Social network analysis and data visualization of MIS international collaboration in Taiwan

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to apply social network analysis (SNA) to study faculty research productivity, to identify key leaders, to study publication keywords and research areas and to visualize international collaboration patterns and analyze collaboration research fields from all Management Information System (MIS) departments in Taiwan from 1982 to 2015.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors first retrieved results encompassing about 1,766 MIS professors and their publication records between 1982 and 2015 from the Ministry of Science and Technology of Taiwan (MOST) website. Next, the authors merged these publication records with the records obtained from the Web of Science, Google Scholar, IEEE Xplore, ScienceDirect, Airiti Library and Springer Link databases. The authors further applied six network centrality equations, leadership index, exponential weighted moving average (EWMA), contribution value and k-means clustering algorithms to analyze the collaboration patterns, research productivity and publication patterns. Finally, the authors applied D3.js to visualize the faculty members' international collaborations from all MIS departments in Taiwan.

Findings

The authors have first identified important scholars or leaders in the network. The authors also see that most MIS scholars in Taiwan tend to publish their papers in the journals such as Decision Support Systems and Information and Management. The authors have further figured out the significant scholars who have actively collaborated with academics in other countries. Furthermore, the authors have recognized the universities that have frequent collaboration with other international universities. The United States, China, Canada and the United Kingdom are the countries that have the highest numbers of collaborations with Taiwanese academics. Lastly, the keywords model, system and algorithm were the most common terms used in recent years.

Originality/value

This study applied SNA to visualize international research collaboration patterns and has revealed some salient characteristics of international cooperation trends and patterns, leadership networks and influences and research productivity for faculty in Information Management departments in Taiwan from 1982 to 2015. In addition, the authors have discovered the most common keywords used in recent years.

Factors associated with faculty participation in research activities in dental schools

BACKGROUND

To quantify participation in dental research activities in Malaysia, and investigate its association with socio-demographic and professional characteristics, and perceptions of research and development (R&D) culture.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Dental academics in Malaysian dental schools were invited to complete a questionnaire by email and post. The survey comprised questions on research activities in the past 12 months, socio-demographic and professional characteristics, and the R&D Culture Index. Principal components factor analysis was carried out to confirm the factor structure of the R&D Culture Index. Chi-square test was used to identify association of research activities with R&D culture, and socio-demographic and professional characteristics. Binary logistic regression was carried to identify predicators of research activities.

RESULTS

Of 256 potential participants contacted, 128 (50%) useable responses were returned. Three R&D Culture factors accounting for 57.4% of variance were extracted. More positive perception of R&D Support was associated with Malaysians (0.025) and those employed in Government schools (0.017). R&D Skills and Aptitude were associated with older respondents (0.050), PhD qualification (0.014) and more years in academia (0.014). R&D Intention was associated with any of the socio-demographic characteristics. Thirty (23.4%) respondents reported a peer-review research publication in the past 12 months, which was associated with having a PhD (OR 12.79, CI 1.28-127.96), after adjustment in regression analyses.

DISCUSSION

Postgraduate research training should be encouraged to promote participation in research activities. R&D culture did not appear to impact on research productivity. Other factors such as individual attitudinal interests should be studied.

A nationwide study of the influence of faculty development programs on colleague relationships

PURPOSE

Academic colleague relationships (CRs) promote career development and professional advancement. Some primary care faculty development programs (FDPs) have begun to examine their influence on enrollees' colleague development. Using a nationwide sampling, the authors examined the effects of FDPs on the formation and benefits of enrollees' academic CRs.

METHOD

The authors conducted a retrospective, cross-sectional study in two phases, each relying on written questionnaires. In phase one, program details and enrollee rosters were provided by directors at FDPs funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, from 1994 through 1997. In phase two, family medicine physicians enrolled during these years provided feedback on their socialization skills and formation of relationships with career-supportive colleagues (mentors, peers, and academic consultants), as well as academic achievements and products these colleagues aid.

