The Scientometrics of a Triple Helix of University-Industry-Government Relations

TL;DR

This paper explores the complex relationships between universities, industry, and government in knowledge production, emphasizing external social contexts and their impact on economic development and regional differences.

Contribution

It distinguishes between internal and external differentiations in science and technology, highlighting the role of external social relations and statistical methods in understanding these dynamics.

Findings

External social relations influence knowledge spill-over effects.

Institutional arrangements support cognitive developments in a knowledge economy.

Relations vary significantly across nations and regions.

Abstract

We distinguish between an internal differentiation of science and technology that focuses on instrumentalities and an external differentiation in terms of the relations of the knowledge production process to other social domains, notably governance and industry. The external contexts bring into play indicators and statistical techniques other than publications, patents, and citations. Using regression analysis, for example, one can examine the importance of knowledge and knowledge spill-over for economic development. The relations can be expected to vary among nations and regions. The field-specificity of changes is emphasized as a major driver of the research agenda. In a knowledge-based economy, institutional arrangements can be considered as support structures for cognitive developments.