IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/scient/v102y2015i2d10.1007_s11192-014-1487-0.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Scientific relatedness in solar energy: a comparative study between the USA and China

Author

Listed:
  • Jingjing Zhang

    (University of Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Yan Yan

    (University of Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Jiancheng Guan

    (University of Chinese Academy of Sciences)

Abstract

In this paper, we make use of keywords in scientific articles in solar energy during the period 2000–2013 to investigate scientific relatedness at the topic level (i.e. relatedness between topic and topic) and the country level (i.e. relatedness between topic and country). The bibliometric analyses show that both publications and knowledge topics exhibit significant rise, and China has exceeded the USA and developed into the largest scientific producer after 2010. We determine the degree of relatedness by means of the topics co-occurrence network and explore the evolving dynamic processes of scientific relatedness which indicates decreasing patterns in the two countries. The results also highlight differences between the research directions in the USA and China: in the USA “energy efficiency and environment” prove more developed, while in China “solar power” shows more central. This study assesses the extent to which the scientific relatedness exerts influence on the literature productivity at the country level. We find negative relationships between scientific relatedness and publications in both of countries. Our work has potential implications for the future policies with respect to the innovative research in the solar energy field.

Suggested Citation

  • Jingjing Zhang & Yan Yan & Jiancheng Guan, 2015. "Scientific relatedness in solar energy: a comparative study between the USA and China," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 102(2), pages 1595-1613, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:scient:v:102:y:2015:i:2:d:10.1007_s11192-014-1487-0
    DOI: 10.1007/s11192-014-1487-0
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11192-014-1487-0
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s11192-014-1487-0?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Loet Leydesdorff & Duncan Kushnir & Ismael Rafols, 2014. "Interactive overlay maps for US patent (USPTO) data based on International Patent Classification (IPC)," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 98(3), pages 1583-1599, March.
    2. Cameron,A. Colin & Trivedi,Pravin K., 2013. "Regression Analysis of Count Data," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9781107667273.
    3. Marianna Makri & Michael A. Hitt & Peter J. Lane, 2010. "Complementary technologies, knowledge relatedness, and invention outcomes in high technology mergers and acquisitions," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(6), pages 602-628, June.
    4. Ismael Rafols & Martin Meyer, 2010. "Diversity and network coherence as indicators of interdisciplinarity: case studies in bionanoscience," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 82(2), pages 263-287, February.
    5. Hüseyin Tanriverdi & N. Venkatraman, 2005. "Knowledge relatedness and the performance of multibusiness firms," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(2), pages 97-119, February.
    6. Boschma, Ron & Heimeriks, Gaston & Balland, Pierre-Alexandre, 2014. "Scientific knowledge dynamics and relatedness in biotech cities," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 43(1), pages 107-114.
    7. Staša Milojević & Cassidy R. Sugimoto & Erjia Yan & Ying Ding, 2011. "The cognitive structure of Library and Information Science: Analysis of article title words," Journal of the Association for Information Science & Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 62(10), pages 1933-1953, October.
    8. Fei-Cheng Ma & Peng-Hui Lyu & Qiang Yao & Lan Yao & Shi-Jing Zhang, 2014. "Publication trends and knowledge maps of global translational medicine research," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 98(1), pages 221-246, January.
    9. Jeongsik “Jay” Lee, 2010. "Heterogeneity, Brokerage, and Innovative Performance: Endogenous Formation of Collaborative Inventor Networks," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 21(4), pages 804-822, August.
    10. Robert M. Solow, 1956. "A Contribution to the Theory of Economic Growth," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 70(1), pages 65-94.
