Simultaneous mapping of interactions between scientific and technological knowledge bases: The case of space communications

Abstract

This article examines the knowledge structure of the field of space communications using bibliometric mapping techniques based on textual analysis. A new approach with the aim of visualizing simultaneously the configuration of its scientific and technological knowledge bases is presented. This approach enabled us to overcome various limits of existing bibliometric methods dealing with science and technology relationships. The bibliometric map revealed weak cognitive interactions between science and technology at the worldwide level, although it brought out the systemic nature of the process of knowledge production at either side. We extended the mapping approach to the R&D activities of the Triad countries in order to characterize their specialization profiles and cognitive links on both sides in comparison with the structure of the field at the worldwide level. Results showed different patterns in the way the Triad countries organized their scientific and technological activities within the field.

The evolution of the knowledge structure of fuel cells

“…Consequently, systemic exploration of the cognitive linkages between science and technology is quite essential to characterize exhaustively the knowledge structure of technical fields. Nevertheless, the use of mapping techniques to underline these kinds of linkages has been somewhat incomplete and ambiguous (HASSAN, 2003). It has been suggested that such relations should be characterized by means of the identification of comparable cognitive structures in maps constructed at either side based on the same definition (VAN RAAN & VAN DER VELDE, 1992.;NOYONS & VAN RAAN, 1994;TIJSSEN & KOREVAAR, 1997).…”

“…Nevertheless, developing methods to identify these "potential systemic effects" remains crucial and complex because of the huge amount of information on S&T activity. To that end, bibliometric maps by means of co-word (or co-classification) analysis offer a power tool to visualize the knowledge structure of fields and their interrelations (CALLON et al, 1983;ENGELSMAN & VAN RAAN, 1991; VAN RAAN & VAN DER VELDE, 1992;TIJSSEN, 1992;GRUPP, 1996;NOYONS, 1999;HASSAN, 2003).…”

A combination of quantitative and qualitative maps in an evaluative bibliometric context

“…Recent examples include the work presented in [4] in which semantic structures and co-citation patterns are combined into one map; and in [7] where actors and phrases from both papers and patents are displayed in the same map. But both of these examples blend different features of quantitative maps into a single map, whereas we want to introduce qualitative aspects in our mapping application as an additional visualization tool.…”

Web 2.0 and its dimensions in the scholarly world

“…With publication data embedded in the literature, one can, for instance, build a profile of authors [FENNEWALD, 2007] or identify key players (e.g., key authors, key institutions, and key journals) in a field [REID, 1997]. Using citation data from a service like Web of Science, one can describe interactions [ALLEN, 2001;HASSAN, 2003] and relationships [REID, 1997] among researchers working on a same topic. Words and phrases, the basic units in texts, are often analyzed in conjunction with their frequency and semantic data to address research questions asked.…”