Research production and research collaboration in Zimbabwe: A bibliometric study in context
| dc.contributor.advisor | Boshoff, Nelius | en_ZA |
| dc.contributor.author | Ngwenya, Similo | en_ZA |
| dc.contributor.other | CREST | en_ZA |
| dc.contributor.other | Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Centre for Research on Evaluation, Science and Technology (CREST) | en_ZA |
| dc.date | ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Several bibliometric studies on research production and research collaboration in Africa have been carried out. Most of the studies use mainstream bibliographic databases (Scopus and Web of Science [WoS]) as theirmain sourcesfor bibliometric analysis. Such studies rarely apply context explicitly in bibliometric analysis. In addition, the studies almost exclusively use data sets at article level, with articles as the unit of analysis. The studies also typically regard international research collaboration as the most important measure ofinternational research participation in the African research landscape, with little attention to additional measuresadapted to the African context. Finally, existing bibliometric studies on Africa rarely use data from other sources (e.g. surveys or interviews) to reflect on research collaboration. The main goal of this dissertation is to address these limitations within a study on research production andcollaborationin Zimbabwe. To achieve the study goal, aquantitative case study of research production and research collaboration in Zimbabwe was conducted. Two quantitative methods were used to illuminate the specific case: a bibliometric analysis and a web-basedsurvey. Data for the bibliometric analysis were obtained from three bibliographic databases: Scopus, WoS and the National Research Database of Zimbabwe (NRDZ). The NRDZ was added to reflect on the value of using a national research database as an additional bibliometric data source. Although bibliometricsis useful for profiling research collaboration in Zimbabwe, it cannot capture the full range of social dynamics experienced by researchers. Therefore, a web-basedsurvey was conducted to explore other aspects and experiences of research collaboration in order to provide more depth and context to the bibliometric analysis. A database of published researchers (obtained from the bibliometric database) and potentially research-active researchers(obtained from institutionalwebsites) was compiled and used to create a distribution list for the web-basedsurvey. Patterns of research production andresearch collaboration of Zimbabwean organisations in the different national sectors and fields, and within four socio-political periods (the context), were profiled. The study also converted an article database into a database of article authors. This enabled the identification of theZimbabwean research workforce. Not only have the research workforcebeen identified, but also the collaboration patterns of such researchers (article authors). The author level analysis made possible a comparison between the percentagesof articles with research collaboration and the percentages of article authors involved in research collaboration. A comparison of research workers in Zimbabwe (as bibliometrically identified) with external information about the number of researchers in Zimbabwe provided additionalinsights.The study’s results have the potential to enrich further bibliometric studies on research collaboration in Africa. It introduced the notionof ‘international national organisations’(INOs), which is a new way of measuring international participation in Africa's research. It has also developed a new classification framework of types of authorship that accommodates the phenomenon of INOs as a form of international research participation. This framework not only accommodates the phenomenon of INOs, but can also be used in other bibliometric studies on research collaboration to studyauthors with dual international affiliations. However, the study’s most important contribution is the integration of two mainstream bibliographic databases (Scopus and WoS) to create a new database of Zimbabwean articles, and its supplementation with articles from the NRDZ. Accordingly, recommendations with a view to both further study and research policywere made. | en_ZA |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2021-02-26T10:41:58Z | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2021-04-21T14:34:54Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2021-02-26T10:41:58Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2021-04-21T14:34:54Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2021-03 | |
| dc.description | Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2021. | en_ZA |
