The Impact of Information Technology on Academic Scientists' Productivity and Collaboration Patterns

This study investigates the impact of information technology (IT) on productivity and collaboration patterns in academe. Our data combine information on the diffusion of two noteworthy innovations in IT-BITNET and the Domain Name System (DNS)-with career-history data on research-active life scientis...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Management science 2010-09, Vol.56 (9), p.1439-1461
Main Authors: Ding, Waverly W., Levin, Sharon G., Stephan, Paula E., Winkler, Anne E.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Academic profession
Access to materials
Applied sciences
Biological sciences
Collaboration
diffusion
Domain name system
Economic aspects
Effects
Employment
Exact sciences and technology
Firm modelling
Gender
Hypotheses
Impact analysis
Information technology
innovation
Innovations
Inventory control, production control. Distribution
Knowledge
Knowledge management
Life sciences
Management science
Methods
Operational research and scientific management
Operational research. Management science
Productivity
professional labor markets
Reliability theory. Replacement problems
Research universities
Scholarly publishing
Scientists
Skills
Studies
Teamwork
Technological change
Technological innovation
technology
Technology application
U.S.A
Universities
Universities and colleges
University research
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Summary:This study investigates the impact of information technology (IT) on productivity and collaboration patterns in academe. Our data combine information on the diffusion of two noteworthy innovations in IT-BITNET and the Domain Name System (DNS)-with career-history data on research-active life scientists. We analyzed a random sample of 3,114 research-active life scientists from 314 U.S. institutions over a 25-year period and find that the availability of BITNET on a scientist's campus has a positive effect on his or her productivity and collaborative network. Our findings also support the hypothesis of a differential effect of IT across subgroups of the scientific labor force. Women scientists and those working at nonelite institutions benefit more from the availability of IT in terms of overall research output and an increase in the number of new coauthors they work with than do men or individuals at elite institutions. These results suggest that IT is an equalizing force, providing a greater boost to productivity and more collaboration opportunities for scientists who are more marginally positioned in academe.
ISSN:0025-1909
1526-5501
DOI:10.1287/mnsc.1100.1195