Rete-netzwerk-red: analyzing and visualizing scholarly networks using the Network Workbench Tool

The enormous increase in digital scholarly data and computing power combined with recent advances in text mining, linguistics, network science, and scientometrics make it possible to scientifically study the structure and evolution of science on a large scale. This paper discusses the challenges of this ‘BIG science of science’—also called ‘computational scientometrics’ research—in terms of data access, algorithm scalability, repeatability, as well as result communication and interpretation. It then introduces two infrastructures: (1) the Scholarly Database (SDB) (http://sdb.slis.indiana.edu), which provides free online access to 22 million scholarly records—papers, patents, and funding awards which can be cross-searched and downloaded as dumps, and (2) Scientometrics-relevant plug-ins of the open-source Network Workbench (NWB) Tool (http://nwb.slis.indiana.edu). The utility of these infrastructures is then exemplarily demonstrated in three studies: a comparison of the funding portfolios and co-investigator networks of different universities, an examination of paper-citation and co-author networks of major network science researchers, and an analysis of topic bursts in streams of text. The article concludes with a discussion of related work that aims to provide practically useful and theoretically grounded cyberinfrastructure in support of computational scientometrics research, education and practice.     

Personal and social proximity empowering collaborations: the glue of knowledge networks

The proximity framework serves to analyse and understand how collaborations form and develop over time, and how these affect innovation and learning. The framework has inspired and informed empirical studies in several contexts, contributing to our understanding of the dynamics of dyadic collaborations, industrial clusters and districts, and regional innovation systems, to name but a few. Recent conceptual and empirical advances have called attention to the role of personal proximity and social proximity in such collaborations. In addition to other forms of proximity, these two dimensions could make up the glue that holds knowledge networks together. In the introduction to this special issue, we elaborate upon this proposition, setting out a point-of-departure for the three empirical studies collected in this issue. We summarize the findings of these papers, and develop a research agenda from those findings that may guide proximity researchers to novel research problems and useful research designs.     

The organization of scientific knowledge: the structural characteristics of keyword networks

The understanding of scientific knowledge itself may promote further advances in science and research on the organization of knowledge may be an initiative to this effort. This stream of research, however, has been mainly driven by the analysis of citation networks. This study uses, as an alternative knowledge element, information on the keywords of papers published in business research and examines how they are associated with each other to constitute a body of scientific knowledge. The results show that, unlike most citation networks, keyword networks are not small-word networks but, rather, locally clustered scale-free networks with a hierarchic structure. These structural patterns are robust against the scope of scientific fields involved. In addition, this paper discusses the origins and implications of the identified structural characteristics of keyword networks.     

Dynamics of collaboration network community and exploratory innovation: the moderation of knowledge networks

Scientometrics - Previous studies have explored the effects of network structures on organization’s exploratory innovation from different perspectives. However, few studies focus on the...     

Prioritization of kanbans in the case of a single station serving multiple downstream stations

When implementing the kanban method in non-serial production lines, an interesting prioritization problem arises. Often a single server station will be linked with M different downstream stations via M separate kanban loops. Then the K-priority problem may be described as determining which kanban card should be processed next, given that empty cards are waiting in more than one loop. The objective in prioritizing the kanbans is to reduce back order or shortage costs and inventory costs at the downstream stations. Utilizing the theory of Markovian decision process and dynamic programming concepts, a solution to the K-priority problem is developed. This solution is labelled the K-rule, and was found to outperform the first-come-first-served and longest queue rules, plus a cost inclusive heuristic rule, in experimental tests,     

Competitiveness and production networks: the case of the Argentine automotive sector

This paper offers an empirical methodology for evaluating thedevelopment of production networks. It looks at the linkagesbetween the flow of knowledge within the production networkand the development of firm-endogenous capabilities, and appliesthis methodology to the Argentinean automotive industry in orderto study its weaknesses and potential. The paper finds thatthe automotive network is partially integrated and based onincomplete interactions. In general, the firm’s innovativeperformance is based on its own strategies and background, andthe effects of a closer interaction with the network are undermined.However, this paper concludes that the network is significantfor explaining the complexity of innovative activities and workorganization.     

