Analysis of the research collaboration organizational characteristics and scientific impact of large-scale research facilities: a case study of Chinese large-scale research facilities

Large-scale research facilities (LSFs) play a crucial role in advancing fundamental scientific research and enhancing national innovation capacity. This study aims to analyze the organizational characteristics of collaboration within these facilities and their scientific impact. By collecting data on papers published between 2010 and 2023 from four typical LSFs of China, collaboration networks were constructed and compared with papers published in the same period not relying on these facilities. The results indicate that the collaboration network density of LSFs is significantly higher than that of ordinary scientific research networks, with a notably higher proportion of supporting members, reflecting a greater reliance on technical support and auxiliary work. There are also differences between different types of LSFs, with a complex non-linear relationship between the proportion of supporting members and research impact in public experimental platforms, and a significant positive linear relationship between this proportion and research impact in specialized research facilities. The effect of team size on scientific impact varies by facility type, with the number of authors having a significant effect on scientific impact in public experimental platforms and the number of institutions having a more significant positive effect on scientific impact in specialized research facilities. Additionally, the uneven distribution of degree centrality and betweenness centrality significantly affects scientific impact, but this effect varies by facility type. These findings highlight the need for differentiated and refined strategies in managing LSFs. Public experimental platforms should enhance support for core nodes and resource allocation, while specialized research facilities should focus on managing and optimizing the configuration of supporting members. This study provides empirical evidence for the management and resource allocation of LSFs, emphasizing the importance of flexible and refined management to fully harness their potential in driving scientific breakthroughs and technological innovation.