This research extends our understanding of research productivity by examining features of managerial practice and culture within university departments. Adopting a robust comparative research design, capturing both interview and survey data sourced from multiple stakeholders from New Zealand universities, we seek to identify factors associated with superior research performance. The findings show that autonomy and egalitarianism, along with a strong cultural ethos supporting achievement and individualism are characteristics of high functioning departments. These comprise core features of commitment-oriented work settings, but we find them to be largely absent from the work environments of low performers. This disparity leads us to consider whether certain managerial practices, when coupled with a supporting set of cultural characteristics, are crucial to influencing research performance outcomes. Management and academics in higher education settings should consider these findings of interest and benefit, as universities in a number of countries approach further rounds of research performance assessment. (Contains 5 tables.)