Access to the scientific literature in India

Patrick Gaulé

CEMI Working Papers from Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Collège du Management de la Technologie, Management of Technology and Entrepreneurship Institute, Chaire en Economie et Management de l'Innovation

Abstract: This paper uses an evidence-based approach to assess the difficulties faced by developing country scientists in accessing the scientific literature. I compare backward citations patterns of Swiss and Indian scientists in a database of 43'150 scientific papers published by scientists from either country in 2007. Controlling for fields and quality with citing journal fixed effects, I find that Indian scientists (1) have shorter references lists (2) are more likely to cite articles from open access journals and (3) are less likely to cite articles from expensive journals. The magnitude of the effects is small which can be explained by informal file sharing practices among scientists.

Keywords: open access; scientific publishing; developing countries; access to knowledge (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O38 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2009-02
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-cwa, nep-ipr, nep-pr~ and nep-sog
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Journal Article: Access to scientific literature in India (2009)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:cmi:wpaper:cemi-workingpaper-2009-004

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