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Application of statistical physics methods and conceptsto the study of science & technology systems

Author

Listed:
  • Luis A. N. Amaral

    (Boston University)

  • P. Gopikrishnan

    (Boston University)

  • Kaushik Matia

    (Boston University)

  • Vasiliki Plerou

    (Boston University
    Boston College)

  • H. E. Stanley

    (Boston University)

Abstract

We apply methods and concepts of statistical physics to the study of science & technology(S&T) systems. Specifically, our research is motivated by two concepts of fundamentalimportance in modern statistical physics: scaling and universality. We try to identify robust,universal, characteristics of the evolution of S&T systems that can provide guidance to forecastingthe impact of changes in funding. We quantify the production of research in a novel fashioninspired by our previous study of the growth dynamics of business firms. We study the productionof research from the point of view both of inputs (R&D funding) and of outputs (publications andpatents) and find the existence of scaling laws describing the growth of these quantities.We also analyze R&D systems of different countries to test the "universality" of our results.We hypothesize that the proposed methods may be particularly useful for fields of S&T (or forlevels of aggregation) for which either not enough information is available, or for which evolutionis so fast that there is not enough time to collect enough data to make an informed decision.

Suggested Citation

  • Luis A. N. Amaral & P. Gopikrishnan & Kaushik Matia & Vasiliki Plerou & H. E. Stanley, 2001. "Application of statistical physics methods and conceptsto the study of science & technology systems," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 51(1), pages 9-36, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:scient:v:51:y:2001:i:1:d:10.1023_a:1010556426328
    DOI: 10.1023/A:1010556426328
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Mansfield, Edwin, 1991. "Academic research and industrial innovation," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 20(1), pages 1-12, February.
    2. M. Marchi & M. Rocchi, 1999. "Summing up approaches to the study of science and technology indicators," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 46(1), pages 39-49, September.
    3. Michael Gort, 1962. "Diversification and Integration in American Industry," NBER Books, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc, number gort62-1, March.
    4. Parameswaran Gopikrishnan & Vasiliki Plerou & Luis A. Nunes Amaral & Martin Meyer & H. Eugene Stanley, 1999. "Scaling of the distribution of fluctuations of financial market indices," Papers cond-mat/9905305, arXiv.org.
    5. H F Moed & Th N van Leeuwen & M S Visser, 1999. "Trends in publication output and impact of universities in the Netherlands," Research Evaluation, Oxford University Press, vol. 8(1), pages 60-67, April.
    6. Pagan, Adrian, 1996. "The econometrics of financial markets," Journal of Empirical Finance, Elsevier, vol. 3(1), pages 15-102, May.
    7. Youngki Lee & Luis A. N. Amaral & David Canning & Martin Meyer & H. Eugene Stanley, 1998. "Universal features in the growth dynamics of complex organizations," Papers cond-mat/9804100, arXiv.org.
    8. L. A. N. Amaral & S. V. Buldyrev & S. Havlin & H. Leschhorn & P. Maass & M. A. Salinger & H. E. Stanley & M. H. R. Stanley, 1997. "Scaling behavior in economics: I. Empirical results for company growth," Papers cond-mat/9702082, arXiv.org.
    9. Michael Gort, 1962. "Introduction to "Diversification and Integration in American Industry"," NBER Chapters, in: Diversification and Integration in American Industry, pages 3-7, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
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    11. V. Plerou & P. Gopikrishnan & L. A. N. Amaral & M. Meyer & H. E. Stanley, 1999. "Scaling of the distribution of price fluctuations of individual companies," Papers cond-mat/9907161, arXiv.org.
    12. Vasiliki Plerou & Luís A. Nunes Amaral & Parameswaran Gopikrishnan & Martin Meyer & H. Eugene Stanley, 1999. "Similarities between the growth dynamics of university research and of competitive economic activities," Nature, Nature, vol. 400(6743), pages 433-437, July.
    13. Hall, Bronwyn H, 1987. "The Relationship between Firm Size and Firm Growth in the U.S. Manufacturing Sector," Journal of Industrial Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 35(4), pages 583-606, June.
    14. Robert Summers & Alan Heston, 1991. "The Penn World Table (Mark 5): An Expanded Set of International Comparisons, 1950–1988," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, Oxford University Press, vol. 106(2), pages 327-368.
    15. Benoit Mandelbrot, 2015. "The Variation of Certain Speculative Prices," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Anastasios G Malliaris & William T Ziemba (ed.), THE WORLD SCIENTIFIC HANDBOOK OF FUTURES MARKETS, chapter 3, pages 39-78, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
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    17. Marc Luwel, 2000. "A Bibliometric Profile of Flemish Research in Natural, Life and Technical Sciences," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 47(2), pages 281-302, February.
    18. Plamen Ch. Ivanov & Luís A. Nunes Amaral & Ary L. Goldberger & Shlomo Havlin & Michael G. Rosenblum & Zbigniew R. Struzik & H. Eugene Stanley, 1999. "Multifractality in human heartbeat dynamics," Nature, Nature, vol. 399(6735), pages 461-465, June.
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    1. Stanley, H.E. & Gabaix, Xavier & Gopikrishnan, Parameswaran & Plerou, Vasiliki, 2007. "Economic fluctuations and statistical physics: Quantifying extremely rare and less rare events in finance," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 382(1), pages 286-301.
    2. S. L. Sangam & Uma B. Arali & C. G. Patil & Ronald Rousseau, 2018. "Growth of the hepatitis literature over the period 1976–2015: What can the relative priority index teach us?," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 115(1), pages 351-368, April.
    3. Stanley, H. Eugene & Plerou, Vasiliki & Gabaix, Xavier, 2008. "A statistical physics view of financial fluctuations: Evidence for scaling and universality," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 387(15), pages 3967-3981.
    4. Frank Havemann & Michael Heinz & Roland Wagner-Döbler, 2004. "Growth dynamics of German university enrolments and of scientific disciplines in the 19th century: Scaling behaviour under weak competitive pressure," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 60(3), pages 283-294, August.

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