本研究探討在地理上的生產力遷移(shifts in productivity)是否發生在書目計量學(bibliometrics)、資訊計量學(informetrics)和科學計量學(scientometrics)等計量學(metrics)領域，也就是歐洲的貢獻明顯地成長，並且北美的貢獻相對來說有減少的情形。
有關計量學的研究，Hood and Wilson (2001)和Stock and Weber(2006)等研究都分析了這個領域的文獻成長情形。Hood and Wilson (2001)回顧了計量學領域的發展，並且比較bibliometrics、scientometrics和informetrics的相關文獻，發現bibliometrics還是在相關領域上使用最廣泛的詞語。Stock and Weber(2006)從觀察中確認這個領域從1980年後便持續地成長。Wolfram (2008)則發現在計量學領域中，北美的文獻有明顯地減少而歐洲則是急遽地增加的情形。
本研究利用bibliometrics、scientometrics、informetrics、cybermetrics、webometrics、citation analysis、link analysis和citation indexes做為檢索的問句，同時再加上Scientometrics和Journal of Informetrics兩種期刊的論文，從Web of Science資料庫中進行檢索。結果共檢索出4404筆論文資料。
在這些論文資料裡，共有75個國家。以地區來區分，歐洲在每個時段上具有最大的貢獻，不論是數量或所占比率都有成長，亞洲所佔的相對比例在22年間有很大的成長，北美雖然在數量上有成長，可是相對的比例呈現緩慢的下降。每個地區的作者會偏好在本身地區的期刊上發表，舉例而言，歐洲作者發表論文的前五個期刊中有四個歐洲期刊，南美也有類似的情形，但是亞洲的情形例外，前五個期刊中有四個是歐洲期刊，另一個則是北美的期刊。
自1990年代中期後，國家間的合作情形增加許多，之前國際合作的論文每年為1到19篇，2008年已大幅增加為96篇。美國是國際合作佔最多的國家，但以地區來說，歐洲平均每個國家的國際合作數為5.78篇論文，多於世界其他部分的4.47篇論文。
此外，歐洲則有許多具有國際合作經驗的機構，共有16所研究機構有國際合作經驗，北美則有8所，亞洲有1所。機構間的合作來說，在1987年每篇論文平均只有1.1個機構，但在2007年則增加為1.96。
本研究且利用MDS、VOSviewer和Pajek將這些論文上的國家與機構之間的合作關係，呈現為圖形。
此外，歐洲則有許多具有國際合作經驗的機構，共有16所研究機構有國際合作經驗，北美則有8所，亞洲有1所。機構間的合作來說，在1987年每篇論文平均只有1.1個機構，但在2007年則增加為1.96。
本研究且利用MDS、VOSviewer和Pajek將這些論文上的國家與機構之間的合作關係，呈現為圖形。
In metrics research, the United States also has the highest share of international collaborations, but the average number of collaborations with European countries was higher (5.78 publications per country) than for other parts of the world (4.47 publications per country).
This investigation was prompted by interest in whether shifts in productivity based on geography are observed in the bibliometrics, informetrics and scientometrics areas.
One of the authors conducted a pilot study to determine whether there have been clear declines in North American contributions to the metrics literature base (Wolfram, 2008). The author found that there was indeed a notable relative decline in North American contributions and a sharp increase in European contributions.
Hood and Wilson (2001) examined the growth of literature of the metrics area. They provided an historical treatment of the development of these areas that included earlier studies of the field. In their research, literature associated with bibliometrics, informetrics and scientometrics was compared for the period 1968–2000. The authors noted that bibliometrics was still the most widely used term for metrics research.
More recently, Stock and Weber(2006) conducted a Web of Science search for records specifically including metrics terms and allied areas. They observed contributions had grown substantially since 1980.
Search parameters included the Boolean ORed result of bibliometrics, scientometrics, informetrics, cybermetrics and webometrics, in truncated form (e.g., webometri*), along with the phrases “citation analysis”, “link analysis” and “citation indexes”. ... These search results were ORed with the two primary journals that publish metrics research that are indexed by WoS, namely Scientometrics and the Journal of Informetrics.
