The current incentive system for the payment of scientists is being put to test more than ever. The 2005 salary reform for university teachers has paved the way for performance-oriented payment but has yet remained unsuccessful. According to the Verband Hochschule und Wissenschaft (“University and Science Association”, vhw), reforming incentive structures has led to dissatisfaction and demotivation instead of an improvement in performance, and it has weakened the appeal of a professorship. Therefore, the German science sector faces the challenge to reconsider payment schemes and work conditions such that outstanding scientific performance is promoted optimally. This project’s subject is a broad analysis of different incentive methods in a scientific context. The effect of financial incentives, such as the introduction of a publishing premium, is to be investigated by the use of (field) experiments. Furthermore, this project also aims to analyze the potential of non-monetary incentives, such as awards, prizes for teaching and research, as well as the granting of autonomy and trust.The results are supposed to serve as a source of information for policymakers on the future organization of incentive and payment systems in the science sector.The research project is supported by the German Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). The research grant is labelled as “01PW11010”. The project is part of the line of funding "The Economics of Science" in the BMBF area programme "University Research".