Design of the Smart Objectives System in the Management of a Research Project

Application of an efficient management system is a prerequisite for a smooth and efficient running of any activity. Whilst the world is rapidly evolving, the SMART objectives (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time) become essential for the management of research projects, human resources and personal development. This paper addresses the issue of management in science and discusses the implications of this approach at the micro-level, or the individual activity of the researchers. The following two situations are examined: management of the research process, carried out by the researcher, and management of a team that conducts the research. This study elucidates the strategy development of organization and monitoring of both the scientific and statistical results. The SMART management can take the strain off the project manager by enabling of permanent monitoring and gathering information for managerial reviews and external audits. It is proposed to design the science management system aligned to the financer’s policies and recommendations (government, foundations, business, etc.). Each research project has three key aspects: results, knowledge and impact, which are presented for the case of a scientific community within the Republic of Moldova. It should be noted that especially in the former Soviet countries, where the scientific communities are small and underfunded, the role of competition in research is exalted, and therefore, cooperation, strengthening and clustering of the research community becomes more important. Since the research management at the policy level has been pedaled over the competition, many fields and scientific schools, unfortunately, have been lost. The case study for the national research project RedoxPro implementation is given.