Charting the digital transformation of science
Findings from the 2018 OECD International Survey of Scientific Authors (ISSA2)
This paper presents the results of the 2018 OECD International Survey of Scientific
Authors (ISSA2), a global online survey designed and implemented to measure the key
features of the digital transformation of science. The paper explores the potential
impacts of digitalisation based on a combination of different indicators on research
impact and responses from nearly 12 000 authors across the world. The evidence shows
that although digital activity is pervasive, the transformation is uneven across fields
and sectors, and is influenced by factors such as norms, experience, skills and data
availability. Overall, scientists appear to be optimistic about the potential of digitalisation,
especially in relation to the efficiency of research and collaboration across national
borders. This paper is also the first analysis to leverage a new OECD approach to
data collection in priority science policy topics for which evidence might be scarce
or insufficiently timely.
Published on April 09, 2020
In series:OECD Science, Technology and Industry Working Papersview more titles