Spatial Aspects of Knowledge Networks: The Case of Scientific Collaboration at a Distance

Abstract

Scientific collaboration as revealed by joint authorship of articles appears to be growing rapidly (de Solla Price (1963) p. 88; Andersson A. E. On the one hand, the technical possibilities have improved: cheap and easy air travel and the fax machine. On the other hand, the growth of scientific activity has created more instances of individuals focusing on the same question. Rather than race each other, they prefer to collaborate, for rational reasons: in lists of publications, the articles are not always discounted for co-authorship. In fact, willingness and ability to collaborate may throw a favourable light on a scientist. A formal analysis of decision-making in scientific collaboration is made below.