| dc.description.abstract | ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Several bibliometric studies on research production and research collaboration in Africa have been carried out. Most of the studies use mainstream bibliographic databases (Scopus and Web of Science [WoS]) as theirmain sourcesfor bibliometric analysis. Such studies rarely apply context explicitly in bibliometric analysis. In addition, the studies almost exclusively use data sets at article level, with articles as the unit of analysis. The studies also typically regard international research collaboration as the most important measure ofinternational research participation in the African research landscape, with little attention to additional measuresadapted to the African context. Finally, existing bibliometric studies on Africa rarely use data from other sources (e.g. surveys or interviews) to reflect on research collaboration. The main goal of this dissertation is to address these limitations within a study on research production andcollaborationin Zimbabwe. To achieve the study goal, aquantitative case study of research production and research collaboration in Zimbabwe was conducted. Two quantitative methods were used to illuminate the specific case: a bibliometric analysis and a web-basedsurvey. Data for the bibliometric analysis were obtained from three bibliographic databases: Scopus, WoS and the National Research Database of Zimbabwe (NRDZ). The NRDZ was added to reflect on the value of using a national research database as an additional bibliometric data source. Although bibliometricsis useful for profiling research collaboration in Zimbabwe, it cannot capture the full range of social dynamics experienced by researchers. Therefore, a web-basedsurvey was conducted to explore other aspects and experiences of research collaboration in order to provide more depth and context to the bibliometric analysis. A database of published researchers (obtained from the bibliometric database) and potentially research-active researchers(obtained from institutionalwebsites) was compiled and used to create a distribution list for the web-basedsurvey. Patterns of research production andresearch collaboration of Zimbabwean organisations in the different national sectors and fields, and within four socio-political periods (the context), were profiled. The study also converted an article database into a database of article authors. This enabled the identification of theZimbabwean research workforce. Not only have the research workforcebeen identified, but also the collaboration patterns of such researchers (article authors). The author level analysis made possible a comparison between the percentagesof articles with research collaboration and the percentages of article authors involved in research collaboration. A comparison of research workers in Zimbabwe (as bibliometrically identified) with external information about the number of researchers in Zimbabwe provided additionalinsights.The study’s results have the potential to enrich further bibliometric studies on research collaboration in Africa. It introduced the notionof ‘international national organisations’(INOs), which is a new way of measuring international participation in Africa's research. It has also developed a new classification framework of types of authorship that accommodates the phenomenon of INOs as a form of international research participation. This framework not only accommodates the phenomenon of INOs, but can also be used in other bibliometric studies on research collaboration to studyauthors with dual international affiliations. However, the study’s most important contribution is the integration of two mainstream bibliographic databases (Scopus and WoS) to create a new database of Zimbabwean articles, and its supplementation with articles from the NRDZ. Accordingly, recommendations with a view to both further study and research policywere made. | en_ZA |
| dc.description.abstract | AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Verskeie bibliometriese studies oor navorsingsproduksie en navorsingsamewerking in Afrika is reeds uitgevoer. Die meeste van die studies gebruik hoofstroom bibliografiese databasisse (Scopus en ‘Web of Science’[WoS]) asdie belangrikste bron vir bibliometriese analise. Sodanige studiespas ookselde konteks eksplisiet toe in die bibliometriese analise. Daarby maak diestudies feitlik uitsluitlik gebruik van datastelle op artikelvlak,met artikels as die eenheid van analise. Die studies beskouook internasionale navorsingsamewerking as die belangrikste maatstaf vir internasionale navorsingsdeelname in die Afrika-navorsingslandskap, met min aandag aan addisionele maatstawwewat aangepas is vir die Afrika-konteks. Laastens gebruikbestaande bibliometriese studies oor Afrika selde data van ander bronne (bv. opnames of onderhoude) om oor navorsingsamewerking te besin. Die hoofdoel van hierdie proefskrif is om hierdie beperkings van bibliometriese studiesbinne die konteks van ’n studie oor navorsingsproduksie en -samewerking inZimbabwe aan te spreek. ’n Kwantitatiewe gevallestudie van navorsingsproduksie en navorsingsamewerking in Zimbabwe is uitgevoer ten eindedie studiedoel te bereik. Tweekwantitatiewe metodes is gebruik om diespesifieke gevalte belig:’n bibliometriese analise en ’n webopname. Data vir die bibliometriese analise is verkry uit drie bibliografiese databasisse: Scopus, WoS en die Nasionale Navorsingsdatabasis vanZimbabwe (NNZ). Die NNZis bygevoeg om te besin oor die waarde van die gebruik van ’n nasionalenavorsingsdatabasis as ’n addisionele bibliometriese databron. Alhoewel die bibliometriese metode nuttig is vir die profilering van navorsingsamewerking in Zimbabwe, kandit nie die volle omvang