Sizing up the tyranny of the ruler - A comment on Adler and Harzing

Adler and Harzing (this issue) point out a host of methodological and isomorphic shortcomings that trouble a measurement tool familiar to most educators: academic rankings. In their view, this ruler fails both in terms of correctly assessing individual performance and institutional quality, yet often still exerts an exaggerated influence among key stakeholders, such as administrators, faculty, students, alumni and recruiters. The authors, like the songwriter David Byrne in his lyrics, call to mind Disraeli