    11. Fthenakis, Vasilis & Mason, James E. & Zweibel, Ken, 2009. "The technical, geographical, and economic feasibility for solar energy to supply the energy needs of the US," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(2), pages 387-399, February.
    12. Ron Boschma & Pierre-Alexandre Balland & Dieter Franz Kogler, 2015. "Relatedness and technological change in cities: the rise and fall of technological knowledge in US metropolitan areas from 1981 to 2010," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 24(1), pages 223-250.
    13. Saeed-Ul Hassan & Peter Haddawy, 2013. "Measuring international knowledge flows and scholarly impact of scientific research," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 94(1), pages 163-179, January.
    14. Saeed-Ul Hassan & Peter Haddawy & Jia Zhu, 2014. "A bibliometric study of the world’s research activity in sustainable development and its sub-areas using scientific literature," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 99(2), pages 549-579, May.
    15. Quintana-Garci­a, Cristina & Benavides-Velasco, Carlos A., 2008. "Innovative competence, exploration and exploitation: The influence of technological diversification," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(3), pages 492-507, April.
    16. Guan, Jiancheng & Ma, Nan, 2007. "China's emerging presence in nanoscience and nanotechnology: A comparative bibliometric study of several nanoscience `giants'," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(6), pages 880-886, July.
    17. Si Hyung Joo & Yeonbae Kim, 2010. "Measuring relatedness between technological fields," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 83(2), pages 435-454, May.
    18. Dong-Jae Kim & Bruce Kogut, 1996. "Technological Platforms and Diversification," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 7(3), pages 283-301, June.
    19. Steven Chu & Arun Majumdar, 2012. "Opportunities and challenges for a sustainable energy future," Nature, Nature, vol. 488(7411), pages 294-303, August.
    20. Ranjay Gulati & Maxim Sytch & Adam Tatarynowicz, 2012. "The Rise and Fall of Small Worlds: Exploring the Dynamics of Social Structure," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 23(2), pages 449-471, April.
    21. Hausman, Jerry, 2015. "Specification tests in econometrics," Applied Econometrics, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA), vol. 38(2), pages 112-134.
    22. Corey C. Phelps & Ralph Heidl & Anu Wadhwa, 2012. "Networks, knowledge, and knowledge networks: A critical review and research agenda," Post-Print hal-00715591, HAL.
    23. Ruobing Chi & Jonathan Young, 2013. "The interdisciplinary structure of research on intercultural relations: a co-citation network analysis study," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 96(1), pages 147-171, July.
    24. Gangfeng Zhang & Shaodong Xie & Yuh-Shan Ho, 2010. "A bibliometric analysis of world volatile organic compounds research trends," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 83(2), pages 477-492, May.
    25. Sameer Kumar & Jariah Mohd. Jan, 2014. "Research collaboration networks of two OIC nations: comparative study between Turkey and Malaysia in the field of ‘Energy Fuels’, 2009–2011," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 98(1), pages 387-414, January.
    26. Arvind Virmani, 2005. "Tripolar century: USA, China and India," Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations, New Delhi Working Papers 160, Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations, New Delhi, India.
    27. Sameer Kumar & Jariah Mohd. Jan, 2013. "Mapping research collaborations in the business and management field in Malaysia, 1980–2010," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 97(3), pages 491-517, December.
    28. Fei, Li & Dong, Suocheng & Xue, Li & Liang, Quanxi & Yang, Wangzhou, 2011. "Energy consumption-economic growth relationship and carbon dioxide emissions in China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(2), pages 568-574, February.
    29. Zhou, Ping & Leydesdorff, Loet, 2006. "The emergence of China as a leading nation in science," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(1), pages 83-104, February.
    30. Hsin-Ning Su & Pei-Chun Lee, 2010. "Mapping knowledge structure by keyword co-occurrence: a first look at journal papers in Technology Foresight," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 85(1), pages 65-79, October.
    31. Chunjuan Luan & Zeyuan Liu & Xianwen Wang, 2013. "Divergence and convergence: technology-relatedness evolution in solar energy industry," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 97(2), pages 461-475, November.
