Effective International Research Collaboration: Being a Strong Partner Matters More Than Finding One

- International joint research does not guarantee synergy through collaboration alone

- Customized cooperation strategies required based on national capability gaps and defined roles

□  The Korea Institute of Science and Technology Information (President Sik Lee, hereafter KISTI) announced the publication of a report titled "Conditions for Synergy Effects in Data-Driven International Research Collaboration" (Data Insight, Vol. 58). This report provides an in-depth analysis of the outcomes of international research collaborations. International research collaboration has long been utilized as a key mechanism for strengthening research capabilities and expanding global networks.

○ This report challenges the conventional assumption that international joint research is inherently effective when conducted at the state level.

○ While the outcomes of international joint research can manifest as synergy compared to the capabilities of the participating nations, the report also analyzes the potential for these collaborations to result in "knowledge outflow" or the "Ringelmann effect."

○ To this end, the report examines the conditions under which synergy effects emerge in international joint research and the factors that maximize their magnitude, focus ing on three core hypotheses.

※ The Ringelmann Effect: A phenomenon where the performance of a group does not increase in proportion to the sum of individual capabilities as more members join (the opposite of synergy). Originating from the rope-pulling experiments of German psychologist Max Ringelmann, it describes collaborative outcomes that fall short of the sum of individual potentials (Ingham et al., 1974).

□ The first hypothesis states that, "If joint research with a partner country was effective, the outcome should exceed the combined capabilities of both nations."

○ According to previous studies, international joint research outcomes receive relatively higher visibility (Katz & Martin, 1997) and exert greater influence than purely domestic papers (Collet et al., 2014; Lariviere et al., 2015; Sugimoto et al., 2017; Wagner et al., 2019; Dusdal et al., 2021).

○ However, the report's analysis reveals that it is difficult to expect synergy effects from international joint research through the mere act of collaboration alone.

[Figure 1] Annual shifts in the proportion of the three baseline effects in U.S.–China joint research outcomes

○  An analysis of U.S.–China joint research based on sub-categories showed that the proportion of outcomes demonstrating synergy expanded from 61.3% in 2008 to 91.3% in 2018. This expansion is analyzed to be driven by a narrowing capability gap between the two nations.

○ However, in 2023, the proportion of synergy effects decreased to 85.8%. This limitation demonstrates that the manifestation of synergy cannot be explained solely by a reduction in national capability gaps.

□ To explain instances where the first hypothesis does not hold, the second hypothesis posits that "When a knowledge outflow phase occurs instead of a synergy effect, the capability gap between the “Teacher” country and the “Student” country is substantial." Based on this, the report analyzes the impact of capability gaps on the manifestation of synergy.

[Table 1] Tendencies based on the capability gap between Teacher and Student countries

○ Notably, whether synergy effects manifest depends not only on the size of the capability gap but also on which nation assumes the role of the "Teacher" country.

○ This implies that even at identical capability levels, the realization of synergy can vary depending on the specific country.

□ The third hypothesis moves beyond the mere presence of synergy to analyze the factors influencing the level of excellence (magnitude) in joint research outcomes. In this process, the perspectives of the "Teacher" country and the "Student" country were analyzed separately.

[Table 2] Conditions for excellent joint research outcomes based on country perspective

○ Generally, excellent outcomes in joint research are expected to occur when both the Teacher and Student countries possess high research capabilities.

○ However, when analyzed by separating each country's positioning, the tendencies of Teacher and Student countries proved to be contradictory.

□ Dr. Seung-Pyo Jun, Principal Researcher at the KISTI Global R&D Data Analysis Center, stated, "By utilizing the Web of Science database refined and constructed by the KISTI Global R&D Data Analysis Center, we analyzed the academic outcomes of international cooperation between the United States and China. The results confirm that synergy in international joint research is not automatically derived."

○ He further noted, "Collaboration between countries with small capability gaps showed a high probability of generating synergy and tended to be achieved relatively easily. In contrast, high-quality joint research outcomes that go beyond simple synergy were achieved only when the research capabilities of both nations were exceptionally high. 

○ Therefore, before engaging in international cooperation to elevate research standards, it is vital to secure sufficient domestic capabilities first. Based on this, synergy can be expected when cooperating with countries of a similar capability."

○ Dr. Jun added, "For South Korea to simultaneously achieve synergy effects and elevate its research capabilities through international cooperation, we need differentiated strategies depending on whether we act as the 'Teacher' or 'Student' country in relation to our partner. Simply choosing a country with a narrow capability gap or with high absolute capabilities is not enough."

☞ Learn more about this report (KR): https://www.kisti.re.kr/post/data-insight/6882?t=1778113685145