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.
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