A pair-wise comparison of all collaborations at the national and institutional levels was then conducted from which a cooccurrence matrix could be compiled.
Multidimensional scaling (MDS) analysis was used to visualize the relationships among countries. Because the data represent a type of similarity measure represented as a symmetric matrix, SPSS PROXSCAL was used to construct the map, as recommended by Leydesdorff and Vaughan (2006).
The recently developed visualization tool VOSviewer (van Eck &Waltman, 2010) was also used to provide an alternate visualization of the relationship outcomes. Like MDS, VOSviewer (http://www.vosviewer.com/) relies on a distance-based approach to mapping informetric relationships. Instead of using more traditional similarity measures to produce a normalized outcome for co-occurrences as used in MDS, relationships are based on association strengths, so the algorithm is somewhat different than PROXSCAL and, therefore, can produce different outcomes. Details of the comparison of different measures can be found in van Eck and Waltman (2009).
The network visualization software Pajek (http://vlado.fmf.uni-lj.si/pub/networks/pajek/) was used as well. Unlike the distance-based mapping of PROXSCAL and VOSviewer, Pajek produces directed or undirected network maps, with the strength of the relationships represented by the thickness of connecting lines between vertices on the map. Distances are used more for clarification, but proximities do not necessarily indicate a stronger relationship.
The search parameters retrieved 4404 publications.
Europe shows the highest levels of contribution, both in absolute and relative terms over the time period of the study. Growth patterns in absolute terms are nonlinear based on trend line analysis in MS Excel; however, the R-squared goodness-of-fit values for even the best fitting models (higher order polynomials) were never more than 0.95, indicating a less than desirable fit.
Relative contributions based on geographic divisions have been largely stable. An exception is Asia, which had an increasing relative contribution over the 22-year time frame of the study. Although North American contributions have continued to increase in absolute numbers, the relative contribution shows a slow average decline over time.
The top five journals listed for each continent demonstrated a regional preference for publication outlets from that region. So, for example, four of the top five journals for European publications were published in Europe, and four of the top five journal outlets for South America were South American. The exception to this was Asia. Four of the top five journals for Asian publications were European and one was North American. This outcome may be a reflection of the data extraction method, the indexing practices of WoS, or a preference during the study time frame for Asian scholars to publish in Western journals.
Seventy-five countries were represented in the record set.
The number of metrics papers published annually that represent collaborations between two or more countries has increased greatly since the mid-1990s. Prior to this time, the number of internationally collaborative papers ranged from 1 to 19 papers annually. Over the last decade this number has increased to a high of 96 papers in 2008.
In metrics research, the United States also has the highest share of international collaborations, but the average number of collaborations with European countries was higher (5.78 publications per country) than for other parts of the world (4.47 publications per country).
Sixteen of the institutions on the list are European, eight are North American, and one is Asian. The United States has the largest number of institutions represented (five), followed by Belgium (four – note: one institution merged with another institution to form a new entity).
There has been steady growth in inter-institutional collaboration over the 22 years. The mean number of collaborative institutional partners within the dataset has steadily increased from a low mean of 1.1 institutions per publication in 1987 to a high of 1.96 institutions per publication in 2007.
Europe, and in particular Western Europe, clearly dominates in the production of metrics literature. The United States continues to be the largest singular contributor, but this appears to be changing. North American contributions as a whole continue to increase, but represent a smaller percentage of worldwide production. European contributions have grown tremendously, especially during the last 5 years of the study period. This same period is marked by impressive growth from Asia.
It should be noted that WoS increased its coverage in 2008 by including more regional journals. These inclusions possibly could contribute to the increase in Asian contributions, but the observed growth for Asia was already evident prior to any such additions.
International and inter-institutional collaborations do not necessarily reveal strong geographic affinities, although the multiple institutional affiliations by a number of scholars associated with Flemish institutions do contribute to the strengthening of regional ties. Undoubtedly, the growth of the Internet and increasing availability of other telecommunication technologies have made these collaborations less distance dependent.
