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Open access and the flow of knowledge into technology: Evidence from journal transitions to full and immediate OA

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  • Pengfei Jia
  • Weixi Xie
  • Guangyao Zhang
  • Xianwen Wang

Abstract

Scientific knowledge forms the foundation of technological innovation, yet how to effectively facilitate its translation into applied technologies remains underexplored. Existing research has largely focused on measuring the linkage between science and technology, while overlooking the institutional mechanisms that can actively promote this process. Open Access (OA), by improving the accessibility and visibility of scientific outputs, presents a promising pathway to accelerate knowledge diffusion. This study investigates whether and how journal transitions to OA foster the uptake of scientific knowledge in technological domains, using agriculture as a representative field. We compile a panel dataset of 299 agricultural journals (1990–2024) and employ a multi‐period Difference‐in‐Differences (DID) framework. The results show that journal transitions to full and immediate OA significantly increase the number of patent citations per article. Mechanism analysis further reveals that OA enhances social media attention and early scholarly usage, thereby facilitating the translation of research into patents. These findings highlight OA as not merely a tool for improving scholarly access, but also a strategic driver for research translation into technological innovation.

Suggested Citation

  • Pengfei Jia & Weixi Xie & Guangyao Zhang & Xianwen Wang, 2026. "Open access and the flow of knowledge into technology: Evidence from journal transitions to full and immediate OA," Journal of the Association for Information Science & Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 77(2), pages 429-450, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:jinfst:v:77:y:2026:i:2:p:429-450
    DOI: 10.1002/asi.70045
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