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The effect of booming countries on changes in the relative specialization index (RSI) on country level

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  • Dag W. Aksnes

    (NIFU Nordic Institute for Studies in Innovation, Research and Education)

  • Thed N. Leeuwen

    (Leiden University)

  • Gunnar Sivertsen

    (NIFU Nordic Institute for Studies in Innovation, Research and Education)

Abstract

The Relative Specialization Index (RSI) is an indicator that measures the research profile of a country by comparing the share of a given field in the publications of a given country with the share of the same field in the world total of publications. If measured over time, this indicator may be influenced in the world total by the increased representation of certain other countries with different research profiles. As a case, we study the effect on the RSI for The Netherlands of the increased representation of China in the ISI Web of Science. Although the booming of China is visible in the RSI for The Netherlands, especially in the last decade and in fields where the countries have opposite specializations, the basic research profile as measured by the RSI remains the same. We conclude that the indicator is robust with regard to booming countries, and that it may suffice to observe the general changes in the research profile of the database if the RSI for a country is studied over time.

Suggested Citation

  • Dag W. Aksnes & Thed N. Leeuwen & Gunnar Sivertsen, 2014. "The effect of booming countries on changes in the relative specialization index (RSI) on country level," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 101(2), pages 1391-1401, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:scient:v:101:y:2014:i:2:d:10.1007_s11192-014-1245-3
    DOI: 10.1007/s11192-014-1245-3
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    7. Sergey Shashnov & Maxim Kotsemir, 2018. "Research landscape of the BRICS countries: current trends in research output, thematic structures of publications, and the relative influence of partners," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 117(2), pages 1115-1155, November.
    8. Abramo, Giovanni & D'Angelo, Ciriaco Andrea & Di Costa, Flavia, 2022. "Revealing the scientific comparative advantage of nations: Common and distinctive features," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 16(1).
    9. Maxim Kotsemir & Tatiana Kuznetsova & Elena Nasybulina & Anna Pikalova, 2015. "Identifying Directions for Russia’s Science and Technology Cooperation," Foresight and STI Governance (Foresight-Russia till No. 3/2015), National Research University Higher School of Economics, vol. 9(4), pages 54-72.
      • Maxim Kotsemir & Tatiana Kuznetsova & Elena Nasybulina & Anna Pikalova, 2015. "Identifying Directions for Russia’s Science and Technology Cooperation," Foresight-Russia Форсайт, CyberLeninka;Федеральное государственное автономное образовательное учреждение высшего образования «Национальный исследовательский университет «Высшая школа экономики», vol. 9(4 (eng)), pages 54-72.
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    11. Fernandez, Viviana, 2021. "Patenting trends in the mining industry," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    12. 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.
    13. Jielan Ding & Per Ahlgren & Liying Yang & Ting Yue, 2018. "Disciplinary structures in Nature, Science and PNAS: journal and country levels," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 116(3), pages 1817-1852, September.
    14. Kristoffer Rørstad & Dag W Aksnes & Fredrik Niclas Piro, 2021. "Generational differences in international research collaboration: A bibliometric study of Norwegian University staff," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 16(11), pages 1-21, November.
    15. Alexander Sokolov & Sergey Shashnov & Maxim Kotsemir, 2021. "From BRICS to BRICS plus: selecting promising areas of S&T Cooperation with developing countries," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 126(11), pages 8815-8859, November.
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