Ethics, Ranking and Games in Research

Today one of a senior and very ethical researcher in my lab forward us this link and warn us of the embarrassment that can cause if we buy the biblometrics,  research articles or use any other unfair means in research. By reading this article many questions came in my mind.  (1) Whether the biblometric tools are the gold standard for measuring and ranking the relative importance of an article, author, journal or institution because it is always questionable as in my little experience I have found that the number of earned citation is quite less as compared to the number of citation gained by swapping citation with acquaintances. (2) The transparency of Thomson and Reuters as to my understanding it is not a non profit organisation it seems insane that a business oriented organisation is ranking the stuff related to academy, further where $$ cames the conflict of interest automatically born and in ranking there are so many conflicts one conflict is the question of the above linked article. I would rather say that if it is about ranking according to Thomson and Reuters than it is game and play it as Thomsons and Reuters designed the map and game play and as the King Abdul Aziz University plays the game very well and result in a win win situation. A solution for the ranking could be the creation of a ranking consortium in which all the bodies which produces the ranks index collaborate and produce an aggregate index based upon the combination of all the members index, in addition with introducing other metrics which is based upon practicality, impact on the human race, expert opinions, experience and many others. (3) The ranking is bullshit because no body in the world can measure the knowledge, intelligence, intellect of somebody else as these things are relative and vary in situation no absolute tool exists for measuring such things. Some people would argue that there are tests like IQ, interviews, focused questioning, examination but the answer is still these thing are relative because the human mind is so sensitive that it can be distracted on single pen drop noise or headache, or any other physiological or environmental distraction resulting in a bad exam, test or interview. Some people will say these methods still have a strong point which is the provision of the same laws and rules given to the contenders. In conclusion the program of King Abdul Aziz University to me is not an under cover secret program it is openly known and they offer salary for the players(scientists) to help in playing the ranking game.