    32. Li, Zhi-Sheng & Zhang, Guo-Qiang & Li, Dong-Mei & Zhou, Jin & Li, Li-Juan & Li, Li-Xin, 2007. "Application and development of solar energy in building industry and its prospects in China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(8), pages 4121-4127, August.
    33. Wolfgang Glänzel & Bart Thijs, 2012. "Using ‘core documents’ for detecting and labelling new emerging topics," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 91(2), pages 399-416, May.
    34. Elias Sanz-Casado & J. Carlos Garcia-Zorita & Antonio Eleazar Serrano-López & Birger Larsen & Peter Ingwersen, 2013. "Renewable energy research 1995–2009: a case study of wind power research in EU, Spain, Germany and Denmark," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 95(1), pages 197-224, April.
    35. Staša Milojević & Cassidy R. Sugimoto & Erjia Yan & Ying Ding, 2011. "The cognitive structure of Library and Information Science: Analysis of article title words," Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 62(10), pages 1933-1953, October.
    36. Krishna Palepu, 1985. "Diversification strategy, profit performance and the entropy measure," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 6(3), pages 239-255, July.
    37. B. Howarth, Richard & Haddad, Brent M. & Paton, Bruce, 2000. "The economics of energy efficiency: insights from voluntary participation programs," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 28(6-7), pages 477-486, June.
    38. Wenjia Zhu & Jiancheng Guan, 2013. "A bibliometric study of service innovation research: based on complex network analysis," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 94(3), pages 1195-1216, March.
    39. Christian Wichmann Matthiessen & Annette Winkel Schwarz & Søren Find, 2010. "World Cities of Scientific Knowledge: Systems, Networks and Potential Dynamics. An Analysis Based on Bibliometric Indicators," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 47(9), pages 1879-1897, August.
    40. Peter Mutschke & Anabel Quan Haase, 2001. "Collaboration and Cognitive Structures in Social Science Research Fields. Towards Socio-Cognitive Analysis in Information Systems," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 52(3), pages 487-502, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Byeongdeuk Jang & Jae-Yong Choung & Inje Kang, 2022. "Knowledge production patterns of China and the US: quantum technology," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 127(10), pages 5691-5719, October.
    2. Yan Yan & Shanwu Tian & Jingjing Zhang, 2020. "The impact of a paper’s new combinations and new components on its citation," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 122(2), pages 895-913, February.
    3. Yan Yan & Jiancheng Guan, 2018. "How multiple networks help in creating knowledge: evidence from alternative energy patents," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 115(1), pages 51-77, April.
    4. Guan, Jiancheng & Yan, Yan & Zhang, Jing Jing, 2017. "The impact of collaboration and knowledge networks on citations," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 11(2), pages 407-422.
    5. JingJing Zhang & Jiancheng Guan, 2017. "Scientific relatedness and intellectual base: a citation analysis of un-cited and highly-cited papers in the solar energy field," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 110(1), pages 141-162, January.
    6. Berg, S. & Wustmans, M. & Bröring, S., 2019. "Identifying first signals of emerging dominance in a technological innovation system: A novel approach based on patents," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 146(C), pages 706-722.
    7. Wei Liu & Zongshui Wang & Hong Zhao, 2020. "Comparative study of customer relationship management research from East Asia, North America and Europe: A bibliometric overview," Electronic Markets, Springer;IIM University of St. Gallen, vol. 30(4), pages 735-757, December.
    8. Chan-Yuan Wong, 2019. "A century of scientific publication: towards a theorization of growth behavior and research-orientation," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 119(1), pages 357-377, April.
    9. Rongrong Li & Xuefeng Wang, 2019. "Imbalances between the Quantity and Quality of China’s Solar Energy Research," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-15, January.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Yan Yan & Jiancheng Guan, 2018. "How multiple networks help in creating knowledge: evidence from alternative energy patents," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 115(1), pages 51-77, April.
