The Problem With Peer Review: Discussion of a Study on the Impact of Peer Review in Prestigious Academic and Publishing Institutions and the Extent It Limits and Prejudices Innovative Thinking. Offers Recommendations to Improve Intellectual Quality

Abstract

Peer review is shown to be a psychologically corrupt process for managing the quality and integrity of intellectual output and must be replaced. It is also suggested that it is the global adoption of peer review combined with an academic ethic of ‘publish or perish’ that is the cause of the slide in global social science quality and reproducibility. The reasons behind these claims are explored in detail.

The alternatives of strategic science supported by a corporate social responsibility (CSR) ethic of commitment to the service of humanity are presented and explored to show why they are superior.

Keywords: Problem With Peer Review, Intellectual Strategic Thinking, CSR in Academe

JEL Classification: A10, A11, A12, A13, A14