Information-Sharing in Academia and the Industry: A Comparative Study

54 Pages Posted: 14 Aug 2010

Multiple version iconThere are 2 versions of this paper

Date Written: July 17, 2010

Abstract

This paper investigates how scientists decide whether to share information with their colleagues or not. Detailed data on the decisions of 1,694 bio-scientists allow detecting similarities and differences between academia-based and industry-based scientists. Arguments from social capital theory are applied to explain why individuals share information even at personal cost. In both realms, the results suggest that the likelihood of sharing decreases with the competitive value of the requested information. Factors related to social capital - expected reciprocity and the extent to which a scientist’s community conforms to open science - either directly affect information-sharing or moderate competitive interest considerations.

Keywords: Information-Sharing, Social Capital, Reciprocity, Open Science, Bio-Sciences, IP Protection Mechanisms

JEL Classification: D21, D03, L2, D02, D8, Z1

Suggested Citation

Haeussler, Carolin, Information-Sharing in Academia and the Industry: A Comparative Study (July 17, 2010). Research Policy, Forthcoming, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1658439

Carolin Haeussler (Contact Author)

University of Passau ( email )

Innstrasse 27
Passau, 94032
Germany

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