Accumulation of knowledge in para-scientific areas: the case of analytic philosophy

Scientometrics - This study analyzes how the accumulation of knowledge takes place in para-scientific areas, focusing on the case of Analytic Philosophy. The theoretical framework chosen for the...     

Time relations between scientific production and patenting of knowledge: the case of nanotechnologies

Nanosciences and nanotechnologies are considered important for the development of science, technology and innovation, and the study of their characters can be a great help to the decisions of policy makers and of practitioners. This work is centred on the issue of the time relations between science and technology/innovation, and in particular on the speed of transfer of science-generated knowledge towards its exploitation in patenting. A methodology based on patent citations is used in order to measure the time lag between cited journal articles and citing patent, and thus the time proximity between the two steps. Keywords regarding nanotechnology/nanoscience items are searched in order to collect data useful for the analysis. Collateral measures, performed on another class of materials and on the spatial origin of citing/cited documents, help giving evidence of the peculiarity of the behaviour and on its nature. The most representative time lag between production of scientific knowledge and its technological exploitation appears being around 3–4 years.     

Critical citations in knowledge construction and citation analysis: from paradox to definition

Scientometrics - Critical citations are lacking a common definition in relation to extant research on knowledge construction and citation analysis, whereas studies on these topics seem to provide a...     

知识发现系统框架及其理论体系的构造方法论

当前知识发现的主流发展是围绕着寻求在各类数据库和应用背景下高性能、高扩展性的挖掘算法这一主题而展开的。事实上有比算法重要的决定挖掘流程的过程模型的研究,还有更为重要的决定模型和算法的内在机理(反映知识发现系统或过程本身规律)的研究,尚未得到应有的重视。笔者另辟蹊径,将所论三者有机地融合与集成,构造了一类基于认知心理特征的自主知识发现"系统框架",通过对类似的几类"系统框架"的交叉融合、综合集成,构造出基于内在认知机理的知识发现理论体系KDTICM。研究与实验结果表明:这种高起点、高层次的构造方法论研究,有可能形成高效能挖掘系统与新的研究方向;这种构造方法论的研究,可使长时间得不到解决的"领域知识实质性地介入到知识发现过程中"对知识库进行"动态实时维护"等重要问题得以解决;通过揭示知识发现的潜在规律与复杂性,可反作用于主流发展。最后,给出了此种构造方法有效性的有力佐证。     

Co-authorship networks in social sciences: The case of Turkey

We analyse the co-authorship networks of researchers affiliated at universities in Turkey by using two databases: the international SSCI database and the Turkish ULAKBIM database. We find that co-authorship networks are composed largely of isolated groups and there is little intersection between the two databases, permitting little knowledge diffusion. There seems to be two disparate populations of researchers. While some scholars publish mostly in the international journals, others target the national audience, and there is very little intersection between the two populations. The same observation is valid for universities, among which there is very little collaboration. Our results point out that while Turkish social sciences and humanities publications have been growing impressively in the last decade, domestic networks to ensure the dissemination of knowledge and of research output are very weak and should be supported by domestic policies.     

The productivity of knowledge mobilisation,knowledge capitalisation and product-related firm transmutation: exploring the case of small-scale garment-makers in Nairobi,Kenya

Highlighting the limitations of R&D, this paper champions design activity as the phenomenon that captures knowledge mobilisation at the firm level, especially amongst small firms in developing countries. Still, knowledge becomes a capital (factor input) proper when employed in production. Volumes of new products sold could suggest the market value of utilised knowledge capital the same way the resale value of plant and equipment often approximates the stock of physical capital. Conversely, shares of sales of new products arguably capture an altogether different phenomenon: product-related firm transmutation. Findings suggest that the deeper utilisation of knowledge has significant productivity effects and supersedes mere mobilisation of knowledge. Further, undergoing transmutation towards the production of more of new products relative to incumbent products has no significant relationship with labour productivity. Firms should therefore prioritise the deeper exploitation of given new knowledge rather than potentially prodigal shifts in production towards new products as such.     

