SCIENTOMETRICS; 2007; 71(1):87 - 99

Research cooperation within the bio-pharmaceutical industry: Network analyses of co-publications within and between firms

Authors: Calero C, Van Leeuwen TN, Tijssen RJW
Affiliations: Leiden Univ

Abstract:
Bio-pharmaceutical R&D is increasingly an international affair. Research articles published in the peer-reviewed international scientific and technical journals represent quantifiable research outputs of bio-pharmaceutical firms. Large-scale systemic measurements of worldwide trends and sectoral patterns within bio-pharmaceutical science can be gauged from these articles, where coauthored research papers are assumed to reflect research cooperation and associated knowledge flows and exchanges. We focus our attention on the largest science-based multinational enterprises (MNEs), those that produce relatively large quantities of research articles. The study deals with the worldwide output of research articles that are co-produced by corporate researchers during the years 1996-2001. We employ these publications to examine structural factors characterizing research cooperation networks within industry at the level of major geographical regions (North America, Europe, Pacific-Asia), with a breakdown by within-MNE and between-MNE network linkages. The descriptive statistics on publication output and results of network analyses of co-publication linkages not only indicate regional differences, with a central role for US companies in biopharmaceutical research, but also a variety of firm-specific research cooperation networks which enabled us to develop a tentative typology of MNEs in terms of their intra- and interorganizational patterns of research cooperation linkages.

Publication type:
Article in Journal

  
Authors (3)
Research programs (2)
  
MSc Clara Calero Medina
Centre for Science and Technology Studies
Researcher. MSc in economics from Carlos III University, Madrid. From November 2002 at CWTS. Her work concerns mapping and research assesment projects. Next to her CWTS work she is finishing  her Ph.D. under the supervision of  Professor A.F.J. van Raan. Her Thesis is about citations and ...
Prof. R.J.W. (Robert) Tijssen
Full professor of Science and Innovation Studies. MSc psychology, Leiden University (mathematical psychology, applied statistics), PhD in Science Studies, Leiden (1992). Member of CWTS management team. Visiting professor at Stellenbosch University (South Africa). TeachingCWTS lecturer on a range of ...
Dr. T.N. (Thed) van Leeuwen
Senior Researcher. MSc 1987 Political Sciences, University of Amsterdam, From February 1989 at CWTS. PhD Science Studies, 2004, Leiden. Coordinator for research performance projects. Currently involved in most bibliometric evaluations projects. Member of CWTS management team.