IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/arx/papers/1911.05363.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

How do scientific disciplines evolve in applied sciences? The properties of scientific fission and ambidextrous scientific drivers

Author

Listed:
  • Mario Coccia

Abstract

One of the fundamental questions in science is how scientific disciplines evolve and sustain progress in society. No studies to date allows us to explain the endogenous processes that support the evolution of scientific disciplines and emergence of new scientific fields in applied sciences of physics. This study confronts this problem here by investigating the evolution of experimental physics to explain and generalize some characteristics of the dynamics of applied sciences. Empirical analysis suggests properties about the evolution of experimental physics and in general of applied sciences, such as: a) scientific fission, the evolution of scientific disciplines generates a process of division into two or more research fields that evolve as autonomous entities over time; b) ambidextrous drivers of science, the evolution of science via scientific fission is due to scientific discoveries or new technologies; c) new driving research fields, the drivers of scientific disciplines are new research fields rather than old ones; d) science driven by development of general purpose technologies, the evolution of experimental physics and applied sciences is due to the convergence of experimental and theoretical branches of physics associated with the development of computer, information systems and applied computational science. Results also reveal that average duration of the upwave of scientific production in scientific fields supporting experimental physics is about 80 years. Overall, then, this study begins the process of clarifying and generalizing, as far as possible, some characteristics of the evolutionary dynamics of scientific disciplines that can lay a foundation for the development of comprehensive properties explaining the evolution of science as a whole for supporting fruitful research policy implications directed to advancement of science and technological progress in society.

