A literature review on the peer effects of faculty’s research productivity

Peer effects significantly enhance research and innovation capabilities by promoting knowledge sharing, collaborative competition, and learning partnerships among university faculty, emerging as a key mechanism driving academic progress. This paper reviews studies on the peer effects of university faculty’s research productivity, elaborates on the concepts of peer effects and research productivity. It analyzes the impacts of peer quality, age, gender, as well as research collaboration and competition at the individual level, and explores the roles of institutional type, size, geographical location, reputation, and cultural atmosphere at the institutional level. Furthermore, it points out the gaps in current research regarding heterogeneity and non-Western contexts. Future research should construct a multi-level analytical framework, explore differentiated impact paths based on the characteristics of Chinese universities, and provide references for improving research innovation levels and optimizing the faculty development ecosystem.