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General properties of the evolution of research fields: a scientometric study of human microbiome, evolutionary robotics and astrobiology

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  • Mario Coccia

    (CNR – National Research Council of Italy & Arizona State University, IRCRES-CNR, Collegio Carlo Alberto)

Abstract

How do research fields evolve? This study confronts this question here by developing an inductive analysis based on emerging research fields of human microbiome, evolutionary robotics and astrobiology (also called exobiology). Data analysis considers papers associated with subject areas of authors from starting years to 2017 per each research field under study. Findings suggest some empirical properties of the evolution of research fields: the first property states that the evolution of a research field is driven by few disciplines (3–5) that generate more than 80% of documents (concentration of scientific production); the second property states that the evolution of research fields is path-dependent of critical disciplines: they can be parent disciplines that have originated the research field or new disciplines emerged during the evolution of science; the third property states that the evolution of research fields can be also due to a new discipline originated from a process of specialization within applied or basic sciences and/or convergence between disciplines. Finally, the fourth property states that the evolution of specific research fields can be due to both applied and basic sciences. These results here can explain and generalize some characteristics of the evolution of scientific fields in the dynamics of science. Overall, then, this study begins the process of clarifying and generalizing, as far as possible, the general properties of the evolution of research fields to lay a foundation for the development of sophisticated theories of the evolution of science.

Suggested Citation

  • Mario Coccia, 2018. "General properties of the evolution of research fields: a scientometric study of human microbiome, evolutionary robotics and astrobiology," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 117(2), pages 1265-1283, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:scient:v:117:y:2018:i:2:d:10.1007_s11192-018-2902-8
    DOI: 10.1007/s11192-018-2902-8
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Fernanda Morillo & María Bordons & Isabel Gómez, 2003. "Interdisciplinarity in science: A tentative typology of disciplines and research areas," Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 54(13), pages 1237-1249, November.
    2. Mario Coccia & Secondo Rolfo, 2009. "Project management in public research organisations: strategic change in complex scenarios," International Journal of Project Organisation and Management, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 1(3), pages 235-252.
    3. Stephan, Paula E., 2010. "The Economics of Science," Handbook of the Economics of Innovation, in: Bronwyn H. Hall & Nathan Rosenberg (ed.), Handbook of the Economics of Innovation, edition 1, volume 1, chapter 0, pages 217-273, Elsevier.
    4. Mario Coccia & Barry Bozeman, 2016. "Allometric models to measure and analyze the evolution of international research collaboration," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 108(3), pages 1065-1084, September.
    5. Jonathan Adams, 2012. "The rise of research networks," Nature, Nature, vol. 490(7420), pages 335-336, October.
    6. Mario Coccia & Emanuele Cadario, 2014. "Organisational (un)learning of public research labs in turbulent context," International Journal of Innovation and Learning, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 15(2), pages 115-129.
    7. Jonathan Adams, 2013. "The fourth age of research," Nature, Nature, vol. 497(7451), pages 557-560, May.
    8. Mario Coccia, 2005. "A scientometric model for the assessment of scientific research performance within public institutes," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 65(3), pages 307-321, December.
    9. Mario Coccia & Greta Falavigna & Alessandro Manello, 2015. "The impact of hybrid public and market-oriented financing mechanisms on the scientific portfolio and performances of public research labs: a scientometric analysis," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 102(1), pages 151-168, January.
    10. Levin, Sharon G & Stephan, Paula E, 1991. "Research Productivity over the Life Cycle: Evidence for Academic Scientists," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 81(1), pages 114-132, March.
    11. Kevin W. Boyack & Richard Klavans & Katy Börner, 2005. "Mapping the backbone of science," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 64(3), pages 351-374, August.
    12. Katy Börner & Wolfgang Glänzel & Andrea Scharnhorst & Peter Besselaar, 2011. "Modeling science: studying the structure and dynamics of science," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 89(1), pages 347-348, October.
    13. Henry Small, 1999. "Visualizing science by citation mapping," Journal of the American Society for Information Science, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 50(9), pages 799-813.
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    Cited by:

    1. Harrison, Richard T., 2023. "W(h)ither entrepreneurship? Discipline, legitimacy and super-wicked problems on the road to nowhere," Journal of Business Venturing Insights, Elsevier, vol. 19(C).
    2. Mario Coccia, 2020. "The evolution of scientific disciplines in applied sciences: dynamics and empirical properties of experimental physics," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 124(1), pages 451-487, July.
    3. Coccia, Mario, 2020. "Deep learning technology for improving cancer care in society: New directions in cancer imaging driven by artificial intelligence," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 60(C).
    4. Coccia, Mario, 2022. "Probability of discoveries between research fields to explain scientific and technological change," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    5. Melika Mosleh & Saeed Roshani & Mario Coccia, 2022. "Scientific laws of research funding to support citations and diffusion of knowledge in life science," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 127(4), pages 1931-1951, April.
    6. Oliver Wieczorek & Markus Eckl & Madeleine Bausch & Erik Radisch & Christoph Barmeyer & Malte Rehbein, 2021. "Better, Faster, Stronger: The Evolution of Co-authorship in International Management Research Between 1990 and 2016," SAGE Open, , vol. 11(4), pages 21582440211, November.
    7. Mario Coccia, 2021. "Evolution and structure of research fields driven by crises and environmental threats: the COVID-19 research," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 126(12), pages 9405-9429, December.
    8. Saeed Roshani & Mohammad-Reza Bagherylooieh & Melika Mosleh & Mario Coccia, 2021. "What is the relationship between research funding and citation-based performance? A comparative analysis between critical disciplines," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 126(9), pages 7859-7874, September.
    9. Candelaria Barrios & Esther Flores & M. Ángeles Martínez & Marta Ruiz-Martínez, 2019. "Is there convergence in international research collaboration? An exploration at the country level in the basic and applied science fields," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 120(2), pages 631-659, August.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Research fields; Evolution of science; Dynamics of science; Convergence in science; Applied sciences; Basic sciences; Human microbiome; Evolutionary robotics; Astrobiology; Exobiology;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • A19 - General Economics and Teaching - - General Economics - - - Other
    • C00 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - General - - - General
    • I23 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Higher Education; Research Institutions
    • L30 - Industrial Organization - - Nonprofit Organizations and Public Enterprise - - - General

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