Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/312914 
Year of Publication: 
2025
Series/Report no.: 
MAGKS Joint Discussion Paper Series in Economics No. 06-2025
Publisher: 
Philipps-University Marburg, School of Business and Economics, Marburg
Abstract: 
This study examines the dynamics of the German university system, focusing on the competition between public and private universities and the impact of institutional boundaries. Utilizing concepts from organizational, institutional, and competition theory, we conceive a framework to explore university input and output measures over two decades. We find that public universities have larger faculties and greater access to public funding, while private universities are more market-oriented and exhibit faster growth in research productivity. Despite their initial disadvantages, private universities have outpaced public universities in publication quantity and quality since 2010. Competition for research funding, talent, and reputation is central to both types of institutions, with public universities securing more highly competitive third-party funding. Our research indicates that both types of universities have led to a form of institutional isomorphism, where both public and private universities are increasingly converging in their strategies regarding publication outcome and personal recruitment but not in funding.
Subjects: 
Private Universities
Public Universities
performance analysis
publication outcome
Germany
University System
Competition
JEL: 
I23
L20
J40
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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