<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><sec id="j_jdis-2017-0004_s_005_w2aab2b8c31b1b7b1aab1c15b1Aa"><h3>Purpose</h3><p>This paper aims to gain an insight into the disciplinary structure of nanoscience &amp; nanotechnology (N&amp;N): What is the disciplinary network of N&amp;N like? Which disciplines are being integrated into N&amp;N over time? For a specific discipline, how many other disciplines have direct or indirect connections with it? What are the distinct subgroups of N&amp;N at different evolutionary stages? Such critical issues are to be addressed in this paper.</p></sec><sec id="j_jdis-2017-0004_s_006_w2aab2b8c31b1b7b1aab1c15b2Aa"><h3>Design/methodology/approach</h3><p>We map the disciplinary network structure of N&amp;N by employing the social network analysis tool, Netdraw, identifying which Web of Science Categories (WCs) mediate nbetweenness centrality in different stages of nano development. Cliques analysis embedded in the Ucinet program is applied to do the disciplinary cluster analysis in the study according to the path of “Network-Subgroup-Cliques,” and a tree diagram is selected as the visualizing type.</p></sec><sec id="j_jdis-2017-0004_s_007_w2aab2b8c31b1b7b1aab1c15b3Aa"><h3>Findings</h3><p>The disciplinary network structure reveals the relationships among different disciplines in the N&amp;N developing process clearly, and it is easy for us to identify which disciplines are connected with the core “N&amp;N” directly or indirectly. The tree diagram showing N&amp;N related disciplines provides an interesting perspective on nano research and development (R&amp;D) structure.</p></sec><sec id="j_jdis-2017-0004_s_008_w2aab2b8c31b1b7b1aab1c15b4Aa"><h3>Research limitations</h3><p>The matrices used to draw the N&amp;N disciplinary network are the original ones, and normalized matrix could be tried in future similar studies.</p></sec><sec id="j_jdis-2017-0004_s_009_w2aab2b8c31b1b7b1aab1c15b5Aa"><h3>Practical implications</h3><p>Results in this paper can help us better understand the disciplinary structure of N&amp;N, and the dynamic evolution of N&amp;N related disciplines over time. The findings could benefit R&amp;D decision making. It can support policy makers from government agencies engaging in science and technology (S&amp;T) management or S&amp;T strategy planners to formulate efficient decisions according to a perspective of converging sciences and technologies.</p></sec><sec id="j_jdis-2017-0004_s_010_w2aab2b8c31b1b7b1aab1c15b6Aa"><h3>Originality/value</h3><p>The novelty of this study lies in mapping the disciplinary network structure of N&amp;N clearly, identifying which WCs have a mediating effect in different developmental stages (especially analyzing clusters among disciplines related to N&amp;N, revealing close or distant relationships among distinct areas pertinent to N&amp;N).</p></sec></abstract>

PurposeThis paper aims to gain an insight into the disciplinary structure of nanoscience & nanotechnology (N&N): What is the disciplinary network of N&N like? Which disciplines are being integrated into N&N over time? For a specific discipline, how many other disciplines have direct or indirect connections with it? What are the distinct subgroups of N&N at different evolutionary stages? Such critical issues are to be addressed in this paper.Design/methodology/approachWe map the disciplinary network structure of N&N by employing the social network analysis tool, Netdraw, identifying which Web of Science Categories (WCs) mediate nbetweenness centrality in different stages of nano development. Cliques analysis embedded in the Ucinet program is applied to do the disciplinary cluster analysis in the study according to the path of “Network-Subgroup-Cliques,” and a tree diagram is selected as the visualizing type.FindingsThe disciplinary network structure reveals the relationships among different disciplines in the N&N developing process clearly, and it is easy for us to identify which disciplines are connected with the core “N&N” directly or indirectly. The tree diagram showing N&N related disciplines provides an interesting perspective on nano research and development (R&D) structure.Research limitationsThe matrices used to draw the N&N disciplinary network are the original ones, and normalized matrix could be tried in future similar studies.Practical implicationsResults in this paper can help us better understand the disciplinary structure of N&N, and the dynamic evolution of N&N related disciplines over time. The findings could benefit R&D decision making. It can support policy makers from government agencies engaging in science and technology (S&T) management or S&T strategy planners to formulate efficient decisions according to a perspective of converging sciences and technologies.Originality/valueThe novelty of this study lies in mapping the disciplinary network structure of N&N clearly, identifying which WCs have a mediating effect in different developmental stages (especially analyzing clusters among disciplines related to N&N, revealing close or distant relationships among distinct areas pertinent to N&N).

Insight into the Disciplinary Structure of Nanoscience &amp; Nanotechnology

Journal of Data and Information Science

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Insight into the Disciplinary Structure of Nanoscience & Nanotechnology

{"article-title":"Insight into the Disciplinary Structure of Nanoscience & Nanotechnology"}

PurposeThis paper aims to gain an insight into the disciplinary structure of nanoscience & nanotechnology (N&N): What is the disciplinary network of N&N like?...

Insight into the Disciplinary Structure of Nanoscience & Nanotechnology

Article Category: Research Paper

Published Online: Feb 18, 2017

Page range: 70 - 88

Received: Jun 30, 2016

Accepted: Oct 14, 2016

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/jdis-2017-0004

Keywords
Nanoscience & nanotechnology (N&N), Disciplinary structure, Social network analysis, Cluster analysis, Cliques analysis, Dynamic evolution

© 2017 Chunjuan Luan et al.

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Insight into the Disciplinary Structure of Nanoscience & Nanotechnology

Article Category: Research Paper

Published Online: Feb 18, 2017

Page range: 70 - 88

Received: Jun 30, 2016

Accepted: Oct 14, 2016

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/jdis-2017-0004

KeywordsNanoscience & nanotechnology (N&N), Disciplinary structure, Social network analysis, Cluster analysis, Cliques analysis, Dynamic evolution

© 2017 Chunjuan Luan et al.

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Keywords
Nanoscience & nanotechnology (N&N), Disciplinary structure, Social network analysis, Cluster analysis, Cliques analysis, Dynamic evolution