Relationship between authors' structural position in the collaboration network and research productivity. Issue 4 (27th August 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kumar, Sameer; Mohd. Jan, Jariah
• Is Part Of: Program. Volume 48:Issue 4(2014)
• Page Start: 355
• Page End: 369
• Publication Date: 2014-08-27
• Subjects: Libraries, University and college -- Great Britain -- Automation -- Periodicals; 025.30285
• DOI: 10.1108/PROG-01-2013-0002
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0033-0337

Abstract

<abstract> <title> <x content-type="archive" xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <sec> <title content-type="abstract-heading">Purpose</title> <p> – The purpose of this paper is to compute and analyze the topological properties of co-authorship network formed between earth scientists in India. As a case study, the authors evaluate bibliographic data of authors who have contributed research articles in the <italic>Journal of the Geological Society of India</italic>, a premier earth science journal in India. </p> </sec> <sec> <title content-type="abstract-heading">Design/methodology/approach</title> <p> – Research articles totaling 3, 903 records from 1970 to 2011 were harvested from the ISI Web of Science SCI database and analyzed using Social Network Analysis. </p> </sec> <sec> <title content-type="abstract-heading">Findings</title> <p> – The author productivity in terms of number of papers published followed Lotka's law with <italic>β</italic>=2.1027. A dense giant component was detected that spanned 73 percent of the network with a density of 0.0017 and clustering coefficient of 0.631, suggesting high level of knowledge diffusion and a rapid flow of information and creativity in this network. Local metrics were calculated using degree, betweenness and closeness centralities. A strong correlation was seen between degree and author productivity (number of works) and betweenness centrality and author productivity, suggesting that author's number of connections and controlling "in-between" position in the network may be providing the authors' with the knowledge and resources to be more productive. </p> </sec> <sec> <title content-type="abstract-heading">Originality/value</title> <p> – The impact of human actions on the earth systems is a hot topic of research in India. This is one of the first works that investigates co-authorship networks of Indian earth science researchers.</p> </sec> </abstract>