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The structure and dynamics of instrument collaboration networks

Söderström, Kristofer Rolf LU orcid (2023) In Scientometrics 128(6). p.3581-3600
Abstract

Complex scientific questions often require collaboration between scientists to access scientific instruments (deS. Price, Res Policy 13:3–20, 1984; Shrum et al. 2007, Structures of scientific collaboration, The MIT Press, 2007), knowledge and social capital from scientists outside of their immediate networks (Burt, Am J Sociol 110:349–399, 2004; Collins, Tacit and explicit knowledge, University of Chicago Press, https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/T/bo8461024.html, 2012; Granovetter, Am J Sociol 78:1360–1380, 1973; Polanyi, Personal knowledge: towards a post-critical philosophy (Repr. (with corr.)). Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1962). Synchrotron radiation facilities are a unique case to explore this type of collaboration,... (More)

Complex scientific questions often require collaboration between scientists to access scientific instruments (deS. Price, Res Policy 13:3–20, 1984; Shrum et al. 2007, Structures of scientific collaboration, The MIT Press, 2007), knowledge and social capital from scientists outside of their immediate networks (Burt, Am J Sociol 110:349–399, 2004; Collins, Tacit and explicit knowledge, University of Chicago Press, https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/T/bo8461024.html, 2012; Granovetter, Am J Sociol 78:1360–1380, 1973; Polanyi, Personal knowledge: towards a post-critical philosophy (Repr. (with corr.)). Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1962). Synchrotron radiation facilities are a unique case to explore this type of collaboration, as external scientists going to the facility to do their ordinary research work are common. These external users use complex scientific instrumentation that could require the additional accumulated knowledge of internal scientists and staff more familiar with the technical and social aspects of the instruments. These collaborations sometimes result in a co-authored publication with internal staff, employed in these facilities. However, this is not always the case. Data from the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) shows that most often, external scientists do not include internal staff in the co-author fields of the subsequent publication from scientific work done in one (or more) instruments in these facilities. Instrument collaboration networks are constructed and analysed over the period 2000–2018 for the different scientific instruments within the facility. A strong relationship between the level of external collaboration and the structure of the networks is found and explored. The results provide further insight into factors that shape collaboration and knowledge transfer, also relevant to policy makers and facility managers seeking to promote these activities.

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author
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
91D30, Co-authorship, Collaboration network, Scientific instruments, Structural holes, Tacit knowledge, Weak ties
in
Scientometrics
volume
128
issue
6
pages
3581 - 3600
publisher
Akademiai Kiado
external identifiers
  • scopus:85148339632
ISSN
0138-9130
DOI
10.1007/s11192-023-04658-w
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
058131d4-b0b1-46b2-9880-bc401360d265
date added to LUP
2023-03-08 08:55:53
date last changed
2024-02-01 22:02:05
@article{058131d4-b0b1-46b2-9880-bc401360d265,
  abstract     = {{<p>Complex scientific questions often require collaboration between scientists to access scientific instruments (deS. Price, Res Policy 13:3–20, 1984; Shrum et al. 2007, Structures of scientific collaboration, The MIT Press, 2007), knowledge and social capital from scientists outside of their immediate networks (Burt, Am J Sociol 110:349–399, 2004; Collins, Tacit and explicit knowledge, University of Chicago Press, https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/T/bo8461024.html, 2012; Granovetter, Am J Sociol 78:1360–1380, 1973; Polanyi, Personal knowledge: towards a post-critical philosophy (Repr. (with corr.)). Routledge &amp; Kegan Paul, 1962). Synchrotron radiation facilities are a unique case to explore this type of collaboration, as external scientists going to the facility to do their ordinary research work are common. These external users use complex scientific instrumentation that could require the additional accumulated knowledge of internal scientists and staff more familiar with the technical and social aspects of the instruments. These collaborations sometimes result in a co-authored publication with internal staff, employed in these facilities. However, this is not always the case. Data from the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) shows that most often, external scientists do not include internal staff in the co-author fields of the subsequent publication from scientific work done in one (or more) instruments in these facilities. Instrument collaboration networks are constructed and analysed over the period 2000–2018 for the different scientific instruments within the facility. A strong relationship between the level of external collaboration and the structure of the networks is found and explored. The results provide further insight into factors that shape collaboration and knowledge transfer, also relevant to policy makers and facility managers seeking to promote these activities.</p>}},
  author       = {{Söderström, Kristofer Rolf}},
  issn         = {{0138-9130}},
  keywords     = {{91D30; Co-authorship; Collaboration network; Scientific instruments; Structural holes; Tacit knowledge; Weak ties}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{6}},
  pages        = {{3581--3600}},
  publisher    = {{Akademiai Kiado}},
  series       = {{Scientometrics}},
  title        = {{The structure and dynamics of instrument collaboration networks}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11192-023-04658-w}},
  doi          = {{10.1007/s11192-023-04658-w}},
  volume       = {{128}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}