    2. Brennecke, Julia & Rank, Olaf, 2017. "The firm’s knowledge network and the transfer of advice among corporate inventors—A multilevel network study," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(4), pages 768-783.
    3. Loet Leydesdorff & Dieter Franz Kogler & Bowen Yan, 2017. "Mapping patent classifications: portfolio and statistical analysis, and the comparison of strengths and weaknesses," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 112(3), pages 1573-1591, September.
    4. Jiancheng Guan & Yan Yan & Jingjing Zhang, 2015. "How do collaborative features affect scientific output? Evidences from wind power field," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 102(1), pages 333-355, January.
    5. Sameer Kumar & Jariah Mohd. Jan, 2014. "Research collaboration networks of two OIC nations: comparative study between Turkey and Malaysia in the field of ‘Energy Fuels’, 2009–2011," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 98(1), pages 387-414, January.
    6. Wen, Jinyan & Qualls, William J. & Zeng, Deming, 2021. "To explore or exploit: The influence of inter-firm R&D network diversity and structural holes on innovation outcomes," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 100(C).
    7. Lee, Hyunmin, 2023. "Strategic similarity in the co-evolution of technological and business diversification for firm growth: Evidence from smart-manufacturing related firms," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 189(C).
    8. Guan, Jiancheng & Zhang, Jingjing & Yan, Yan, 2015. "The impact of multilevel networks on innovation," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 44(3), pages 545-559.
    9. Jiancheng Guan & He Wei, 2015. "A bilateral comparison of research performance at an institutional level," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 104(1), pages 147-173, July.
    10. Maria Chiara Di Guardo & Kathryn Rudie Harrigan & Elona Marku, 2019. "M&A and diversification strategies: what effect on quality of inventive activity?," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 23(3), pages 669-692, September.
    11. Lorenz, Steffi, 2015. "Diversität und Verbundenheit der unternehmerischen Wissensbasis: Ein neuartiger Messansatz mit Indikatoren aus Innovationsprojekten," Discussion Papers on Strategy and Innovation 15-01, Philipps-University Marburg, Department of Technology and Innovation Management (TIM).
    12. Na Liu & Jiancheng Guan, 2015. "Dynamic evolution of collaborative networks: evidence from nano-energy research in China," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 102(3), pages 1895-1919, March.
    13. Thomas Hutzschenreuter & Fabian Guenther, 2009. "Complexity as a constraint on firm expansion within and across industries," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 30(6), pages 373-392.
    14. Guan, Jiancheng & Liu, Na, 2015. "Invention profiles and uneven growth in the field of emerging nano-energy," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 146-157.
    15. Adrian Lüthge & Ulrich Pidun & Dodo zu Knyphausen-Aufseß, 2021. "Approximating relatedness from a business model perspective: towards a taxonomic approach," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 15(3), pages 813-846, April.
    16. Guan, JianCheng & Zuo, KaiRui & Chen, KaiHua & Yam, Richard C.M., 2016. "Does country-level R&D efficiency benefit from the collaboration network structure?," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(4), pages 770-784.
    17. Deichmann, Dirk & Moser, Christine & Birkholz, Julie M. & Nerghes, Adina & Groenewegen, Peter & Wang, Shenghui, 2020. "Ideas with impact: How connectivity shapes idea diffusion," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 49(1).
    18. Zhao, Yi & Liu, Lifan & Zhang, Chengzhi, 2022. "Is coronavirus-related research becoming more interdisciplinary? A perspective of co-occurrence analysis and diversity measure of scientific articles," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 175(C).
    19. Guan, Jiancheng & Yan, Yan & Zhang, Jing Jing, 2017. "The impact of collaboration and knowledge networks on citations," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 11(2), pages 407-422.
    20. Stefano Scarazzati & Lili Wang, 2019. "The effect of collaborations on scientific research output: the case of nanoscience in Chinese regions," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 121(2), pages 839-868, November.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:scient:v:102:y:2015:i:2:d:10.1007_s11192-014-1487-0. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.