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Factors influencing research collaboration in LIS schools in South Africa

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Listed:
  • Jan Resenga Maluleka

    (University of South Africa)

  • Omwoyo Bosire Onyancha

    (University of South Africa)

  • Isola Ajiferuke

    (University of Western Ontario)

Abstract

The study sought to explore the underlying factors that influence research collaboration in Library and Information Science (LIS) schools in South Africa. The population for the study consisted of 85 academic teaching staff employed by LIS schools in South African universities. A survey design was used to obtain data for the study, through a questionnaire containing open- and close-ended questions. A total of 85 teaching staff in 10 LIS schools in South Africa were alerted, through email, to the location of the Web-based questionnaires, developed using the Stellarsurvey software. A total of 51 questionnaires were completed and returned for analysis. The findings suggest that factors such as networking, sharing of resources, enhancing productivity, educating students, overcoming intellectual isolation, and accomplishments of projects in a short time as well as learning from peers influenced research collaboration in LIS in South Africa. Factors that are likely to hinder effective collaboration in LIS research include bureaucracy, lack of funding, lack of time, as well as physical distance between researchers. The findings further suggest that even though there are drawbacks to collaboration, majority of LIS researchers thought that collaboration is beneficial and should be encouraged.

Suggested Citation

  • Jan Resenga Maluleka & Omwoyo Bosire Onyancha & Isola Ajiferuke, 2016. "Factors influencing research collaboration in LIS schools in South Africa," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 107(2), pages 337-355, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:scient:v:107:y:2016:i:2:d:10.1007_s11192-016-1846-0
    DOI: 10.1007/s11192-016-1846-0
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Nora Narváez-Berthelemot & Jane M. Russell & Rigas Arvanitis & Roland Waast & Jacques Gaillard, 2002. "Science in Africa: An overview of mainstream scientific output," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 54(2), pages 229-241, June.
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    5. Radhamany Sooryamoorthy, 2009. "Do types of collaboration change citation? Collaboration and citation patterns of South African science publications," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 81(1), pages 177-193, October.
    6. Omwoyo Bosire Onyancha & Jan Resenga Maluleka, 2011. "Knowledge production through collaborative research in sub-Saharan Africa: how much do countries contribute to each other’s knowledge output and citation impact?," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 87(2), pages 315-336, May.
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    Cited by:

    1. Toluwase Asubiaro, 2019. "How collaboration type, publication place, funding and author’s role affect citations received by publications from Africa: A bibliometric study of LIS research from 1996 to 2015," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 120(3), pages 1261-1287, September.

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