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Applicability of the Bradford distribution to international science and technology indicators

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Abstract

This is to assess the applicability of the Bradford distribution to an international science-technology indicators problem. The Bradford distribution which has been empirically known to be valid for the number of scientific articles on a given research topic across journals is applied to the number of scientific articles in a given research field across nations. The Bradford distribution is herein found to provide information of the degree of scientific-technological inequitability between advanced and latecomer nations and, more characteristically, a method for classification of nations into core, middle and peripheral classes with respect to their S&T selfreliance. This may suggest the usefulness of the Bradford distribution for anylsis of international science-technology indicators. Some theoretical discussions on mathematical properties of the Bradford distribution are given.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Socio-Technology, The University of Tsukuba, 305, Sakura, Ibaraki, (Japan)

    H. Eto

  2. Graduate Program for Socio-Economic Planning, The University of Tsukuba, 305, Sakura, Ibaraki, (Japan)

    P. M. Candelaria

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  1. H. Eto
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  2. P. M. Candelaria
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Eto, H., Candelaria, P.M. Applicability of the Bradford distribution to international science and technology indicators. Scientometrics 11, 27–42 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02016627

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02016627

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