Not Just Large: Tall Teams Dominate East Asia's Scientific Production

TL;DR

This study analyzes the dominance of tall scientific teams in East Asia, linking team hierarchy patterns to cultural and funding factors through a cross-national comparison of 150,817 publications.

Contribution

It provides the first systematic comparison of team hierarchy structures across countries, emphasizing the role of cultural and funding influences in East Asia.

Findings

East Asian scientific output is dominated by tall teams.

Cultural factors like Power Distance correlate with tall team dominance.

Funding patterns of major science agencies are associated with team hierarchy.

Abstract

Purpose: This study compares the hierarchical structure of scientific teams across countries and investigates factors associated with the observed cross-national differences. Design/methodology/approach: Drawing on 150,817 publications with author contribution statements, we focus on the 15 countries with the largest volume of scientific publications, examine cross-country variations in the proportion of tall teams, and analyze how this proportion correlates with other factors. Findings: Scientific output from East Asia is dominated by tall teams, which persist after controlling for team size, indicating that this pattern cannot be fully accounted for by the prevalence of larger teams in these countries. Cultural factors, measured by Power Distance, as well as the observed funding patterns of major basic science agencies, are associated with the dominance of tall teams in East Asia. Research limitations: This study is limited by its reliance on publications with author contribution statements, which may introduce selection bias; its focus on cultural and funding factors, while leaving other institutional contexts unexamined; and its use of a leadership concentration measure that does not capture other dimensions of hierarchy. Practical implications: Understanding cross-national differences in research team structures and their associated cultural and institutional factors can inform science policy and team management. Originality/value: This study provides a systematic cross-national comparison of team hierarchy and offers a mechanistic understanding of the dominance of tall teams in East Asia, highlighting associations with cultural and funding factors.