Abstract
This study draws on biotechnology publications by Chinese scientists indexed in the Science Citation Index Expanded from 1991 to 2014, using bibliometric and statistical methods to investigate the characteristics of research collaboration. A series of rules and statistical methods are applied jointly for data cleaning to ensure data accuracy. The major findings are following: Firstly, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tsinghua University, Zhejiang University, Fudan University and China Agricultural University are the top 5 active research institutions in the field of biotechnology. Secondly, the collaboration pattern indicates that Chinese academic institutions are more focused into building national collaboration and tapping national expertise. Thirdly, both national and international collaboration degrees in this field are improving constantly. Tsinghua University keeps a stable growth trend in terms of international collaboration. Fourthly, Chinese academic institutions have extensive collaboration in various fields in biotechnology. National collaboration focuses more on the application fields of biotechnology. Bioinformatics-related subjects attach greater importance to international collaboration. Finally, we discuss the reasons of the above collaboration characteristics and the implications of this study for China’s research management.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Arunachalam, S., & Doss, M. J. (2000). Science in a small country at a time of globalisation: domestic and international collaboration in new biology research in Israel. Journal of Information Science, 26(1), 39–49.
Bajwa, R. S., & Yaldram, K. (2013). Bibliometric analysis of biotechnology research in Pakistan. Scientometrics, 95, 529–540.
Chen, K., & Guan, J. (2011). A bibliometric investigation of research performance in emerging nanobiopharmaceuticals. Journal of Informetrics, 2(5), 233–247.
Chien, H. L., & Hsiuju, R. Y. (2012). Quantifying the degree of research collaboration: A comparative study of collaborative measures. Journal of Informetrics, 6(1), 27–33.
CWTS. Annual Research Report 2007 [EB/OL]. http://www.cwts.nl/pdf/annual_research_Report_2007.pdf, 2015-10-8.
Frenken, K., Hölzl, W., & De Vor, F. (2005). The citation impact of research collaborations: the case of European biotechnology and applied microbiology (1988–2002). Journal of Engineering and Technology Management, 22(1–2), 9–30.
Frenken, K., & Van Oort, F. G. (2004). The geography of research collaboration: Theoretical considerations and stylised facts in biotechnology in Europe and the United States. In P. Cooke, A. Piccaluga (Eds.), Regional Economies as Knowledge Laboratories (pp. 38–57). Cheltenham, UK and Northampton, MA: Edward Elgar.
Gaulthier, E. (1998). Bibliometric analysis of scientific and technological research: A user’s guide to the methodology. http://publications.gc.ca/collections/Collection/Statcan/88F0006X/88F0006XIE1998008.pdf. Retrieved 12 Aug, 2011.
Gay, B., & Dousset, B. (2005). Innovation and network structural dynamics: Study of the alliance network of a major sector of the biotechnology industry. Research Policy, 34(10), 1457–1475.
Giovannetti, G. T. (2014). Biotechnology industry report 2014. London: EYGM Limited.
Glänzel, W., & Zhou, P. (2011). Publication activity, citation impact and bi-directional links between publications and patents in biotechnology. Scientometrics, 86(2), 505–525.
Gomez-Costa, B. M., Silva-Pedro, E., & Ribeiro-de-Macedo, G. (2013). Scientific collaboration in biotechnology: The case of the northeast region in Brazil. Scientometrics, 2(95), 571–592.
Hautea, R., & Escaler, M. (2004). Plant biotechnology in Asia. AgBioForum, 7(1/2), 2–8.
Katz, J. S., & Martin, B. R. (1997). What is research collaboration? Research Policy, 26(1), 1–18.
Krackhardt, D. (2012). Social networks. In J. M. Levine & M. A. Hogg (Eds.), Encyclopedia of group processes and intergroup relations (pp. 817–821). Los Angles: Sage.
Kumar, P. S., & Chand, P. (2005). Biotechnology research profile of India. Scientometrics, 3(63), 583–597.
Leydesdorff, L., Carley, S., & Rafols, I. (2013). Global maps of science based on the new Web-of-Science categories. Scientometrics, 2(94), 589–593.
Leydesdorff, L., & Gauthier, E. (1996). The evaluation of national performance in selected priority areas using scientometric methods. Research Policy, 3(25), 431–450.
Leydesdorff, L. and Wagner, C. S. (2008). International collaboration in science and the formation of a core group. Informetrics, 317–325.
Martinez, H., Jaime, A., & Camacho, J. (2014). Biotechnology profile analysis in Colombia. Scientometrics, 101, 1789–1804.
Molatudi, M., & Pouris, A. (2006). Assesing the knowledge base for biotechnology in South Africa—A bibliometric analysis of South African microbiology and molecular biology and genetics research. Scientometrics, 1(68), 97–108.
OECD. (2015) . Key biotechnology indicators-percentage of dedicated biotechnology firms by application. http://www.oecd.org/sti/biotech/keybiotechnologyindicators.htm.
Oliver, A. L. (2004). Biotechnology entrepreneurial scientists and their collaborations. Research Policy, 33(4), 583–597.
Payumo, J. G., & Sutton, T. C. (2015). A bibliometric assessment of ASEAN collaboration in plant biotechnology. Scientometrics, 103, 1043–1059.
Rees, M. (2008). International collaboration is part of science’s DNA. Nature, 456, 31.
Ronald, B. (1992). Structural holes: The social structure of competition. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.
Rousseau, R. (2011). Comments on the modified collaborative coefficient. Scientometrics, 87(1), 171–174.
Sandstrom, A., Pettersson, I., & Nilsson, A. (2000). Knowledge production and knowledge flows in the Swedish biotechnology innovation system. Scientometrics, 48(2), 179–201.
Sevukan, R., Nagarajan, M., & Sharma, J. (2007). Research output of faculties of plant sciences in central universities of India: A bibliometric study. Annals of Library and Information Studies, 54, 129–139.
Wan, G. (2015). Speech in 2015 international conference on biological and economic. People’s daily, 2015-7-25.
Xiwei, Z., & Xiandong, Y. (2007). Science and technology policy reform and its impact on China’s national innovation system. Technology in Society, 29, 317–325.
Yoshiko, O. (1997). Bibliometric indicators and analysis of research systems: Methods and examples. OECD science, technology and industry working papers, 1997/01. http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/208277770603. Retrieved 20 Nov, 2011.
Acknowledgments
This work was financially supported by the Chinese Universities Scientific Fund (2015tc004). The authors would like to thank the reviewers of this article for making many valuable suggestions and thoughtful comments. Besides, we thank Professor Wu Yishan for his valuable feedback.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Zhao, Y., Li, D., Han, M. et al. Characteristics of research collaboration in biotechnology in China: evidence from publications indexed in the SCIE. Scientometrics 107, 1373–1387 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-016-1898-1
Received:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-016-1898-1