Suggested Citation

  • Mario Coccia, 2019. "How do scientific disciplines evolve in applied sciences? The properties of scientific fission and ambidextrous scientific drivers," Papers 1911.05363, arXiv.org.
    • Handle: RePEc:arx:papers:1911.05363
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://arxiv.org/pdf/1911.05363
    File Function: Latest version
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Mario Coccia & Greta Falavigna & Alessandro Manello, 2015. "The impact of hybrid public and market-oriented financing mechanisms on the scientific portfolio and performances of public research labs: a scientometric analysis," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 102(1), pages 151-168, January.
    2. Rosenberg, Nathan, 1974. "Science, Invention and Economic Growth," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 84(333), pages 90-108, March.
    3. Richard Nelson, 1962. "The Link Between Science and Invention: The Case of the Transistor," NBER Chapters, in: The Rate and Direction of Inventive Activity: Economic and Social Factors, pages 549-584, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    4. Fernanda Morillo & María Bordons & Isabel Gómez, 2003. "Interdisciplinarity in science: A tentative typology of disciplines and research areas," Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 54(13), pages 1237-1249, November.
    5. E. C. M. Noyons & A. F. J. van Raan, 1998. "Monitoring scientific developments from a dynamic perspective: Self‐organized structuring to map neural network research," Journal of the American Society for Information Science, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 49(1), pages 68-81.
    6. Coccia, Mario & Wang, Lili, 2015. "Path-breaking directions of nanotechnology-based chemotherapy and molecular cancer therapy," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 155-169.
    7. Kevin W. Boyack & Richard Klavans & Katy Börner, 2005. "Mapping the backbone of science," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 64(3), pages 351-374, August.
    8. Anthony F. J. van Raan, 2000. "On Growth, Ageing, and Fractal Differentiation of Science," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 47(2), pages 347-362, February.
    9. Ruttan, Vernon W., 2006. "Is War Necessary for Economic Growth?: Military Procurement and Technology Development," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780195188042.
    10. Souzanchi Kashani, Ebrahim & Roshani, Saeed, 2019. "Evolution of innovation system literature: Intellectual bases and emerging trends," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 146(C), pages 68-80.
    11. Richard R. Nelson & Paul M. Romer, 1996. "Science, Economic Growth, and Public Policy," Challenge, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 39(1), pages 9-21, January.
    12. Bettencourt, Luís M.A. & Kaiser, David I. & Kaur, Jasleen, 2009. "Scientific discovery and topological transitions in collaboration networks," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 3(3), pages 210-221.
    13. 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.
    14. Mario Coccia, 2005. "Countrymetrics: valutazione della performance economica e tecnologia dei paesi e posizionamento dell’Italia," Rivista Internazionale di Scienze Sociali, Vita e Pensiero, Pubblicazioni dell'Universita' Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, vol. 113(3), pages 377-412.
    15. Jonathan Adams, 2013. "The fourth age of research," Nature, Nature, vol. 497(7451), pages 557-560, May.
    16. Jonathan Adams, 2012. "The rise of research networks," Nature, Nature, vol. 490(7420), pages 335-336, October.
    17. Zhou, Yuan & Dong, Fang & Kong, Dejing & Liu, Yufei, 2019. "Unfolding the convergence process of scientific knowledge for the early identification of emerging technologies," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 144(C), pages 205-220.
    18. Henry Small, 1999. "Visualizing science by citation mapping," Journal of the American Society for Information Science, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 50(9), pages 799-813.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    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. Mario Coccia, 2020. "The evolution of scientific disciplines in applied sciences: dynamics and empirical properties of experimental physics," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 124(1), pages 451-487, July.
    2. Mario Coccia, 2018. "The laws of the evolution of research fields," Papers 1805.03492, arXiv.org.
    3. Mario Coccia, 2018. "Socioeconomic driving forces of scientific research," Papers 1806.05028, arXiv.org.
    4. Mario Coccia, 2018. "General properties of the evolution of research fields: a scientometric study of human microbiome, evolutionary robotics and astrobiology," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 117(2), pages 1265-1283, November.
    5. Mario Coccia & Barry Bozeman, 2016. "Allometric models to measure and analyze the evolution of international research collaboration," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 108(3), pages 1065-1084, September.
    6. Coccia, Mario, 2019. "Why do nations produce science advances and new technology?," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 59(C).
    7. Mario Coccia, 2017. "General purpose technologies in dynamic systems: visual representation and analyses of complex drivers," IRCrES Working Paper 201705, CNR-IRCrES Research Institute on Sustainable Economic Growth - Moncalieri (TO) ITALY - former Institute for Economic Research on Firms and Growth - Torino (TO) ITALY.
    8. Mario Coccia, 2018. "How do public research labs use funding for research? A case study," Papers 1805.11932, arXiv.org.
    9. Ismael Rafols & Alan Porter & Loet Leydesdorff, 2009. "Overlay Maps of Science: a New Tool for Research Policy," SPRU Working Paper Series 179, SPRU - Science Policy Research Unit, University of Sussex Business School.
    10. Mario Coccia, 2017. "The relation between typologies of executive and technological performances of nations," IRCrES Working Paper 201701, CNR-IRCrES Research Institute on Sustainable Economic Growth - Moncalieri (TO) ITALY - former Institute for Economic Research on Firms and Growth - Torino (TO) ITALY.
    11. Coccia, Mario, 2018. "A Theory of the General Causes of Long Waves: War, General Purpose Technologies, and Economic Change," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 128(C), pages 287-295.
    12. Bar-Ilan, Judit, 2008. "Informetrics at the beginning of the 21st century—A review," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 2(1), pages 1-52.
    13. Mario Coccia, 2017. "Disruptive technologies and competitive advantage of firms in dynamic markets," IRCrES Working Paper 201704, CNR-IRCrES Research Institute on Sustainable Economic Growth - Moncalieri (TO) ITALY - former Institute for Economic Research on Firms and Growth - Torino (TO) ITALY.
    14. Zehra Taşkın & Arsev U. Aydinoglu, 2015. "Collaborative interdisciplinary astrobiology research: a bibliometric study of the NASA Astrobiology Institute," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 103(3), pages 1003-1022, June.
    15. Andrea Bonaccorsi & Nicola Melluso & Francesco Alessandro Massucci, 2022. "Exploring the antecedents of interdisciplinarity at the European Research Council: a topic modeling approach," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 127(12), pages 6961-6991, December.
    16. Coccia, Mario, 2015. "General sources of general purpose technologies in complex societies: Theory of global leadership-driven innovation, warfare and human development," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 199-226.
    17. Mario Coccia, 2017. "Measurement of Economic Growth, Development and Under Development: New Model and Application," Papers 1704.05015, arXiv.org.
    18. Keisuke Okamura, 2019. "Interdisciplinarity revisited: evidence for research impact and dynamism," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 5(1), pages 1-9, December.
    19. Wang L. & Coccia M., 2015. "Evolutionary convergence of the patterns of international research collaborations across scientific fields," MERIT Working Papers 2015-011, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    20. Mario Coccia & Matteo Bellitto, 2018. "Critical analysis of human progress: Its negative and positive sides in the late-capitalism," Papers 1804.09550, arXiv.org.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    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:arx:papers:1911.05363. 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: arXiv administrators (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://arxiv.org/ .

    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.