Keeping an environmental research institute successful. Organisational issues.

Abstract

The research sector in Norway has recently been the object of quite considerable attention from the political and administrative authorities regarding allocation of resources and scientific quality. An overview of these issues is given on a general level with respect to the Norwegian research community as a whole. The situation within the environmental research sector is discussed more specifically, focusing on the role of the independent environmental research institutes. The current position of the Norwegian Institute for Air Research (NILU) is described in terms of stakeholders and the institute’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Organisational issues are discussed as part of the analysis. The emphasis is placed on these topics, which are internal to the organisation, and is aimed at making NILU’s operations more focused and efficient in the future.