LIRNEasia » internet presence

LIRNEasia research published in the ITID journal: Spring 2008 issue

Nirmali Sivapragasam — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 03:51:10 +0000

A research report entitled, ‘Internet Presence as Knowledge Capacity: The Case of Research in Information and Communication Technology Infrastructure Reform’, authored by Sujata Gamage and Rohan Samarajiva has been published in the Information Technologies and International Development (ITID) journal (Spring 2008). The full report is available online; an abstract follows:

Abstract:
Knowledge is an important driver of development. As the production and dissemination of knowledge become increasingly mediated by the Internet, the Internet presence and connectivity of researchers are becoming more valid than the conventionally used publication- and citation-based indicators. This
article presents a methodology that includes the use of the Google Scholar search engine to locate knowledgeable individuals in Asia in a policy-relevant field, paying particular attention to locating researchers in developing countries or in nonacademic settings in Asia. Internet presence is not a guarantee
of quality. Increasingly sophisticaticated search engines offer viable means of assessing research quality and enable us to measure the connectivity of researchers on the Internet. Although the focus of the research is information and communication technology infrastructure reform in East, Southeast, and South Asia, the method can be used to assess knowledge capacity and locate knowledgeable individuals in any field.

Usability of University Research in the Internet Age

sujata — Fri, 27 Oct 2006 06:49:24 +0000

Creation of new knowledge by universities is typically assessed in terms of publications and citations in scholarly venues, and the same measures are used to assess capacity for future contributions. As the production and dissemination of knowledge becomes increasingly mediated by the Internet, the Internet presence of researchers is becoming a more valid and relevant measure of knowledge capacity than the conventionally used publication and citation data. This article proposes a methodology that includes the use of the scholar.google.com search engine to supplement the conventional indices for knowledge capacity in a policy-relevant field of knowledge. The methodology addresses presence as well as validation. The proposed approach is explicated through a study of Information and Communication Technology infrastructure reform relevant knowledge capacity in East, South East and South Asia. University research is viewed within the context of the larger body of knowledge available to users over the Internet and a greater usability of university research through a higher Internet presence is stressed.

From Capacity to Presence: Enhancing the Usability of University Research in the Internet Age (PDF format, 112Kb)

Internet Presence of Telecom Researchers

sujata — Mon, 06 Feb 2006 04:02:55 +0000

Knowledge capacity is typically measured in terms of the ‘productivity’ of researchers. In a paper accepted for publication in Information Technology for International Development (ITID_1.pdf) Gamage and Samarajiva argue that researchers need to pay attention to their ‘internet presence’ and ‘connectivity’ as well. The argument is supported by data on researchers on telecom reform from Asia as found in the social science citation index and scholar.google. The focus of this paper is on ‘presence’. ‘Connectivity’ will be addressed in detail in another paper.

Paper on Internet Presence of Telecom Researchers