the lowest to the highest - between people.
Guanxi defines the fundamental dynamic in personalized social networks of power (which can be best described as the relationships individuals cultivate with other individuals) and is a crucial system of beliefs in Chinese culture
In Iran, where I live، all academic positions are occupied by contact or nepotism. For example, in Gilan university, I saw evidences that, too many teachers, give available positions to their relatives, but they do not disclose their intimacy or consanguinity in college atmosphere, to avoid suspicion. Eventhough in least possibility, some positions are endowed to strangers (to deter suspicions), but these strangers would rarely succeed to accomplish the degree and usually get ultimately expelled. The crisis is much deeper than evaluated.
as Dr Ivanov said, it depends on each country, university and moment. But it so happens that where I go, always wins the closest to the head of the contest, director of the department, etc.
And in the end, when I see the result, I often say: "I was more capable, Why?". Dr. Saeb's message reaffirms my initial idea that, in general, contact takes precedence over ability and merit. That's Why!
It is a common practice in Croatia too to have a person in advance to join the academic community.
It is purely by merit, contacts makes functioning after selection easy and Simple
In general, in all countries there are laws that try to regulate access or promotion in the university career. In addition, most universities have specific legislation to carry out these processes with the guarantee that the three principles: equality, merit and capacity are those applied to achieve objectivity or transparency of processes. But this is the theory, those of us who have worked in the university for some years, we still see how these principles are violated many times and in the results of these processes we can guess the specific weight of contacts or personal or family relationships. ...
Very good question, in some countries , staff members inherited their sons but if you look truth must be by merit.
@ Fares F. Fares.
this is only one aspect of the crisis. When you become more curious, you would find, in too many countries, not only staff members and students in a university are all relatives and con-sanguine together, whereas from other scope, millions of people, living in a typical geographical district or area, are relatives, and this is another layer of population. These relatives ultimately make a Mafia under the rule of a godfather, not identified and recognized by too many people. Suppose you are entering a city in Italy, and you are not aware that what the matter and business is there, but it is under covert mafia control. You would live there and occasionally hear there are crimes and murder when you daily read some newspapers in that city, but you should be prompted, most of these murders are targeted assassinations, ordered by Mafia, while you (I do not mean Fares F. Fares, but I use "you" in general meaning even myself) are stupidly living there to reach your future academic goals and unaware of the truth about that city. Too many countries have this system and are interconnected to form a global mafia. The example is Saudi Arabia which has the tribal system of life. The British-Saudi drug terror network is an example of such mafia system which has been already identified. Moreover, you (I do not mean Fares F. Fares, but I use "you" in general meaning even me) are happy to get an academic position and there are myriad of people thinking same as you (I use you for everyone not only Fares. F. Fares), but the Mafia only thinks of boosting its global reach and influence, and does not care what is the output of research (as after hundreds of years, we only see minute negligible contributions with no practical interest), hence any person without merits could be placed in academic position, but the global mafia has another objective, and they want to defeat the USA, no matter what happens to society or academic progress due to abuse and nepotism. It seems like a movie, but I have experienced it in my real life
Sometimes, people can get a position through their contacts, but the only way to keep holding this position is only through the merits.
I my point of view not always, and I say it because is something I live quite often. And I don't lack qualifications, quite the opposite.
صاحب الجدارة الفكرية والمؤهل العلمي وذو الخبرة والمعلوماتية والمبدع في المعارف
Dear Pablo Baisotti
Although, nowadays public contests are compulsory for Academic positions in my country (Portugal), I am also aware, in certain cases, of similar situations, as reported (Bologna): "competition according to the person who wanted to fill the position"; in other words, "tailor-made.
and the situation repeats itself and then repeats itself, as if it had no frontiers...
Paul: I think a person's merit is more important than contacts in most situations. But I will say that a contact helped get me a interview for my current position. I think a contact can help get you an interview, but your merit is going to get you a job.
The best to get the position by merit but in reality, it obtains by contacts.
Academic positions are chosen by merit only. Recommendations or contacts will be everywhere to say that a person is competitive and good. A person need not also depend on such contacts, if one does well, the panel itself recommends for academic position but one should have patience and zeal to conquer the situations.
@Terry Purvis
Dear Terry Purvis,
You're certainly right about nepotism, lack of impartiality, hidden bribery, and other loopholes. However, there is another aspect to understand here. Academic credentials are objective individual results of a person's qualification and professionalism. Those are easily checked documents and biographical facts.
Nevertheless, a hired person is rarely work in a stand alone totally independent environment. Most often it's quite otherwise, this person would have to deal with a lot of other people professionally and as a pear. That's why references from other people, who have a prior knowledge of the candidate and ready to confirm one's social and professional fit to a position are truly important.
Standards are being compromised in many cases, in recent times. Instances abound, yet the students are at the receiving end in most higher institutions where the wrong personnel is either promoted or hired to teach them. It is an unfortunate situation that seems unabated because the so-called authorities are involved.
Merit alone cannot help. Contacts are a help when it comes to achieving positions. It makes it easier for your contacts to refer if you have a good merit standing.
Naturally, such positions are best attained based on personal merits and qualifications. However, in most cases, contacts play a very influential role in the process.
Disappointingly, in most cases by contacts! However, the proportions vary among universities and countries.
Academic positions are easier to obtain by recommendation. Since, one has to work in coordination with higher officials and also with lower staff. The person in turn, should be amicable, answerable and approachable. On the other hand, merit is a requirement to get into the organization and be eligible for the academic position.
It maybe difficult to offer a generic answer for different countries and even for different families or group of universities even in the same country.
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