Lässt sich Wissenschaft managen?

The paper is based on an understanding of science that is to be found in the German tradition, i.e., an understanding that includes academic research and teaching in different fields of knowledge ranging from the humanities to the natural sciences. Currently, one can observe a global trend towards conceptualizing science as being manageable. This stands in stark contrast to traditional ideals and self-descriptions of the scientific field. In the paper it is argued that the increasing complexity of scientific activities and organizations inevitably leads towards a stronger role for management. Nevertheless, the specificities of science, its inherent uncertainties and non-linearities do not allow for a straightforward application of managerial principles and tools borrowed from the business sector. Instead, solutions have to be found that address the specific cognitive and organizational characteristics of science. For this purpose, recent developments in management studies are discussed that leave behind older control concepts and their emphasis on certainty and predictability. Based on the assumption that organizations and their members generally face inherent uncertainties and non-linearities, these newer concepts might provide insights that are particularly relevant for the management of science.