Making a Research Infrastructure: Conditions and Strategies to Transform a Service into an Infrastructure

Abstract

In this article, we examine the making of research infrastructures for digital research. In line with many scholars in this field, we understand research infrastructures as deeply relational and adaptive systems that are embedded in research practice. Our aim was to identify the relevant context factors, actor constellations, organizational settings, and strategies which contribute to the evolution of a basic service into an actual infrastructure. To this end, we conducted thirty-three case studies of non-commercial and commercial research services along the research life cycle. By examining how these services emerge, we hope to gain a better understanding of the conditions and strategies to transform a service into an infrastructure. We are able to identify competitive disadvantages for publicly financed infrastructure projects with regard to the mode of implementation and the resources invested in development and marketing. We suggest that the results of this study are of practical relevance, especially for individuals, communities, and organizations wanting to create research infrastructures, as well as for funders and policy makers wanting to support innovative and sustainable infrastructures.

Spatial Pattern of Technological Innovation in the Yangtze River Delta Region and Its Impact on Water Pollution

“…In this study, the spatial distribution and coupling change characteristics of the technological innovation and water pollution centers are studied from static and dynamic directions, respectively, using spatial overlap and variation consistency. Among them, innovation input is represented by scientific and technological expenditure, innovation output is represented by the number of patent authorizations, and water pollution is represented by industrial wastewater discharge [ 73 , 74 , 75 , 76 ]. The innovation center of gravity includes the centers of innovation input and innovation output.…”

A critical analysis of large scale research infrastructures’ performances

“…To date, many policies tend to focus on getting the technical aspect of RI off the ground, such as the development of major scientific equipment, sets of archival or scientific data or communication and computing networks (Fecher et al, 2021). Nonetheless, scholars in this field largely agree that only when a technical service is embedded in practice, when it becomes "invisible" (Star and Ruhleder, 1996;Bowker and Star, 1999), can it be considered part of an infrastructure.…”

“…Nonetheless, scholars in this field largely agree that only when a technical service is embedded in practice, when it becomes "invisible" (Star and Ruhleder, 1996;Bowker and Star, 1999), can it be considered part of an infrastructure. In this understanding, infrastructures are much more than the technical assemblage of things; only when these are part of practice can they be considered part of the infrastructure (Fecher et al, 2021).…”

Can Green Innovation Improve Regional Environmental Carrying Capacity? An Empirical Analysis from China

“…There are two main ways to define green innovation, starting from the characteristics of green innovation and outlining the main features to arrive at the definition, and considering the production process and making a systematic description of the green innovation process [ 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 ]. In the context of the dramatic increase in resource pressure and increasingly stringent environmental protection standards, a large number of green innovations have emerged in all fields except environmental protection and its related industries, which have had a profound impact on the macro social operation and the development of micro market players [ 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 ]. Macro themes such as green performance, green benefits and diffusion mechanisms of science and technology innovation have been attracting much attention, while empirical studies on some micro issues, such as the factors influencing green innovation of enterprises and the efficiency of green innovation of enterprises, have also accumulated a lot of practical experience on the specific operation of green innovation in China [ 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 ].…”