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Unveiling the dynamics of team age structure and its impact on scientific innovation

Author

Listed:
  • Alex J. Yang

    (Nanjing University)

  • Huimin Xu

    (University of Texas at Austin)

  • Ying Ding

    (University of Texas at Austin
    University of Texas at Austin)

  • Meijun Liu

    (Fudan University
    LSE-Fudan Research Centre for Global Public Policy)

Abstract

In the dynamic landscape of contemporary scientific research characterized by increasing collaboration, this study, leveraging a comprehensive dataset spanning six decades and encompassing 16 diverse fields with 30 million journal papers, conducts the first large-scale analysis of age structure within scientific teams. Our findings illuminate a consistent upward trajectory in the average team age over time, coupled with a concurrent decline in team age diversity. Examining their intricate relationships with scientific impact, we unveil intriguing inverted-U associations between team age, team age diversity, and scientific impact. This underscores the optimal performance of moderately aged and diverse teams in terms of team impact. Additionally, our research uncovers a U-shaped relationship between team age, team age diversity, and scientific disruption, emphasizing the disruptive potential of extreme team age patterns. Importantly, these discerned patterns hold robustly across various fields and team sizes, offering valuable insights for strategically composing scientific teams and enhancing their productivity in the collaborative landscape of scientific research.

Suggested Citation

  • Alex J. Yang & Huimin Xu & Ying Ding & Meijun Liu, 2024. "Unveiling the dynamics of team age structure and its impact on scientific innovation," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 129(10), pages 6127-6148, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:scient:v:129:y:2024:i:10:d:10.1007_s11192-024-04987-4
    DOI: 10.1007/s11192-024-04987-4
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