On interdisciplinary collaborations in scientific coauthorship networks: the case of the Brazilian community

Scientometrics - Interdisciplinary collaborations have recently drawn the attention of scholars, since bridging academic relationships contributes to make scientific coauthorship networks stronger....     

Transfer of knowledge from the service phase: a case study from the oil industry

This paper aims to investigate the knowledge generated during the later phases of the life cycle of a complex customised product and understand how this knowledge is transferred between projects and between different user groups. A series of four identical rigs for offshore drilling was selected as a case study, and the transfer of knowledge between the first two rigs was explored through two sets of interviews with the rig operators and the project management team. The expected knowledge transfer strategies that emerged from the first set of interviews were analysed and compared with the actual transfer mechanisms identified in the second set of interviews, and similarities and differences were investigated. It was found that the transfer of knowledge primarily occurred within the individual phases of the product’s life cycle, and there was poor transfer across the different phases.     

An innovative approach to identify the knowledge diffusion path: the case of resource-based theory

This study presents an innovative approach for identifying the knowledge diffusion path of a target research field. We take the resource-based theory (RBT) as an example to demonstrate the usefulness of this methodology. Several survey studies have provided valuable summarization and commentaries to the RBT from different perspectives. These analyses are useful and pertinent for understanding the development of RBT. However, limited by the methodologies they used, previous scholars can only select part of the RBT literature to conduct the survey work. To eliminate the limitation, this study develops an innovative approach which can handle thousands of articles. This study analyzes a dataset including 2,105 theoretical developments, empirical studies, and review papers to explore the knowledge diffusion path of the RBT. Citation data are used to build the citation network. Main paths are then probed and visualized via social network analysis methodology. To figure out the total picture of the knowledge diffusion path, this study integrates various main path analyses to supplement the traditional approach. The traditional main path analysis investigates the knowledge diffusion from a local view. The global analysis provides a main path from a macro view. The key-route analysis helps explore and clarify a complete picture of the convergence-divergence phenomena. We believe that through this novel tool, new researchers can easily identify the papers that have made major contributions to RBT knowledge diffusion and uncover the interrelationships among them.     

How knowledge diffuses across countries: a case study in the field of management

This study introduces nation diffusion breadth and nation diffusion intensity by adapting the notions of field diffusion breadth and field diffusion intensity as defined by Liu and Rousseau, and a variation on the total cited influence indicator introduced by Hu et al. Knowledge diffusion across countries in the field of management is then analyzed as a case study. Main countries in the field of management studies are considered as centers in their own ego-centered citation networks. The three indicators mentioned above are then calculated for these ego-centered citation networks. They measure the scientific impact each of these countries has on other nations. A general picture of the knowledge diffusion process is given by the three indicators at the country level over four periods 1992–1996, 1997–2001, 2002–2006, and 2007–2011. The validity of the proposed indicators is verified by the calculated results.     

Patterns of knowledge production: The case of information and telecommunication sector in Korea

In recent years, the topic of knowledge production has been widely investigated in the advanced countries. However, the process by which knowledge is produced in the developing countries has not been fully explored or characterized. In Korea, the science and engineering fields strongly reflect systems of knowledge production in the universities and demonstrate the dynamics of systems of innovation for knowledge production. Through using a case study including data for knowledge production, in the field of information and telecommunication, the following general trends were observed. Firstly, there has been a trend towards increasing the capabilities for knowledge production, via domestic and foreign collaboration. Secondly, there has been an increasing trend towards the diversification of knowledge sources such as university-industry, and university-public research institutes. Finally, the establishment of a nation's knowledge base is influenced by governmental research and development policies. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.