دانلود رایگان مقاله آیا اولویت اصلی در علم وجود دارد؟ رفتار پیشگام و تولید علمی در فناوری نانو

abstract

This article investigates whether pioneers in a research field have a sustainable first mover advantage in publications. Combining bibliometric (publications, citations, co-authorship) with survey data on 495 nanotechnology researchers, we analyzed career attributes, professional context and production overtime. Our econometric estimates highlight two main results. First, pioneering behavior is not exogenous: it is more probable among scientists who are already established in their “mother-discipline” (before entering nanotechnology), have a strong collaboration network, and have easy access to field-specific resources. Second, even after controlling for the endogeneity of entry timing, we find a strong first mover advantage: pioneers in the emerging field exhibit significantly higher scientific production in that field in the long run.

5. Discussion and conclusion

This article analyses whether first movers in research have a sustainable competitive advantage in publications. Literature points to both positive and negative effects of pioneering research. Moreover, entry timing seems to be a strategic and then endogenous variable. Finally, though the first mover effect has been largely studied in marketing and management science, no consensus has emerged regarding the existence of a first mover advantage in research. Using an original database that combines bibliometric data and a survey of French nanotechnology scientists, we thus analyze (1) whether the pioneer status is endogenous and (2) the impact of being a first mover on future production.