Assessing the influence and impact of R&D institutions by mapping international scientific networks: the case of INESC Porto

Studies about the influence and impact of knowledge-producing organisations’ (e.g., universities or R&D institutions) have been addressed by means of strict economic analysis, stressing their economic impact in a local, regional or national extent. In the present study, an alternative methodology is put forward in order to evaluate the international scientific impact and influence of a knowledge-producing and -diffusing institution. Two main branches of the literature, dealing with the measurability of the economic impact of R&D organisations and their knowledge flows, are surveyed: standard economic studies, and scientometrics and bibliometrics analyses. With the aim of implementing an approach closer to the latter methods, we map the international scientific network of a knowledge-producing organisation using social network analysis statistical tools and thus assess the international impact and influence of such institution. Using INESC Porto – a Portuguese private non-profit organisation, recognised as being of public interest, due to its R&D activities – as our case study, we analyse the dynamics of its scientific production over the last two decades, attributing special attention to the international scientific co-authorships’ evolution, outlining the architecture of the knowledge network and its changing pattern. Additionally, focusing on the most prolific scientific areas of INESC Porto, and resorting to published scientific work recorded in the Science Citation Index (SCI) of the Institute for Scientific Information (ISI), we trace citations and infer over INESC Porto’s international scientific influence and impact.