Diversity of knowledge-sourcing strategies for cross-disciplinarity in bionanotechnology

Rafols, Ismael and Meyer, Martin Diversity of knowledge-sourcing strategies for cross-disciplinarity in bionanotechnology., 2006 . In International Workshop on Webometrics, Informetrics and Scientometrics & Seventh COLLNET Meeting, Nancy (France), May 10 - 12, 2006. (Unpublished) [Conference paper]

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English abstract

In this exploratory investigation, we have carried five case studies looking into the extent and types of cross-disciplinary practices in a specialty of bionanotechnology. We have found that there is a consistent high degree of cross-disciplinarity in the cognitive aspects of research (i.e. references and instrumentalities), but a more erratic and narrower degree in those dimensions associated with social constructs (i.e. affiliation and researchers’ background). Moreover, we have observed that research groups engage in a striking variety of strategies for knowledge-sourcing, including collaboration, but also in-house learning and recruitment. We suggest that a trade-off in research costs between cross-disciplinarity and integration may explain the diversity of strategies encountered.

Item type: Conference paper
Keywords: bionanotechnology, knowledge-sourcing, cross-disciplinarity
Subjects: B. Information use and sociology of information
Depositing user: Heather G Morrison
Date deposited: 29 Jun 2006
Last modified: 02 Oct 2014 12:03
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10760/7555

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