The management of scientific and technological infrastructures: The case of the Mexican National Laboratories

Abstract The effectiveness of research units is assessed on the basis of their performance in relation to scientific, technological, and innovation production, the quality of their results, and their contribution to the solution of scientific and social problems. We examine the management practices employed in some Mexican National Laboratories to identify those practices that could explain their effectiveness in meeting their objectives. The results of other research that propose common elements among laboratories with outstanding performance are used and verified directly in the field. Considering the inherent complexity of each field of knowledge and the sociospatial characteristics in which the laboratories operate, we report which management practices are relevant for their effectiveness, how they contribute to their consolidation as fundamental scientific and technological infrastructures, and how these can be translated into indicators that support the evaluation of their performance.