Template-type: ReDif-Paper 1.0 
Author-Name: Confraria, Hugo
Author-Email: confraria@merit.unu.edu
Author-workplace-name: UNU‐MERIT, Maastricht University
Author-Name: Godinho, Manuel
Author-Email: mgodinho@iseg.ulisboa.pt
Author-workplace-name: Lisbon School of Economics and Management, University of Lisbon
Author-Name: Wang, Lili
Author-Email: wang@merit.unu.edu
Author-workplace-name: UNU‐MERIT, Maastricht University
Title: Determinants of citation impact: A comparative analysis of the Global South 
	 versus the Global North
Abstract: The impact of the scientific output produced by different nations in 
	 different fields varies extensively. In this article, we apply 
	 bibliometric and econometric analysis to identify which countries are 
	 producing research with relatively higher scientific influence, and to 
	 understand what factors lead to higher citation impact. We focus 
	 specifically on the Global South because countries in this group are 
	 starting to converge in terms of output with the Global North. We find 
	 that previous citation impact, level of international collaboration and 
	 total publications in a specific scientific field are important 
	 determinants of citation impact among all nations. Yet, specialisation 
	 in particular scientific fields seems significantly more important in 
	 the Global South than in the Global North. We propose possible 
	 explanations for the patterns found and derive some policy implications.
Keywords: Science, Global South, Development, Research policy, Bibliometrics,
	 Scientific impact, Citation impact
Classification-JEL: O38, O39, O57 
Series: UNU-MERIT Working Papers
Creation-Date: 20160519
Number: 2016-029
File-URL: https://unu-merit.nl/publications/wppdf/2016/wp2016-029.pdf
File-Format: application/pdf
File-Size: 275 kb
Handle: RePEc:unm:unumer:2016029