Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Publication productivity and collaboration of researchers in South Africa: new empirical evidence

  • Published:
Scientometrics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Apart from a few bibliometrical studies the South African scientific system is a scantly researched area and asking for more empirical evidence. This empirical study of academics and researchers (n = 204) from a selected province of South Africa examines the interrelationship between publication productivity and collaboration, and the sectoral differences between higher education institutions and research institutes. The study highlights the specific context of the scientific system in South Africa with its characteristics features of productivity and collaboration and shows how they are structurally facilitated and hindered. Being a prominent contributor to the development of science in Africa the study offers some interesting findings.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abramo, G., D’Angelo, C. A., & Costa, F. D. (2009). Research collaboration and productivity: is there correlation? Higher Education, 57, 155–171.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Adams, J. D., Black, G. C., Clemmons, J. R., & Stephen, P. E. (2005). Scientific teams and institutional collaborations: evidence from US universities, 1981–1999. Research Policy, 34, 259–285.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Basu, A., & Aggarwal, R. (2001). International collaboration in science in India and its impact on institutional performance. Scientometrics, 52, 379–394.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Belkhodia, O., & Landry, R. (2007). The triple-helix collaboration: why do researchers collaborate with industry and the government? What are the factors that influence the perceived barriers? Scientometrics, 70, 301–332.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Defazio, D., Lockett, A., & Wright, M. (2009). Funding incentives, collaborative dynamics and scientific productivity: evidence from the EU framework program. Research Policy, 38, 293–305.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dennis, W. (1956). Age and productivity among scientists. Science, New Series, 123, 724–725.

    Google Scholar 

  • Duque, R. B., Sooryamoorthy, R., Ynalvez, M., Mbatia, P., Dzorgbo, D.-B., & Shrum, W. (2005). Collaboration paradox: scientific productivity, the internet, and problems of research in developing areas. Social Studies of Science, 35, 755–785.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gevers, W. (2006). Introduction and background. In ASSAF (Ed.), Report on a Strategic Approach to Research Publishing in South Africa (pp. 1–8). Pretoria: Academy of Science South Africa.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gonzalez-Brambila, C., & Veloso, F. M. (2007). The determinants of research output and impact: a study of Mexican researchers. Research Policy, 36, 1035–1051.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Katz, J. S., & Martin, B. R. (1997). What is research collaboration? Research Policy, 26, 1–18.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kyvik, S. (1990). Age and scientific productivity, differences between fields of learning. Higher Education, 19, 37–55.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Landry, R., & Amara, N. (1998). The impact of transaction costs on the institutional structuration of collaborative academic research. Research Policy, 27, 901–913.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee, S., & Bozeman, B. (2005). The impact of research collaboration on scientific productivity. Social Studies of Science, 35, 673–702.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Levin, S., & Stephan, P. (1991). Research productivity over the life cycle: evidence for academic scientists. The American Economic Review, 81, 114–132.

    Google Scholar 

  • Melin, G. (2000). Pragmatism and self-organization: research collaboration on the individual level. Research Policy, 29, 31–40.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mouton, J. (2000). Patterns of research collaboration in South Africa. South African Journal of Science, 96, 458–462.

    Google Scholar 

  • Navarro, A., & Martin, M. (2004). Scientific production and international collaboration in occupational health, 1992–2001. Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health, 30, 223–233.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ponomariova, B. L., & Boardman, P. C. (2010). Influencing scientists’ collaboration and productivity patterns through new institutions: University research centers and scientific and technical human capital. Research Policy, 39, 613–624.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Porac, J. F., Wade, J. B., Fischer, H. M., Brown, J., Kanfer, A., & Bowker, G. (2004). Human capital heterogeneity, collaborative relationships and publication patterns in a multidisciplinary scientific alliance: a comparative case study of two scientific teams. Research Policy, 33, 661–678.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pouris, A. (2012). Science in South Africa: the dawn of a renaissance? South African Journal of Science, 108, 1–6.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Prpic, K. (2000). The publication productivity of young scientists: an empirical study. Scientometrics, 49, 453–490.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Prpic, K. (2007). Changes of scientific knowledge production and productivity in a transitional society. Scientometrics, 72, 487–511.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schmoch, U., & Schubert, T. (2008). Are international co-publications an indicator for quality of scientific research? Scientometrics, 74, 361–377.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schubert, T., & Sooryamoorthy, R. (2010). Can the centre–periphery model explain patterns of international scientific collaboration among threshold and industrialised countries? The case of South Africa and Germany. Scientometrics, 83, 181–203.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sooryamoorthy, R. (2010). Medical research in South Africa: a scientometric analysis of trends, patterns, productivity and partnership. Scientometrics, 84, 863–885.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sooryamoorthy, R., & Shrum, W. (2007). Does the internet promote collaboration and productivity? Evidence from the scientific community in South Africa. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 12, 733–751.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vasileiadoua, E., & Vliegenthart, R. (2009). Research productivity in the era of the Internet revisited. Research Policy, 38, 1260–1268.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yoshikane, F., Nozawa, T., Shibul, S., & Suzuki, T. (2009). An analysis of the connection between researchers’ productivity and their co-authors’ past attributions, including the importance in collaboration networks. Scientometrics, 79, 435–449.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The funding I received from the National Research Foundation (NRF), South Africa, to conduct this study is acknowledged.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Sociology Programme, School of Social Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 4041, South Africa

    Radhamany Sooryamoorthy

Authors
  1. Radhamany Sooryamoorthy
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Radhamany Sooryamoorthy.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Sooryamoorthy, R. Publication productivity and collaboration of researchers in South Africa: new empirical evidence. Scientometrics 98, 531–545 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-013-0990-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-013-0990-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation