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Contribution of postdoctoral fellows to fast-moving and competitive scientific research

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  • Masatsura Igami
  • Sadao Nagaoka
  • John Walsh

Abstract

This study explores the prevalence of postdoctoral fellows in fast-moving and competitive scientific research. We use the results of a new and original large-scale survey of scientists in Japan and the United States for the analyses. Descriptive statistics show that, in both Japan and the United States: (1) the mean citation time lag was shorter by about 2 years in the highly cited papers (top 1 %) compared to other normal papers; and (2) the perceived degree of competitive threat was also higher for the projects producing the highly cited papers compared to those for normal papers. We also found that the likelihood of participation of postdoctoral fellows is significantly higher in research with shorter mean time lag and higher competitive threat (while that of students is not), controlling for author size, suggesting that postdoctoral fellows are especially prevalent in research efforts in fast-moving and competitive scientific research. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media New York 2015

Suggested Citation

  • Masatsura Igami & Sadao Nagaoka & John Walsh, 2015. "Contribution of postdoctoral fellows to fast-moving and competitive scientific research," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 40(4), pages 723-741, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jtecht:v:40:y:2015:i:4:p:723-741
    DOI: 10.1007/s10961-014-9366-7
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Bronwyn H. Hall & Manuel Trajtenberg, 2004. "Uncovering GPTS with Patent Data," NBER Working Papers 10901, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    2. 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.
    3. Masatsura Igami & Teruo Okazaki, 2007. "Capturing Nanotechnology's Current State of Development via Analysis of Patents," OECD Science, Technology and Industry Working Papers 2007/4, OECD Publishing.
    4. Grant C. Black & Paula E. Stephan, 2010. "The Economics of University Science and the Role of Foreign Graduate Students and Postdoctoral Scholars," NBER Chapters, in: American Universities in a Global Market, pages 129-161, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    5. Chiara Franzoni & Giuseppe Scellato & Paula Stephan, 2012. "Foreign Born Scientists: Mobility Patterns for Sixteen Countries," NBER Working Papers 18067, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
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    Cited by:

    1. Kuniko Matsumoto & Sotaro Shibayama & Byeongwoo Kang & Masatsura Igami, 2021. "Introducing a novelty indicator for scientific research: validating the knowledge-based combinatorial approach," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 126(8), pages 6891-6915, August.
    2. Wang, Jian & Lee, You-Na & Walsh, John P., 2018. "Funding model and creativity in science: Competitive versus block funding and status contingency effects," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(6), pages 1070-1083.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Science; Priority; Competition; Postdoctoral fellows; O30; D23;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O30 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - General
    • D23 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Organizational Behavior; Transaction Costs; Property Rights

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