RESULTS

Of the 52 directors, 37 (71%) provided FDP information and enrollee rosters. Of the 543 enrollees, 351 (65%) reported initiating or strengthening an average of nine CRs due to program participation: three peers, two mentors, one academic consultant, and three additional colleagues perceived available for future career support. Colleague gains were positively associated with academic socialization. Colleagues actively assisted with academic achievements and products, and provided links to networks of regional and national scholars.

CONCLUSION

FDPs help enrollees build career-important relationships with peers, mentors, and academic consultants who enhance socialization skills and contribute to academic advancement.

Gender and research productivity in US and Canadian schools of dentistry. A preliminary investigation

The purpose of this study was to evaluate individual faculty research productivity with respect to gender among clinical faculty in 66 United States and Canadian schools of dentistry. A comprehensive survey instrument was developed to collect information on factors associated with research productivity of individual faculty. The present investigation focused on time spent per week in various work related activities (teaching, administration, research, and private practice), external grant money obtained for research, and responses to 12 variables evaluating the subject's perceptions of their research background, work environment, attitude and outcome effects from publishing, and the use of colleagues in conducting research. The 833 respondents represented a response rate of 69.4% (833/1200) from a 50% stratified random sample of faculty who (1) had full-time appointments and held at least the DMD or DDS degree or the foreign equivalent, (2) taught in a clinical department of the dental school, and (3) were not departmental chairpersons or administrators. The majority of subjects responding to the survey were male (705 males, 84.6%; 128 females, 15.4%). Respondents reported a mean of 10.3 years (males = 10.8, females = 7.5) in full-time dental education and a mean of 10.1 career publications (males = 11.6, females = 6.5; P < 0.001). Although there was no significant difference in weekly hours devoted to academic responsibilities between males and females, several factors did demonstrate significant gender differences (external grant money obtained for research purposes, P < 0.03; feeling that the departmental chair did not emphasize research, P < 0.05; feeling a lack of autonomy within their institution, P < 0.007; and feeling a lack of available colleagues for research purposes, P < 0.001). The implications of the findings are discussed concerning strategies for improving research productivity for females in academic dentistry.

Attitudinal factors associated with individual faculty research productivity in academic dentistry

The purpose of this study was to examine attitudinal factors associated with increased research productivity of individual clinical faculty in 66 United States and Canadian schools of dentistry. Thirteen variables, evaluating the subjects' perceptions of their research background, work environment, attitude and outcome effects from publishing, and the use of colleagues in conducting research, were evaluated. The 833 respondents represented a response rate of 64.9% (833/1200) from a 50% stratified random sample of faculty who (1) had full-time appointments and held at least the D.M.D. or D.D.S. degree or the foreign equivalent, (2) taught in a clinical department of the dental school, and (3) were not departmental chairpersons or administrators (assistant dean, associate dean, or dean). Respondents reported a mean of 10.3 yr. (range = 1 to 45, SD = 7.3) in full-time dental education (career age) and a mean of 10.1 career publications (range = 0 to 110, SD = 13.8). Analysis of variance for mean number of career publications, by increasing agreement in response to each attitudinal variable, yielded a significant positive association for each of the 13 attitudinal variables. Implications of the findings were discussed with respect to strategies for improving research productivity of individual faculty.

Relationship between career age and research productivity for academic dentists

The purpose of this investigation was to assess the effects of aging (career age) and research performance for full-time clinical dental faculty. The 489 respondents represented a response rate of 71.3% from a 40% stratified random sample of faculty. Respondents reported a mean number of years in full-time dental education of 10.7 (range = 1 to 45, SD = 7.7) and mean number of career publications of 11.1 (range = 0 to 110, SD = 15.2). A significant positive association of career age and life-time research productivity was observed. A significant positive association of career age and mean two-year research productivity was also noted. Implications of the findings were discussed with respect to similar studies reported for other academic disciplines.