Publication

Moving from Periphery to Core in Scientific Networks: Evidence from European Inter-Regional Collaborations, 1999-2007

Valérie MERINDOL, Lorenzo CASSI, Emilie-Pauline GALLIE, Agenor LAHATTE

This paper provides an original framework for investigating scientific collaboration networks at European regional level. Is European scientific area an integrated system? Are the European regions organized around a core? Which are the determinants explaining the transition of region from periphery towards a core position? To answer these questions, the evolution of eight different scientific discipline networks from 1999 to 2007 is taken into account. For each of these networks, we perform a core-periphery and, given the transition matrices, we identify those regions which are able to move over time from a peripheral position to a more central one. A final exercise investigates the determinants of this transition. We conclude that fostering specialization in some discipline is the main explanation of why a regions is able to reach a more central position; moreover, once specialized in a domain, this could allow the region to benefit of a virtuous circle: increasing the overall number of publication and making a greater effort in science-based activities allow the region to become a core member also in other scientific domains

Publication type: 
Academic communication
Date de parution: 
01/2013