van sosiale dinamika wat navorsers ervaar, vaslê nie. Daaromis ’n webopname gedoen om ander aspekte en ervarings van navorsingsamewerking te verken ten einde meerdiepte en konteks aan die bibliometriese analise te verleen. ’nDatabasis van gepubliseerde navorsers (verkry uit die bibliometriese databasis) en potensieel navorsingsaktiewe wetenskaplikes (verkry vanaf institusionele webwerwe) is saamgestel en gebruik om ’n verspreidingslys vir die webopname te skep. ivOPSOMMINGVerskeie bibliometriese studies oor navorsingsproduksie en navorsingsamewerking in Afrika is reeds uitgevoer. Die meeste van die studies gebruik hoofstroom bibliografiese databasisse (Scopus en ‘Web of Science’[WoS]) asdie belangrikste bron vir bibliometriese analise. Sodanige studiespas ookselde konteks eksplisiet toe in die bibliometriese analise. Daarby maak diestudies feitlik uitsluitlik gebruik van datastelle op artikelvlak,met artikels as die eenheid van analise. Die studies beskouook internasionale navorsingsamewerking as die belangrikste maatstaf vir internasionale navorsingsdeelname in die Afrika-navorsingslandskap, met min aandag aan addisionele maatstawwewat aangepas is vir die Afrika-konteks. Laastens gebruikbestaande bibliometriese studies oor Afrika selde data van ander bronne (bv. opnames of onderhoude) om oor navorsingsamewerking te besin. Die hoofdoel van hierdie proefskrif is om hierdie beperkings van bibliometriese studiesbinne die konteks van ’n studie oor navorsingsproduksie en -samewerking inZimbabwe aan te spreek.’n Kwantitatiewe gevallestudie van navorsingsproduksie en navorsingsamewerking in Zimbabwe is uitgevoer ten eindedie studiedoel te bereik. Tweekwantitatiewe metodes is gebruik om diespesifieke gevalte belig:’n bibliometriese analise en ’n webopname. Data vir die bibliometriese analise is verkry uit drie bibliografiese databasisse: Scopus, WoS en die Nasionale Navorsingsdatabasis vanZimbabwe (NNZ). Die NNZis bygevoeg om te besin oor die waarde van die gebruik van ’n nasionalenavorsingsdatabasis as ’n addisionele bibliometriese databron. Alhoewel die bibliometriese metode nuttig is vir die profilering van navorsingsamewerking in Zimbabwe, kandit nie die volle omvang van sosiale dinamika wat navorsers ervaar, vaslê nie. Daaromis ’n webopname gedoen om ander aspekte en ervarings van navorsingsamewerking te verken ten einde meerdiepte en konteks aan die bibliometriese analise te verleen. ’nDatabasis van gepubliseerde navorsers (verkry uit die bibliometriese databasis) en potensieel navorsingsaktiewe wetenskaplikes (verkry vanaf institusionele webwerwe) is saamgestel en gebruik om ’n verspreidingslys vir die webopname te skep.Die patrone van navorsingsuitsette en die patrone van navorsingsamewerking van Zimbabwiese organisasies in die verskillende nasionale sektore en velde, en ook binne vier sosio-politieke tydperke(konteks), is geprofileer. Die studie het ook ’n artikeldatabasis omgeskakel in ’n databasis van artikelouteurs. Dit het die identifikasie van navorsingswerkers inZimbabwe moontlik gemaak. Nie net is die navorsingswerkersgeïdentifiseer nie, maar ook die samewerkingspatronevan navorsers. Die outeursvlakanalise het ’n vergelyking moontlik gemaak tussen die persentasie van artikels met navorsingsamewerking en die persentasies van artikelouteurswat by navorsingsamewerking betrokke is. ’nVergelykingvan navorsingswerkers in Zimbabwe (soos bibliometries geïdentifiseer) meteksterne inligting omtrent die getalnavorsersin Zimbabwe, het verdereinsigte gelewer.Die studie se resultate hetdie potensiaal om verdere bibliometriese studies oor navorsingsamewerking in Afrika te verryk. Dit het die verskynsel van ‘internasionale nasionale organisasies’(INO’s) bekendgestel, wat ’n nuwe manier is om internasionale deelname aan Afrika se navorsingte meet. Dit het ook ’n nuwe klassifikasieraamwerk van tipes outeurskapontwikkel wat die verskynsel van INO’s as ’n vorm van internasionale navorsingsdeelname akkommodeer. Dit raamwerk akkommodeer nie net die verskynsel van INO’s nie, maar kan ook gebruik word in ander bibliometriese studies oor navorsingsamewerking om outeurs met dubbele internasionale verbintenisse te identifiseer. Die studie se belangrikste bydrae is egter die integrasie vantwee hoofstroom bibliografiese databasisse (Scopus en WoS) om ’n nuwe databasis van Zimbabwiese artikels te skep, en die aanvullingdaarvan met artikels uit die NNZ. Daarvolgens kan aanbevelings gemaak met die oog op beide verdere studie en navorsingsbeleid. | af_ZA |
| dc.description.version | Doctoral | en_ZA |
| dc.format.extent | 472 pages | en_ZA |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/109981 | |
| dc.language.iso | en_ZA | en_ZA |
| dc.publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University | en_ZA |
| dc.rights.holder | Stellenbosch University | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Research management | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | UCTD | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Bibliometrics | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Data analysis (Quantitative research) | en_ZA |
| dc.title | Research production and research collaboration in Zimbabwe: A bibliometric study in context | en_ZA |
| dc.type | Thesis | en_ZA |